seven
in the morning
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 . Although they had six field pieces at the top of the hill , only three had been placed in position to command the valley and the ascent ; and the mountain battery , which had arrived the afternoon before , was not brought to the front . The three field pieces , and the mountain gun on the spur kept up a continuous fire on our battery , of five guns .