six o'clock
One division of the artillery was to follow Lyttleton 's brigade . The six naval guns were to advance on his right . The sixth brigade were to aid General Hart , and three batteries of Royal Artillery to move east of the railway , under cover of the sixth brigade , to a point from which they could prepare the way for Hildyard 's brigade to cross the bridge . The action began before six o'clock , the naval guns opening with lyddite on the trenches on Grobler 's Hill , and those between it and Fort Wylie . No reply whatever was made by the Boers , and the troopers standing by their horses ' heads in readiness to mount should any party of Boers make a raid on the camp , began to wonder whether the enemy had not retreated . Hildyard 's men advanced in open order close to the railway ; the Queen 's own , with the West York in support , on the right of the railway ; and the Devons , with East Surrey behind them , on the left . They marched as steadily and in as perfect alignment as if on parade , eight paces apart .