▁and ▁the ▁independent ▁republic ▁of ▁the ▁Orange ▁Free ▁State . ▁British ▁forces ▁under ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Lord ▁M eth uen ▁were ▁adv ancing ▁north ▁along ▁the ▁railway ▁line ▁from ▁the ▁Cape ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁rel ieve ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Kim ber ley , ▁but ▁their ▁path ▁was ▁blocked ▁at ▁Mag ers f onte in ▁by ▁a ▁Bo er ▁force ▁that ▁was ▁ent rench ed ▁in ▁the ▁surrounding ▁hills . ▁The ▁British ▁had ▁already ▁fought ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁batt les ▁with ▁the ▁Bo ers , ▁most ▁recently ▁at ▁Mod der ▁River , ▁where ▁the ▁advance ▁was ▁tempor arily ▁halt ed . ▁ ▁Lord ▁M eth uen ▁failed ▁to ▁perform ▁ade qu ate ▁reconna issance ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁imp ending ▁battle , ▁and ▁was ▁una ware ▁that ▁Bo er ▁Ve cht - gener aal ▁( Com bat ▁General ) ▁De ▁la ▁Rey ▁had ▁ent rench ed ▁his ▁forces ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁the ▁hills ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁forward ▁s lop es ▁as ▁was ▁the ▁accepted ▁practice . ▁This ▁allowed ▁the ▁Bo ers ▁to ▁surv ive ▁the ▁initial ▁British ▁art illery ▁bomb ard ment ; ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁troops ▁failed ▁to ▁deploy ▁from ▁a ▁compact ▁formation ▁during ▁their ▁advance , ▁the ▁def enders ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁inf lict ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties . ▁The ▁High land ▁Brigade ▁suffered ▁the ▁worst ▁cas ual ties , ▁while ▁on ▁the ▁Bo er ▁side , ▁the ▁Sc and in av ian ▁Corps ▁was ▁destroyed . ▁The ▁Bo ers ▁att ained ▁a ▁tact ical ▁victory ▁and ▁succeeded ▁in ▁holding