it would not have taken more than two or three hours at most to communicate by messenger with General Coke or Sir C.Warren, and to receive a reply.
General Coke appears to have left Spion Kop at 9.30 P.M.for the purpose of consulting with Sir Charles Warren, and up to that hour the idea of a withdrawal had not been entertained.

Yet, almost immediately after General Coke's departure Colonel Thorneycroft issued an order, without reference to superior authority, which upset the whole plan of operations, and rendered unavailing the sacrifices which had already been made to carry it into effect." In face of this severe, and in the author's judgment merited, condemnation, it would be less than just not to quote also Lord Roberts' further words.

"Lieut.-Colonel Thorneycroft appears to have behaved in a very gallant manner throughout the day, and it was doubtless due in great measure {p.261} to his exertions and example that the troops continued to hold the summit until directed to retire." On the morning of the 25th, seeing that Spion Kop was no longer held, Buller assumed command in person, and began to withdraw to the south of the Tugela.

This movement was completed on the 27th, the troops reaching their new camps by 10 A.M.of that day.
Thus, unfortunately, ended in failure an expedition concerning which Lord Roberts wrote, "The attempt was well devised, and I agree with Sir Redvers Buller in thinking that it ought to have succeeded." He continues, "That it failed may, in some measure, be due to the difficulties of the ground, and the commanding positions held by the enemy, probably also to errors of judgment and want of administrative capacity on the part of Sir Charles Warren.

But, whatever faults Sir Charles Warren may have committed, the failure must also be ascribed to the disinclination of the officer in supreme command to assert his authority and see that what he thought best was done, and also to the {p.262} unwarrantable and needless assumption of responsibility by a subordinate officer." It would be presumptuous and unbecoming in an officer not of the land service to express an opinion upon the difficulties of detail encountered in the various operations of this week's work.