It was found, however, that the Boers had guns in position on neighbouring heights within effective range.

It was possible also for the Boer riflemen, with their extraordinary aptitudes for stalking, to maintain a perpetual fire from well-covered positions; whereas, to whatever cause attributable, there does not seem to have been a well-organised plan to provide artificially and rapidly the shelter which the flat bare tops of South African mountains do not naturally extend.

General Woodgate was mortally wounded at 10 A.M.
Reinforcements were then on the way, and when his fall was reported, {p.259} General Coke, with two fresh regiments, was sent to assume command.

He heliographed down at 2 P.M.that unless the enemy's guns could be silenced the men could not hold the place under another day's shelling.

Some hours later, at 9.30 P.M., he was called down to make a personal report of the conditions.
Towards nightfall Warren made arrangements to send up two naval 12-pounders, a mountain battery, and a heavy working party under engineer direction to organise field protection--a provision that should have formed part of the original plan--elaborated through four days of operations.