There had been three such reconnaissances in the five
weeks of the siege, and it is difficult to see what advantage they
gave or how they are to be justified. Far be it for the civilian to
dogmatise upon such matters, but one can repeat, and to the best of
one's judgment endorse, the opinion of the vast majority of
officers.
There were heart burnings among the Regulars that the colonial
troops should have gone in front of them, so their martial jealousy
was allayed three nights later by the same task being given to
them. Four companies of the 2nd Rifle Brigade were the troops
chosen, with a few sappers and gunners, the whole under the command
of Colonel Metcalfe of the same battalion. A single gun, the 4.7
howitzer upon Surprise Hill, was the objective. Again there was the
stealthy advance through the darkness, again the support was left
at the bottom of the hill, again the two companies carefully
ascended, again there was the challenge, the rush, the flight, and
the gun was in the hands of the stormers.
Here and only here the story varies. For some reason the fuse used
for the guncotton was defective, and half an hour elapsed before
the explosion destroyed the howitzer.
