The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-22

the horses az oncs galloped forward TO meet
them, and soon all were In the saddle.
Ronald heard Capt. Twentyman, who had
led the dismounted party, say to the
lieutenant:
.sThere are too many of them, Daniels;
the wood is crowded with them. Take half
the troop and draw off to tue right, and
will take the other half co the left. The
Ninety-hrst will fall back directly. As
they come out prepare to charge the kafirs
in flank if they pursue them"
Now the red coats began to appear at the
edge of the wood. They were in pairs, and
every two men were carrying a wounded
every two men were carrying wounded
comrade. Presently the main body came
out in regular order with 6heIr faces to the
enemy. With yells of triumph the Kaffirs
poured out from the wood. The Rifles
fidg sted in their saddles for the order to
charge, but Lieut.. Daniels had his eye upon
the other wing Of the troop, and Capt.
Twentyman did not give the order to
advance until he saw that the KaffiTs
were so far out upon the plains that they
could not get back to the woods before he
would be upon them. Tnen he gave
the order to charge, and as his
men got into motion, Lieut. Dan
els gave the same order. As he saw
the cavalry sweeping down, Col. Somerset
gave the word and the Ninety-irst poured
tremendous volley into the kattirs, and
moment later the two bodies of cavalry
swept down on their TANKS. With yell of
fear the Kafflrs ran for the wood, but num-
bers of them were cut down before they
could gain shelter. Then the cavalry fell
back and Joined the infantry. 1t was
found there had been desperate hand to
hand struggle, bayonets against aSSegais.
Two officers aud twenty privates had been
killed aud a great many OF the men
wounded. They afterward learned that
the Kaffir loss in killed had exceeded 200.
The party then fell back and rejoined
! Col. Mackinnon. There was now an anx-
ious consultation when 1t was decided that
as Fort Cox could certainly resist all at
| tacks of the enemy, it would be better not to
| attempt an advance to its relief until a
| junction had been effected with the other
| columns which were now at considerable
distance away. On the 3lst the news
| reached them that that morning the COVER
| nor, with a small body of Cape Mounted
| Rifles, had made dash right through the
enemy, and had ridden to King Williams
town, twelve miles away, where he had at
once issued a proclamation calling upon the
colonists to rise en- nldSSe to assist the troops
to expel the Gaikas from the Amatolas,
while a force of Fingces was at once or
dered to be raised.
In the meatime. the Kaffirs were plumber
ing and destroying all over the country.
The settlers entirely abandoned their farms,
and the roads to Winiamstown, Grahams-
town, and Beaufort were blocked with the
great herds of cattle driven in. The news
came that the Gaikas had been joined by
the T'Slambies and Tambookies, numbering
not less than 5000 men; and it was re-
ported that an influential chief-Kreli-
who could put 10 900 men in the field, was
preparing to make.common cause with the
rebels. The HotUentots of the London mis-
sionary station at Kat river who had for
years been fed and clothed by the govern
ment, and put into free possession of a
beautiful and fertile district, Joined
the Kaffirs, and took a leading part on
their attacks on the settlers. Their exam
pie was speedily followed by the so-called
christian settlements at the missionary
settlements of Shiloh and Tbeopolis.
Against such overpowering forces as were
now leagned against him, the governor
could do nothing with the small body Of
troops at his disposal, and was forced to re-
main inactive at Villa nstown until REIN
forcements could arrive. He coltented
himself, therefore, with throwing supplies
into f rts Cox, White and Hare, this being
accomplished only after severe contests
with the natives. Bodies of Kaffirs had
now completely overrun the colony, render
ing even communication between the
towns dangerous in the extreme, unless
seat by messengers escorted by considerable
bodies of troops
On arriving at King Williamstown
Ronald Mervyn was greatly disappointed
to find that the Armstrong; had gone on to
Grahamstown. He found letter awaiting
him from Mr.. Armstrong, saying that he
was very sorry to leave without another
opportunity of thanking him for the i'm
mense services he had rendered him "but,"
he said, my daughter, now that it is all
over. is terribly shaken by all she has gone
through, and l think it necessary TO get her
to place little farther removed from all
this trouble. | shall probably leave for
England before long. l hope to see you be-
fore we GO, but, If not, will write to you
giving you our address in England, and we
shall both be very glad to see you if you
return, as | hope you will, and that before
long. We shall never forget how much we
owe you"
"Pernaps it is better sou Ronald said, as
he finished the letter. ut would only have
made it harder for me if had seen her again.
For if there is one thing moro certain than
another, it is that can never ask any
woman to be my wife"
"The Cape Town Rifles were before long
joined by two troops from Cape Town and
Port Elizabeth, and we're continually en-
ployed in escorting conveys and carrying
dispatches A batch of twenty recruits also
came up to fill the vacancies that had
already been made by the war, and to bring
Dde troops engaged up TO tn6lF Iuu force.
One of the four men who joined Capt.
Twentyman's troop gave slight start of
surprise as his eyes fell upon Ronald
Mervyn. He looked at him several times,
and slight smile stole across his face.
"Who is that corporal?" he asked one Of
the troopers.
Corporal Blunt" the man said; land
fine fellow he is, too. He led a small do
tachment of our men splendidly in an affair
down by the Kabousie river. Why do you
asks Have you ever seen him beforeT'
"No," the man said carelessly; "but he
reminded me of some one | knew at home"
'He is a first-rate soldier" the man said,
''and l expect he will get the first vacancy
among the sergeants. We all think he has
been an officer, though he never talks about
it. He's the lest tempered fellow possible,
but you can never get him to talk about the
past. However, that makes no difference
to u.s."
Not a bit" the recruit agreed. 81 dare
say he isn't the only one with queer his
tory in the regiment"
II didn't say he had queer history" the
man replied angrily. HE is as good
comrade and as good fellow as one wants
to meet; there's not a man in the troop
grudges his being pushed on"
II meant no offenss," the recruit said
''The man he reminded me Of had a queer
history, and suppose that is what put it
into my head"