The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-20 00:00:00

(From the Times.)

We have received papers from the Cape of Good
Hope, per the ship Glen Huntly, Captain Barr, down
to the 15th of November.

At that date the Kafir war was proceeding favour•
ably, as the chief Pato had been defeated by Colone
Somerset.

The Lieutenant- Governor of the Eastern Pro-
vince, Sir Henry Young, had left Graham's Town for
Cape Town, whence he would probably proceed to
England.
The following are the particulars of Pato's defeat,
as given in the South African, from the Graham's
Town Journal of November 6th :
FRlDAY.—Dispatches have just been received from
head-quarters in Kafirland, detailing a most success-
ful and spirited attack by detachments under the
command of Colonel Somerset, upon Pato and the
Kafirs who are led by him. It seems that on Satur-
day last Colonel Somerset, having reason to believe
that the enemy was in force at some distance in his
front, immediately determined upon making a forced
march, with a view, if possible, of bringing him to
an engagement. Pushing forward, therefore, with
some strong detachments of light troops, chiefly
Cape corps, and Captain Hogg's levy, Colonel
Somerset succeeded, by a night march, com-
pleting a distance of thirty miles, in reaching on
Sunday the broken country, on a stream called the
Checabe. Here having halted, Kafirs were shortly after
seen galloping up the adjacent high ground, exposing
themselves to observation much more daringly than
had been the case for some time previously. Still it
was scarcely expected that the enemy contemplated
making a serious stand, the prevalent opinion being
that he was merely watching the progress of the
troops, anxious to see them move down the opposite
declivity. At this time Captain Somerset, with a
single orderly, having rode forward to some distance
from the troops, found himself suddenly in front of a
party of Kafirs, whom he eluded by immediately
falling back. Before, however, he could rejoin
the troops, a strong body of the enemy poured
down upon him ; his orderly was shot
from his horse, and he himself only es-
caped ;by making a dash through the savages, and
tengtine. rather to the mettle of his steed than to the
chances of a contest between a single individual and
a score of infuriated foes. The Kafirs, after having
narrowly observed the movements of the British
force, then passed to the left. and ascended a height,
distant about a mile in front, where they took up a
very strong position, evidently with a determination
to dispute their further progress. Colonel Somerset
was not, however, disposed to balk their anticipation
of a fight, and hence, no sooner did he ascertain their
position, than he formed his men and put them in a
position for attack, waiting with a good deal of impa-
tience for the arrival of Captain Hogg's levy, which
was about a mile in the rear.

Every arrangement having been made, the advance
under the immediate command of Colonel Somerset,
the Cape mounted rifles being led (in the absence of
Major Armstrong) by Captain O'Reilley, wound
slowly up the face of the hill, the Kafirs being most
advantageously sheltered under cover of some im-
mense rocks. The troops kept steadily advancing
until within 80 yards of the enemy, when orders being
given, the bugle sounded the gallop, and the next
minute the troops had crested the hill, dismounted,
and were in among the enemy. The Kafirs at first
opened a running fire, but being pushed vigorously,
in 20 minutes they were driven from their position
down into the ravine below. From this also
they were speedily dislodged, leaving behind them
their arms, karosses, and several horses. They fled
into the adjacent valleys, which deeply intersect that
section of country, and present the most favourable
position that could be desired by Kafirs in carrying
on their peculiar mode of warfare. Only 17 of the
enemy were found killed in this affair, but it is
affirmed that many more must have fallen, the Kafirs
carrying off as many of their dead and wounded as
possible, as was indicated by the numerous blood
tracts hich were seen along the line of their retreat.
The Kafirs keeping under shelter, their numbers
could not be estimated, but their main body is
supposed to have been not less than 800 men, besides
some detached parties posted so as to take advantage
of any circumstance which might turn up in their
favour. The accounts received by us do not state the
casulties on our side, which, however, we have reason
to believe, are comparatively trifling. The Kafirs,
for twenty minutes, maintained a sharp fire, but
which seems, probably from the abruptness of the
acclivity, to have been very ineffective. The weather
is described as extremely severe, heavy and continued
rains, but, our men were in good health, Colonel
Somerset, with his usual zeal and activity, being