Midway between the two movements the formidable bastion of Spion Kop stood clearly outlined against the blue Natal sky.

The heavy naval guns on Mount Alice (two 4.7's and eight twelve-pounders) were so placed as to support either advance, and the howitzer battery was given to Lyttelton to help the frontal attack.

For two days the British pressed slowly but steadily on to the Boers under the cover of an incessant rain of shells.

Dour and long-suffering the Boers made no reply, save with sporadic rifle-fire, and refused until the crisis should come to expose their great guns to the chance of injury.
On January 19th Warren's turning movement began to bring him into closer touch with the enemy, his thirty-six field guns and the six howitzers which had returned to him crushing down the opposition which faced him.
The ground in front of him was pleated into long folds, and his advance meant the carrying of ridge after ridge.

In the earlier stages of the war this would have entailed a murderous loss; but we had learned our lesson, and the infantry now, with intervals of ten paces, and every man choosing his own cover, went up in proper Boer form, carrying position after position, the enemy always retiring with dignity and decorum.
There was no victory on one side or rout on the other--only a steady advance and an orderly retirement.