Battle of Stormberg The Battle of Stormberg was the first British defeat of Black Week , in which three successive British forces were defeated by Boer irregulars in the Second Boer War . Background . When the British first drew up a plan of campaign against the Boer republics , it was intended that the 3rd Division commanded by Major General William Forbes Gatacre would secure the area known as the Cape Midlands , immediately south of the Orange Free State , in preparation for an advance along the railway running from Cape Town to Bloemfontein . In the event , many of the division ' s troops had to be diverted to Natal after disasters there , and Gatacre ' s reduced force arrived late . By the time they were ready to take the field , Boers from the Orange Free State had already seized the important railway junction of Stormberg . Gatacre heard of the loss of Stormberg on 8 December at Graaff Reinet . He determined to make an immediate counterattack to recover the place . A force of 3 , 000 was to be taken by train to Molteno , the nearest railway station to Stormberg still in British hands , and march by night to attack a hill known as the Kissieberg , which dominated the Boers ' position . The force consisted of the 2nd Battalion , the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers ( 960 men ) , the 2nd Battalion , the Royal Irish Rifles , ( 840 men ) , the 74th and 77th batteries of the Royal Field Artillery and 250 mounted infantry detached from various infantry battalions . Other detachments ( including the 1st Battalion , the Royal Berkshire Regiment ) which were intended to join the force failed to arrive because telegraph orders were not sent . There was no time for reconnaissance , and preparations were rushed . Early the next day , the British troops hastily boarded the trains , but then sat for hours under a hot sun while locomotives were found . They were already tired when they reached Molteno , to set off on a night march with fixed bayonets after a hasty meal and very little rest . Gatacre ' s locally engaged guides were soon lost , and the force wandered about the veldt all night . Battle . As dawn broke , the British at last came in sight of the Kissieberg . A small Boer picket with one 75mm Krupp gun under Sergeant Hendrik Muller of the Free State Artillery Corps , opened fire . Although Gatacre ' s force had merely to march around the hill to force the Boers to retreat , about half the infantry rushed forward without orders to storm it . They found that the hill was a typical kopje , ringed by a vertical rock face , which most of them were unable to climb . A few soldiers scrambled to the top , only to be swept off by the British guns which came into action with the rising sun in the gunners ' eyes . The commanding officer of the Northumberland Fusiliers took it on himself to order a retreat , and most of Gatacre ' s force began to fall back in disorder . Gatacre gave the order to retreat to Molteno . Mounted Boer reinforcements appeared and attacked from both sides . The retreat of the exhausted British infantry was covered by the mounted infantry and the artillery , although two 15 - pounder guns were lost . Not until they reached Molteno did Gatacre realise that over 600 men had been left behind on the Kissieberg . Hopelessly cut off , they were forced to surrender . Aftermath . The Free State Boers and local rebels were slow to take advantage of Gatacre ' s defeat . By the time they did so , British reinforcements had arrived , and the area was secure . Although General Sir Redvers Buller , the British Commander - in - Chief in South Africa , publicly ascribed the defeat to bad luck only , and it was also suggested that his guides had been treacherous , Gatacre was blamed by many soldiers and commentators for the defeat . He was known for restless activity and for imposing needless marches and labour on his troops . He remained in command of the understrength 3rd Division , but after General Lord Roberts replaced Buller as Commander - in - Chief , he was sidelined to various occupation and " mopping - up " duties . He was eventually relieved of command after failing to rescue the Royal Irish Rifles who surrendered to Orange Free State Commandant - General Christiaan de Wet after a siege at Reddersberg on 3 April 1900 .