210: This order was despatched to
Lieutenant-Colonel Macbean at 7.40 a.m.]

[Footnote 211: The distance is verified by Capt. W. E.
Gordon, V.C., Gordon Highlanders, who, while in the leading
line, fell wounded at a spot which many months later he was
able to identify. Thence he paced to the Boer trench. Lt. H.
E. M. Douglas, R.A.M.C., crept forward to inject morphia into
various wounded officers and men at this very spot. He was
awarded the V.C. for this act. This decoration was given to
Capt. E. B. Towse, Gordon Highlanders, and Corporal J. Shaul,
H.L.I., for gallantry during the action.]

[Sidenote: A grave misunderstanding takes Highlanders to rear of
guns.]

[Sidenote: Scots Guards protect dispersed Highlanders.]

About 1 p.m. the Boers began to outflank the right and right rear of
the Highland brigade. Colonel Hughes-Hallett, Seaforth Highlanders,
who was on this side of the line, thereupon gave orders to the men
near him, intending to throw back the flank so as to meet the
threatened attack. Colonel Downman, Gordon Highlanders, who was in the
centre, seeing what was Colonel Hughes-Hallett's intention, raised
himself to give to those in his neighbourhood the necessary directions
for its execution. He at once fell mortally wounded. The officers
strove hard to effect an orderly change of front; but their signals
were misconstrued by many of the rank and file, who began to retire.
First the right gave way; then at about 1.30 p.m. the movement became
general and, covered by a very rapid and well aimed hail of shells
from the Field artillery against the works at the foot of
Magersfontein Hill, nearly all the Highlanders who were immediately in
front of the Boers, gradually and with considerable loss, ebbed away
to the guns. The men were reformed at about 3.30 p.m. in rear of the
18th and 62nd batteries.[212] Some groups, however, perhaps altogether
amounting to two or three hundred officers and men, held on where
they were till nightfall. As soon as Lord Methuen saw the situation,
he sent forward the only formed unit that was near enough to the much
dispersed troops to cover their retirement. This was that body of six
companies of Scots Guards which had been detailed to act in support of
the Field artillery. Passing through the broken ranks they halted
about 1,500 yards from Magersfontein Hill.

[Footnote 212: During