ntertained. Yet, almost immediately
after General Coke's departure Colonel Thorneycroft issued an order,
without reference to superior authority, which upset the whole plan of
operations, and rendered unavailing the sacrifices which had already
been made to carry it into effect." In face of this severe, and in the
author's judgment merited, condemnation, it would be less than just
not to quote also Lord Roberts' further words. "Lieut.-Colonel
Thorneycroft appears to have behaved in a very gallant manner
throughout the day, and it was doubtless due in great measure {p.261}
to his exertions and example that the troops continued to hold the
summit until directed to retire."

On the morning of the 25th, seeing that Spion Kop was no longer held,
Buller assumed command in person, and began to withdraw to the south
of the Tugela. This movement was completed on the 27th, the troops
reaching their new camps by 10 A.M. of that day.

Thus, unfortunately, ended in failure an expedition concerning which
Lord Roberts wrote, "The attempt was well devised, and I agree with
Sir Redvers Buller in thinking that it ought to have succeeded." He
continues, "That it failed may, in some measure, be due to the
difficulties of the ground, and the commanding positions held by the
enemy, probably also to errors of judgment and want of administrative
capacity on the part of Sir Charles Warren. But, whatever faults Sir
Charles Warren may have committed, the failure must also be ascribed
to the disinclination of the officer in supreme command to assert his
authority and see that what he thought best was done, and also to the
{p.262} unwarrantable and needless assumption of responsibility by a
subordinate officer."

It would be presumptuous and unbecoming in an officer not of the land
service to express an opinion upon the difficulties of detail
encountered in the various operations of this week's work. But the
points selected for criticism in the expressions of Lord Roberts just
quoted belong to the fundamentals, common to both military
professions. The generous wish of Sir Redvers Buller to leave his
subordinate untrammelled discretion in the management of an operation
intrusted to him, was pushed to an extreme, and was maintained, as is
plainly evidenced by his own dispatch, after confidence was shaken.
The situation was one familiar, on a smaller scale, to every officer
who has ever had command. It is difficult at times to draw the line
betwee