ten o'clock
The Ghazis crept up the ravine , and maintained a hot fire upon them . It soon became pitch dark , and the difficulty of the march was increased by a heavy storm . The force lost the line of retreat and , but for the vivid lightning , would have found it impossible to make their way across the deep ravine . At ten o'clock they reached the camp . Here they found that General Jeffreys , with part of his brigade , had not yet returned . At dawn , however , the general appeared , with his mountain battery and a small escort . They had become separated from the remainder of the brigade , and the general decided to bivouac in a village .