The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-07 00:00:00

OPERATIONS AT WATERKLOOF.

MAJOR-GENERAL SOMERSET'S REPORT.
Camp, Blinkwater, Nov. 9, 1851.
Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint you, for the in-
formation of his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief,
that, in accordance with the arrangements laid down in
the enclosed memorandum, I assembled the troops at
the several points indicated on the liromme Range, on
the morning of the 6th instant.
About seven, A.m., I observed Lieutenant-Colonel
Sutton's mounted force moving up from the Bush Neck.
In the meantime, Lieutenant-Colonel Fordyce had,
agreably to my previous directions, placed the troops of
his brigade in position on the ridges, and occupied the
belt of bush that intersects the enemy's position by four
companies of the 74th Highlanders, supported by two
companies of the 12th Regiment, under Lieutenant-
Colonel Percival. This arrangement became necessary
to cover the advance of the detachments of Fingoes and
Levies, which I had directed Lieutenant-Colonel Sutton
to move up by the Waterkloof. While carrying these
arrangements into effect, I regret that Lieut.-Colonel
Fordyce received a mortal wound by the enemy sta-
tioned among some rocks on the extreme left of that
position. A body of the enemy appear to have con-
centrated on that point, but were driven from it in the
most spirited manner by the 74th Highlanders, not, how-
ever, I lament to say, on account of the strong position,
without suffering severe loss—one officer (Lieutenant
Carey), two sergeants, and two rank and file being killed,
and one officer (Lieutenant Gordon), and eight men
wounded; the 74th Highlanders, under Captain Duff,
driving the enemy from this part of the forest and the
rocks, and holding the position until I withdrew the
troops in the afternoon.
Lieut.-Col. Sutton's detachment passed up the Water-
kloof, as far asmMunr.deßi
w nf'asrpml a c ew, i at
hnoduct a Being a
at
nt hy e_
footpath by
The left of the position was in
thing of the enemy.
the meantime occupied very judiciously by Lieut.-Col.
Tarborough, commanding 91st Regiment. I also
moved Captain Robinson s guns into position opposite
the Waterkloof, where Captain Robinson opened them
with good effect.
A dense fog coming on at three P.m.
'
I withdrew the troops and formed camp on my own
positionion without further loss, the enemy not showing
at all.

Lieutenant-Colonel Michel had, in accordance with
arirungements, employed the force under
Mr. Blakeway's f°wer ridges of the Kromme as far as
and the rocks at the the
, but met with no opposition. Ob-
serving some purl
with Lieutenant-Colonel Michel, the
Hoek, I communicated point
of the ascent from Fuller's
enemy occupying the forest
his force up the ridges to that
requesting him to move
The night having been exC'ee7
evening of the 6th instant
Point on the morning of
the 7th, to co-operate with mat
did not move until seven the follotn-li n,--""
hour I marched the native troops wain- --erning, at which
to the point above Fuller's Hoek, and
Regiment, detaching Captain Ayliffr supported u Eingoes in advance
n:ovrcfen.gore and wet, I
the head of
by two companies of the 12th Regimentn
Captain
the Waterkloof. Having placed the gun'
Robinson and Lieutenant Field, so as to cover
they were opened with apparently great ef;erethe rocks,
officers. The Levies and Fingoes, entering effect by
bther
supported by the 91st Regiment and a company of -es"'
the
European levy under Captain Stevenson, droveof the
enemy from the bush at that point, who kept up a smart
sg°toesbiyaut:Peo9r supported
fire. Three of the 91st Regiment were here wounded,
and two Fingoes slightly so.
At ten a.m., Lieutenant-Colonel Michel's brigade,
having ascended the ridges, advanced on the corner of
the belt of bush and pushed forward, scouring the forest
as they proceeded; the enemy firing several well-directed
shots from some points of the rocks, but with little effect,
except in one place, where I regret to say Captain De-
veni,b, of the Beaufort West Levy, received a serious
wound in the head. The object of clearing the extreme
point of the belt having been effected, I requested Lieu-
tenant Michel tot halt his men to refresh. In the
mean time I recalled the troops and levies from the se-
veral points they had occupied, and again formed camp
on my position.

These operations have shown me that the enemy are
still occupying, though in small parties, several strong
points of the Kromme Range, for the purpose of maraud-
ing, and probably also for taking care of their wounded,
who I suspect are more numerous than I am able dis-
tinctly to report them, from the rugged and bushy na-
ture of the ground where the contest was maintained.
From fifteen to twenty were this day certainly killed—
four Kafirs and one Hottentot having been slain by the
Kat River levy, besides a good many by the 74th, and
the company of the European levy. On our side one
man of this latter force, and one of the Kat River levy,
having also been slightly wounded.
At 2 P.M. a storm of hail, accompanied by violent
rain, sot in, which lasted during the whole night. On