In the afternoon I was awakened by the sound of big guns and heavy musketry close at hand. On looking out, I saw, about a mile off, in the open, General N----t engaged with the enemy. I could easily make out that he was somewhat severely pressed, so calling for men to follow me, I made as quickly as I could to the front. I met on the way Captain S----n of the Rifles, with a party of men, axes in hand, falling back to the rear. Captain S----n cried out that I had better look to myself. He himself had been told off to cut a road into the kloof, but they had been driven back, and N----t was beaten. I, however, still went on; and gathering as I went some of the men who were retreating, came up to the line of fire, and faced the pursuing Kaffirs. When I had a sufficient number in hand to give an impetus to the movement, with a rattling cheer we went at the Kaffirs, who at once fell back, and eventually we pursued them almost to Mundell’s Peak. Here our real difficulties began. I had to return to the camp, but there were no supports to fall back upon; for none of the regulars, except those with me, had followed my onward movement. To increase the difficulties, there were several wounded to carry and no stretchers to lay them on. In this dilemma I sent Lieutenant H----d to ask General N----t for the required support. He did not return. I then sent Sergeant Herridge, who, after great delay, owing to the difficulty in finding the General, whom he at length discovered breakfasting, returned with the message that he had no time nor men to spare, and I must return the best way I could. Thank God, we did get back, but had a narrow squeak for it. On the first movement I made to retire, the Kaffirs hurried to our left flank, near the edge of the kloof, to cut us off. I followed in the same direction, and that so closely that I drove the greater part of them over it; and so that effort of theirs became fruitless. While doing this others had run forward on my right flank, which was out in the open; but here also the Minie rifle did its task right well, and beat them back. Thus alternately struggling on both flanks, I got at last to some rocks about a mile from the camp. Here I halted until Lieutenant H----d, whom I now saw approaching with the men (who had, on my sudden departure, been left behind), came and relieved me of all further fears. It was now, on questioning Lieutenant H----d as to his delay--questions which were not very audible, owing to the firing still going on--that he interpreted some words amiss, and the next day, much to my regret, resigned. After some still further delay, owing to the desperate attempts the Kaffirs made to turn our position, we eventually returned safely to camp, bringing all our wounded with us. After this affair I did not conceal my opinion of General N----t’s conduct towards me that day; and D----e, a fine young fellow of the 74th (the “British bull-dog” they called him), thought it incumbent