The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-19 00:00:00

Port Natal, July 3, 1842.
Sir,—The immediate effect of taking Port Natal on
the afterinsen of the 26th ult., as reported in my des-
patch of the 28th to your Excellency, was, that on the
same night the master of the Pilot brig, who had been
detained as a prisoner among the Boors, and four other
persons, made their escape from Congella during the
panic caused by our advance movement on: Captain
Smith's camp, and joined me at this place. They re-
ported to me that the Boors had abandoned Congella in
the greatest haste, and had taken flight.
.• On the morning of the 28th, however, we discovered
with our spy-glasses that there were a number of horses
about Congella, and I immediately determined to march
upon it, for which purpose I collected from each of the
outposts 100 men, and with this force and a howitzer I
took the road to Congella. A small party of the insur-
gents' scouts were seen a little in advance of the place; on
perceiving our approach they retired under the shelter of
the bush, and we entered the village, consisting of about
15;or 20 houses, without any opposition. Here we found
some stores, merchandise, spirits in casks, and their
curious establishment Ihr moulding six pounder leaden
Shot. I resisted the burning of the place, and prevented
all plundering ; as however the troops were still without
any of the provisions to be landed from the Southamp-
ton, and with only two days' provisions in hand, I
;directed such articles of consumption as were necessary
fur the use of the troops to be put into a waggon, which
we found there, and convey these supplies to the camp.
Pour persons, inhabitants of Congella, gave them.
• selves up to me ; one Quintus, a German naturalist,
another Scholts, practising as a doctor, and two others ;
I availed myself of these people to convey to the mis-
guided Boors the merciful intentions of Government,
placing in their hands a copy of a public notice. which I
affixed to one of the houses at Congella, and having
liberated these people I returned to the outposts with
:the troops. I regretted my force did not permit me to
Reave a guard fur the protection of the property, the
snore so as I felt every apprehension that the number of
Caffres, who had made their appearance as soon as we
got into the place, would plunder it the moment of our
leaving it.
I understood the Boors have retired to one of their
,("arnps abont 12 miles off, where they were said to be
40.0"
scut;‘ strongut, with four or five guns.
lttncled'Witho • any of my provisions or ammunition yet
'froM the Southampton, or any means of organiz-
ti-ateport, I did not feel justified in entering upon
9,;;;113.r. forward movement, which would tend only to lead
• ,„Isn. le away from. the more important object of strengthen-
'nil ray posts, forming and securing my magazines.
:Upon these objects have since been engaged, and
Zl,4iaving required of the Caffres to bring me in as many
",,lorses and cattle as they could get, I have no doubt that
'shall soon be in a condition to take the offensive with
some effect.
The Boors will in the mean time have had ample time
• to consider their position, and the terms of my notice ;
vnon the subject of which I received on the 30th ult. a
lelieer from Pretorius, their Military Commandant, asking
me it' I wished to confer with them, and if so, to appoint
a,‘place between Congella and Captain Smith's camp to
7neet him. I answered that I could enter into no ne-
"t'wgOtiation with him without a previous declaration of sub.
inission to her Majesty's authority. To this I have re.,
iseived no reply.
Several inhabitants, 15 in number, have come in and
ttaXen the oath of allegiance.
On the 28th, 29th, and 30th the weather had continued
so'hoisterous that, on an attempt being made on the last
of those days to send on shore some provisions, the men's
packs and our ammunition, the boats struck on the bar,
cne man of the 25th Regiment was drowned, the whole
-of the provisions were lost, all the men's packs thrown
'overboard, and 18,000 rounds of ammunition destroyed.
`The greater portion of the men's packs were fortunately
Ipe'cked up on the beach the following morning, when we
fasund that the frigate had been obliged to put out to sea.
regret to be obliged to close this dispatch with a re-.
port which reached me last night, that the Cafl'res had
egun 'to set upon the Boors, and that three had been
liilled.by them. The enclosures explain the manner in
',which I have treated this subject, and upon the prin-
ciples of which I purpose strictly to act ; fur if England
'Will not put doe n the Boors by her own legitimate
:means, it were better to abandon the question altogether,
'and submit even to the insult we have received, than to.
adopt the degrading process of enlisting the savage in
our c:-.use, or call upon the Zoolah assegais to commit all
:the atrocities of indiscriminate bloodshed and spoliation.
I have received such aid from Lieutenant Maclean
ItoYal Artillery, and his services will be of such advan-
, tate to me in our forward movement, that I have not
4nt him back in the Southampton.
I h ope. to be able to send the sick and wounded by her.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Yesnr Excellency's most 'obedient humble servant,
A. J. C DATE, Lieut.-Colonel,
• • Deputy Quartermaster-General Commanding.
xi, Excellency Major-General
Sir George Napier, K.C.8., Scc.
P.S. Since writing the above, the Maid of Mona has
come to anehor,,and the Reform is in the offing.
, ..4
A. J. CLOETE.

If: .

sitcrit ". (Enclosure No. 1.)
3t 946 • NOTICE.
arty bore J!1!1
- Cong,ella, Port Natal, June 28, 1842.
133 By the' authority vested in me, a free pardon is
-71.-Teby granted to all deserters from her Majesty's army
•wOo shall return to their colours at the head-quarters of
the troops at Port Natal, within ten days of this date.
2. All inhabitants of Natal who shall be peaceably
4lispoized, shall, on making their submission to her Ma-
jesty's authority, receive protection and remain unmo-
tlested. All those neglecting to do so will be treated as
;being in arms against her -Majesty's Government.
A. J. CLOETE, Lieutenant •Colonel,
Deputy Quartermaster General Commanding.
~.11; 2 • (Encloisure No. 2.) •
sd6 -- NOTICE,
Ili • - Port Natal, July 2, 1842.
A report having been brought in to me that the Caffres
h 6; ve killed three Boors (Dirk Van Rooyen, Theunis
10t, ithuizen, and another), the insurgent Boors are warned
,ofc consequences, such as these,-which it will be impos-
sibl 9 to arrest while they continua in arms against her
esty's authority ; and thus bring all the evils and
itch-r ors of Caffre murder and devastation upon them-
melt .e.l, their families, and properties, in spite of every en-
flees 'our on the part of her. Majesty's troops to prevent
Them,. A. J. CLOETE, Lieut.-Colonel,
Deputy-Quartermaster General Commanding.

Port Natal, July 4.
Sir,—Sime writing to your Excellency yesterday. I
have receivod from Pretorious a communication com-
plaining that the Caffres were committing fierce outrages
.upon the Bootrs—that we were receiving the cattle plun-
alered from the Boors—that the destruction of the Caf-
, ties must follOw such proceedings—and that anxious as
Ilie Boors were' to put a stop to all this war and coming
hloodshei 1, that it was impossible for them to accede to
The'vondi,tions of my notice, which required, as a first
atop, a declaration of submission to her Majesty,s au-
,..)ritv, and he ends his letter thus :--
IvraniA also acqoaint you that we have already made
ier this country to htis Majesty the King of the Nether-
li.nds, and have called upon that Power to protect us, so
aat we have every to expect that our cause will be
upported in Europe."
My answer to this letter is enclosed. [See below.]
I have also been informed that Pretorious and his hos-
tile bands have retired from this neighbourhood to within
5 miles of Maritzburg ; this sudden move I ascribe to
• tl le rumour that has just reached rne, that Panda and the
Z oolas were marching against the Boors.
All this is a melancholy- state, but unavoidable, when
. !sling with such elements.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
A. J. CLOETE, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Deputy Quartermaster-General Commanding. •
11 is Extellency Major-General
Sir B. G. Napier, &c.
P.S.—/he detachment by the Maid of Mona has been
I*' nded.
A. J. CLOETE.