the other one
moved to the right to support the 18th battery.

[Footnote 161: See p. 233, 2nd par.]

[Sidenote: 75th battery and Naval guns join in.]

The 75th battery advanced at the same time parallel to the line. It
was accompanied by the two Naval 12-prs., and took up two successive
positions 4,000 and 2,300 yards from the enemy's guns, which now
re-opened fire. The Naval guns during these movements were dragged
forward by the seamen, assisted by sappers lent from the Royal
engineer companies. The fire of the enemy at the British as they came
into action at the nearer range was accurate. The Naval guns,
nevertheless, remained in action until the conclusion of the day.
When, a little later, the 75th battery was moved to the eastward,
Lieut. Dean held his ground. By making his men lie down as each flash
at the enemy's battery was seen, he was able to save them from any
heavy casualties. The effect of the British on the Boer artillery was
also very slight, the enemy's casualties being limited to one gunner
wounded and three horses killed.

[Sidenote: Advance of Guards.]

The Guards' brigade, in its march from Swinkpan, had been drawn to the
north-west by the sound of the guns and had moved in extended lines in
that direction, until the left company of its leading battalion, the
3rd Grenadier Guards, crossed the railway close to the spot where the
Naval guns were stationed; but at this moment Lord Methuen's order to
march to the south-east to protect the right rear of the main attack
reached the Brigadier by heliograph. In compliance with this
instruction Sir H. Colvile turned about the 3rd Grenadier Guards and
2nd Coldstream Guards, and moved them to the other flank; throughout
this movement from left to right behind the 9th brigade, the two
battalions were in extended order and beyond the range of the enemy.
The 1st Coldstream Guards were still protecting the transport column;
the 1st Scots Guards, which came up from Belmont, were also held back
on the left, under the immediate orders of the Lieut.-General, and
acted as a divisional reserve. Lord Methuen's preliminary
dispositions, therefore, of the troops not actually employed in the
assault, included the use of six field guns, two Naval guns, seven
companies Northumberland Fusiliers, four companies Northamptonshire,
and three companies Royal engineers, in facing the enemy's right and
centre; two battalions of the Guards watched the right flank, in
su