_Mackay_--N.C. Right Wing (Barker); Left Wing (Brandon), 560; L and Y, 150 (Peakman); N.R., 350 (Dick); N.F.A., two guns, A battery (Wilson), two guns, B battery (Acutt), and two guns (pompoms), (Swain). _Leuchars_--U.M.R., 270 (Newmarch); B.M.R., 160 (Arnott); N.C., D squadron, 89 (Montgomery); N.F.A., two guns, C battery (Currie).] [Footnote 286: At 3 a.m. on the 15th, a fire suddenly broke out at the field hospital, Thring's Post, owing to a hurricane blowing about fragments from a burning rubbish heap. The medical officer (Dr. R. Milner Smyth) assisted by others, succeeded with considerable difficulty, in rescuing the patients (one of them, the man referred to in the text) from their burning tents.] XVIII. ACTION AT IZINSIMBA.--CONCLUDING OPERATIONS.--DISBANDMENT.--COURTS-MARTIAL.--COST OF THE REBELLION. It was clear from the outset that the _impis_ that attacked the convoy at Macrae's on the 2nd July had come from Matshwili, Ntshingumuzi and Ngobizembe's tribes. Of these, the leading spirit was undoubtedly Matshwili[287] of the Mtetwa tribe. Intelligence went to show that a force of some eight companies of the rebels, _i.e._ between 400 to 600 men, was concealed in his ward in deep ravines at Izinsimba, a tributary of the Tugela. These rebels, although they had failed to annihilate Campbell, were awaiting favourable developments in other parts to amalgamate, or effectively co-operate, with the _impis_ of Meseni, Ndhlovu and others. Only by striking decisively was it possible for McKenzie to break down the widespread disaffection in Mapumulo, Lower Tugela and Ndwedwe divisions, all thickly inhabited by uncivilized Natives. As soon as the principal rebel force had been disposed of, attention was turned to that of Matshwili. McKenzie decided to surround this _impi_ in the same way that had been attempted in Umvoti valley. The situation demanded celerity of action. With such crafty foes, action within twenty-four hours or so might meet with success, when a couple of days would result in absolute failure. The problem, however, was not of such vast dimensions as that in Umvoti valley, but, in view of the rugged country in which Matshwili's people lived, quickly descending as it does into a far more difficult and thickly-wooded district in the vicinity of the Tugela, it was necessary to cut off retreat thereto before the enemy had conceived the possibility of such movement taking place. Owing to the nature of the country, offering innumerable facilities for escaping, McKenzie was especially careful in the preparation of his plans. The columns employed were those of Mackay, Woolls-Sampson and Leuchars. They were composed as follows: _Mackay's_--Right and Left Wings, N.C.; 2 guns, N.F.A. (Wilson).[288] _Woolls-Sampson's_--4 squadrons, N.M.R. (Murray-Smith); 2 squadrons, N.D.M.R. (Abraham); 1 squadron, Z.M.R. (Vanderplank); 2 guns, N.F.A. (Acutt); detachments of D.L.I. and N.R.