White was still reluctant to authorise a sortie outside the lines. Major David Henderson, DAAG of Intelligence, commanding officer of the corps of Natal Guides, was aware of the slackness of the Boer’s nightly watch-keeping. He proposed to White that 50 of his guides attack the Free Stater’s gun on Thornhill’s Kop and at first obtained permission to do so. However, the Long Tom on Gun Hill was more troublesome to Colonel William Knox’s sector of the defences and the Krupp howitzer on Surprise Hill also needed to be dealt with. Henderson’s order was countermanded and Hunter proposed to White that the Long Tom on Gun Hill be the first target.
