three in the morning
A number of the nearest trees were felled by the pioneers , and huge fires were soon alight . There was still some uneasiness , as no one knew where the force under General Cobbe was , or whether the attack on the Peiwar-Khotal had been successful or not . While the 5th Punjaub Infantry had been mounting the spur , halfway between the Peiwar and the Spingawi Khotal , the 8th Regiment had moved directly upon the pass . The Afghans , who had expected an attack , had remained under arms until three in the morning when , hearing no sounds in our camp , they had been dismissed to rest . Three guns of the Royal Artillery , and two of the Royal Horse Artillery took up their post 800 yards in front of our camp ; where their fire , at the crest of the pass , would assist the advance of the 8th . These , after two hours ' march , found themselves at seven in the morning on the last spur , which is separated from the Peiwar-Khotal by a deep ravine . When it became daylight , a few minutes later , the enemy caught sight of our artillery in the valley , and at once opened fire .