The Boers, perfectly informed of the British position, and directed by skilful strategists, had really determined to attack this Dundee force with the greater part of their army. The Johannesburg commando, 2,000 strong, under General Kock, opened operations by moving south from Laing's Nek, and on October 19 seized a position at Elandslaagte, astride of the railway between Dundee and Ladysmith. A train laden with supplies was captured by the Boers. The 20th was fixed by Generals Joubert and Meyer for the annihilation of General Symons' force. Meyer was to attack from the east with 7,000 men, Joubert from the north-west with 17,000. On the night of the 19th, Meyer's men seized Talana Hill, a precipitous height to the east of and overlooking the British camp at Dundee. They placed several guns in position there. At 2·30 a.m. of the 20th a British picket was driven in. The night was dark and misty; as the dawn spread over the grey hills, out of the mist came the boom of a heavy gun, and a shell dropped plump in the middle of the astonished Britishers. [Sidenote: Battle of Dundee.] Thus General Symons was taken completely by surprise. But in this emergency he showed a courage and a decision which were above all praise. As the day broke he put his breakfastless, hungry men into line of battle and sent out his three field batteries to respond to the enemy's artillery fire, which now grew very galling. Along the ridge of Talana Hill, through the thick, wet mist, the Boers could be at times made out. So long as they remained there our position was untenable. They must be dislodged, and dislodged at whatever cost. [Illustration: ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS MARCHING OUT OF LADYSMITH FOR DUNDEE.] [Sidenote: OCT. 20, 1899.] From the British camp the ground for some distance sloped down to a river bed; then followed a short stretch of gently rising ground, and at the foot of Talana Hill a narrow belt of wood. This passed, the real ascent began. Halfway up the hill and just at the point where the declivity steepened almost to a precipice ran a stone wall, parallel to the ridge. The Boer position was one of extreme strength. It gave their picked shots excellent cover, and enabled their rifles and cannon to sweep with the deadliest effect the slopes below, over which the British must advance. While the Dublins, King's Rifles, and Irish Fusiliers went forward to the river bed, the British artillery cannonaded the ridge at a range of 2,000 yards. The Boer guns, after a two hours' duel, either withdrew or were silenced; the moment for the infantry assault had come. And what an assault! to be delivered by three battalions, with present for duty not more than 2,000 men, upon a seemingly impregnable position, held by 5,000 marksmen whose fame had filled the world.