THE CAPE.

Evening Post, Issue 254, 30 November 1865, Page 2

THE CAPE.

We take the following extracts from the Southern Cross of the 22nd, compiled from the Cape Town papers :— , President Brand's Camp, Near Jack Mann's drift on the Caledon, 9 p.m., August 8, 1865. At 7 pm. 200 men arrived from Fick's la«er, Webster having effectually accomplished his mission. The men who accompanied him 9j>eak greatly in his favor as a good commandant They also bring the intelligence that they have been all day engaged in attacking the Thabo Bosigo. It seems yesterday Fick decided the place was to be attacked this morning at daylight. About that time 1,100 men, with five guns, lett the camp, standing about four thousand yards from Thaba Boeigo, and marched to the southern point of th c mountain, under protection of the guns, which kept up a sharp and incessant fire over their herids at the large body of Basutos that crowded the summit. The gun practice was beautifully executed, and protected the covering force so admirably that they succeded in reaching the foot of the krans. Here they found the enemy had raised strong works of masonry. They diverged and got fast under the krans, whtii the Kaffirs — the guns having ceased firmg — began rolling stones on them, so that they became confused and were compelled to retire. On another point, near the mission station, a party of our men had rushed forward and got possession of Job's (Moshesh's brother) house, from which they kept up a smart fusilade, until the attacking force retired, when they were also compelled to retire. Our casualties are :— Ten men wounded and contused, and ten horses killed these animals were in the rear of the attacking force. Some of our men are mentioned as having displayed great bravery ; young Raaff, Owen, and Kolbe having succeeded in soiling the mountain and killing several Basutos with their revolvers. Raaf was severely wounded in the head with a piece of rock; Captain I^unter contusion, Steijl, bullet through leg. The other names I have not heard ; but there are no more Bloemfontein men's names mentioned. On the whole we have no cause to complain, the check being only temporary as Fick intends attacking again to-morrow. Our people have captured 12,00 ft aheep, 7,000 head of cattle, and 700 horses. This does not include what the Smithfield commando have taken, as they sent their capture out. We have also taken 125 waggons, besides goods and loot of every description. We have just received orders to leave this at three in the morninar, so as to arrive at Thaba Bosigo early. I shall therefore, I hope, be enabled next express to give you a thorough account of the pro*

gress made to-day, and what may transpire* 1 to-morrow. The yella and shouts of the Kaffirs, when they saw our people retreating, are represented as being something unearthly. Another writer states: — "One ot the younger Raaffs has been wounded, I believe, slightly. William Beeton is said to have lost his left thumb, and old J. Poulton is wounded through or above one of the ankles." Friend of the Free State Offi«e, August 16. • By the Smithfield post of this morning we learn that on the Ist of August, a patrol of 400 men utormed Letsea's mountain before daylight, met 1,000 of the enemy, killed irom 40 to 60 of them (amongst whom Letsea is supposed to be one), hunted the Basutos like w.ld beasts, and captured 3,700 head of cattle, 1,250 horses, and 12,000 sheep. On the following day, the 2nd inst., some slaughter stock and horses were to be picked out of this number, and the remainder were to be sent to Smithfield and Betbule, there to remain till the war is over. The Acting Commandant-General Wiphener has proclaimed the country till now occupied by Labenja, Putsanie Bushuli, Mahali, Sofalie, Makwai, Lefsea, and other petty chiefs and tbeir people, to be, from this time forth, Free State terriority. The commando of Wiphener hoped to reach Thaba Bosigo on Thursday last, 3rd inst. No men have been killed or wounded on our side. From a person who arrived here from Thaba 'Nchu last evening, we learn that it is currently reported there that Thaba Bosigo has been abandoned by the enemy, and that the houses on it have since been burnt by our forces ; but this report, though highly probable, requires confirmation. At Thaba 'Nchu it is considered certain that his Honor the President, the artillerymen, the Whitworth gun, and the party of men escorting the same, have arrived safely at the head quarters camp. It is now known for certain that little, if any, .assistance in the shape of volunteers need be looked for by this State from the South African Republic. Martial law has been proclaimed by President Pretorious ; the calling together of volunteers has been ind> finitely postponed, and the burghers of that country beeu commanded, or called up, to join those who have for some weeks past been lying at Wakkersiroom, under Commandant Paul Kruger. Though Kruger has hitherto fallen in with no enemy, and i-resi-dent Pretorious has repeatedly urged him, in the event of there being no danger threatened by the Zulus in that quarter, to proceed at once with his men to the assistance of the Free state, he (Kruger) has in reply continued to declare that both Utrecht (the nearest Republican town to Zululand) and Waickerstroom were in danger, and persistently to request that more men should without delay be sent to him. Persons from Wakker»trooro say that all is quiet there, but it is thought that Cetcbwayo wishes to come through that part of the country to the assistance of Moshesh, in which case Paul Kruger will soon put a stop to his movements. During the last few days intelligence has also been received at Pothefstrootn that in Zoutpansberg district matters are anything bat quiet. All that we of thU State nee 1 expect then, is that Paul Kruger will keep his eye on the movements of the Zulus, and will endeavour to prevent their coming to the assistance of the Basutos. We believe that President Pretorius has, in all honesty and sincerity, done his bust to induce his burghers to come as rolunteers to our aid, more especially after he heard of the murder of his near relatives neur ilarrismith, but, at the same time, lie has evidently failed iti hi* well-meant endeavours on our behalf. Thirtysix volunteers from that republic are said tohave recently passed near Win burg, aud eight were at the combined lager waenr we last - heard, making together forty-four, but it still remains to be saen whether the last thirty-six will ever reach the camp. We doubt it. Of one thing we are more than ever convinced, that but few South African boers will be found ready to tro out of their way to fight from motives of patriotism, nationality, or even the much-talked broedersehap. Only those who come under the provisions of our Commando Law, and not all of those, will bafound fighting in our ranks. Those whos place of residence happens to be far from the 1 Basuto border come up to the front -with.

the greatest possible reluctance— witness the men of Jacobsdal, who were fined the other day for desertion, and refused to perform burgher duty. We are at the same time proud to acknowledge ttiat we have among the farmers in this State many brare and good men, and we hope and trust that they, with the assistance of the few Europeans and townspeople, will, without foreign aid, completely overcome and put dow n the Basutos. If such should be the case, far better will it be for this State. Had we been beholden to the Trans- Vaalers for their assistance, they would thereafter have given us no end of trouble with their claims to land, and their claims for the lion's share of any cattle or other stock that might have been captured during the joint campaign. It is now pretty clear that we shall be left to fight our battles alone.