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
paths so precipitous and narrow as to be impracticable for anything
but Kaffirs and baboons, leaving behind them some two or three women
and several horses, which we took. By this false move on their part,
the enemy was placed in our hands; the Rifle Brigade being in the
valley at the foot of the mountain in front, two parties were instantly
despatched by the Colonel right and left to cut off escape by either
flank. We made our way down by a path so smooth and steep that only
the greatest precaution prevented a headlong career after the loose
stones that bounded down before us into the deep valley; the ammunition
and pack-horses sliding down on their hind quarters, and the rocket
troop proving very troublesome from the difficulty of keeping the heavy
apparatus off the horses' necks. The kloofs and forests thus enclosed,
were completely scoured, and though the enemy by dispersing, and hiding
in the thickest parts of the extensive thorny bushes, succeeded in a
great measure in making their escape, many were killed, seventy-one
women and children captured, secreted among the cavities of the rocks
at the base of the krantz, and quantities of assegais, guns, and native
ornaments taken. Half a dozen Rebels, Cape Corps deserters, killed in
the attack of their stronghold, were hung on the nearest trees, as
examples to any of their comrades who might chance to come that way.
At the ruins of Brown's farm, in the valley of the Waterkloof, Major
Horsford's column, which had marched up the valley, joined ours.
They had killed a good many Kaffirs, captured some horses, burnt and
destroyed many huts, and stormed and destroyed a gunsmith's shop in
the rocks, fortified and loop-holed, and well-stocked with tools and
materials for the repair of fire-arms.
The whole valley was smoking from end to end with burning huts, as were
the heights above us, crowned with the 60th and 91st, scarcely visible
from their distance.
After a two hours' rest the main column moved up the valley to the head
of the Waterkloof, two parties being detached to our right, one to
attack a small body of Kaffirs collected above us, and commanding our
intended ascent; the other up the south scarps to intercept the flight
of any dislodged parties in that direction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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