The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-31 00:00:00

, v
ING
SU N 7 MAY 31, 1852,

rugged nature of the ground, did not reach them till
past two-o'clock, by which time the cattle were too far
off to attempt taking them 'that afternoon. I therefore
decided upon going down to the Thomas River and en-
camping for the night about two miles-above its junction
with the Kei,.hnping that the,Ksfirs would imagine that
s,
I intended to Cross the Kei next day. Captain Tylden
joiner] me thc‘re, but the, infantry .remained .on the
heights about four miles •off.--
" Next morning (the :7th) I started at four o'clock,
and, instead of crossing 'th Kei,
I went up ea very
steep mountain called,ttf:.---.. with' all the mountedmen and Fingoes, sendift: the Kat River Levy to
show Major Forbes the- way I wanted him to take .
the infantry. Soon ..aftell• daylight the Burghers,
who were in . tidvance,.46sekted the top of the
mountain, , and saw large droves of cattle in the
kloof below,. and immediately west in pursuit of them.
I remained,. on the top of 'the mountain with the Cape
Mounted ktifles. in order teAiatoh and support them, if
necessary Verbeiting A
a kloof to my left, I sent wtitiftrto Captain Tylden, who
was half
,way up the mountan;:to turn off to his left and
fi,T.As'.,,,:nutaber of cattle down in
go down to, take them. OfiletOring back towards the
-Kei; I 'saw shout 50.0 mountedliafirs (who had evidently
ti,,en watching the drift) ride.u„„;ae a hill on the other
,
side of the river', cross it, and ride towards us as hard as
they could. .
" I remained on the top of the mountain until I saw
the Burghers driving the captured cattle overhill to.
my left, and- then I deseendadAate th„oey, The-
enemy followed me at a distance;
until ,I began to ascend
the hill, when tkfeycommimee4:most spirited attack
upon the Cape Mounted itifies., The -ground was so
rocky and steep that the ~mteit_ol2l4 not charge, and I
was obliged to dismount .c 1 send the horses to.
the frnut.-ilnvicyesl.tha -.fagot Qd every.
avail-Able position, sae • ilntiXl gr ually "tip' the hilt in
a most steady manner, cheeping the enemy whenever
they pressed the rear. About half way up I was joined
by about 30 Cradock Berghera, who- had taken about.
100 head,of cattle, which they were obliged to leave,
Ing them. Thelie Barghers were of gretif use in help-
they said,;:iu,order to prevent the Ktifira from surround-
ing to check the enemy'A advance. A few Englishmen •
belonging to Commandant Bowker'a party came also
down to ns and Slot several of the enemy. At 1P M.
the Kafirs retired, and after seeing the cattle well on
camp at the Thomas
Rthieveorp,eln
rceotuunrtnreyd, goingy t
co
iwma
pr dsw ht
he
the ''Cape Mounted
Rifles.
"The conduct of. the officers and men of the Cape
Mounted Rifles was admirable, and deserves the greatest.
praise.: .I am greatly, indebted •to. Major Somerset for
the very great assistance be rendered me by placing his,
men in different positions, and checking the advance of
the enemy. Captain. Carey behaved with his usual gal-
lantry, and received a slight contusion on. his left. arm
and breast. Sergeant Pollook and Privates Brits and
'Titus were savagely wounded, and one troop horse
killed. _ •

" The Infantry under Major Forbes .svere not engaged
with the enemy; but, from the judicious position the
Major took up, were of .great use in preventing the
cattle escaping from Captain Tylden.
" I enclose Captain Tylden's report, by which you
will perceive that the enemy attacked his party also in a
most determined manner, but were repulsed with severe
loss, and 930 head of cattle and 50 horses felt into his
hands. My best thanks are due to this officer for his
gallant conduct on this occasion.
" Three thousand one hundred bead of cattle 70
horses, and 1,500 goats were taken from the enemy;
and upwards oF 50 Kafirs were shot during this patrol.
"I am greatly indebted to Major Forbes; command-
ing the infantry; ,Major Somerset, commanding the
Cape Mounted Rifles; Captain Ty lden, commanding the
Whittlesea Force; Lientenant Green, Deputy-Assistant
Q rartermaster-General; Civil Commissioner Giltillan,
and his Commandants, Messrs. Gilfillan, Plusie Kruger
and the Cradock Burghers; Curawandants Bowker,i De-
laporte, W. Bower, Piet Kruga and the Sqmerset
Burghers; Captain Thompson, Commanding li3t River
Levy; and Captain Campbell, Commanding the Fingoes,
for their conduct in this patrol.
"I have the honour to be, Sir.,
Your most obedient Servant,
" GEORGE NAPIER,
" Lieutenant-Colonel Cape Mounted Rifles,
Commanding Patrol.
"Major-General-Somerset, C. 8., Commanding
DiVision."
" Quantie, Junction of the Doom and Bei' Rivers,
April 8.
"Sir,---I have the honour to report that after leaving
the bivouac on the Thomas River, at daylight, I duly
received your order, through Lieutenant Green, Deputy-
Assistant Quartermaster General, forwarding a commu-
nication to Major Forbes, which I was unable to. dis-
patch until the afternoon, and directing me to follow the
enemy's cattle, which I did.
" On descending towards the river I came in sight of
4 spruiderAble_herd
_of tlia,„en • t. thi midst
of- a -difficult andexeisedihgly .ken country on the
other side.
The strength of my force, v; z:—,

Rink
Officers. and File. Horses.
North Victoria Native Levy 7 223 220
Lesseyton Vtlunteers ... n
27 27
Colesberg Native Levy ... 7
8 2
Kat River Fingoe Ltvy .... 0'
Whittlesca Burghers 32 9
... 1
8 8

9 295 266
cmeitdoolvfnmthye river
dividing it and detaching a party
htaaendd to do, in order to prevent the escape of the
P which I should otherwise
have w •
-.94 Forbes with his force
would be working in that direcion I had no hesitation
in crossing the river to attack the cattle.
6. The enemy were posted on a high hill, assailable
cattle,diddomendo jis
but knowing that As
only on the flanks, the point being so precipitous as to
of
preclude all possibilitye
climbing, and the sides
scarcelytoacacsecsesnd accessible;
I therefore divided my force into two
parties the hill upon each flank, while a cover-
ieg party, under Lieutenant Smith, N.V. Native Levy,
fired on the enemy to occupy his attention in front.
" The party who ascended on the left lank and first
turned the cattle were led by comeaseduit J. Holden
Bowker and Lieutenants Mason and Warner, and that
on the left by Captain Austen and Lieutenant Arnold,
N. V., Native Levy, and I have on this occasion
brought
nt the names of these offi.lers to your notice, on
accou of the gallant and deliberate manner in which
950 head of cattle and 56 horses were wrested from the
enemy in the face of a powerful resistance—the enemy
aheir ttack
catches ou rear and both flanks in order to recapture
t
" Being, however, in possession
favourable for taking the cattle out of the ravines, we
succeeded in bring them up to the open heights,
although the enemy followed on our rear, until re-
of strong ground
peat, dty repulsed.
tin in the lo Forbes' force ac g war Country of the opposite
- " On ascending the hills I
side, and who, thus doubled, prevented the escape of the
cattle in that direction. came in sight of Major
" A party (about 25) of the It at River Hottentot
Levy . attached to this force were al•o acting on the
opposite side of the hill, and
as soon as they ascer-
ward, assisting in the capture of some of the cattle.
4, The facility of obtaining cover rendered oar casual-
tiesl am glad to report, than. mi
Mined the direction of our attack
less,
ght have been
Pushed gallantly for-
pected. Two of the men are as
Yet reported severely
Several of my
shot. The enemy's
horses were
loss d) was
counted 0 but many more must have
about 2 , fallen.
"1 have the p be • .
leasure of Ingin the
g to your notice
Commandant .1'
active exertions of Comma!'
evixo-unded, one of these by an assegai.
- • Rol den Bowker, of
Captain Austen, commarTnlg the N. .„,.
v . Native Levy, of
Captain Own, acting F. d
le
thisd"-tant, and of all the
0 which for its
in which • '
diffi,ulty and the manner
13 was carried out
by them has not been exceeded oe
any()Cession in
which my force has been engagtal during
the war.
" I have &0.,
officers and men engaged in operatio
"R. Gave,
Captain,b
-'''''Yal victoria n
Commanding N; Cunt.
"Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, sw. ,

Queen2si *s my
etooarres" relieve
a gn
d
Town, April 7.
al the Hori Geor e
faithful friendps, I
i n°dghl tieeDl reVEsol 'a: 3-1.11: lallo:tdb command.
n Southg
Africa
The
marches, the burning sun,
ldiers, none
cfma
:settßrother
:or "His
hchoaatten IhrhdtieeEtsharoa xdsad
bid
ni ulhgGrecfaaeenariblrcrii
sNeeteyn
erw:aBLnßneu'e
lidviAltsKse:uspr
ottpeoitonbi 1 lneo netl
dent .d Gta_boenynd et
gallant
0
with which you
have served my Queen and country marz
were ever more endeared to me
2 than those servin in the
uarncicueaousisngcslmaupotgras,
the torrents of rain, have been encountered with a cheer-
have met the enemy in so raa.",""PriBing fights and
skirmishes in his own mountain fastnesses and strong-,
otfhelnBisgll;ts'
holds, and from which you have ever driven him victo-
fulness as conspicuous as the intrepidity
rioualy.
" I leave
,you, my comrade?, in the ferve
nt
hope of
laying before your Queen, your. Country, and his Grace
the Duke of ellington, these services as they deserve,
which reflec t sWo much honour upon you,
" Farewell, my comrades!—Your honour and interests
will be ever more dear to me than my ow,.
" H. G. SXITH."

6c - ---
GENERAL
D.B William'sll N.o 3.
Town, t April ptrhi
el il.
com-
mandithd‘
21n‘.:HoTMtEhlteaihejddoe'ricci2s-titodGrlieredumtteit'vorarisinag:dlißl°e;Yriiluptojigr;ao;ngCe'Krhels?:sefsliluatipnrPdilitrilsrettshaebted.e:tdOwinshapreienocrasiotritadoo,::aoutsft,
Smith, the
under L.ieutetnosantn-tegolwoneele
espEaoayproittehuoerifnaetddht;h:)ef cattleice operations
zetic exertions of the column
ryo,nerr.
nia Excellency's predeceosor, Harry.
is caneis koaafmntdbUel°s: horses
°sort fsetsh
formidable e 7 it.()hn4lll7P oiit i o ri s of the
Amat•Jlas, in spite of every opposition of the enemy.
." In this .ffilir our casualtits were—one officer', Can-
tam Gore, 43d Negimew, killed at the read of his orm;-
P. 4.1- leading them on with the utmost
and
six tri,:n wounelLd.

'I A. J. CLOETE, cott.G.
" The Coranumapt, Graham's Toga."

" COLONEL EYRE'S REPORT.

" Camp on the Kabousie, April 4, 1852.
Sir,—Agreeably to my instructions, which I re-
ceived late at night on the 28th ult., I moved off from
Fort Beresford on the 29'.h ult. at daybreak, and reached
Hangman's Bush that night, but with great difficulty,
being obliged to cat my way for the waggons, there
being no road, and the drifts bJng impassabie from the
late rains. On the 30th ult. I reached Major Totten-
ham's camp on the Kabousie. On the 31st I made a
night march to the Kei, reaching it by daylight.
Pushing rapidly on, we surprised a body of Kafirs, and
got upon the spoor of cattle, which took immediately
into the deep bed of the Kei. Anticipating the direc-
tion in which the cattle would probably be drives, I had
previously dispatched Major Armstrong, with one hun-
dred horse (composed of a troop of the 12th Royal
Lancers, a detachment of Cape Mounted Rifles, and
Armstrong's Horse), with directions to seize a pass. on
the left bank of the Kei, near its confluence with the
Some. By this pass alone could the enemy escape into
the interior of the country from the mountain fastnesses.
through which the two rivers force their way near their
junction. I also detached a troop of the 12th Royal
Lancers, under Captain Oakes, to my right, to recon-
noitre the country between the .Kabousie and the Somo.
In support, of this party, and to occupy the right bank of
the Kei, I left the 'remainder of the cavalry under
Major Tottenham, and five companies of the. 43d light
infantry, and the levies—the whole under the com-
mand of Lieutenant Colonel Skipworth. With the
remainder of my force—viz., 270 rank and file
of the 73d Regiment, and one company of the 43d,
the Fingoes, and one troop of the 12th Lancers, under
Captain Cureton, I proceeded to follow the stector own the
bed °Ube Kei. We followed it fig 6ve hem, lon,after
tdr-o:9ArlfitjlatiggiatntAttlilLiA4Titt.
and resumed the pursuit at daylight on the following
morning, the 2d instant. I was soon met by Major
Armstrong, who had had a most gallant affair with the
enemy the day before (his report I herewith inclose),
and who, on his return by the pass I have before de-
scribed, had seen the cattle, the spoor of which we were
pursuing, driven upon an apparently insulated mountain,
formed by the bed of the river, and most difficult of ac-
cess. I immediately detached small parties right and
left, and we succeeded in surrounding the cattle. The
result was the capture of 1.220 head of Gaika cattle
(mostly cows) and 15 horses. The enemy were in con-
siderable force, and frequently came forward with appa-
rent holiness, but the moment the troops went at them
they fled instantly; and attempted no serious resistance.
Our casualties were—one sergeant of the 12th Royal
Lancers and one man of the Cape Corps wounded. On
the 3d inst. I halted on the basks of the Kei, horses and
men being quite done up. This day I returned to Ma-
jor Tottenham'. camp on the Kabousie, where T was
rejoined by Lieutenant-Colonel Skipworth, the report of
whose transactions during our separation I herewith
enclose. I beg particularly to bring to the notice of his
Excellency the Commander-in-Chief the gallant conduct
of Major Armstrong, and that of the officers and men
under his command on this occasion. Major Armstrong
was sharply opposed by the enemy on first crossing the
Kei, but he forced his way with determination, and
afterwards had an opportunity of charging the enemy,
which he did most successfully, leaving many dead on
the field. I would also bring to the marked atten-
tion of his Excellency the soldierlike daring of Cap-
to n,
ald2vtahncßedoyal guard,Lancers. n
tain ere
my com-
mandedu
engaged with the enemy. On the second occasion,
twoifficece warmly
lysrm
while following up the spoor of the enemy, he dashed
a was This
fearlessly across the Kei with only a few followers, and
in the face of the enemy, who lined the opposite bank,
and wh6 kept up a sharp, bat happily ineffectual
fire. I beg also to express my thanks to the following
officers:—Lieutenant-Colonel Skipworth, 43d Light In-
fantry; Major Pinckney, 73ti Regiment, who with his
usual zeal and activity pressed the enemy most oppor-
tunely, thereby insuring the capture of a large portion
of the cattle; Major Tottenham, 12th Royal Lancers,
commanding the cavalry; Captain the Hon. P. E. Her-
bert, who judiciously conducted his detachment through
a most difficult pass, taking up en admirable position,
and also capturing cattle; Lieutenant Gawler, 73d, my
Deputy Adjutant-Quarter-Master-General, who ren-
dered me on this, as on all other occasions during this
war, most efficient servicesi_ Lieutenant and Adjutant
Reeve, 73d Regiment; and Lieutenant Ramsbottom, of
Armstrong's Horse, who kindly offered me his assistance
as a staff officer, making himself most useful on all occa-
sions. I must also add that Mr. Conway's zeal and
activity were, as usual, most conspicuous. From Mr.
Crouch, also, we received mach assistance._ _ _

" Our total of captured cattle was 1,353 head, and 15
horses and numerous goats.
" I ha're, &c.,
. _ _

" WM. EYRE, Lieutenant-Colonel, 73d Regiment,
Commanding Patrol.
"Colonel Cloete, C.B. K.H."

latiejNie4-2E .3, 1852.
" Sir,—l have the honour 'Wig-pelt/taint yopuril that having
separated from your column on 'the morning of the Ist
inst., with a force of cavalry as per margin,* I proceeded
to cross the Mil, according to your instructions. About
300 Kafirs rushed down to dispu'e the ford. I forced
my way through under a spirited fire from the enemy.
Having gained the high ground on the left bank of the
Kei, I halted for two hours. During this time the
enemy collected in considerable numbers from all sides.
Upon my moving off they followed in rear on both
flanks to the number of upwards of 10G mounted men,
and about 400 on foot. After moving some distance I
found that they were pressing on my rear guard, and
having now got them into tolerably favourable ground
fur cavalry, I turned round and charged them with my
whole force, and completely routed them. A party of the
12th Royal Lancers charged, under my orders, to the right
rear, turned the enemy's flank, exposing their positions
in some dry gullies, from which they were driven. The
enemy must have suffered severely, and many were seen
going away wounded. From the nature of the ground it
was impossible to find out the exact number killed. Ten
bodies were counted, but I think they must have lest
considerably more. They did not again molest rt 4 line
of march.
" I halted again for some hours on the high ground
above difficult pass between the Kei and the Somo rivers.
At 1 p M. I proceeded through the pass and met you at
an early hour on the morning of the 2d inst.
" I proceeded to support Major Pinckney, according
to your orders, and having been informed by that officer
that a lot of cattle had passed in the direction of the
Thomas River, I followed them up, and captured about
100 head, three miles beyond that river.
" I have to bring to your notice the services of the
officers commanding the different detachments under my
orders, viz„—Captain Digby, 12th Royal Lancers; Lieu-
tenant Smith, Cape Mounted Rifles; Lieutenant Brink,
Armstrong's Horse; also Mr. Conway, the guide, for
his seal and activity.
" My casirilties are—one private of the Cape Mounted
Rifles, slightly wounded; one troop Horse of the Cape
Mounted Rifles, and one ditto of Armstrong's Horse,
killed by rolling over the krantz coming through the
pass.

"1 have, &c.,
J. ARMSTRON, Brigade-Major,
Cape Mounted RifleH, Commanding Detachment.
" Lieutenant Colonel, 73d Regiment,
Commanding Division."