‘At the Cape of Good Hope in the Kaffir War and in a rapid, long, and harassing march over the Orange river, for the suppression of rebellion, the Riflemen were ever as distinguished for good fellowship among their comrades of other regiments, as they were formidable to their foes. Colonel Mackinnon the Commandant of Kaffraria, thus reports of the Regiment: ‘“Nothing can have been more satisfactory than the conduct of the Battalion ever since it has been in this district, and it has been most ably commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Beckwith.” ‘In 1805 the Commander-in-Chief Sir H. Smith, joined this Battalion then commanded by a Colonel Sidney Beckwith, (the uncle of the present,) an officer of great military renown. ‘He has served with it during the most eventful period of its career, and has never worn the Regimental uniform of any other corps. The veteran and truly commendable affection, which is thus created, leads His Excellency therefore fervently to hope for the future welfare and honour of the Regiment. ‘“The true test of real excellence is not immediate success, but durable fame;” and Sir Harry Smith trusts, with all his heart, that this may ever be applicable to his old comrades of the Rifle Brigade.’ On June 6 the Head-quarter division embarked at Cape Town in the ‘Duchess of Northumberland,’ and sailed the same day; and after touching at St. Helena for water on the 19th, proceeded for England. But the other division of 8 officers and 100 men of other ranks were still at East London; where they embarked in surf boats on June 10 and 11, and were conveyed on board the ‘Hermes.’ They disembarked at Falk bay on the 17th, and proceeded to Cape Town, where they were quartered until July 11. On that day they embarked on board the ‘Himalaya,’[206] and sailed on the 12th for England. We must now return to the movements of the Depôt companies which left Bristol in two divisions on April 8 and 11, and arrived at Brecon on the 9th and 11th. They removed in three divisions from Brecon on June 17, 18 and 19, and proceeded to Canterbury, where they arrived on the 19th, 20th and 21st, and were there stationed until the arrival of the Service companies. The first division of these disembarked at Gravesend on Sunday, August 11, and proceeded by railroad to Rochester, and marched into Brompton Barracks Chatham; and on the 13th marched to Canterbury, where they arrived the next day.