Star.
London, England, 1819-09-07 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

MAY 15, 1819.
Advices have been received from the frontier up to
the Sd of May inclusive, from which we learn, that
Lieutenant-Colonel Wiltshire's preparations have been
considerably retarded by the measures necessary for
preventing the spread of the horse sickness, which had
appeared, as usual, at the season of the year which
precedes the frosts. Its virulence had, however, be-
gan to subside, 'and the evil bad, up to the period
mentioned, been chiefly felt among the horses from
Swellendam ; these had suffered severely.
On the 22d of last month the Caffres, about 10.000
in number, attempted to surprise Graham's Town.
They seem to have been perfectly aware of tlbc
small
force stationed there, the garrison (consisting of-die
Light Company 38th, Royal African Corps, and a
proportion of the Cape Corps, and five field-pieces,y
not exbeeding S9O men, and the only force- in Ca-
valry being part of the Colonial. Troop. When the
enemy first appeared, Lieutenant-Colonel, Wiltshire
was absent inspecting the Troop, at some distance
from the town, but the necessary dispositions for re-
pulsing him were ably made by Captain Trappes..Of
the 72d Regiment, who was the nest Officer in senio-
rity. As soon as Lieutenant-COlontl• Wiltshire re-
ceived intelligence of the enemy's movement, he put,
himself at the head of the Colonial Troops to recon-
noitre, and *oiling the Caffres pressing on with vest
rapidity, he host no time in rejoining the garrison,,
and formed hls line upqn an eminence in front of the
town, detaching about 60 men for the defence of the
barracks, which are situated about 2000 paces from
it. The Caffres halted upon the heights to organize
their arrangements for the attack, which appears to
have been very systematically and judiciously made;
they advanced in three masses, having besides a large
body in the valley'which separates Graham's Town
from Blue Krans, where the Burghers of the George
District, under Commandant Botha, were posted, ap-
parently to prevent relief coming from that quarter;
ore of the masses advanced against the barracks,
while the.other two marched upon the town. Their
movement was simultaneous, and by signal, several
shots having been fired as such from a commanding
eminence, when they mole i forward with that raps-
ea), which characterizes the Caffre charge, shouting
with an e;.palling ' ell ; they were, however, checked
by the firmness of Lientenant•Celonel Wiltshire and
his small land, who, when the enemy was within 35
pace.; of him, opened a most destructive fire of arta-
lery and musketry, and brought the two columns to n.
dead stand ; our heroes cheered in their turn, and ad-.
vanced, which caused the Caffres to retreat with a
rapidity equal to that which they had shewu on the
advance. Meanwhile, the column, which had INNS
directed against the barracks, seemed more desperate;
but the judicious firmness•and bravery of Lieutenant
Cartwright, Royal African Corps, and the men of his
small detachment; who defended them, and who kept
up a well-directed tire against the assailants, at length
succeeded in breaking the spirit and disappointing
the hopes of this strong column ; they retreated with
precipitation, leaving the ground covered with their
slain. It has been ascertained, that not less than 500
Caffres have been sacrificed to the temerity of their
Chiefs on this memorable day, besides the numbers
which must proportionably have been wounded, and
who will carry to their country lingering marks of
their rashness. It is impossible not to join in the ad-
miration Lieutenant-Colonel Wiltshire expresses of
the bravery and steadiness of every Officer and man
of his little band.

It is beyond a doubt, that the enemy obtained his
information, with respect to the force at Graham's •
Town, from Henrik Ncotka, Gaika's Interpreter, who •
was at Graham's Town at the moment-of the attack, -
and who went over to the enemy during the conflict.
This traitor, however, met the fate he deserved, for
he fell into our hands during the egg:igen:mut, and
had his brains blown out by the exasperated soldiery.
The scene of the engagement was covered with Cal-
fre shields and assagays, which they had thrown in
great numbers, but they do not launch them with pre-
cision when opposed to the fire of musketry, ; for it
appears that our loss is confined to three killed and
five wounded.
Notwithstanding the position which the Caffres had
taken to cut off the communication with Blue Krans,
Lieutenant-Colonel Willshire contrived to send to
Commandant Botha, in order to his charging the
Caffre columns in the rear, or upon their retreat, but,
unfortunately, the Commandant had sent the greatest
part of his detachment on patmle in another direc-
tion, and was thereby unable to gratify his own
wishes, and that of his people, in contributing to the
overthrow of the enemy ; but the impression this gal-
lant little affair has made upon him, is best appre-
ciated by the circumstance of a detachnrentof an Of
and.2o men having fallen in with the retreating
columns, the Chiefs of which urged their men to at-
tack it, which the Cares declined doing.
Every day marks the loss the Colony has sustained
by the unfortunate circumstances which occasioned
the removal of the Dragoon Regiment so' ong sta-
tioned here, which alone,-by the rapidity of its move-
ment, had it in its power to follow these savages, and
to check the inroads which have been so frequent
since its departure.
We have been gratified in learning, that the Cape
District Commando arrived at its position at Roode
Wal on the 29th, in great spirits and excellent order,
not having lost a horse on its long march. The Stel-
lenbosch Commando had passed the Lange Kloof, and
must have reached Uitenhage about the same time;
this division has suffered much on the march, both
in horses and cattle, and will require considerable
time to rest at Uitenhage, before it can proceed to
the frontier.

Fiae.—About one o'clock on Monday morning, a
most alarming fire burst forth in the dwelling-house
of Mr. BAMBADOER, fancy clock and watch-maker,
residing in Morgan-street. commercial-road. The
fire was discovered by the watchman, on going his
round; he sprung. his rattle and alarmed the family,
who were all buried in sleep. The fire had gained
such strength et this time, that it was with difficulty
the inmates eseaped with their lives, without saving
-the smallest article of•their property, which; with the
whole of the presslissik, was destroyed by the devour-
ingdament. •

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