Battle of Schuinshoogte Battle of Schuinshoogte , also known as Battle of Ingogo , was fought north of Newcastle , KwaZulu - Natal , on 8 February 1881 during the First Boer War . General Sir George Pomeroy Colley ' s communications with Newcastle were under constant harassment by mounted Boer patrols under Commander J D Weilbach after the Battle of Laing ' s Nek ( another British defeat ) and as a result he planned to clear a path along the Newcastle - Mount Prospect road to better protect the British supply line , and receive fresh reinforcements he needed to bolster his ranks . At roughly 9 a . m . he left the Mount Prospect camp with a force consisting mostly of infantrymen . A company of the 60th Rifles ( King ' s Royal Rifle Corps ) and two artillery pieces were left at a ridge overlooking the Ingogo River , while a handful of mounted men and infantry covered the drift . As Colley advanced up the slope of the Ingogo he received word from his scouting party that a mainly mounted Boer force under Gen . N J Smith and Comdt . J D Weilbach was approaching nearby . The British formed circular / squared defensive positions on the crest of the ridge with 240 infantry , 38 cavalry and two pieces of artillery while the roughly 300 Boers attempted to surround them and cut them off from escape . From noon until about 5 : 00 that evening a series of close range engagements was fought and the British suffered heavily from the accurate and concentrated Boer fire . Although the 60th Rifles wore dark green ( in fact , almost black ) uniforms , these were still in contrast to the light - coloured South African veldt , the only concession to camouflage being the white foreign service helmet stained khaki with tea . The gunners and mounted troops also wore dark uniforms , but the gunners in particular were exposed when working their guns . In contrast the Boers wore khaki coloured clothing , and were also expert at fieldcraft , thus being able to blend into the environment . Afterward heavy rain began to fall and the battle came to an abrupt end . Rainfall swelled the Ingogo river , making it very difficult to ford . Boer forces , imagining that the British would be unable to cross , especially with artillery , waited during the night to resume the battle the next day . Colley ' s men , meanwhile , made a desperate night march , and managed to escape , horses , guns and all , although several men drowned in the river crossing . The Boer failure to assault and capture the guns during the rainstorm , allowing the British column to escape , probably represents their only major error during the war . It has been speculated had Colley received his reinforcements before the onslaught of the rain , he would probably have been able to defeat the Boers for the first time and give the British better bargaining power during the peace negotiations . When the British returned with a burial party the next day , they found the Boers had returned to take care of their own dead and wounded . No engagement occurred . The eight Boer dead were buried on the farm " Geelhoutboom " some 5 km west of the battle site . The British lost seven officers and 69 men killed and 68 wounded . The men were buried on the battlefield while the officers ' bodies were exhumed four days later and taken to Fort Amiel for reburial . Colley was plagued by defeat throughout the war , and although he would receive his reinforcements , his men were seriously demoralized by the string of defeats . Eventually he would be killed in action at the Battle of Majuba Hill .