Etshowe was a mission station, abandoned some months before, but now selected for an entrenched post, in preference to more open and commanding ground to the north, in consequence of the necessity of utilising the buildings for the storage of supplies. The station consisted of a dwelling-house, school, and workshop, with store-rooms—three buildings of sun-dried brick, thatched; there was also a small church, made of the same materials, but with a corrugated iron roof; and a stream of good water ran close by the station. Here the column encamped, and preparations for clearing the ground and establishing a fortified post for a garrison of 400 men were made. Two companies of “Buffs,” two companies Native Contingent, and some mounted men, were sent back to reinforce Lieut.-Colonel Ely, 99th Regiment, who, with three companies of his regiment, was on the march to Etshowe with a convoy of sixty waggons. On the 25th, Major Coates was sent down to the Tugela with a strong escort and forty-eight empty waggons, for a further supply of stores; and next day a “runner” arrived with news that a disaster had occurred on the 22nd. On the 28th a telegram was received from Lord Chelmsford, hinting at disaster—that he had been compelled to retire to the frontier—that former instructions were cancelled, and Colonel Pearson was to hold Etshowe or withdraw to the Tugela, also that he must be prepared to bear the brunt of an attack from the whole Zulu army. Colonel Pearson at once assembled his staff and commanding officers, when it was finally decided to hold the post, sending back to the Tugela the mounted troops and Native Contingent. These marched, unencumbered with baggage, and reached the Tugela in ten hours—a contrast with the upward march! The various buildings were loopholed, and the church prepared for use as a hospital, all tents struck, and the entrenchments supplemented by an inner line of waggons. In the evening Colonel Ely’s convoy arrived safely. The mounted men were sent back from Etshowe, because a large proportion of the horse forage consisted of mealies, which it was thought might be required for the use of the garrison, as eventually was the case. To replace the mounted men, a small vedette corps was formed under Lieutenant Rowden, 99th Regiment, and Captain Sherrington, of the Native Contingent, and did excellent service. These vedettes were constantly under fire. One was killed at his post. Another was attacked by some dozen Zulus, who crept upon him through the long grass; he lost two fingers of his right hand, had a bullet through each leg and one in his right arm; his horse was assegaied; yet he managed to get back to the fort, retaining his rifle. The vedettes being much annoyed in the early morning by the fire of some Zulus from a high hill, Captain Sherrington and six of the men went out one night and lay in wait for them, behind some rocks near the top of the hill, wounding three and putting an end to the annoyance.