The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-24 00:00:00

, • y OCTOBER 24, 1846.

opposite range, through which his force passed, carry-
ing all before him on his onward course. Their fire
during the early part of the day was extremely brisk,
and at times heavy ; and these operations, upon the
whole, of which we had an occasional view from our
several positions, must have been extremely fatiguing,
and were attended with complete success ; having, as I
learn, killed about forty Kafira, and wounded many
more. On our side the loss was five killed and three

wounded in my division ; the ascertained loss of the
enemy, of bodies seen, was thirty-seven killed, and I
think the number wounded must have been considerable,
judging from the extremely heavy fire. kept up during
the day is the kloofs. I have no correct information of
Sir Andreas' loss, but I learn from his aide-de-camp that
it was much the same as our own.
Having moved along the range of mountain until I
reached that point which overlooks Fort Cox, I at first
thought of proceeding to take up that position for the
night, but, having lost sight of Sir Andreas, whose fire
seemed, as far asi could discover, to have ceased about
2 o'clock, P.M , I was apprehensive of losing my com-
munication with him by taking up that position, and I
therefore determined upon returning to my camp,—a
point from which I could more readily co-operate with
Sir Andreas had he returned to the head of the valley,
and at which, as I subsequently learned, he had formed
his bivouac fur the night.
It is evident that the body of Kafirs have left that
valley, and I do not ,think that, taking the whole of the
small parties that are concealed in the numerous kloofs
therein, there are more than few hundreds, and to this
conclusion I am the more led from the fact, that through-
out our course on that day (the 30th of July), not a
single head of cattle was seen by either Sir Andreas'
division or mine.

Sir Andreas having yesterday sent his aide-de-camp to
inform me of his intentipu Grit-mining from his bivouac
at the head of the valley, two miles distant from my
camp, and proceeding, in the course of the day, to
Bui n's-hill, from which position he would move in the
night to examine the country about the sources of the
Keiskama, I instantly decided upon affording the co-
operation of the whole of my division by a movement
also on this point ; and, after my men had dined, I
started from my camp about 2 o'clock, P.M., yesterday,
arriving here about half-past 6. I fully expected, from
the verbal communication made to me by Sir Andreas'
aide-de-camp, that I should have found his division some-
where in this neighbourhood, but I have neither heard
nor seen anything of him. _ _

The express —containing his Excellency's dispatch
passed to the camp during the night, and at the very
moment of its arrival, on being forwarded to this place,
I had the troops formed for the purpose of moving to
Skonda-hill, which overlooks the Debe Flats, in order to
took out for his Excellency; but on receiving that com-
munication I at once decided on sending back to order
the removal of my camp and supplies, which remain at
my former position, to this point, the troops having
marched here with only three days' biscuit in their
havresacks, and without a single waggon, as on the pre-
vious move.

Mr. Stretch having kindly offered his services to con-
vey this dispatch, will be able to explain anything which
I may have omitted to mention.—l have, &e.
J. HARE, Colonel.
Lieutenant-Colonel Cloete, K.H., Deputy-
Q uartermaster- General.
P.S.—Four o'clock P.m.— Sir A. Stockenstrom has just
arrived, having left his division in the Amatola valley,
within a few miles of this. He proposes returning im-
mediately to his camp at the Tyuwie Hoek, for the pur-
pose of getting a supply of provisions and ammunition,
and for making arrangements to move his camp to
where mine is at present, under the Amatola height, and
establishing his force somewhere about the Leney River,
between Burn's-hill and the Tabendodo. These arrange-
ments will take at least four or five days.
Sir Andreas requests that I will communicate to his
Excellency the satisfaction that he has experienced dur-
ing the operations at the manner in which all under his
command performed their duty; and he would particu-
larise the spirited conduct of the Fingoes under Mr.
Crause as deserving of especial notice.

Amatola Camp, Aug. 1.
Sir,—l have the honour to report my proceedings
since my late communication from Shiloh, where I
posted my left wing in such a posture as to check the
Tambookies as well as Kafirs, and to be ready to join
me to the south of the great mountain range.
On the 21st ult. I proceeded to Elands Post, and ar-
ranged with Captain Sutton, to whose zealous co-opera-
tion I am much indebted, the necessary measures for the
advance of the Kat River Contingent into the field, and
for the protection of that part of our frontier. On the
22d I proceeded to the camp of my right wing, which I
had ordered to take post on the Chumie Ridge. Having
communicated with his Honour Colonel Hare, and Lieu-
tenant Stokes (deputed for that purpose by his Excel-
lency the Commander-in-Chief), I marched the right
baggage -Mid- waggons unaer a -strong guars at tnatposy
started thence at dusk on the 26th with 700 men in ex-
pectation of attacking, at daybreak on the 27th, the
;mat force of the Kafirs which was reported to have
concentrated in the forests at the head of the Chumie.
We proceeded throughout the night, but as soon as day
dawned became aware that the enemy had abandoned
this stronghold. I nevertheless caused the several re-
cesses to be scoured to the tops of the mountains. Some
shots were exchanged with straggling parties of ICafirs,
and a few of them were killed. I then deemed it im-
portant to push forward my camp and show a determina-
tion to keep possession of the country; my waggons
were, therefore, brought to the Chumie missionary sta-
tion during the night of the 28th, and, having on the
same day communicated in person with Colonel Hare at
his camp, I made my preparations for attacking the
Amatola mountains and fastnesses. _ _

I had directed ry left wing, under Commandant Jou-
bert, to move from Shiloh, 800 strong, to join the Kat
River Contingent, 400 strong, at the foot of the Loo-
beery (Gaika's kop), and fall on the Chumie forests from
the north, whilst I entered them from the south ; but a
thick fog and the mistake of the guide prevented that
zealous commander from joining me before the 28th.
Soon after sunset on the 29th I left my encampment (in
charge of Field Cornet Kruger with 200 men) 600
strong, and, taking up Joubert with his 1,200, ascended
the western face of the Amatola range, the lesser summit
whereof we reached about midnight. Here I left a re-
serve of 500 strong in charge of our horses, and detached
to my right Assistant-Commandant Botha with 200 of
the Kat River Legion to keep open my communication
with Colonel Hare, who was to make a simultaneous
movement against the lower part of the A. matola, as
agreed between us. An attack made on his Honour's
camp during the night, as perceived by us from the re-
peated vollies and flashes of firing, delayed his
Honour's
march till morning, but not so as to diminish its effi-
ciency. Whilst the darkness continued we saw nu-
merous lights throughout the whole of the Amatola
kloofs and jungles, indicating a concentration of great
force. At daybreak my division rushed down the
eastern declivity with the utmost alacrity, in hope of
some decisive struggle ; the alarm signals of the scouts
were heard from every peak ; and bodies of men were
seen assembling on the several elevations rising above
the forests. My force was at once divided into se-
veral subdivisions—every kloof, precipice, and bush,
where any party of the enemy was perceived, was
rushed at and attacked with spirit. The enemy saw
that their only chance was in flight, and accordingly,
after two or three attempts to concentrate in apparently
tenable positions, they were seen to fall back from ridge
to ridge, as they found'us making our way through the
thickest forests 'and the steepest mountains. Nothing
deserving the name of a battle can be said to have taken
place, but the spirited rush of .my men clearly struck
I panic into their opponents, and where an attempt at a
stand was made, the determination of the former put a
speedy end to the struggle; 39 dead bodies of the Kafirs
were seen, and how many more fell in the jungles as
well as the number of wounded, it is imposible to esti-
mate.
The loss on our side is five killed, and four
severely wounded.
About three P.M. my several detachments were seen
descending the steep mountains much fatigued after the
repeated night marches and climbing and descending so
many precipitous elevations, but the Kafirs, except a few
stragglers in the distance, had disappeared, and, con-
sistently with my policy above stated, I resolved upon
not receding, and to keep possession of the Amatola. I
consequently encamped in this valley, and shall bring up
y heavy baggage to and over the Keiskama forthwith.rills will at once show the enemy that their strongholds
are and must be ours, and Krell even must begin to
doubt whether the Kat or the Bashee is to be the colo-
nial boundary. On the moral effect of this idea I will
not comment.

I have to thank every officer and man under my com-
mand for their spirit, zeal, and patience under excessive
fatigue whilst my command has lasted, but particularly
for the last several days. On no single occasion was any
hope given to the enemy by the least hesitation on the
part of the smallest detachments to rush upon the most
dangerous jungles in the possession of the Kafirs, and
one instance of gallantry I cannot forbear mentioning
more particularly. On debouching from ene of the
forests, I perceived a body of Fingoes, led on by Lieu-
tenant Charles Crause, soling a precipitous rocky bluff,
in possession of a hWy of Kafirs, who were defending
the position with great advantage and determination.
Seeing their danger, I rushed up the steep, with the
Burghers, who surrounded me, but reached the con-
tested summit only in time to witness the complete suc-
cess of the above brave party, who, supported by Cap-
tain Joseph Read on the opposite side of the peak, had
carried the position, the Kafirs leaving eight dead
bodies on the spot ; Our side lost two dead and three
wounded.
The operations of Colonel Hare, I find, were success-
fully carried out on my right. I heard the heavy firing
of his division throughout the day. His Honour, I am
glad to lean, from my aide-de-camp, whom I sent to his.
camp yesterday, speaks in high terms of the conduct of
Assistant-Commandant Botha, and the detachment of
the Kat River Legion which I sent to act under his
orders, and I have to thank his Honour for his cor-
diality and readiness to afford me every assistance in his
power.
Yesterday and to-day were devoted to the mare coin- •
plate scouring of the fastnesses bordering this valley_,
down as far as Fort Cox, whence I have just returned,
and where I had an interview with Colonel Hare, ana
stated to his Honour my intenti9i of advancing frArthw

eastward to attack the upper Keiskama and Buffalo as
soon as my provisions and ammunition come up from
Chumie.
A Kafir prisoner just taken states that Sandilfa; Mo-
coma, and Botman, were all three with all their forces in
the forests of this valley when we entered it on the morn-
ing of the 30th, and that the first and last were with the
division which opposed me, whilst Macomo was in the
kloof where Botha was engaged.
As matters now stand, considering myself sufficiently
strong here, I have this morning detached a body of 100
men to reinforce the protecting Shiloh and Tarka line,
as the Kafirs retreating hence may attempt some sur-
prise in that quarter, under the auspices of Mapassa.—
I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble
servant,

A. STOCKENSTROM, Commander-General.
Lieutenant-Colonel Cloete, K.H.,
Deputy-Quartermaster- General.

_
Caboosie Camp, Aug. 5.
P.S. I forwarded this to Colonel Hare on the 3d- inst.,
for the purpose of being perused and forwarded tollim,
but his Honour did not think that he should have an
opportunity of communicating with his Excellency before
I should. Since then this division has been scouring the
country from the Amatola hither, but it is evident that
the enemy abandoned all his strongholds as soon as they
were attacked with vigour, for we have been upon the
spoor of vast numbers, flying in the direction of the Kei,
whilst the great forests are left tenantless ; but our
cavalry is in such a state that overtaking the flying Kafirs
is out of the question.

EXTRACT OF A DISPATCH FROM HIS HONOUR COL. HARE,
C. 8., &H., ADDRESSED TO LIEUT.-COLONEL CLOETE,
DEPUTY-QUARTERMASTER. GENERAL.
Fort White, Aug. 7.
Rao Aget,egthtf4Pfiistructions in his Excellency's
memorandum of August 2, I marched my division on
Tuesday, the 4th instant, directing my march upon
the mountains in the distance to my front from Fort
Cox, which Mr. Stretch informed me were the Guil-
liguilli Mountains, and upon the west side of which I
was ordered to act with my division (the second divi-
sion), and that of Sir Andreas acting on the northern,
eastern;and southern sides. The whole country, from my
position at Fort Cox to those mountains, is covered with
bush, and in my front extremely dense. Unfortunately
amongst all the guides and interpreters in my
camp, I could not find a single one who had ever
heard of the Guilliguilli mountains, although they knew
there was a stream of that name on the other side of the
mountains mentioned by me, or who could afford the
slightest information with respect to the roads, or whe-
ther they were practicable for the guns. I consequently,
the day previous to my march, sent a strong reconnoi-
tering party, under Captain Wright (my aide-de-camp),
who appeared to have more knowledge of the country
than any other person near me. The result of Captain
Wright's reconnoissance was, that the road was not
practicable for guns. I therefore left them' in position
at Fort Cox, taking with me a three-pounder, which was
brought, without difficulty, over the worst passes. On
his passage through the bush in search of a road, that
officer reported to me having seen several bodies of
Kafirs, some of which were on the trek with their
cattle and women, and directing their course to the
mountains alluded to. On his return they followed
and waylaid his party at the passes and drifts, wounding
two men, with a loss to themselves of eight killed (of
whom the bodies were seen), and many wounded. Two
horses, and about a dozen head of cattle, were captured
on this occasion. In consequence of this, I deemed it
right to acquaint Sir Andreas Stockenstrom, who had
not moved from the valley of the Amatola, re-
commending his march in a parallel direction
with mine, in order to prevent their escape.
Sir Andreas, in reply, informed me that he could
completely meet my views, by crossing with his divi-
sion the range of mountains which bounds the valley of
the Amatola on the east. Although at too great a dis
tance to see his force, I could clearly discover his line
of movement, by the firing of huts, 84c., in the direction
in which he was proceeding. During my advance to the
base of the mountain, twelve or fourteen miles off, we
did not find a single Kafirman, but evident traces of
their being on the move forward were perceptible. Some
cattle and many goats were taken during this day's
march, one Kafir having been shot by a detached party
under Captain Eyneveld.
Having found a convenient place with respect to water,
I took up my bivouac for the night near the head of the
river Xaxa, under the mountain, from which Kafirs in
numbers were discovered in the bush above us; but it
being then dark, and the men greatly fatigued after their
day's 'Work, it was too late to enter the very dense jungle
to attack them. The following morning every ridge and
kloof was scoured from the base to the summit of the
mountain without resistance of any kind, the men having
abandoned it, leaving their women and some cattle be-
hind; of the latter about 300 were captured, and about
*Ani ountain, and continnymmniaeklivtnirsqutbeentltt%
Keiskama, where I bivouacked for the night, having
cleared the country on my way. Some women were
seen, who appeared quite at ease, and without a feeling
of danger remained quietly at their huts.
From these women, as well as from a prisoner who
was taken in the bush, I learned that Sandilla, Macomo,
and Botman had been there, but had fled over the moun-
tain on the approach of the troops, leaving orders for
their men to follow them. By the concurrent statements
of die women and prisoner, it would appear that the Ka-
firs had decided upon returning towards the colony, and
this seems to be confirmed by numerous spoors of con-
siderable bodies having been seen by my skirmishing
parties going in that direction.
This morning the division has returned to Fort Cox,
and when this report is sent off to his Excellency, I in
tend making a search myself throughout this part of the
country for a convenient and proper place to establish
my camp of supplies, should his Excellency continue of
the opinion that a point at this side would be preferable
to Fort Cox—that is, with reference to any contemplated
ulterior movements ; but as regards position fur having
completely command of the valley of the Amatola, and
affording more ready succour to the colony if threatened,
Fort Cox, in my opinion, has greatly the advantage. I
have no doubt, in my own mind, that the Kafirs have
formed the resolution of not meeting the troops, and that
their plan is to harass us by their movements forward
and retrograde, this appearing more evident 133 T the nu-
merous spoors seen returning between my division and
that of Sir Andreas, and the camp of his Excellency. 1
shall await his Excellency's further instructions, and
after the horses are refreshed, and some necessary ar-
rangements made with respect to my waggons and sup-
plies, I shall be ready to move in whatever direction the
Commander-in-Chief may decide.—l have, &c.,
J. HARE, Colonel.
P.S.—Captain Ryneveld not having joined me last
night, I presume he has remained at his Excellency's
camp.

Fort Beresford, Aug. 10.
Sir,—Agreeably to his Excellency's orders I ascended
the Buffalo Mountain, opposite Pierie station, in three
columns, at an early hour on the sth inst. One of the
columns, under Field-Captain Melville, having fallen in
with a few Kafirs, immediately attacked and dispersed
them, killing three of them—a fourth, about to be made
prisoner, sprang over a precipice rather than submit to
mercy. The other two columns met with no opposition,
though some few Kafirs showed themselves as the leading
column was emerging from the woods at the summit of
the mountain. The cattle and goats belonging to these
having been captured, and the columns united, the whole
division proceeded to a height to the north-west of the
Buffalo Poort, where Captain Melville, having taken a
strong patrol in the steep kloofs below, succeeded in
securing some horses, cattle, and goats, all of which fell
into his own hands or those of the main body, without
opposition.
The following morning, having observed Colonel Hare's
division, on the low grounds to our left, patrolling
towards my division, and burning the kraals of the
Kafirs in its progress, I considered detachments in that
direction unnecessary, and consequently threw the whole I
of my native troops into the kloofs and dense woods to
my right and front. One of the parties, under Field-
Captain Lange, proceeded as far as Murray's krantz,*
which I subsequently understood had been carried that
morning by the troops belonging to the ether part of the
2d division. By the whole operation, a very wide extent
of the country was traversed; few Kafirs, however, were
seen, though in many places their fires were yet burning,
and the flesh of animals recently killed before them. Not
a shot was fired upon us, though two lots of cattle were
driven out of the bush, and one Kafir made prisoner.
On Friday, the 7th, presuming the kloofs to be clear
of Kafirs, and observing a heavy spoor of men and cattle
towards the Caboosia, I followed it up, examining the
kloof to my right, those on my left being under the
observation of Sir Andreas Stockenstrom's division, with
which I communicated in the course of the day.
Two of my patrols were successful, one being instru-
mental in the capture of eight horses and 120 head of
cattle, the other coming upon an encampment which
seemed to have been abandoned to the men and left to
the women, from whom some powder and IA) were taken.
My march this day terminated at nine o'clock at
night. During the whole of it no opposition was
shown us.
The behaviour of the men was in every respect satis-
factory. The assistance I received from Field-Captain
Melville, whose qualities as lin active and intrepi.
officer aro too well establisher:a 'to require comment, merit
my. best acknowledgmen,,s; and 1 would beg also to
notice favourably to his. Excellency Captain Melville
brother officer in Cwirmanclant Size's Levy—Field-
Captain Lange.—l. 'navr: the honour, &c.
M. C, JOP:NSTONE, Lieutenant-Colonel.
Lieutenant,Colorrel Clocte,
Dc.euty-Qtrirtermaiter-General.
* Nor& MURRAY'S kaiNTz.—This remarkably
strong. position was carried by a dismounted detachment
of the Cape Corps and a company of the Worcester
P,urghers on the morning of the 6th inst. These being
the only infantry at the time with Colonel Somerset's
detachment of cavalry, which was moving along the foot
of the mountains, were ordered by his Excellency to
advance to the attack. As they proceeded to scale the
mountain, a few Kafirs only were seen on the scarped
ridge of the summit ; these retired as the assailants ap-
proached the foot of the scarp, without offering any
opposition. On the preceding evening this position, in