THE NATAL REBELLION

Otago Witness, Issue 2735, 15 August 1906, Page 13

THE NATAL REBELLION

We take the following accounts of fighting in Natal from late files of the Cape ' Argus: — • ' ATTACKING SIGANANDA'S STRONGj HOLD. Reuter's special correspondent, under date June 10, gives an account of the operations undertaken by Colonel M'Kenzie for the capture of the chief Sigananda: — Late last evening th* Z.M.R. Intelligence Scouts reported that one of their boys had penetrated to the bottom of the j gorge, where ho was told by one of I Mchlokazulu's rebels that tke chief, with 12 compaaies, and Basabata, with eight companies, were arriving: dnriajj th» night to join Sigananda from the Gudeni Bush. Colonel M'Ke»zi« promptly seat off two specially selected white acomti front the Z.M.R.. with instructions for Coloael Barker to concentrate off tk* mouth of the gorge, aad nade a slifkt chaag« in his original plan, bo tkat, sk*«ld th« latest information be corroot, Sirananda could be ignored, and. if ineorrect lj 2feat chief could still be captured. -S^k* At 3 a.xt. Colonel MlbHh** moved out ■with the whole of his tom? of tho N.C., N.D.M.R., Z.M.R., and Royatom'a Horse, i and massad on a, hill overlooking the stronghold front fhe weat, wher* th« heavy • bombardment waa^made on June -1. A ; thick, heavy tog completely played into Colonel M'Kenzio's hands, although the Bitter cold was a sever* trial to all ranks. Colonel Barker had sent C Squadron of the T.M.R. half-way up the ridge, which crosses the mouth of the gorge, sloping down to the bed of -the donga, where the path of the rebels lay. Major Fairlie, with, the Nonguais, occupied a ridge east of the mouth, and the rest of the T.M.R., with the Natal Police, blocked the mouth some distance away, in the meantime Colonel Dick's force moving- down the eastern slopes, and Colonel M'Kenzie down the 1 western, with the stronghold as a general I direction. j ENEMY TAKING ALARM. , Captain Macfarlane, on the ridge, saw fires just outside the mouth of the donga, at about 5, but the thick fog and darkness generally left some doubt as to whose fires i they were. Orders were issued that firing should not commence before 6.30, unless unavoidable. Just before daybreak a couple of rebels approached Captain Macfarlane's position, but went off again > quickly, and a few moments later a commotion among the fires showed that some movement was afoot. The rebels had taken alarm, and quickly moved up the ridge occupied by the Nonguais, and as promptly moved down again as contact was made. Daylight was fast approaching, and theclock was going round all teo slow, when suddenly the natives brok« back, as the fog lifted and the day broke, to the mouth of 1 the gorgs in tw« parties. Captaia Macfarlane hesitated for a moment, his soldierly instinct expecting his orders, and his soldierly knowledge insisting on something to be done. H« did ths only thing possible, poured a heavy vollay into the ; rebels, massed at close range. The bulk of the rebels broke and fled at the first volley, but the more daring spirits beg*n to reply from « variety of guns. For a few minutes a good stand-up fight looked to be in prospect. Suddenly Captain Macfarlane was seen to throw up his hands. He was ehot through th« heart, and never rnov*d again. M'Kvoy was wounded holding the captain in his arms, and in a few minuoes the whole of the C Squadron o&BuaUi«e had piled up. Lieutenant Rces had taken command of tha squadron, baok«d up by Lieutanant Hewison. The rebel horde were parted, to flo« pell-mell up the gorge into th» hands of the Philistines, as it were, for the whole of Colonel M'Kenzie's brigade were Hearing the bottom. The whole of O Squadron behaved splendidly. Colonel E«rker moved up the rest of his regiment, with the Natal Police, and closed up the exit from- the gorge. Colonel Barker's brigade performed this task splendidly, for every bird was in3ide the trap, ready for the concentration to close in. XJnfoi-tunately, Captain Mao • farlane's men to open fire had left the bottom of the gorge running back to the stronghold open to the rebels, because the flanking forces were not due there | until 6.30. Many rebels could b« eeen in I tho fog scurrying up the donga, and a ; heavy fire, practically unaimed owing to ; the bad light, failed to pr«vent a considerj able party of rebels getting past before the ring was complete. A HOT ENGAGEMENT. The whole force was by this time hotly engaged with scattered parties of rebels. j Colonel Royston led a sweeping movement ■ down the west side, and just before the bottom of the gorge was reached a shot from the bush toppled Lieutenant Marsden down the hillside while leading fais troops to the attack. By this time the Z.M.R. , on the left, near the stronghold, wer« hayI in-g hot work with the rebels, making a '' running fight, Sergeant-major King getting his hand shot through. Before the bottom of the gorge was reached the N.D.M.R. ' went smack into the flank otf the rebels, 1 '-currying up the gorge. Lieutenant Rundle j dropped a well-built, superior-looking natne. and called out to Captain Hulley, ! adjutant of the Z.M.R., remarking, "This ' chap looks to have been of some importance." Captain Huliley immediately replied. "By Jove ! you've shot Mehlokazulu." To make doubly sure, CaptaJn Hulley sent for a prisoner from that chief's tribe, who recognised his dead chief immediately. BAMBATA WOUNDED. Right up to noon a running fight was kept up. Then prisoners said Bambata was wounded, and with 200 men had taken refuge in the thick bush right under Colonel M'Kenzie's main position, with an intervening ridge separating the rebel chief from the big guns. A new concentration was effected, Colonel Dick, with bis Rangers, crossing the gorge after having been actively engaged on the other side, and joining in the new sweep, in which tho whole of tho Zululand Field Force took part. Bambata must have been ahead of Mehloka/.ulu when the latter was killed, and thus got through to Sigananda. The day was. too short to complete the sweep, but many rebels must be close to us safely hidden.

Tell ue not our daye are numbered ; That nothing on this earth can save Us — by coughs md oolda encumbered. Struggling for mastery o'd- the grave. To the rescue comes undaunted, Life's panacea, strong and pure., Striking home the truth that's \aunfred Of the Woods' Gbeat Peppermint Cusb,