The task before Warren was hard.  In order to carry out Buller’s plan he must cross an unbridged river and struggle through a country of which little was known.  Next day two bridges were thrown over the Tugela above Trickhardt’s Drift, which recent rains had made dangerous, and Hart’s and Woodgate’s Brigades were transferred to the left bank to cover the crossing:  but it was not until sunset on January 18 that the entire force with its tedious transport was established on the north side of the river.

The mounted troops under Dundonald were sent out at mid-day to reconnoitre towards the N.W. and in the course of the afternoon his advanced squadrons came upon a Boer commando which was easily dealt with, but before the issue was decided, he had reported that he was engaged near Acton Holmes, and asked for help.  Warren assumed that the mounted troops, which he had sent out to reconnoitre, had wilfully and prematurely forced on an action, and were now in trouble; and it was not until the next morning, after an infantry brigade had been moved out to support them, that Warren heard from Dundonald, whose previous messages had not clearly described the situation, that he was able to take care of himself.  Dundonald had at first expected that the main body would follow him, and his reports seem to show that he had hoped to induce Warren to move towards Acton Holmes.  He was rebuked for assuming, not unnaturally, that the objective of the operations was Ladysmith, and instructed that the objective was a junction with the other portion of Buller’s force.  He was summoned to Warren’s headquarters and ordered to abstain from further attempts to ride round the enemy’s right.  Thus, as before at Hlangwhane, a promising cavalry movement by Dundonald was thrown away.

The deliberate march of the British Army from Frere and the delay at the Drifts gave the Boers ample time to prepare for the attack.  On January 19, on which day Warren moved to Venter’s Spruit three miles from Trickhardt’s Drift, they were in occupation of the whole line from Vaalkrantz to the Rangeworthy Heights.  Fourie was in command of the left, Schalk Burger of the centre, which included the important features of Green Hill, Spion Kop, and the Twin Peaks; and L. Botha of the right, in which was Bastion Hill.

There were two roads by which Warren could advance; one running by Fairview northwards from Trickhardt’s Drift between Green Hill and Three Tree Hill, and the other eight miles longer by Acton Holmes.  The length of the latter and a report from White that several commandos were on their way to Acton Holmes from Ladysmith, led Warren to adopt the former route.

He informed Buller of his decision, adding that certain “special arrangements” which he had made would oblige him to remain near Trickhardt’s Drift, and that he must therefore have further supplies.  The “special arrangements” were in fact the steps which every general would take before attacking a strong position not immediately accessible; namely to acquire ground from which it could be threatened and shelled.  Clery was ordered to direct the operation, which Warren believed would entail “comparatively little loss of life.”