About ten o'clock
The artillery duel went on for four hours and , in the meantime , the infantry were engaged sharply with the Afghans . These had taken up their position in the woods , on the other side of the ravine ; and kept up a continuous fire upon the 8th . The distance , however , was too great for much execution on either side , especially as both parties were sheltered in the woods . About ten o'clock the Afghans were seen gathering in strength , as if to come down across the road leading up to the Khotal , to attack the 8th in the rear . A squadron of the 18th Bengal Cavalry charged up the valley , and the enemy retired up the hill again and , seeing that they could not cross the road , without the chance of being cut up by the cavalry , they did not try to repeat the experiment . At eleven o'clock Brigadier General Cobbe was wounded in the leg , and Colonel Barry-Drew succeeded him in the command ; receiving the orders which had been given to General Cobbe -- that the Khotal was not to be attacked , till there was some evidence that the flank attack had shaken the enemy 's defense , in front . At twelve o'clock the guns , with the 2nd Punjaub Infantry , alarmed the Afghans by their fire upon the camp and , although the Afghan guns in front kept up their fire , the musketry fire decreased considerably .