On the 12th
Lord Dundonald, with all the colonial cavalry, two battalions of
infantry, and a battery, made a strong reconnaissance towards
Hussar Hill, which is the nearest of the several hills which would
have to be occupied in order to turn the position. The hill was
taken, but was abandoned again by General Buller after he had used
it for some hours as an observatory. A long-range action between
the retiring cavalry and the Boers ended in a few losses upon each
side.
What Buller had seen during the hour or two which he had spent with
his telescope upon Hussar Hill had evidently confirmed him in his
views, for two days later (February 14th) the whole army set forth
for this point. By the morning of the 15th twenty thousand men were
concentrated upon the sides and spurs of this eminence. On the 16th
the heavy guns were in position, and all was ready for the advance.
Facing them now were the formidable Boer lines of Hlangwane Hill
and Green Hill, which would certainly cost several thousands of men
if they were to take them by direct storm. Beyond them, upon the
Boer flank, were the hills of Monte Christo and Cingolo, which
appeared to be the extreme outside of the Boer position. The plan
was to engage the attention of the trenches in front by a terrific
artillery fire and the threat of an assault, while at the same time
sending the true flank attack far round to carry the Cingolo ridge,
which must be taken before any other hill could be approached.
On the 17th, in the early morning, with the first tinge of violet
in the east, the irregular cavalry and the second division
(Lyttelton's) with Wynne's Brigade started upon their widely
curving flanking march. The country through which they passed was
so broken that the troopers led their horses in single file, and
would have found themselves helpless in face of any resistance.
Fortunately, Cingolo Hill was very weakly held, and by evening both
our horsemen and our infantry had a firm grip upon it, thus turning
the extreme left flank of the Boer position. For once their
mountainous fortresses were against them, for a mounted Boer force
is so mobile that in an open position, such as faced Methuen, it is
very hard and requires great celerity of movement ever to find a
flank at all. On a succession of hills, however, it was evident
that some one hill must mark the extreme end of their line, and
Buller had found it at Cingolo. Their answer to this movement was
to throw their flank back so as to face the new position.
Even now, however, the Boer leaders had apparently not realised
that this was the main attack, or it is possible that the
intervention of the river made it difficult for them to send
reinforcements.
