three o'clock
Two officers only were killed , Captain Hensley of the Dublin Fusiliers , and Major Childe , who was a most popular officer . He had a presentiment that he would fall , and actually asked a friend the evening before to have a tablet placed over his grave with the inscription , `` Is it well with the child ? It is well . '' At three o'clock the fighting slackened , and a heavy thunderstorm seemed to be the signal for firing to cease . Later Sir Charles Warren summoned all the officers commanding corps , and pointed out that there was not sufficient food remaining to allow of the wide circuit by Acton Homes to be carried out , and gave his opinion that now they had won so much ground , it was better to continue to advance by the shorter line on which they were pushing , but that in order to do this it was necessary that Spion Kop , whose fire would take them in the rear , should be captured . This was unanimously agreed to , and General Warren then saw the commander-in-chief , and obtained his consent to the change of plans . It was not , however , considered necessary to take Spion Kop until the troops had farther advanced .