Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/111

 1878] The Ninth Kaffir War. 91 off before any resistance could be made, but the Tembus who were retiring with their booty were followed up, and forty-two of them were shot, though the horses were not recovered. Thereafter Umfanta and his clan were among the active opponents of the colony. Gongubela was not left long undisturbed. Colonel Griffith and Commandant Frost received instructions to march against him, and on the 4th of February they reached his kraals. Commandant Frost had with him three hundred and twenty volunteers and six hundred and eighty Fingos. He killed eighty of the enemy and captured about seven hundred head of horned cattle and one thousand sheep and goats, with a loss of one Fingo killed and two wounded. Colonel Grifiith arranged his force in four columns, one of which met with stubborn resistance at a very strong position on the Zwart Kei about four miles or a little over six kilometres above its junction with the White Kei. Great numbers of the enemy, among whom were many ^of Anta's men, were killed, and about two thousand head of horned cattle and five thousand sheep were captured. Among the killed were several chiefs, but Gongubela and Umfanta were neither shot nor captured. Colonel Griffith had one Fingo killed and three Europeans and one Fingo wounded. A small body of men that afterwards did excellent service arrived in King-Williamstown on the 4th of February. It was called the Diamond Field Horse, and consisted of ten officers and one hundred and eight privates, commanded by Colonel Charles Warren, of the royal engineers, enrolled by Major Lanyon at Kimberley at the request of Sir Bar tie Frere. With President Brand's permission it had marched through the Orange Free State, and after a ride of over three hundred miles it reached King-Williamstown in condition for immediate service. Being a semi-military body, it was more amenable to discipline than a corps of volunteers.