THE WAR IN KAFIRLAND. [Abridged from the "Sydney Herald,"June 5.]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 511, 2 July 1851, Page 3

THE WAR IN KAFIRLAND. [Abridged from the " Sydney Herald," June 5.]

In our continuous nariative of the piogtess of this liar.issing warfare, the latest date of wind) w^ brought down, in our issue of the 20th ultimo, to the latter onil of February last, it w.is our piun'ul duty to show tli.it •all that the troops nt the disposal of Sir Hairy Smith had been able to accomplish was b.nely holding the ground already occupied in Kafirland. We are now enabled to icsume our narrative, having received complete files of the Cape journals to the sth of A piil. The early port of March was passed in scouring the country by strong columns of the Jintish tioops and levies, under thi» several commands of Colonels MaeLinnon and E) re. During thsso operationff a melancholy accident occurred to a promising officer, Captain Bevil, of the C.ipe Town Levy. Some of his men weie filing at an ox, and lie, coming through the hush uupeiceived, intending to prevent them from so doing, was shot in the windpipe, and killed instantaneously. Severe indisposition prevented Sir Harry Smith from tailing a personal part in the field until the 13th March, when, in consequence of desertions among- the llotenlot levies, most of whom weie of the Cape Mounted Iliflcman, Sir Harry ordered a couU of inquiry to invesligate the mattei ; and in the nftetnoon, the second division being commanded to parade in open columns of companies; Sir Harry, accompanied by his staff, rode up and down the ranks, saying a few complimentary words to the soldiers, till lie came to the Capo Corps, when he asked Lieutenant-Colonel Napiei " ivheie all his men were?" he replied, "A number of them had gone away — deserted." " Where to?" "It was supposed to the Kat River." " How many have deserted?" '' Forty-six, " was the reply. Upon this Sir Harry matched the corps into close older, and addressed them to the following effect :— •" Now you all understand English enough to know what I am about to say to you : when I first knew you, you were ngood set of fellows, and fought gallantly, butnowyou nre a disgiace, and your legnncnt is disgraced, and a ■disgiaced regiment shall never seivo undei my command ; — down with your arms, down with youi arms, eveiy one of you." On their arms being laid down, the 'Europeans in the corps weieoideri'd to take up iheiiß, and the whole were insnched totho left. When halted, Sir Harry desired the officers to point out any of the men on whom they could depend, and inarch them to the front; this was done with about one-half of them; but only ten or twelve bad their arms restored — men who had been enlisted in the western districts. About 160 of their belts and carbines were put into store. Sir Harry told the men that they would receive their ration as before, until he decided •what further steps would be taken witu thorn, at the same time oideiing Colonel Napier to plact officers constantly on guard over them, so as to become .acquainted with their acts. His Excellency, after passing tin ough the ranis of the 6th Royal Sappeis •and Miners, and Aitilleiy, returned to the Albany levy, and disarmed a number of them also, at the same tune trying that he would see them again ia a few days, and if he got a good report of them, he would jeturn ih»m their anna. After this the parade was dismissed. On* the Kith Match, Sir Harry marched from King "William's Town to Fort White, with the 2nd division under Colonel Mackinnon, consisting of three guns of wtillpry, Major Armstrong's horse, and about 2000 infantry; on the 19th, his Excellency proceeded to Fort Hare, ami whilst crossing the Keiskama, the force Mas attacked byalaige body of Kaur*,v,with whom were many of the Hottentot deserters. The attack was re])iilscd, and the insurgents driven away at all points, with i<i(>at slaughter. On the 2 1st, leaving Fort Harp, Sir Harry, in the hope of bringing on a general affair with the lebels, marched oh to Fort Cot, moving by tl'c highly cultivated and populous valley of the Jncwazi, at the foot of the western range of the Amatolas. Notwithstanding that theiebels appealed m "teat foico on the mountains, nnd that a small (i.\nking paity was pushed up with the view of inducing a conflict, they did not appear to desire a repetition of the thrashing of the 19th, and not a shot was fired until the English bivouacked at Foit Cox, about one o'clock. However, on renewing their march to Fort White, a number of Kafirs showed upon Kawahoo ridge, which joins this neck to the Amatola mountain, and some stragglers appeared upon the neck itself. A detachment of the 37th Cape Corps was sent forward to diive off these straggleis, when it was soon found they were in force. Major Armstrong, with his horse, pushed on to support the advance guaid, and an affair commenced. The main body moved on lapidly, and the guns got up as high upon the ridge as practicable. Meanwhile the horse were hotly engaged. Mr. Brownlee, the Gaika Commissioner was wounded by an Assegai, and many Kafirs fell. The close pursuit up the ridge compelled the enemy to take lefuge in a large corn-field, overhung by a wooded and rocky range, very favourable for defence ; and a very sharp skirmish ensued, the mounted men dismounting and attacking the enemy in position These were supported by the swift-footed and intrppid Fingoes, and a battalion of the Levies under Captain Morris ; the whole commanded by Colonel Cloete, Deputy Quarter Master General. While this hot skirmish was going on, the steep ascent was gained by pait of the 6th regiment, under Colonel Stuart, and the ?3rd logiment, under Colonel Eyre, with some of the Levies. The rebels' flank was thus turned, and the 73rd and 6th with the rest of the corps which had been ported in reserve on the left rear, then, under command of Colonpl Mackinnon, penetiated what the official despatch calls "a dense forest of mountains." Having pushed through this forest for three-quarters of a mile, the troops gained the open and elevated country, beyond ; and then Sir Harry Smith, moving on, crowned the high range of the Tab'lndodo, the troops dispersing ihe rebels in all directions, and burning one of their mountain kraals ; whilst at the base of the Tab'lndodo, Colonel Cloete's menwere also engaged in destroying the kraals and corn-fields. With the approach of night hostilities ceased ; and operations (in consequence of the great fatigue of the troops) were not renewed until the 22nd, when the whole force again marched towards the old Fort Wilbbire for the purpose of devastating the fertile country of Eno's tribe, and spoiling their cattle. The spoor was soon discovered in the direction of the densely wooded kloofs of the Kieskamma ; and in less than two hours every head of i the enemy's fine fat herds, in the difficult kloofs on both I sides of the Kieskamma, numbering neaily 1000 head, I fell into the hands of die English, who effected the capture with the loss of four men killed and six wounded, whilst the loss on the part of the rebels was very consideiable. Upon the return of the troops, the Kafirs fired sharply on the rear guard, but were compelled to retreat upon a counter movement being promptly made by Colonel Eyre. Sir Harry halted on the 24th at Fort White, not only for the purpose of rscruiting his troops, but of giving the Kafirs time to collect and attempt the rescue of their cattle on the Debe Neck. But the teirible lesson given to them had ita effect (temporary, it, however, is to be ; feared, and the English returned to William's Town on the 25tb, without the slightest molestation. The defection in the Cape Mounted Rifles is a matter of serious moment. It was considered one of the most coatly regiments in Her Majesty's service ; and its loyalty was untainted even by a suspicion. j With respect to Sir Harry Smith's novel mode of j fighting tho Kafirs, all accounts agroe as to its brilliant j success, and to the dismay of the rebels, who have been j taught that neither their bush, nor their mountains, nor their forests, cm rejist the force and discipline of the Briish arm. instead of moving along the highioad and keeping the level country, Sir Harry took possession of the heights, the strongholds of tho rebels, and then | forcing them into the open ground, scattered and drove them before him like a flock of sheep. Since the above w.is written we have received a few later Cape papers ; but, up totho 17th of April very little alteration had taken place in the aspect of affairs. Rumours, at that date weiecjiculated to the effect that the common' Kafirs were clamaroua for the cessation of hostilities, baring, as they admitted, lost so many men. It wasalso asserted thatSandilli had directed Ins people to drive their cattle to the highest parts of the Amatolas. It was also reported that the rebels, (Kafirs and Hottentots) were assembling in great force in the mountain fastnesses of the Kat Berg, Eiland's Berg, and the Chunnip. This was described by the Dutch party (who are violently opposed to Sir Harry Smith) as presenting a most difficult front to the British foice, and at the same time giving the Kafirs the whole extent of the Amatolas to retire upon, in the event of haying their ppsition forced iq the first instance,"

On (be other hand, expresses had been icceived Irom Kin» Willi.nn's 'J'o\mi, Rising confident n-sui imcebtli.it, so seiioti-ly did the dillereiicesnnjje between tho ilnee [•reat chiefs of the Ama-Galek division of the. Kafir nation — Kreli, Pato, and Umlmla— these chief uins would each luvo enough to do in his own neighbouihood, widiout attempting to force Sir Harry's position. I'alo was confidently regurdod ns n faithful adherent of llie liritibh ; and his continued fidelity was, (is a matter o( comse, of unpoitnnce to Sir H.irry, seeing tb.it by bis means his Excellency was able to keep open bis communication 1 ? with the port of East London, whence supplies for the whole line were obtained with facility. At this distance, and with the conflicting and palpably exag ßelated statements put forth by the several opposite sections of. the colonists, it would ho absurd to ofl'er any opinion as to the actual prospect,' if any, of a speedy termination of this luinous war. „ _