ne field batteries are pushed over the river with some
Battalions of Infantry, while Boers are on the sky-line at all points
watching us.

_Sunday, 4th February._--Sir Charles Warren arrived on our gun plateau
with his Staff, and pitched his camp close to my guns. I found that
Sir Charles knew my father, and he told me that the Boers had had a
severe knock at Spion Kop and were ready to run on seeing British
bayonets; he spoke of his plans for the morrow and of our prospective
share in them. My share is to be a good one, as I am to have an
independent command and am so actually named in the general orders for
battle. I went over the plan of battle carefully with Captain Jones,
R.N., and our Commander, who thought Pontoon No. 3 was the weak spot.

_Monday, 5th February._--A fateful day of battle. At daybreak we stood
to our guns, but it was not till 6.30 a.m. that our Artillery, no less
than seven batteries, advanced under cover of our fire. On the left
were the 4.7 guns on Signal Hill; my two 12-pounders were on the gun
plateau in the centre, and on the right, on Zwartz Kop, were six more
of our 12-pounders under Ogilvy. The broad plan of attack was a feint
on the left and then a determined right attack. This developed slowly;
the Artillery and Infantry advanced, and we all shelled as hard as we
could for some hours, when the Infantry laid down just outside
effective rifle range from the Brakfontein trenches, and the
Artillery, changing front to right, withdrew from the left, except one
battery, to assist in the centre attack on Vaal Krantz. Our Naval guns
went on shelling the left where the Boer guns were well under cover
and were very cleverly worked. About 12 noon the Infantry withdrew
from the left and it was evident that our feint had fully succeeded in
its object, _i.e._, to get the enemy drawn down to their trenches and
stuck there. The Artillery, after crossing No. 2 Pontoon, were drawn
up in the centre shelling Vaal Krantz, while Lyttelton's Brigade was
pushed forward to attack it and succeeded in reaching the south end of
it. Our own firing on the left was incessant. I found afterwards that
I had fired 250 rounds during the day, and I had many messages as to
its direction and effect from Sir Charles Warren, and General
Talbot-Coke, who was just behind us with his Staff. Little firing
during the night. Very tired.

_Tuesday, 6th February._--At it again at daylight, the Boers
commencing from their 100 lb. 6"