About 8 p.m., a message came from Chief Leader H. Ehlers, in command of the New Hanover Reserves (70), to say he was in lager at Little Noodsberg Hall, and that intelligence had come in to the effect that he was to be attacked at daybreak on the 1st July by an _impi_ that had been seen during the afternoon on the Great Noodsberg.[277] Barker immediately decided to march to the Hall with three squadrons (each about 100 strong), leaving the fourth as escort to the guns and transport. The Hall was reached at midnight. Everything there was quiet. When daylight appeared, the expected attack was not made. Barker then left for the Great Noodsberg, where he waited till 11 a.m. for the rest of the column to come up. That night the column bivouacked on the Great Noodsberg. A number of scouts had been noticed during the day, all of whom retired suspiciously to the front of the column as it advanced. By 7 a.m. on the 2nd (Monday), having been joined by the New Hanover Reserves on the preceding afternoon, the column was again on the move.[278] After travelling about a mile and a half, the advanced guard (B squadron, T.M.R.), came upon an _impi_ some 300 strong, concealed on both sides of the road in a wattle plantation (site of the Newspaper Mission Station), which had been thinned out, but had a lot of scrub about it. Steps were now taken to drive the place, with the result that many armed Natives, particularly near their small church, where it had evidently been intended to lie in ambush for the troops, were discovered and shot. Scarcely any other portion of the column, except the advanced guard, came into action. As the enemy retreated, he was pursued by the advanced guard and two troops of A squadron, T.M.R. The operations lasted about twenty minutes. After the fighting was over, the plantation was again, but more thoroughly, driven. About sixty rebels were killed. At 9.30 a.m., the column moved along easy slopes towards Insuze river, the advanced guard being increased to two squadrons. The strength of the column now was four squadrons, T.M.R. (400); two Maxims and one Colt gun (25); two guns, 15-pounders, N.F.A. (25); and the Reserves (70). There were no Native levies.[279] Many Natives were observed on high ground to the right and left fronts.