The British were now moving upon the Boers in two separate bodies, the one which included Lyttelton’s and Coke’s Brigades from Potgieter’s Drift, making what was really a frontal attack, while the main body under Warren, who had crossed at Trichard’s Drift, was swinging round upon the Boer right.  Midway between the two movements the formidable bastion of Spion Kop stood clearly outlined against the blue Natal sky.  The heavy naval guns on Mount Alice (two 4.7’s and eight twelve-pounders) were so placed as to support either advance, and the howitzer battery was given to Lyttelton to help the frontal attack.  For two days the British pressed slowly but steadily on to the Boers under the cover of an incessant rain of shells.  Dour and long-suffering the Boers made no reply, save with sporadic rifle-fire, and refused until the crisis should come to expose their great guns to the chance of injury.

On January 19th Warren’s turning movement began to bring him into closer touch with the enemy, his thirty-six field guns and the six howitzers which had returned to him crushing down the opposition which faced him.  The ground in front of him was pleated into long folds, and his advance meant the carrying of ridge after ridge.  In the earlier stages of the war this would have entailed a murderous loss; but we had learned our lesson, and the infantry now, with intervals of ten paces, and every man choosing his own cover, went up in proper Boer form, carrying position after position, the enemy always retiring with dignity and decorum.  There was no victory on one side or rout on the other—­only a steady advance and an orderly retirement.  That night the infantry slept in their fighting line, going on again at three in the morning, and light broke to find not only rifles, but the long-silent Boer guns all blazing at the British advance.  Again, as at Colenso, the brunt of the fighting fell upon Hart’s Irish Brigade, who upheld that immemorial tradition of valour with which that name, either in or out of the British service, has invariably been associated.  Upon the Lancashire Fusiliers and the York and Lancasters came also a large share of the losses and the glory.  Slowly but surely the inexorable line of the British lapped over the ground which the enemy had held.  A gallant colonial, Tobin of the South African Horse, rode up one hill and signaled with his hat that it was clear.  His comrades followed closely at his heels, and occupied the position with the loss of Childe, their Major.  During this action Lyttelton had held the Boers in their trenches opposite to him by advancing to within 1500 yards of them, but the attack was not pushed further.  On the evening of this day, January 20th, the British had gained some miles of ground, and the total losses had been about three hundred killed and wounded.  The troops were in good heart, and all promised well for the future.  Again the men lay where they had fought, and again the dawn heard the crash of the great guns and the rattle of the musketry.