▁their ▁compact ▁quarter ▁columns ▁into ▁a ▁fighting ▁formation . ▁W au cho pe ▁instruct ed ▁the ▁brig ade ▁to ▁extend ▁its ▁order , ▁but ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁such ▁close - range ▁Bo er ▁fire , ▁the ▁changing ▁formation ▁was ▁thrown ▁into ▁dis array ▁and ▁confusion . ▁General ▁W au cho pe ▁was ▁killed ▁by ▁almost ▁the ▁first ▁vol ley , ▁as ▁was ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁G . ▁L . ▁J . ▁G off , ▁the ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Ar gy ll s . ▁The ▁men ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁brig ade ▁dis ent ang led ▁themselves ▁from ▁the ▁dead ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁them ▁fled . ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Watch ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁column ▁charged ▁the ▁Bo er ▁tren ches ; ▁a ▁few ▁broke ▁through , ▁but ▁as ▁they ▁clim bed ▁Mag ers f onte in ▁Hill ▁they ▁were ▁engaged ▁by ▁their ▁own ▁art illery ▁and ▁Bo er ▁parties , ▁including ▁one ▁led ▁by ▁General ▁C ron je ▁himself , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁wand ering ▁the ▁kop je ▁since ▁ 0 1 : 0 0 , ▁and ▁were ▁subsequently ▁killed ▁or ▁captured . ▁O thers ▁were ▁shot ▁while ▁ent ang led ▁in ▁the ▁wire ▁f ence ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁tren ches . ▁Con an ▁Do yle ▁points ▁out ▁that ▁ 7 0 0 ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁cas ual ties ▁that ▁day ▁occurred ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁five ▁minutes ▁of ▁the ▁eng agement . ▁ ▁An ▁attempt ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁out fl ank ▁the ▁tren ches ▁on