American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-06-16
THE COLONY OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
UNDER MARTIAL LAW

arrival of the ship Natchez from Canton, via
the Cape of Good Hope. The dates from the
Cape are to the 29th April.
We are indebted to Capt w. for papers from
the Cape to the 29th of April inclusive. They
contain highly important intelligence.
The katir Tribes have commenced hostiH-
ties against the burgher inhabitants of the Col
ony.
Col. Hare, Lieut.. Governor of the Eastern
Districts of the Colony, by proclamation, has
declared the Colony under martial law.
We give below the details of the various en-
gagements and sfirmshes between the burgher
inhabitants of the Cape-assisted by the British
troops-and the natives, the kafrs; together
with the official dispatches of Col. Somerset,
and officers, commanding the troops of Kaiir-
land.
| From the S. African Commercial Advertiser
CAPE Town, April 90, 1916.
Last post from the Frontier brought intel-
gence of the commencement of hostilities in
kahrland, and of the first collision with the ell
envy. The official Dispatches, published by au-
thority in the Frontier Times, with other ex-
tracts from the Frontiear papers Of the week,
are given below.
1t appears that division of troops, under
Lieut.. Col. Somerset and Lieut.. Col. Richard
son, marched from the Deba river, on the NOR
ming Of the 18th inst, towards Burn'sgIIill,
where they were joined by the Kat River
Burghers, under Capt Sutton.
Burns Hill is a a missionary station or viii
lage, situated in front of the gorges of the Am
atola mountains, into the ravines and wooded
parts of which Col. Somerset was informed that
the KaGrs had withdrawn all or the greater
number Of their forces. Here the troops en-
| camped for the night.
On the morning of the 10th, having large
amount of baggage and ammunition under
charge Of Major Gibson, of the It'll Dragon
Guards, the combined forces entered the gorges
ofthe mountains and moved upon the enemy's
position at all points A series of desultory
ACTIONS ensued, in one Of which the Kafirs are
said to have shown force of 1000 men, all
armed with muskets.
The enemy seemed to have been checked or
repulsed wherever the troops could reach them,
or when the guns could be brought to bear up
on them. Having captured herd of cattle,
! 1900 in number, Col. Somerset retired down
the hill about sunset, and formed camp on
the flat under the Amatola.
| YTOn the afternoon and evening of the same
day considerable bodies of kafirs attacked the
encampment left at Burns Hill under charge
of Major Gibson; and during the night his posi-
ton was surrounded on all sides, probably by
the forces that had been engaged with the
troops on the preceding day among the noun
tains.
Upon the receipt Of this report from Major
Gibson, Col. Somerset Immediately proceeded
with 200 infantry under MAJOR Campbell, the
Cape mounted Rifles, under Major Armstrong,
and ono gun, under Lieut.. Hill, to Major Glib
sons report.
~
left bank Of the Keiskama river Early in the
forenoon, Maj or Gibson, without having re-
ceived any reinforcement, moved upon a drift
of the river, being only able to form an ad-
vance and rear guard leaving the whole line Of
wagons between unprotected. In this situation
they were Immediately discovered and attack
cd by the enemy, who easily cut the line in
two, taking out the oxen from one Of the wa
CONS and drawing it across the road, thus
checking the movement of all behind it. Mai
Gibson now found himself with the rear guard,
attacked on all sides by great masses Of Kafirs,
and was compelled to retreat to Burns Hill, |
and again put his men in position.
The advance guard, with the first division of
the wagons, after some hesitation, proceeded to
cross the drift of the river, and at this moment
Col. Somerton arrived with reinforcements,
which enabled Major Gibson to secure and |
bring off his ammunition wagons--the enemy
had carried off the oxen belonging to the bag
gage wagons, which were consequently aban-
doned.
The whole force being again united on the |
right bank of the Keskama, Col. Somerset
moved towards the Chumie, still followed and |
harrased by the enemy. Here, Oh the left hank !
of the Chumle, he encamped for the night of
the It'll.
On the morning of the 18th, he decided on
returning to Block Drift, lower down, and on
the right bank of the river. The enemy, to
the number, he says, OF 5000 men, followed
him from the time he left the ground and
made disposition to attack him, which they
soon did, in the rear and on both TANKS at the
same time. Under these trying circumstances
they crossed the river, bringing safely to the
right bank 1900 head of cattle, with their
baggage and ammunition wagons, on which
the Hairs pressed eagerly, as on the preceding
day at BUNS HILL The casualties of this
day, during these very difficult and hazardous
operations, afford q measure of the kafr's
power as an enemy in battle. They amount
to one officer wounded, two men killed and 8
wounded.
On the 18th also, when Major Gibson was
attacked by so great body of the enemy, and
compelled to fall back on Burns Hill. abau-
doning the wagons, one man had his arm
broke, and man was killed. And during the
repeated conflicts with the whole of Sandilla's
forces among the ravines and woods of the
Amatola, on the whole of the 10th, 8 men
were killed and 6 wounded. In the night at
tack on Major Gibson's camp, four men were
killed and wounded.
The loss of the baggage wagons under Maj
Gbson's escort, on the nth, arose from the
movement taking place about an hour and a
half too early, in compliance with Col. Somer- {
toms instructions. Had he been instructed to !
wait till reinforcements arrived, this misfortune
probably would have been avoided.