THE BASUTO WAR.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2121, 10 December 1880, Page 3

THE BASUTO WAR.

(From the " Cape Times," Nov. 8. Since the desperate attack on Maseru on the 10th October the rebels seemed to have given up all hope of taking the place, and to be resting on their laurels, such as they are. Every day large bodies of men were to be seen at various points near the town, but they kept well out of range, and were not to be tempted within rifle shot. On the 19th, Captain Green's Zulus went out and engaged the enemy, but the latter coming in great force, our men retired steadily on the camp, inflicting a loss of four or five on the rebels. Day after day dragged on monotonously, the Basutos, or Baphutis, as our loyals call them, showing no signs of coming to us, while our numbers prevented our going to them. Bumors of attack were always afloat and always disregarded, till at last the storm burst and oaught us, if not actually napping, at least bnt half awake. Not a Kafir was to bo seen on the hills around Maseru on the morning of the Bth October, but this circumstance excited no suspicion, as the enemy had been remarkably shy during the few previous days. The weather was hot and sultry, and everyone was preparing for a long and lazy day when the notes of the alarm, mingled with the shots of the native contingent, roused us to aotion. There was no doubt about the whereabouts of the enemy this time. Through a mountain neck about two miles south of the town a body of some 300 horsemen came thundering down at racing speed. Disdaining the beaten path, they swarmed over the velt, leaping through gullies and over krantzes, still at full gallop, like men possessed. They were now riding parallel with the river Oaledon, but at some distance from it, till arriving at a place where the stream turns off almost at a right angle to the west, they drew in olose to the bank, and disappeared in clouds of dust behind the rise on whioh stand the ruins of the model sohool, keeping close to the river, and making for Jaokman's Drift, where the waggon road from Basuto land enters the Free State. As soon as they had passed, numbers of Basutos on foot, who had hitherto lain concealed in the dongas around, took possession of the ruined sohool buildings, whence they opened a smart fire on the town. At the same moment from every kranz and sluit opposite Trowers, the south side of the plaoe, skirmishers poured in showers of bullets, and on the north side, opposite the 0.M.8. camp, large numbers of Basutos, both horse and foot, appeared on the flat out of rifle range. To return to the horsemen; passing behind the school hill as before stated, and out of sight of the people at Maseru, the rebels swept at headlong speed along the river bank, where the cattle and horses belonging to the loyals were feeding. These tbey whirled off in an instant, killing two of the herd boys, and nearly capturing the C.M.B. horses, which were, however, got safely into oamp at Jaokman's Drift. The rebels crossed the Oaledon into the Free State, with their spoil, and began to drive them to a point lower down the river where they might cross with safety near the drift in Free State territory. The raiders were met by some three hundred of their friends who had crossed from Basutoland to assist, and the united oommandoes re • entered their own country unopposed, taking with them some 150 cattle and horses. While this was going on the covering party of foot-men had been annoying our people from the sohool. which is placed in a commanding position, and a force of 125 men, twenty-five being C.M.8., the remainder Zulus, under Captain Green, advanced to dislodge them. The enemy retired and took up a strong position behind the school, where the plateau on whioh the latter is built slopes precipitately down to the Oaledon. From this place they kept up a heavy fire on our men, who had taken posession of the school garden on the retreat of the rebels. Here Lieutenant Nelson was killed, and at length it was determined to storm the position, our bullets being unable to reach the concealed foe. The rush had to be made over about 150 yards of perfectly open ground against an invisible enemy, but our men, C.M.B. and Zulus, charged in splendid style, under a fearful fire from the rebels. In storming (this position we lost two men killed and wounded, but the movement was perfeotly successful, and the Basutos making but a feeble stand were driven headlong down tho hill towards the river. On the river's bank, at the foot of the descent, was a large body of horsemen in reserve, but seeing the defeat of their infantry this force instantly bolted at full speed, suffering heavily as they did so from the fire poured on them by Trower's party, whose position commanded the line of retreat. The footmen, who up to this time had retired fighting, now abandoned all hope, though they still tried to oarry away their falling comrades. Numbers tried to cross the river into the Free State, and several were shot in the attempt. The main body retired in the wake of the horsemen, suffering terribly from our rifles, especially as, exhausted by their exertions and dispirited by their comrades' flight, they made no effort to return our fire or to increase their paoe to more than a walk. Our men were quite done up by the heat, and could not pursue, and as no cavalry wore available the rebels got clear off. Behind the ridge, just before this, the twelve-pounder had put a oouple of well-directed shells among the masses of natives on the north side of the town, and the whole army began to retreat. By noon the firing had entirely ceased. The enemy's lobs has been very heavy; twentyseven bodies were found near the school and seventeen on the camp side, while numbers were seen to be carried away during the action. One prisoner was taken and soveral guns. The same day the Basutos retired to near Thaba Boeigno, but have since returned. It is said that Depoko was in command.