Encouraged by this success an attempt was made by the Suffolk Regiment to carry a hill which formed the key of the enemy’s position.  The town of Colesberg lies in a basin surrounded by a ring of kopjes, and the possession by us of any one of them would have made the place untenable.  The plan has been ascribed to Colonel Watson of the Suffolks, but it is time that some protest should be raised against this devolution of responsibility upon subordinates in the event of failure.  When success has crowned our arms we have been delighted to honour our general; but when our efforts end in failure our attention is called to Colonel Watson, Colonel Long, or Colonel Thorneycroft.  It is fairer to state that in this instance General French ordered Colonel Watson to make a night attack upon the hill.

The result was disastrous.  At midnight four companies in canvas shoes or in their stocking feet set forth upon their venture, and just before dawn they found themselves upon the slope of the hill.  They were in a formation of quarter column with files extended to two paces; H Company was leading.  When half-way up a warm fire was opened upon them in the darkness.  Colonel Watson gave the order to retire, intending, as it is believed, that the men should get under the shelter of the dead ground which they had just quitted, but his death immediately afterwards left matters in a confused condition.  The night was black, the ground broken, a hail of bullets whizzing through the ranks.  Companies got mixed in the darkness and contradictory orders were issued.  The leading company held its ground, though each of the officers, Brett, Carey, and Butler, was struck down.  The other companies had retired, however, and the dawn found this fringe of men, most of them wounded, lying under the very rifles of the Boers.  Even then they held out for some time, but they could neither advance, retire, or stay where they were without losing lives to no purpose, so the survivors were compelled to surrender.  There is better evidence here than at Magersfontein that the enemy were warned and ready.  Every one of the officers engaged, from the Colonel to the boy subaltern, was killed, wounded, or taken.  Eleven officers and one hundred and fifty men were our losses in this unfortunate but not discreditable affair, which proves once more how much accuracy and how much secrecy is necessary for a successful night attack.  Four companies of the regiment were sent down to Port Elizabeth to re-officer, but the arrival of the 1st Essex enabled French to fill the gap which had been made in his force.

In spite of this annoying check, French continued to pursue his original design of holding the enemy in front and working round him on the east.  On January 9th, Porter, of the Carabineers, with his own regiment, two squadrons of Household Cavalry, the New Zealanders, the New South Wales Lancers, and four guns, took another step forward and, after a skirmish, occupied a position called Slingersfontein, still