THE KAFIR WAR.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 703, 28 April 1852, Page 3

THE KAFIR WAR.

[From the Sydney Morning Herald.) In our former summary of the operations on the frontier, our dates were to the end of September. It was then our painful duty to record the disastrous events which occurred during Colonel Mackinnon’s patrol through the Fish River Bush ; and we also recorded Colonel Fordyce’s advance, with the gallant 74th, upon the Kroomc Bush, near the Waterkloof, where he twice sustained, with severe loss, formidable attacks by upwards of 2000 Kafirs and Hottentots, headed by the implacab e Macomo. In now continuing our summary from the papers and despatches just received by us to the Bth of December, we have still to report a series of disastrous losses and reverses; which includes the death of Colonel Fordyce and other brave officers ; and the humiliating fact that Macomo was still entrenched in the Waterkloof, on the heights of which Colonel Fordyce fell at the head of his Highlanders; that Sandilli was still undisturbed in the fastnesses ofthe Amatola; that the rebel camp at the Fish River had not been broken up ; in a word that the whole frontier was exposed to the ravages of the enemy; full 12,000 of whom were within its limits at the date of the latest advices. The elated Kafirs had come to the brow of the mountains surrounding William's Town, and with insulting bravado had called out for “ Smith ” to come out and fight 1 demanding why his soldiers were lying in camp ? They boast that the fire of the English is so bad, that Umlanzeni’s words are coming true, “ that the English are losing strength, and that when the mimosa trees are in blossom they will be totally vanquished.” We now proceed with our summary. The month of October was passed in attempting to dislodge the enemy from the various strong positions which he held in large force. A combined attack, under the direction of Major-Gen-eral Somerset, was made on the 12th. with the view of driving the Hottentots and Kafirs from the dense forests, deep ravines, and fastnesses of the Waterkloof, and Blinkwater, and Fuller s Hock, where they were strongly posted, and where they sent out marauding parties to spoil and devastate the adjacent country. He Commenced operations on the 12th, and on the 14th the enemy’s position was attacked in two columns—the one under Colonel Mitchell, the other under Colonel Fordyce, who acted simultaneously, and attacked everv assailable point of the enemy’s strongholds, which he held with determination and great braverv. These operations were continued for two days, with considerable loss on both sides ; and on the 16th Colonel Fordyce reported that the Waterkloof was cleared of the enemy ; and in general orders the Commander-in-Chief stated that no doubt could be entertained that the rebels would be dislodged from the whole of the difficult country by the operations still in progress; and his Excellency highly complimented the whole of the officers, troops, and levies on their hardearned success. Among the casualties were reported Lieutenant Norris, 6th Regiment, killed; Captain Addison, 2nd Regiment, and Ensign Ricketts, 91st Regiment, dangerously wounded.

Whilst success was reported and proclaimed in this quarter, the geneial orders were equally profuse in expressing Sir Harry Smith’s admiration of the ability and persevering energy with which Colonel Eyre was conducting the defence of Lower Albany, and his able disposition of the troops under his command; and a dashing attack by Lieutenant Knox, of the 73d Regiment, upon a party of fifty rebels who were fleeing with some cattle, and who were nearly all killed or wounded and the booty re-captured, was triumphantly announced as a proof that the war was progressing favourably. For a few days the journals echoed the triumphant tone of the official despatches; find highly unfavourable news from the Kei; th the effect that Kreli had called a meeting of the chiefs for the purpose of adopting a universal expulsion of the English from his country, was treated with indifference, on the ground that this decision had been come to before the Amapondas were aware of the "entire route of the Kafirs at Waterkloof;” and that when this was known, Kreli would alter his mind. Reports were confidently spread, that Sandilli was anxious to make overtures for peace ; that Albany and the upper districts were abandoned by the enemy ; and speculations were rife as to " whether the rebels would outrage British clemency still further by asking for a fourth peace ?” These delusions were soon dispelled. It was ascertained that in place of the rebels having been routed at Waterkloof, they had, upon the troops storming certain points of that position, retreated in good order through Fuller’s Hock, into their cherished Amatola, driving with them about 4000 head of cattle, the property of the ruined frontier farmers. This unaccountable escape of the enemy is a sad feature in the operations which, only a few days before, received Sir Harry Smith’s unqualified approval. It would seem that a column of 1000 of the British had been expressly ordered by Gen. Somerset to pass up the Chumic, and post themselves in such positions asruiight effectually

prevent anything passing between the region around Waterkloof, whdst operations were progressing on the other force, and the Anatolian retreats. Seemingly, this force must have been removed to another position, and by its absence the intended cordon was broken through, and the British completely out-manoeuvred. Some explanation appears to have been offered in the shape of the rainy weather and heavy mists, but at Graham’s Town the next reports were awaited with anxious forebodings, and the result was as lamentable as could possibly have been predicted. On the 11th Nov. an extraordinary supplement to the Graham's Town Journal, the columns with deep black borders, announced fresh calamities, and from this paper we take the following extract : —

“ An express reached Graham's Town early this morning from Major-General Somerset’s camp, by which we are put in possession of intelligence of the most gloomy character, showing that the Ist division has again sustained very heavy loss both in officers and men. A movement was made against the united forces of the enemy in Waterkloof, on the — Nov. inst., in which it appears that a portion of Lieut.-Colonel Fordyce's Brigade became hotly engaged with the enemy, and on which occasion a fearful struggle took place, resulting in the loss of that officer, who was shot from a tree by a rebel Hottentot, and expired in a few minutes. Subsequently Lieut. Carey of the same regiment fell, aud Lieut. Gordon was at the moment severely I wounded. Capt. Devenish, of the Beaufort West I Levy, was shot in the head, it is feared mortally. Casualties in the ranks, to the extent of ten killed and wounded, are reported. From what we have been enabled t n eellect on this mournful subject, the 74th Regiment, led by their gallant Colonel had gained the heights, and were proceeding to I dislodge a body of rebels from a belt of bush. In advancing to this service thev were most determinedly met by the enemy, who sheltered by bush and rocks, sustained a murderous fire almost with impunity, and inflicted the severe loss which the colony has this day to deplore. * * * The movement extended over three days, the 6th, 7th, 8 h, and though the enemy were driven from every position, it is feared that it is but a temporary retreat, and the dense natural fortresses will shortly be, if they are not already re-occupied. The troops are said to be in a most harrassed condition, and many of them perfectly ragged, the 6th Regiment especially.” On the 14th another express arrived from General Somerset, announcing the deaths of the two officers who were wounded when Col. Fordyce fell, viz., Lieutenant Gordon of the 74th, and Captain Devenish, of the Beaufort West Levy; also of Ensign Ricketts, 91st regiment, v.ho, as we have stated above, was wounded on that fatal ground a few weeks before. Lieutenant Gordon was son of Sir William Gordon, of Tobermory, Argyleshire. Up to the date of the latest despatches which had reached Graham's Town, the news continued to be of the most unsatisfactory and conflicting kind. Macomo had again reoccupied the Waterkloof. Sandilli was offering anything but overtures of peace, and whilst portions of the Ist and 2nd divisions were lying almost inactive in the neighbourhood of their disasters, Sir Harry Smith had ordered another expedition under General Somerset to cross the Kei, beyond which Kreli, whose defection was no longer doubtful, had mustered the Amagcaleka and a portion of the Abatembu, and had already commenced devastating the country. Very gloomy, in every respect, was the aspect of affairs in this harrassed colony, at the date at which we close our painful summary.