It was a fine exploit of the 3rd Rifles.

'A finer bit of skirmishing, a finer bit of climbing, and a finer bit of fighting, I have never seen,' said their Brigadier.
It is certain that if Lyttelton had not thrown his two regiments into the fight the pressure upon the hill-top might have become unendurable; and it seems also certain that if he had only held on to the position which the Rifles had gained, the Boers would never have reoccupied Spion Kop.
And now, under the shadow of night, but with the shells bursting thickly over the plateau, the much-tried Thorneycroft had to make up his mind whether he should hold on for another such day as he had endured, or whether now, in the friendly darkness, he should remove his shattered force.

Could he have seen the discouragement of the Boers and the preparations which they had made for retirement, he would have held his ground.

But this was hidden from him, while the horror of his own losses was but too apparent.

Forty per cent of his men were down.