The rebel forces were composed of men of Matshwili's and Ntshingumuzi's tribes, under the indunas Dabulumbimbi and Mvukazi respectively. Mahlanga also accompanied Ntshingumuzi's men as second in command. He remained in rear whilst urging others to charge. During the engagement, forty rebels were killed and others wounded. Tpr. G. Coll, Z.M.R., was seriously wounded with assegais. He received every attention from Major Campbell, M.D., C.M. (Edin.), but afterwards succumbed to his injuries at Thring's Post. The dog which had been the first to detect the enemy, and practically saved the column, was accidentally shot by its own side when trying to get back. The column bivouacked for the night where it had been engaged. Apart from the proximity of the enemy and the darkness, it was impossible to move, because waggons and oxen, owing to Native drivers and voorloopers having run away, had either capsized or become considerably disorganized. Thring's Post was reached at mid-day on the 3rd without further incident. The smart manner in which these attacks were met and repelled reflects the greatest credit on Campbell and his men, who were not only ambushed at dusk by an enemy far outnumbering them, but were considerably encumbered by slow transport, which had already come some nineteen of the twenty-eight miles to be done that day. Even the 15-pounder was being drawn by oxen. Having regard to the enemy's most determined charges, only remarkable promptitude and resourcefulness on the part of the officer in command turned a threatened calamity into a decisive victory. But other and even more important developments were occurring almost simultaneously not many miles away. To these we must now hasten to draw the reader's attention. The last we saw of Barker was his departure from Krantzkop to take up a position at Esidumbini. His force then consisted of four squadrons T.M.R. His orders were to reach Esidumbini as soon as possible and be on high ground overlooking Umvoti Drift at Gaillard's store by daybreak, 3rd July, to co-operate with three other columns from Mapumulo, Thring's Post and Glendale in a general converging movement on Meseni's ward, where, it was known, the rebels had assembled in great force. A delay occurred at Dalton from 9 a.m. (30th) until 2 p.m., owing to Barker having to wait for supplies. These had to come from Pietermaritzburg and Greytown by rail. He resolved to push forward at 2 p.m., with thirteen waggons, though still somewhat short of supplies. During the same afternoon, he was joined by the guns that had been sent after him.