Thibodaux minerva., 1855-04-28
HORRIBLE observation-disclosures from the
Transvaal Republic, (South Africa, announce


Transvaal Republic, (South Africa announce
the return of Gen. Pretorious, after inflicting
signal punishment on the kafir chief Makapan,
for the murder of Field Cornet Potgieter and
seven or eight men, and the massacre OF several
women, accompanied by circumstances of the
most horrible cruelty. The general reports
that towards the end of October, his force united
to that of Commandant General Potgieter,
reached the subterranean caverns in which the
enemy had entrenched themselves. These
caverns are "upward of 1000 feet in length,
by 300, 500 and $50 feet wide, intersected by
several walls, and offering security on every
hand SO that an Egyptian darkness prevails
throughout even in those caverns which have
two openings. did not consider it prudent for
men to rush into these, and therefore devised
another plan to destroy our foe.
.sIn our council of war, on the 28th, we re-
solved to blast the rocks above the caverns, and
thus to crush the enemy. The requisite imple-
ments were soon constructed and collected, SO
that on the 30th) we made a trial. which failed,
however. on account of the loose and slaty
components of the rocks there, the powder loos-
ing its effect by reason of the manifold crevices
and openings.
"This having failed, gave orders to besiege
the caverns, day and night, and to cut Oft as far
as possible, all supplies. With this view l had
some fences constructed on the rocks, behind
which posted 100 men day and night During
this work the Kaffirs fred necessarily out OF
the caverns, but without injury to US, while our
patrols daily shot down some of the enemy
On the 9th Of November, proceeded to the
caverns, accompanied by General Potgieter; ;
we had ordered the bushes, which obstructed US
at night, to be cut down. My colleague while
urging on party of friendly Kafirs who were
for hoy too ia in o6v
was struck by bullet fired by the enemy, at
the very mouth of one Of the caverns; it en-
tered the right shoulder, and came out between
the left shoulder and neck so that he was
knocked down the krantz upon which he was
standing, o height of about twenty-h feet,
and fell right in front Of the enemy's fence. l
at once ordered the fence to be stormed, and
thus secured the body, which l had forthwith
escorted to the camp, to be buried there.
''The siege was work that proceeded much
too tardily. Fruitlessy had the Kafir chief
been challenged to come out of the caverns with
all his men, to answer for the butchery which
he had committed On the 9Th of November
determined to block up the openings Of the
caverns, which are from 40 to so feet wide,
and 25 to 35 feet deep. Fifty span Of oxen,
with an adequate number of laborers, were
employed upon that work on the first day.
During the next five days this work was vigo-
rously prosecuted, during which time 1900
drags of trees and as many loads of stones
were brought on and thrown down the caverns
by 300 friendly. Kafirs in our employ. Mean
while the Katfirs commenced at ght to sally
forth and procure water; q large number OF
women and children, suffering from want of
water, also sailed forth, but died after they
had drunk little water.
son the 21st gave orders to raise the siege.
We could no longer bear the stencil of the
putrid bodies of the enemy, both without and
within the caverns. The number of those who
had fallen outside the caverns amounted to
upwards of 900. The number who had fallen
within must be much greater, according to the
statement of some of my men, who penetrated
into the caverns.