The Gordons Had Only Arrived In Camp That Day, And Did
Not Advance Until Next Morning.
Besides the infantry, the 9th
Lancers, the mounted infantry, and all the artillery moved to the
front.
It was raining hard, and the men with one blanket between
two soldiers bivouacked upon the cold damp ground, about three
miles from the enemy's position. At one o'clock, without food, and
drenched, they moved forwards through the drizzle and the darkness
to attack those terrible lines. Major Benson, R.A., with two of
Rimington's scouts, led them on their difficult way.
Clouds drifted low in the heavens, and the falling rain made the
darkness more impenetrable. The Highland Brigade was formed into a
column - the Black Watch in front, then the Seaforths, and the other
two behind. To prevent the men from straggling in the night the
four regiments were packed into a mass of quarter column as densely
as was possible, and the left guides held a rope in order to
preserve the formation. With many a trip and stumble the ill-fated
detachment wandered on, uncertain where they were going and what it
was that they were meant to do. Not only among the rank and file,
but among the principal officers also, there was the same absolute
ignorance. Brigadier Wauchope knew, no doubt, but his voice was
soon to be stilled in death. The others were aware, of course, that
they were advancing either to turn the enemy's trenches or to
attack them, but they may well have argued from their own formation
that they could not be near the riflemen yet.
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