CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. (From the Sydney Herald, Nov. 29.)

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 270, 30 December 1848, Page 2

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. (From the Sydney Herald, Nov. 29.)

We have some Ctpe papers of the end of September. Our files are so incomplete that we are imabie to give a connected view of the state of affair* on the frontier; but we learn that on the 29th August, the rebels, un« der Pretorius, attacked the troopi which were marching near Winburg, when after a sharp action, the rebel* were beaten .and dispersed, and"w«re not able to rally again. After the battle a boer named Dreyer, who was said to have given the first order to fire, and had been taken prisoner, was tried by a Court Martial and shot. A great many of the settlers had come into the camp and declared that they only joined Pratorius from compulsion, and the Governor bad re»proclaimed the sovereignty of the Queen over the whole of the country nonliward of the Orange river to the Vaal river, and divided it into four districts, over each of which be had appointed a commissioner. The only extract for which we can find room this morning is the official account of the battle :— Colonial Office, Cape Town, * 9th September. 1848. His Excellency the Governor has directed the pub* lication of the following account of an action whirl* took place on the 29th ult., at Bloem Flaatz, between* the troops under bU command and the rebel Roeii

beyond the Orange Rher, and which ended in the total rout and subsequent flight of the rebels. The notice published on the 30th utt. gave information of the passage of the Orange River by nearly all the troopi, on the 23rd of that month, whereupon Pretorius, the rebel chief, together with those under hii command, in number exceeding 1000 men, had fallen back towards Winburg, with a degree of pre» cipitation which rendered the prospect of an action improbable. All the troops had arrived on the 25 ih, when His Excellency crossed the river, audby incredible exertion! the passage was completed by them on the 26th ult. His Excellency then moved the troops with the greatest rapidity in the direction of Bloem Fontein, in punuit of the rebels, whom on the 29th ult. he found posted in a very strong position al Bloem Plaatz, on the Krom Elim Bok River, where is a succession of ridges of low hills, backed hy a higher rang i } through a pass in which the road runs. On a reconnoitering party, accompanied by his Excellency, approaching the first ridge, the rebeli suddenly sprung up, and opened a heavy fire upon them. The left of their position, however, quickly carried by the rifle brigade, 45th and 91st Regiment, the Artillery (six-pounders) opened at the same time a very effective fire. The rebels' right bavins; been considerably thrown forward, was gallantly attacked by the Cape Mounted Rifles, under the orders of LieutenantColonel Buller, and driven back towards the Pass, in the- direction of which the enemy were now at evitry point hurrying, pursued from ridge to ridge of the low hills by her Majesty's troops, and Buffering great loss as they retired, from the guns which opened upon them wherever they rould be brought to bear. It was afterwards found that twelve men had been killed by one well directed round shot. On reaching the summit of the Pais, the enemy made a bold though fruitless effort to maintiin their position, but by a combined attack of the Cape Mount d Rifles, with a body of the Griqua Auxiliaries, they were at length driven from this, their last position ; on abandoning which they fled in the utmost disorder, in all directions over the plain beyond, leaving behind them many horses, arms, and various articles of dress, &c. His Excel, lency continued the pursuit for miies, and until dark ; but it be.ng evident that the rebels were completely broken, halted for the night at " Calver Fontcia." In the hope of overtaking and capturing the train of waggons, he matched next morning, the 30 h ult., at 2 o'clock, for " Bethany," which he reached early in the day, and then ascertained that the enemy's camp no longer existed ; tdey having fled in parties of two or three with their waggons >'n all directions. On the march, evidence was everywhere afforded of the precipitate retreat of the rebels, numbers of horses, &c, having been left on the road. Forty-nine of the enemy were counted dead upon the field; iheir wounded may hi considered upwards of one hundred and fifty- Owing to the nature of the ground, which afforded gn a advantage to the rebels, the loss on the side of Her Majesty's troops is unfortunately rather heavy, as will foe aeen in the following Return :— By liis Excellency's Command, JOHN MONTAGU, Secretary to Government.

Return of killed and wounded in action with the Rebel Boeri, at " Bloem Plaats," 29th Att o u,t, 1841 :— Killed.— Men : 45th Regt. 151 5 Rifle Brigade, 3 men and 2 horses ; Cape Mountei Rides, 4 men and y hortei. Wounded. — General Staff, 2 horsei ; 45ih Regt.» 19 men; 91it Regt., 1 officer (Euign Crsmpton, dangerouily), and two men; Rifle Brigade, 2ol3ceri (Lieut-Col. Buller, severely, Captain Murray, mortally, iincedeatl), and 12 men; Cape Mounted Riflps, 4 officers, (Cap'ain Armstrong, severely, Lieut. Shlu, dangerously, Lieut. Mill, severely, Ensign Steele, dangerously), 6 men and 11 horses. JOHN GARVOCK, M&jjr.