It was now the end of the third week in May, and all was ready for an advance, with the exception of the dearth of transport beasts and vehicles. It will be well, therefore, to briefly recapitulate the military situation. Crealock, now at Fort Chelmsford, was to connect himself with Port Durnford, and then to move along the coast with 10,000 men, supported and supplied by the Naval Brigade from Port Durnford. This was called No. 1, or the First Column. The second division in the north under Lord Chelmsford, his immediate subordinates being Generals Wood, Newdigate, and Marshall, was to move from Dundee, their advanced posts being already Doornkop, Landsman's Drift, Ladismith, Conference Hill, and Mayegwhana. General Newdigate was now at Dundee, and had with him the King's Dragoon Guards, under Colonel Alexander; the left wing of the 17th Lancers, under Major Boulderson; the headquarters 21st Fusiliers, the 58th Regiment, with N battery, 6th Brigade, Royal Artillery. At Doornkop, about seven miles from Dundee, were three companies of the 21st, and four companies of the 80th. Wood occupied the most advanced point at the front, at a place called Mayegwhana, or the Wolf's Kraal, and had with him the 13th and 90th Light Infantry, 1000 of Buller's and Russell's Horse, a strong native contingent, and a battery of six 7-pounder mountain guns. Again at Conference Hill were a company of Royal Engineers and the 94th Regiment, under their commanding officer Colonel Malthus. In addition to Colonel Malthus's regulars there were at Conference Hill about 150 Basutos, some volunteers, and a few Natal natives, all under Captain Birkett. Dundee and Conference Hill were the two most important bases of General Newdigate, and convoys of supplies were daily arriving at each. At Landsman's Drift there were three strong forts, with an intervening space for cattle. These had been designed by General Newdigate himself, and were constructed _en échelon_. They were occupied by the 21st, 58th, and five companies of the 2nd battalion Natal Native Contingent. These three entrenched field-works were admirably constructed, so as to afford each other mutual defence. In tracing these works great care had been taken that the angles should be directed upon inaccessible ground, such as a krantz, a marsh, or a pond. None of the faces were exposed to enfilade, and the longest were so traced that they looked towards the ground over which an enemy would most likely advance, and which could be swept by the fire of the garrisons. These works were all somewhat in the shape of demi-bastions, and were constructed on a square or polygon, whose exterior sides were about 150 yards. The parapets were only breast high, but unusually thick, and, allowing for the penetration of rifle-fire at ten yards being twenty-one inches, the parapets had been constructed six feet, having a base 3·1, while the interior slopes are maintained by strong revêtements.