[Illustration: _F. J. Waugh._] [_After a sketch on the spot by W. B. Wollen, R.I._
LORD METHUEN WATCHING THE BOMBARDMENT OF MAGERSFONTEIN.]
[Sidenote: General Wauchope's premonitions.]
[Sidenote: DEC. 10-11, 1899.] _Disheartening Conditions of the Night March._]
At 6·45 p.m. darkness came on and the bombardment ceased. The evening was gloomy and the sky heavily overcast, yet a fitful moon showed through the clouds. The troops bivouacked where they had stood during the bombardment, the Highlanders directly to the south of Magersfontein, the Guards on the right, and the batteries in place, ready to open fire at the ranges which they now well knew. A hasty meal was made of biscuit and bully beef. Silence was maintained and no one might raise his voice above a whisper; no fires were allowed; even pipes could not be lighted. In rear of the infantry Lord Methuen gave General Wauchope his last orders; then the Major-General instructed his battalion commanders as to what was to be done. It was noted by many after that sad night that for days before the Major-General had seemed to forebode his swiftly coming end. His very look bore the "reflection of death." In every campaign in which he had fought he had been wounded; now, it was said, he knew that he was fated to die. Yet, like a brave and proud soldier, he never spoke of these things. He was reported to have strongly protested to Lord Methuen against the night attack, and more especially against the order to march in quarter column, though on rough ground at night this was a not unreasonable disposition. Be this as it may, there were no witnesses at the interview, and the story can only be founded upon vague conjecture. It was also said that he had remarked to an intimate friend upon the nature of his instructions, which seemed to him at once too vague in their indication of the enemy's position and too precise in prescribing the formation to be adopted. There is certainly a concurrence of evidence that the General was rendered uneasy by his orders and anticipated the worst results.
The night march was to begin at 12·30, the Brigade in quarter column, which means that the eight companies of each battalion were to be in eight lines, one behind the other and six paces apart. The four battalions also were behind each other, so that the front of the mass of men was but one company, or about 100 men, shoulder to shoulder, and the depth thirty-two ranks. Thus, half-a-dozen men might be stricken down by a single bullet and a hundred killed by one shrapnel skilfully timed. The reason for the closeness of the formation was the difficulty of keeping the men together in the darkness. Ropes were to be used to enable the troops to maintain their order. On nearing the enemy's position at 3·25 a.m., or just before daybreak, the Black Watch was to deploy on the right to the east of Magersfontein, the Seaforths next to them, and then the Argyll and Sutherlands, with the Highland Light Infantry in reserve. The three leading battalions were to extend, placing each of them two companies in the firing line, two in support, and four in reserve.