, it was by
no means easy. The inclination to the right was given to the column.
The advance was resumed. Nothing else occurred seriously to retard
progress until, just as the top of Magersfontein Hill was first made
visible by the lightning, a growth of mimosa bush brought the brigade
to a standstill. Major-General Wauchope, had already decided to
deploy. To hasten this, he himself led the Black Watch in single file
through the bush, and desired Lieutenant-Colonel Ewart to guide the
remainder of the brigade round the obstruction. The three battalions
in rear, easily avoiding the small patch of thorny shrubs, rejoined
more quickly than had been expected, and soon fell into their proper
places. When the brigade-major reported their arrival, Major-General
Wauchope issued instructions for deployment on the Black Watch, but
not in the same order of battalions as he had laid down on the
previous day.[202] The Seaforth Highlanders were now to come up on the
left, the Argyll and Sutherland on the right, of the battalion of
formation. Major-General Wauchope had originally intended that both
the Seaforth and the Argyll and Sutherland should prolong the left of
the Black Watch, each having two companies in the firing line, two in
support and four in reserve. According to this design the twelve
reserve companies were to have been formed in two ranks, and were to
have occupied approximately the same space from flank to flank as that
covered by the six companies in the firing line. The Highland Light
Infantry was intended to act as the reserve to the brigade. The
presumption is that he changed his plan at the last moment, in the
hope of ensuring that his right should completely overlap the eastern
flank of Magersfontein Hill.

[Footnote 202: See p. 312.]

[Sidenote: 4 a.m. the Boers smite the brigade in the act of deploying.
The consequent rush forward.]

At about 4 a.m., almost before the officers commanding battalions had
issued executive orders for the deployment, a well-sustained fire from
the Boer trenches a few hundred yards away, at the foot of
Magersfontein Hill, was suddenly poured into the serried ranks of the
Highlanders. The brigade was thus assailed at a most inopportune
moment, when in the act of changing from mass of quarter-columns into
fighting formation, a manoeuvre which under the most favourable
circumstances always requires time. To carry it out under the close
range of magazine rifles was impossibl