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CHAPTER III From East London I was, in June 1850, suddenly ordered to King William's Town again, but I could not occupy my own house, as it had been let to Government, I had therefore to purchase a cottage, and again to enlarge. My wife and child went to her Father's at Graham's Town for a few weeks whilst this was being done. We were soon very comfortably settled, and Mimmie, Etta's sister, came to stay with us. King William's Town - as capital of British Kaffraria - was becoming very popular, and with so many officers' wives, became a very gay place. We even gave dances in our cottage, which were much appreciated. In December 1850, however, there was a great and sudden change. Sir Harry Smith came up to the frontier, and being dissatisfied with the conduct of the Kaffirs, made a march through the Amatolas, with a tolerably strong body of men. He had however not taken an accurate measure of the feeling that he was likely to arouse by this military promenade: his force was suddenly attacked in a difficult defile by a strong body of Kaffirs, who drove him out of the mountains, prevented his falling back on King William's Town, and forced him into Fort Cox in the heart of the mountains, the very difficult position, close to Burn's Hill, where we were defeated in 1846. King William's Town was thus left in a most critical condition, Sir Harry's force having been drawn from our garrison, we had but some 300 men left to guard the extensive barracks, store-houses, powder-magazine, and scattered officer's houses, to say nothing of the civil town Iying outside our lines. We expected that the Kaffirs would follow up their advantage, and attack us at once, but they missed a good opportunity of providing themselves with lots of plunder, and ammunition. That did not lessen our fear that they would attack us, or our apprehensions for the mass of helpless women and children and non-combatant traders &c who had during the past few years settled there. We endeavoured to form an inner line behind which we might offer a defence, and every night we made all the women and children take refuge in the of ficer's mess premises. During the day we had scouts out to give us timely notice of an approaching enemy, and could pursue our avocations, which as far as we soldiers were concerned, lay in doing our best to strengthen our position against a night attack. After a few days we received re-inforcements. Sir Harry Smith, at the head of his men, broke out of Fort Cox, and successfully made his way to King William's Town, where he set to work to organize powerful divisions with which to punish the Kaffirs. Capt. Robertson R.E. was at that time my commanding officer, and Lieut. Belfield my subaltern, Capt. Robertson said to me that as I had had the good fortune to see so much active service in the former war Belfield ought to have his turn now, and that he should send him out when called upon for an Engineer officer. Soon after this I got a message from the General that he wanted to see me. I at once went and the following conversation took place: Sir Harry Smith. "Col. Cloete has spoken well of your services in the last war: would you like to accompany Col. Mackinnon as staff Officer in his relief of Fort Cox ?" J.S. "There is nothing I should like better Sir, but Capt. Robertson has said that I am not to go out with the troops, but Lieut. Belfield". Sir Harry Smith. "I command here Sir, and if I say you are to go, you will go" J.S. "Thank you, Sir I shall be delighted." Sir H.S. "Then be ready to go tomorrow morning." I was delighted at again having an opportunity of distinguishing myself. Col. Mackinnon was Commissioner for British Kaffraria, and commanded the troops, which consisted of the 6th, 45th and 73rd. Regts, which were distributed among the different forts, several companies of the Cape Mounted Rifles, a battery of Field Artillery, two companies of Sappers & Miners, and some thousands of Hottentot levies from the Western Provinces, who were officered by the farmers and other well-to-do men of the districts in which they were raised. These levies were utterly untrained: they had been hurriedly got together, formed into Companies and Battalions and armed with muskets and bayonets, but of discipline and obedience to orders, or of performing the simplest manoeuvre, they knew nothing: the officers knew just as little of drill as the men. We had some 4,000 of these levies in the 2nd Division, of Col. Mackinnon's and I was the only Staff Officer to lick them into shape. Our regulars were the 73rd. under Lieut. Col. Eyre and later the 6th. under Lieut. Col. Michel. Col. Napier commanded the Cape Mounted Rifles. and Major Wilmot the Royal Artillery. Our first expedition, early in February, 1851, was to relieve Fort Cox, where the broken column, driven into that place by the Kaffirs on the 20th. December, was cooped up and short of provisions. The difficulty of forming the force into anything like order may be conceived. By earliest daylight I was in the saddle and endeavouring to get them all under arms. At last I succeeded and we started; the 73rd. in the centre, Cape Corps ahead, and lines of levies in single file on either flank, with the bulk of them in column in the rear of the 73rd. The flanking parties were to prevent surprise, as we had to march through a bushy country where an enemy could be concealed and fire into the column. We had with us waggons laden with supplies both for the column and to victual Forts White and Cox. Fort White lay about half way between King William's Town and Fort Cox, at that Debe neck which I crossed two nights running in 1846. We met with no serious opposition, but the difficulty of restraining such levies was amply shown. Whenever a few Kaffirs on the flanks fired a shot or two, the levies would turn and pour volley after volley into the bush, without seeing any one to shoot at - thousands of rounds of ammunition were thus wasted. We brought away the men who had to leave Fort Cox. and having victualled the place returned to King William's Town in about a week. sir Harry Smith was so well pleased with Col. Mackinnon's report of the way I had performed my duty, that he made me Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General to the 2nd. Division, and for six months I was constantly on the move, as we beat up the enemy's quarters in every direction. I cannot go into detailed particulars of these operations, it would take up too much time. I confine myself to one or two incidents, and their general description which will give an idea of the kind of work. Soon after the patrol above mentioned, we were startled one morning to hear that the Cape Mounted Rifles had deserted to the enemy, taking with them their arms and ammunition. This defection was a very serious business, as these were really the most useful men we had, they also as I said before, carried the most serviceable weapon in our force, and they were splendid shots. As scouts they were perfect and could see a Kaffir where no Englishman would even think of looking for one. What was to be done? A new force was at once organized by Major Armstrong of the C.M.R. drawn from the levies whom I have described; the best of these men were selected - good riders - with Ensign Patrick Robertson of the C.M.R. as their Adjutant. The force was called "Armstrong's Horse" and soon became very efficient. Major Armstrong himself was prevented by ill-health from being often out with them, but Pat Robertson, (afterwards General Robertson-Ross) earned a great name by his daring courage, activity, and powers of endurance. Our patrols were generally directed towards inflicting loss on the enemy by burning their kraals and seizing their cattle. It was only when we took their cattle that they would come out and fight us at close quarters. One patrol which we made into the Keiskamma Hoek will give a good idea of this. one evening Pat Robertson went off with some 200 of Armstrong's Horse and we followed with the Infantry soon after midnight, on the road I had made two years before. After a long toilsome march we descended into the valley soon after it was daylight and found that the "Horses" had captured some 1500 head of cattle, which they had driven into the open valley. After giving our men a rest we set to work to bring these through the bush and over the hills away from the mountains. The Kaffirs gathered in great numbers and by their shouts made the cattle very unmanageable, whilst they kept up a hot fire on the column. Happily they were not all armed with muskets, those they had were mostly flint-locks, and they shot badly, or we must have suffered very heavily. We could not tell what loss we inflicted, but, when they came near enough to throw assegais, even Brown Bess must have hit some of them. We told off the levies to drive away the cattle, and the 73rd. threw out skirmishers to keep down the fire of the enemy. After a running fire of many hours we succeeded in this way in bringing the whole body of cattle into the more open ground between the mountains and King William's Town, but not without losing several men. On another occasion we made a long patrol into the inner recesses of the Amatolas, and were fortunate enough to come across the deserters from the Cape Corps, who first of all held a knoll commanding a high ridge along which we were marching, and poured a heavy fire into the head of the column. Being quickly driven out of this, they fell back into a deep, thickly wooded valley, below the narrow track along which our men had to march in single file. From this shelter they fired up at us and hit some of our men. The regiment however delivered such a telling volley into the wood that, as we heard afterwards, the greater number of these deserters met their reward. We certainly never afterwards came across them. I had personally a very narrow escape. A man was wounded close to me and I dismounted to help him. The surgeon who attended to his wound told me in the evening, that he saw a bullet strike the rock close to my head as I bent over the man. It is useless to recount the history of these patrols, we were out week after week in all directions, beating up the enemy, and no patrol went out that I did not accompany as the Staff Officer until in July Sir Harry Smith sent for me one morning and told me that he had just got despatches from home, and was very sorry to say that the Duke of Wellington, the Commander-in-Chief, did not approve of Officers of Royal Engineers being appointed to the Staff of the army, and that therefore he must send me and Lieut. Jesse, who held the same appointment with the first division at Fort Hare, back to our corps duties. He was entirely satisfied with the way in which we had done our work, but he had to obey orders. At the same time he said that my period of service abroad having expired, and Lieut. Fowler R.E. having arrived in the Colony, he was prepared to allow me to return home, or to remain till the end of the war if I wished it. I thanked him very warmly, and said that if I could have continued to render special service in the way he had called for it, I would gladly have remained, but that under the circumstances, there being no very important Engineer duties to be done, my wife's health being delicate, and my Father a very old man, I should prefer to take advantage of his permission to go home. He published a very gratifying general order about my services, which, with others in which from time to time he had acknowledged them on special occasions, I have much pleasure in reproducing here - as well as a letter from Sir Harry Smith to Lord Clarence Paget, who at that time held office under his father the Marquis of Anglesea, the Master General of the Ordnance. I also give a memorandum which he wrote concerning me a year later, in which he refers to that letter, and other extracts, from Dispatches &c. General Orders. NO.131 . Head Quarters, King William's Town July.9th 1851 His Grace The Commander-in-Chief having disapproved of of ficers of the Royal Engineers being appointed to the General Staff, His Excellency is consequently deprived of the services of Lieuts. Jesse and Stokes, Royal Engineers, as D. Assistants Q.M.General. These officers returning to the duties of their Corps carry with them the Commander-in-Chief s most unqualified approbation and admiration of their services in their important positions, and it will be a most gratifying duty His Excellency owes them, to bring their names to the Master General's notice in the strongest terms. The services of these of ficers on the Staff of the Army will be discontinued from the 1 st proximo. (signed) A.J.Cloete. Lt.Col. D.Q.M.G. No 141 Head-Quarters King William's Town. July 23. 1851. Lieut. Stokes, Royal Engineers, Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master -General to the 2nd Division, having been ordered home on being relieved by Lieut. Fowler, will proceed to Cape Town for embarkation to England to join his corps. The Commander-in-Chief has taken occasion to notice this officer's services repeatedly. He has been out with every large patrol of the 2nd division since the breaking out of the war displaying a degree of zeal, intelligence, and gallantry the just admiration of Colonel Mackinnon and the Officers commanding. It is most gratifying to His excellency to convey to this Officer on leaving the army the sense he entertains of his merits and qualifications, which His Excellency hopes may lead him to the highest position in his profession open to all who by zealous exertion deserve to attain it. My dear Lord Clarence Paget, As no veteran better knows the value of a good Staff of fixer than the Master General, I should be very much obliged to you to lay before the Marquis of Anglesea, how much I have had occasion to value and appreciate the services of Lieut Stokes of the Royal Engineers, whom, from the scarcity of of fixers, and the zeal and ability he displayed in the former Kaffir war, I was induced to appoint Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General, until relieved by Lieut. Fowler R.E. His Grace the Duke of Wellington also objected to Officers of Engineers being employed in appointments foreign to their legitimate duties. Lieut. Stokes was attached six months to the 2nd Division under Colonel Mackinnon. I assure you no Staff Officer of his experience, and which is great in Kaffir war-fare, ever evinced greater zeal and ability. He accompanied every patrol, and his gallant conduct in the field was ever as conspicuous as his arrangements in Camp and on the march. Such an Officer would be invaluable in regular armies; and he has had, with the rudely composed troops of this army, every opportunity to show his aptness for service with soldiers in the field; and most cheerfully and ably has he availed himself of it to the admiration of every of ficer. I therefore desire to pay the debt of gratitude I especially owe to this gallant of finer for the services he has ever rendered, by thus requesting you to lay them before the Master General. Believe me &c. (signed) H.G. Smith (true copy. J.Stokes) A.J.Cloete. Lieut. Colonel. D.Q.M.General. British Kaffraria, 1 8th July. 1851 . the 20th Decr. 1851. My dear Stokes, The enclosed is a copy of an extract Sir John Burgoyne gave me to circulate among our Brother Officers here and at Chatham and as it contains much that concerns you, and of so complimentary a kind - Colonel Sandham has suggested that I should make you acquainted with what Sir Harry has said - and accordingly I send you the extract for your own keeping. Is it not arranged that you are to come to the Academy to succeed Capt. Scott? With kind rememberances to all with you, I remain, very sincerely yours, J. Walpole. Extract from letter from Lieut. Genl. Sir Harry Smith to Sir John F. Burgoyne. dated King William's Town. (Cape of Good Hope) 4.0ctober 1851 . "I have 120 Sappers here now, under as gallant a fellow as ever lived, Capt. Robertson: these men are the finest soldiers I almost ever saw and have taken their turn of most arduous patrol duty, heart and soul" ...... "Hereafter I shall have lots of defensible barracks, as forts, to build, and then their services in their own peculiar line will come into play." Your Officers have required no favour with me, for their zeal and ability attracted my admiration. " There is a Lieut. Stokes fit to be an Assist. Qua Mas Genl. to a Peninsular Division - a regular John Bull, - it is a pity such a fellow should not be allowed always to soldier, and be released from your salient and re-entering angles, fascines, parapets, bastions, and breaches!--he has a turn for them, but is even more at home with the Qua:Mas:Genl's Department - but the dear old Duke did not approve. With regard to our indomitable enemy - some days he hides, as the Troops penetrate his country:- at others, his blood is up, and he will fight like a Roman Gladiator, especially if his quick eye discerns a little looseness in our troops entering the bush - he is a different being this war - the Circassians and Algerines are not more formidable, and a devil of a prophet animates them with implacable hatred to the white man, who has done so much to ameliorate their savage condition. This however I would soon have dealt with, but when they fraternized with the ungrateful beasts of Hottentots, so domesticated with us for many years, the general combination against everything white became most formidable, and still requires to be subdued. I have however, now got a good lot of Troops I can depend on, and so soon as the 60th are on their marching legs, I shall move troops everywhere among them. But unless they choose to shew, 10,000 may march through their mountains and not see one of them. General Orders. No.26. Head Quarters. King William's Town. 7th Feb. 1851. The commander-in-Chief having Colonel Mackinnon's report on his three days movements in the command of a strong patrol for the purpose of punishing the Chief Seyolo for his rebellious conduct, and of endeavouring to apprehend the so called Prophet Umlangeni, has great pleasure in publishing the sub joined extract from that report. This duty has been most successfully and energetically performed in most trying weather and His Excellency begs to assure Colonel Mackinnon of his marked approbation, and that he will not fail to lay before Her Majesty's Government a Report which reflects so much credit upon the Colonel himself, the Officers named in the Report, and the Officers and soldiers generally. We captured on the whole about 800 head of cattle, about 100 of which were lost last night by the carelessness of the cattle guard. Our casualties amounted to one Fingo killed. If the weather had favoured us more I have no doubt that we should have captured larger numbers of cattle, but during the whole three days it was most unfavourable to our operations. The cheerfulness and good spints shown by the Troops during three most trying days was all that could be desired. I have to thank Lieut. Stokes, Royal Engineers, D.A.Q.M.G. of my Division and for the able assistance they rendered me.
(signed) A.J. Cloete Lt. Col: D.Q.M.G. Head Quarters King William's Town. I 9th Feby. 1851. General Orders. No. 39. The commander-in-Chief having directed a large Force under the Command of that able and distinguished officer Col. Mackinnon, to march from King William's Town for the immediate purpose of conducting a reinforcement of the Royal Artillery and a Battalion of the newly raised Levies, composed chiefly of Englishmen, to Fort Hare, and, upon the return of the Force, of harrassing and attacking the enemy should he appear, has great satisfaction, having received Col. Mackinnon's Report of his six days consecutive operations, in expressing his marked approbation of the soldierlike manner in which this service has been carried out. The conduct of .....Col. Mackinnon particularly mentions
and Lieut. Stokes of the Royal Engineers, D.A.Q.M.G. of the Division His Excellency desires to assure these officers that their services, which have been thus placed prominently before him, shall be brought to the notice of His Grace The Commander-in-Chief. (signed) A.J. Cloete. Lt Col. D.Q.M.G. Head Quarters. King William's Town. 3rd March. 1851 General Orders.No.49. The Commander-in-Chief has again the gratification to record the successes of the patrols under the Command of Col. Mackinnon, and Col. Eyre, which marched on the 25th & 26th ulto. to drive the rebel Chief Seyolo from his location which so interrupted the communication with Graham's Town, to spoil his cattle and show him the day of retribution is at hand. This by Col. Mackinnon's judicious movements has been well effected and the Troops have returned after five days operations to King William's Town. In the course of the operations against this treacherous Chief 1636 head of cattle, exclusive of those taken by mistake on the first occasion, have been captured by the Troops, and by the Fingoes from Fort Peddie, placed under the spirited Mr Webb to intercept fugitive cattle. Col. Mackinnon closes his report in the following terms.
I have to express my thanks to .......I have also great satisfaction in expressing my sense of the services of Lieut. Stokes of the Royal Engineers, D.A.Q.M.G...... (signed)A.J. Cloete. D.Q.M.G. Head Quarters. King William's Town. 26th March 1851 General Orders. No.66 It is with pride and satisfaction the Commander-in-Chief desires to express his marked approbation of the conduct of the Troops of the 2nd Division under Col. Mackinnon which accompanied His Excellency in the prosecution of continued movements from the 1 8th to the 25th March, during which there were three sharp affairs with the enemy, one near Fort Hare, the other under and at the back of the Tabendoda mountains or Slambie's Kop, the third at Fort Wilshire, occasioning in the two former a loss to the enemy of 77 killed and one prisoner, and many stands of arms; in the latter several killed and nearly 1000 of beautiful cattle with horses, goats &c. A distance of more than 126 miles was marched by the Troops in five days during an intense heat and suffering from a want of water. Upon the last day's march not an individual of the enemy ever showed himself. In these laborious Kaffir Campaigns, the great object is to carry on operations rapidly and at a distant point, hence the fatigue is excessive. When all Ranks distinguish themselves those alone can be named who fill high positions in command or have special opportunities to distinguish themselves. The Commander-in-Chief conveys his best thanks. Never did Troops, enduring such heat and thirst march greater distances in higher spirits, and His Excellency trusts that by continuing the lessons taught the savage, this laborious War may speedily be brought to a conclusion. The Commander-in-Chief is greatly indebted to ........... D.A.Q.M.G. Lieut. Stokes R.E. has added to the knowledge his scientific Corps expects, a zeal for the service, and general ability, which will render him a very superior Officer..... (signed)A.J. Cloete. Lt. Col. D.Q.M.G. Head Quarters King William's Town. 17th May. 1851. General Orders. D.Q.M.G. Belmont House. Havant. I 3th August. 1852. Lieut. Stokes Royal Engineers was under my command in the Kaffir War of 1850-51. His ability in his own Military Branch brought him especially to my notice and I appointed him D.A.Q.M.G. of the Troops most actively employed in the Field against a numerous and active enemy. My selection of Lt. Stokes for this duty was most fortunate and of great advantage to the service. I never saw any young Staff of ficer display higher talents than did he in every branch of his varied duties - and his gallantry was as conspicuous as his Field arrangements were judicious: he was ordered to England much to my disappointment. I wrote very strongly in his favour to the Master General, Lord Anglesea, who was good enough to acknowledge the receipt of my recommendations and to express his gratification that Lieut. Stokes had so highly deserved my approbation. (signed) H.G. Smith. M. General. (true copy. J. Stokes.) In June 1851 we had to make arrangements for going home, which meant a good deal of packing up, and the sale of my two houses at King William's Town, of my horses, and furniture, and the greater part of my books, which latter I have always regretted, but we had to reduce our baggage as much as possible. We took waggon to East London, where we were to embark on H.M.S. "Dee" commanded by Lieut. West R.N. There was a heavy swell as we went out in the surf boats and the "Dee" was rolling fearfully she was a paddle steamer, and we had to watch our opportunity as the surf-boat was on the top of a wave to step on to her sponson, which was then level with our gun-wale. Thus my dear wife, who was at that time not strong, was handed on board - then the baby, then her nurse - and I followed. West made us as comfortable as possible, giving us his own cabin. My wife lay on a locker, and I on a mattress on the floor. The vessel rolled so that in the night, to my horror, I felt the locker, which was really a chest of drawers with a mattress upon it, coming over on me. I at once propped it up with all my strength and called for help, when they came and corded it up to rings in the ship's sides so that it could not move. We lay off the Buffalo all the next day waiting for the General's despatches which we had to take down to Cape Town to be sent to England. After we started the weather moderated and in time got so pleasant that we much enjoyed the voyage down to the Cape, coasting, as we did within easy sight of the shore. We landed at Simon's Town and drove across to Cape Town, some fifteen miles, passing through Rondebosch and Wynberg. We went to my wife's Aunt, Mrs De Villiers, her godmother also, who put us up most kindly for the six weeks we were there, and who moreover, tenderly nursed her niece when Charles Edward was born, on 20th August, about three weeks after our arrival. My wife had another Aunt living at Cape Town, Mrs de Smidt, with several daughters, of whom we saw a good deal: they lived in the Castle. After my wife recovered we also saw the Cloetes of Wynberg - relations of the old Colonel who had been such a good friend to me - and of Henry Nourse one of the Maynard cousins, whom I had known at Graham's Town. In September a passage was given us in the Troopship "Birkenhead" going home nearly empty, she was a fine paddle-wheel steamer of good power and speed, built of iron, originally a frigate, but, not answering for that purpose, she had been cut down to be a troopship. We had to join her at Simon's Town, and to steam out of False Bay in the teeth of a fierce S.E.gale. It took us twelve hours to reach the offing, when we could turn before the wind, and then we had a prosperous voyage home, without again meeting a head wind. Among our fellow passengers were, Pat Robertson and his Bride, my wife's younger sister. We had to lie three days at St. Vincent to take in coal, and arrived at Plymouth on the 25th. October, in 37 days, or 34 days under steam which was considered a good passage then. We did not land at Plymouth but went on to Portsmouth, where I found Sir Frederick Smith, who had been my Chief at Chatham, Commanding Royal Engineer. He and Lady Smith gave us a kind welcome, and we went on to London as soon as we could.
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