THE TAKING OF BULUWAYO

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 20

THE TAKING OF BULUWAYO

The Times of 12th December contains a letter from its special correspondent with the forces of the Chartered Company operating against the Matabele. The first part of the letter is dated from Incna river, 40 mileß from Buluwayo, on 29th October, and begins with tho following paragraph :— " On 15th October we arrived at Intaba Zimbi (the Iron Mountain), a low hill commanding an extensive view of the country beyond. The British flug floated above ita summit during our stay. Dr Jameson, Sir John Willoughby, and 'Matabele' Wilson joined us here. On the following day the Victoria column came up, and the two marched together thenceforward under the supreme command of Major Forbes, each, however, forming its own laager, and being governed in all matters of internal economy and discipline by its particular staff as before. This junction brought the strength up to very nearly 700 white men and some 300 colonial boys armed with Martini-Henry rifles. With these were several hundred Makalaka from Victoria eager to avenge the raid by which their homes and people had been destroyed." The first brush with the enemy took place on 15th October, when eight scouts came upon a party of Matabele guarding cattle. The cattle were driven off by the British, who followed the enemy until they were reinforced and endeavoured to surround the attacking force, which then retired. Tho loss to the Matabele was 22 killed. Captain Campbell was fatally wounded. Another slight brush occurred on the 22nd. About this date "Ted" Burnet, a well-known Bechuanaland pioneer, though quite young, was shot. "On Tuesday, the 24th, we reached the Shangani river, and from this point Matabeleland proper may be said to commence. Soon after crossing the Shangani we learned that we were approaching a cattle kraal of the Enocua 'Regiment, and vre accordingly sent out parties to reconnoitre. As one of these did not return till late, we sent up rockets with excellent effect, for they not only served to guide our friends, but postponed a night attack which had been contemplated by the enemy. With that superstitious instinct which is so strong in them, they argued that, if the white man could draw down the stars from Heaven itself, it would be better to wait till the dawn. This, with much valuable information, we learned afterwards from two wounded Matabele. At 4 a.m. the pickets to the westward and eastward of the camp were fired upon simultaneously. Some few of the native contingent who were camped outside the laager were assegaied, but the rest got in safely with the pickets. In the first rush the enemy approached within 100 yards of us, but even then our fire was in the main guided by the flash of their rifles, for we could distinguish nobbing definite. Having successfully repulsed this first attack, we anxiously awaited the second, which, after some delay,' was made, but in a much less determined manner, and the enemy very soon retired before the heavy flre of rifle and machine gun. Day now began to dawn, bo we sent out four mounted patrols to reconnoitre within a radius of a quarter to half a mile, and they inflicted considerable damage upon our foes without any loss to themselves, though the troop was very nearly surrounded. The enemy made yet another attack with their reserve, but this was soon repulsed, and by 7.30 a.m. all firing had ceased. One or two of our men in laager received slight flesh wounds, and others had narrow escapes. The Victoria column lost one man, by name Walters. As showing that the old Zulu spirit is not quite dead in these Matabele, we found that many of the wounded, rather than be taken prisoners, had stabbed themselves, and one head induna had dragged himself up to a tree, from which we found him suspenied and dead."

Writing from Buluwayo on the 4th November the same correspondent says : — " On the Ist instant, after a long morning's trek over magnificent downs, showing an excellent slate for* mation and gold prospects, we halted on a rise | which commanded a view of the whole country, the noticeable feature being the hill Intaba Induna, 12 miles from Buluwayo. The position of the laager was admirable. Except on the north on which the Salisbury Horse were posted, the ground was open on all sides, and, as the event proved, it was here that the brunt of the attack had to be borne. The alarm sounded while we were preparing breakfast; but the waggons were at once manned, aiid the guns opened firo. Thick thorn-bush fringed the two faces of the laager at about 400 to 500 yards distance, and nearer by some 300 yards there was a small knoll with a few burnt huts. Fortunately, we succeeded in getting in the cattle and horses in time, the big gun opening fire on the advancing enemy. Although the range was quickly found, the shooting was not sufficiently strong to prevent many of the enemy from getting into the valley between the ridge and the laager, under cover of the intervening ridge. The real attack, however, was to be made from the bush,and this first rush towards the cattle would seem to have been nothing more than a feint to divert attention. The attack from the bush was made in a most determined and plucky manner, many getting within 200 yards of the laager, and this in face of a withering fire from five machine guns, two7-pounders, and a heavy rifle firs. Afterwards we found that the bush in which they were moving, and from which they made these bold rushes into the open in the vain hope of reaching us, was literally cut to pieces with bullets. The enemy were well armed, principally with Martini-Henry rifles, and shot with considerable precision and judgment. They were at last, after an hour's engagement, forced to retire, having first had a smart skirmish with the mounted troop of 50 men sent after them. Our guns again proved too much for them, in spite of the quickness of their movements. It was not until afterwards that we learnt that we had been attacked by the flower of the King's army, led by the famous Imbiso regiment, which not only stands first, but had never before known defeat. Next to these comes the Ingubu, who were also engaged. Passing by the regiments which had harassed our line of march, they loaded them with opprobrious epithets, telling them they were only fib to herd cattle on the veldt. Disregarding the direct orders of the King, which were to attack us when on the march, they rushed on towards our laager in the certain assurance of success. The result was nothiut? more nor less than a revelation to them. Oue old man who was taken prisoner likened our fire to a hailstorm ; and, when first brought before the staff to bo examined, he burst out laughing, explaining when questioned that it was too ridiculous — the great Imbiso regiment being beaten by a lot of boys.

«« The moral effect of this defeat, as we have emce found out, has been very great. All the

regiments are in flight, the king himself is iv hidiDg, aud our march on Buluwayo, where we arrived on the 4th, was in no way molested, though difficult drifts and thick bush offered opportunities which such an enemy might very well have taken, and certainly would have taken had they not been so demoralised. Here we found some 80,000 rounds of ammunition destroyed, besides a large amount of gungowder, and the town on fire in several places. "In the engagement on the Imbimbesi our loss was seven killed and wounded, Thompson, Carey, and Siebert being killed. Had it not been for the meal bags and kit bags which we piled on the waggons for a rampart, our loss would have been considerable. But these stopped the bullets wonderfully well. The whizzing of the bullets never ceased, and some very marvellous escapes occurred. The enemy lost altogether 1000 killed and wounded. The Matabele of these famous regiments showed conspicuous bravery in their attack upon our position, and deserve every praise for their pluck and gallantry. As showing their tenacity of life, I may mention that many were found 300 yards away from the spot where they had received their death-wound."