in Battery, was
moving towards Nicholson's Nek with a view of seizing it. But of Colonel
Carleton's column anon.

[Illustration: MAP OF LADYSMITH AND SURROUNDING HEIGHTS]

On Colonel Ian Hamilton's right flank, towards Lombard's Kop, was
Colonel Grimwood, with the 1st and 2nd King's Royal Rifles, the
Liverpools, Leicesters, and Dublin Fusiliers, three Field-Batteries, and
the Natal Volunteer Artillery. On the extreme right, when day broke, was
General French with a Cavalry Brigade and some volunteers. The idea was,
that while Colonel Grimwood was shelling the Boer position to the north
of Lombard's Kop, General French should prevent any attempt to turn his
right; the enemy's artillery silenced, Colonel Grimwood was to drive him
along the ridge running to Pepworth, and, under cover of the British
guns, press the Boers towards their centre. Meanwhile our centre, under
Colonel Hamilton, was to attack a hill where the enemy was in force,
rout him and join in the general scheme, while Colonel Carleton
protected the centre from a flank movement. Unfortunately "the best laid
schemes o' mice and men gang aft agley," and General White's admirable
scheme failed, as we shall learn. An artillery duel began operations,
and this continued for two long hours, while the warm spring morning
developed, and the Boers, who had been warned of our plans and had
changed their position during the night, were laughing in their sleeves
at the capital surprise they had prepared. They had drawn off their men
from the point that was to have been the objective of our centre, and
extending and reinforcing their left, were calmly waiting our attack.
The artillery duel continued till seven o'clock, our batteries with
great difficulty searching out the enemy's position. Colonel Grimwood,
with two battalions of the King's Royal Rifles, held the kopjes and
ridges in front of Farquhar's Farm, while mounted infantry and troopers
of the 18th Hussars, supported by the Liverpools and Leicesters, were
posted on the hills on the right. Behind them came the artillery, who
directed their fire at the hill above the farm, where the enemy was
supposed to be intrenched.

[Illustration: BEFORE LADYSMITH--HORSE ARTILLERY GALLOPING TO TAKE UP A
NEW POSITION.

Drawn by R. Caton Woodville.]

The Boers, who in great hordes had streamed from the hills like a
mountain torrent and concealed themselves in the surrounding ridges, now
made all Colonel Grimwood's plans impos