▁of ▁the ▁objective ▁and ▁a ▁front al ▁attack ▁with ▁the ▁bay on et ▁at ▁first ▁light . ▁M eth uen ▁planned ▁to ▁bomb ard ▁the ▁Bo er ▁positions ▁with ▁art illery ▁from ▁ 1 6 : 5 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 : 3 0 ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁December . ▁Following ▁the ▁bar rage , ▁the ▁newly ▁arrived ▁High land ▁Brigade ▁under ▁Major ▁General ▁W au cho pe ▁was ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁night ▁march ▁that ▁would ▁position ▁them ▁to ▁launch ▁a ▁front al ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁Bo ers ▁at ▁dawn ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁W au cho pe ▁had ▁argued ▁for ▁a ▁fl ank ing ▁attack ▁along ▁the ▁Mod der ▁River , ▁but ▁had ▁been ▁unable ▁to ▁conv ince ▁his ▁superior . ▁ ▁M eth uen ' s ▁orders ▁show ▁that ▁his ▁intention ▁was ▁to ▁" hold ▁the ▁enemy ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁to ▁deliver ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁southern ▁end ▁of ▁Mag ers f onte in ▁R idge ." ▁ ▁The ▁advance ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁made ▁in ▁three ▁columns . ▁The ▁first ▁column ▁consisted ▁of ▁the ▁High land ▁Brigade , ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Lanc ers , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁King ' s ▁O wn ▁York shire ▁Light ▁Infantry , ▁and ▁supporting ▁art illery ▁and ▁engineer ▁sections ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁bal lo on ▁section . ▁The ▁first ▁column ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁march ▁directly ▁on ▁the ▁south - western ▁sp ur ▁of ▁the ▁kop je ▁and ▁on ▁arrival , ▁before ▁dawn , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Black ▁Watch ▁were ▁to