Campaigning in Kaffirland; Or, Scenes and Adventures in the Kaffir War of 1851-52King, William Ross
History
Campaigning in Kaffirland; Or, Scenes and Adventures in the Kaffir War of 1851-52
King, William Ross
South Africa -- History -- Frontier Wars, 1811-1878
Wrottesley, 43rd Light Infantry, who was mortally wounded, and died
afterwards in camp; three men of the 73rd were also killed, and some
wounded.
During this attack, Colonels Napier and Michel ascended respectively
the Kromme and Waterkloof heights, dragging their guns by dint of
incredible exertions up almost impracticable steeps (the former being
sharply engaged), drove the rebels from their positions, and then,
acting in concert, destroyed all their kraals.
On the 15th, Colonel Napier captured 130 head of cattle and many
horses, taking fifty women and children prisoners, and killing several
of the rebels. The 60th Rifles, under Captain the Hon. A. Hope,
attacking the Iron Mountain, on which the enemy took his final stand,
forced them from the position with fixed swords, and they were pursued
and driven over the Krantzes, with great loss, by the remainder of the
60th, under Major Bedford, 560 head of cattle and 75 horses falling
into their hands.
After this the enemy fled through the country in all directions, making
chiefly for the Amatolas.
Simultaneously with the above combined movements, an attack, with like
success, had been made by Lieut.-Col. Perceval, on the Chief, Stock, in
the Fish River bush.
While Captain Tylden and his Burghers were still with us at Post
Retief, the friendly Kaffir Chief, Kama, a faithful and valued ally
of the government, arrived with a retinue on his way back to his
village, after an interview with the Governor-General, and encamped
outside the walls for the night. He accepted with great politeness
our invitation to mess. He had been to request His Excellency not to
make peace with the Gaikas or Kreli, until the whole of the former had
crossed the Kei. In the progress of the war he took the most lively
interest; and though his _Great Wife_ was sister to Macomo, expressed
his anxiety to see him vanquished and driven from his stronghold. He
had left his own territory previous to the commencement of the last
war, disapproving of the intentions of his countrymen, and feeling his
consequent insecurity among them. His lands he placed in the hands of
the British Representative to hold in trust for him, and with about 200
families of his tribe, removed into the colony, residing at this time
at Kamastone, a location assigned him near Whittlesea. He had done good
and faithful service through the whole of the present war, taking the
field with his sons and all his fighting men, of whom many had been
killed by the enemy. He appeared at dinner in a black coat and a _clean
shirt_; behaved in a quiet, self-possessed manner; took wine, and used
his knife and fork as if he had been familiar with such things all his
life. His appetite, or politeness, was wonderful, taking everything
that was offered him; and if he was not ill after it, his digestion was
not less so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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