The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-06 00:00:00

THE FIGHTING AT MAFETENG.

The Times of Monday publishes the following letters :

Sir,—l send you a copy of a letter just received -froni my
son, Captain Shervington, Cape Mounted Rifles, at Mafeteng,
Basutoland, as it is just possible his detailed account of the
fighting round that post and matters generally concerning
the position of the forces there might prove interesting to
your readers. My son has served throughout all the recent
South African wars, having been specially mentioned on
several occasions, particularly in reference to the defence of
Ekowe.—Yours faithfully, C. E. SHERVINGTON, Lieutenant-
Colonel, Kinnersly-lodge, East Moulsey, Surrey, Oct. 29.

"With Colonel Carrington's Field Force, Mafeteng,
Basuloland, Sept. 18.
"This is the residency of Mr. Barkly, in Basuto-
land. He is the resident magistrate. We marched
in here through the Free State on the 13th inst., and
about two miles before we got in I, who was in com-
mand of the advanced guard (40 men), was attacked
by about 600 mounted Basutos. We got in among
some stones and kept them off till reinforcements
arrived, when they bolted, leaving twelve men killed.
We got in here about 11 o'clock, and I immediately
started with two troops to seize some of the enemy's
wagons. Some ten miles off we got three, but had to
abandon the rearmost one, as they came down in
great force. We got back about three o'clock with
the two wagons, a lot of sheep and cattle, and five
prisoners. Directly I got in I had to start off in
another direction to reinforce another troop that was
getting it rather hot. I took out some spare ammunition,
beat the enemy off, and got back to camp about 7.40
p.m. Next day we did much the same sort of thing.
Our captured stock was sold for £4OO, which goes to
Government. Yesterday Mr. Sprigg, the Colonial Secre-
tary, arrived just as I was starting on a reconnoissance
with forty men to a village three miles from here, in
sight of the camp. We got into the village, and were
almost immediately surrounded by 800 men (mounted).
I got out of the village and into a lot of rocks 100 yards off.
Before doing so I sent a man to gallop for his life back
to camp for reinforcements. He only just got in, but
wits so knocked out of time that he could only say one
of my vedettes was cut off, and I was in some rocks
near a village. Luckily, the Colonel knew I must be
in a hole by sending a man back, and at once sent out
reinforcements. Directly the enemy saw them coming
600 or 700 more came on to help the others, who
had surrounded us. I had to retire down a precipice
with my men and horses, and succeeded in getting
down in good order without a single casualty. Directly
we got down 1,200 men swooped down on us, but by
retiring in alternate troops we kept them back, and got
into camp without losing a horse or man. I had my
field-glasses shot out of my hand. One of the troops
sent to relieve me got into a ditch, and by a steady fire
checked the advance of a large body of men who were
trying to cut off my retreat. The other troop charged
another body of 200 men, but got right into a strong
body of the enemy who were under cover. They had
to wheel their horses round and gallop for it. The
i
officer in command (Lieutenant Clarke) n attempting
to rescue a wounded man, whom he had already put
on his own horse, was killed, as well as the wounded
man he endeavoured so gallantly to save. I knew
nothing of it till we got back to camp, as his troop
was separated from mine by a ridge. Directly I
heard of it I went back and recovered the bodies. We
killed from 20 to 30 men, and my troop only fired 50
rounds of ammunition. I never saw men behave
better under fire than my own party. Although
there was a rain of bullets on us the whole time, I
would not allow a man to fire until I named
him, as I never expected to get out with a
single man. I was determined only to fire when they
came within 100 yards of us. I had only 50 rounds a
man with me. Altogether we lost one officer and two
men, with their horses. You can hardly imagine the
pace these fellows can go on their ponies—up and down
hill, over rocks, at a breakneck pace—our horses are
not in it with them; so you can fancy how I felt, sur-
rounded by 1,200 of these light cavalry in a place that
only one horse could be dragged down at a time.
Besides, most of them are better armed than we are,
as they have Martini-Henrys and Westley Richards
rifles, while we have only Sniders and revolvers. I.
told the Colonial Secretary, when I got back, pretty
Plainly what I thought about our arms, so he is at
any rate going to give us swords. I got some 'kudos'
for the way I kept my post for two hours against
them without wasting my ammunition, and getting
away with the loss of one vedette; but then, if it had
not been for the gallant charge of poor Clarke
and the plucky way M'Mullen (one of my own
subalterns) kept them back with his troop by showing
a bold front and keeping up a steady fire, not one of
my men could have eseaped, unless they had chosen
to evacuate the camp, and come out in force to our
assistance. We all have war on the brain, and this
will be a long and bloody one. The Basutos are
splendid shots, fight well behind stone walls, and are
always ready to swoop down on any exposed corner.
The total fighting force of the nation is 40,000 men,
half of whom are mounted. We intend to put into
the field 13,000, and it is not certain whether the
whole of the Basuto nation will rise. You must not
expect to hear from me very often, and if anything
happens to me you are sure to see it in the papers.

September 23.

"I have not been able to send this on to you before,
but there is a chance to-night, as a runner is going, to
try and get through. lam afraid this is going to
be a second Ekowe. Our rations have been reduced,
but even as it is I fear we have only enough for 27
days reduced rations. I may as well begin at the
beginning, and tell you all that has happened since I
began this letter. At 10.45, on the morning of the
21st, I was out a mile from camp with two men (none
of us armed) trying to get a heliograph I made into
working order. The cattle and horses were grazing
within a few yards of me. Down swooped 1,000
mounted men and swept off all the cattle and sheep,
and the Basuto police (natives) horses. We saved our
own with great difficulty, and the two men and my-
self barely escaped with our lives. Directly the cattle
and sheep were captured from 7,000 to 8,000 mounted
men attacked our camp. There are 150 Cape
Mounted Rifles in a small redoubt and adjacent
buildings on the fiat; a low ridge above us is held by 30
Cape Mounted Rifles and 120 native police in three
schanzes or redoubts, and also the court-house; 25
more Cape Mounted Rifles hold a fortified house 1i
mile off (the latter was not attacked). Oar fighting
strength here was 290 men white and black. They
attacked, as I tell you, about 'B,OOO strong with large
reserves in rear directly the cattle were captured.
They also got the native police horses. Fighting
continued from 11 a.m. until after dark (7 p.m.)
About an hour before dark, 600 or 700 men collected
together under a wall 800 yards from our position,
and 400 yards from the schanzes, with the intention
of rushing them at dark. I got leave from the
colonel to sally out with 25 men (mounted), and
charge them. I did this all right, and have been
mentioned favourably for it. The enemy retired at
7 p.m., and went home to their chiefs; but we hear
to-day that they (their chiefs) have refused to see
them until they have cleared us out, and we are now
blockaded just as we were in Ekowe, with our rations
reduced, and only enough meat for nine days. No
reinforcements can possibly reach us within three
weeks, and if they are not very strong they will be
cut up.

"If we had had some guns we could have saved our
cattle. I am going to kill 30 horses to-morrow and
make 'bet tong ' (dried meat) with it. lam not sure
that we are not worse off than at Ekowe, on the
whole. One of our officers rode through to the Free
State last night; but we don't know if he got through.
I was the first to volunteer, but the colonel won't let
me move away from him. I am very hard worked
and rather seedy. We fear night attacks most. This
is not a very strong place to defend, as once the
schanzes are taken our camp must go. The Basutos
are wonderful at picking up their dead and wounded.
V.C.'s would be common with them. You can fancy
what it was when I tell you 59 of their horses were
lying dead in one place after a charge, and only three
dead bodies found afterwards. Of course, numbers
were carried off in the night. They lost very heavily
in their attack. Our loss was only some men
wounded."