"Captain Macfarlane thought it was now time to get home, as the wounded would take some time to see to, and there was a chance of his having to fight his way back to town; so orders were given for the ambulance to prepare to return to Bulawayo, and the whole column marched back in good order, having had by far the most successful day since the commencement of the rebellion. Our loss was four white men killed and four wounded, two Cape Boys and one Friendly wounded, one horse and one mule killed. It is very difficult to estimate the number of natives engaged, but there were probably at least as many as 2000 in all opposed to us. How many were killed it is difficult to say, but from the bodies which were counted, and from the reports of the wounded brought in by Captain Colenbrander and his boys, who were over the ground in the afternoon, the enemy's loss must have been considerable. A vidette party of four mounted men, who were sent out to Government House in the morning, allowed themselves to be surprised and surrounded by the rebels, and one, unfortunately, got killed, namely Trooper B. Parsons of D troop, the other three just escaping with their lives.
"After the return of the column in the afternoon from the Umguza, a small patrol under Lieutenant Boggie, consisting of thirty dismounted men of C troop, fifty of Colenbrander's Cape Boys, and ten of Grey's Scouts mounted, with one Maxim gun, went out in the direction of Sauer's house, and turning to the left, past Government House and Gifford's house, picked up Trooper Parsons' body, and returned to town via the Brickfields, not having seen any of the enemy. A seven-pounder was placed in position on the rise at the back of Williams' buildings, trained ready on to the ridge at the left of Government House, in order to shell the position if necessary. After the return of the patrol the Observatory reported the appearance of a large body of the rebels, who came over the ridge to the east of Government House down as far as the spruit. Trooper Edward Appleyard, seriously wounded on the Umguza in the morning, died on Saturday night, and at 11.30 on Sunday morning his body, together with those of Troopers Whitehouse, Gordon, and Parsons, was accorded a military funeral."
CHAPTER XXI
Hand over the command of Fort Marquand to Lieutenant Grenfell—Proceed towards Bulawayo—Fort at Wilson's farm—Umguza fight the first Matabele defeat—Murder of eight coolies on the outskirts of Bulawayo—Arrival of Earl Grey at Bulawayo—Matabele threaten Fort Dawson—Captain Molyneux's farm destroyed—I am sent to Khami river to build a fort—Meet Cornelius Van Rooyen—Marzwe orders his people to come to Fort Mabukitwani for protection—Marzwe's kraal attacked, and all his people reported murdered—I start with my men to visit Marzwe's kraal—Rebels defeated by Marzwe's people, and prisoners and cattle recaptured—We return to the fort—I am ordered to collect a force, and march to Bulawayo—Changes in the command of the forts—Reach Bulawayo with my force.
Lieutenant Grenfell having brought me a despatch on Monday evening, acquainting me that my presence was again required in Bulawayo, I handed over the command of Fort Marquand to him on the following morning, and rode in to town alone, meeting Lieutenant Parkin and a second escort which had been sent down to meet Earl Grey at the Khami river.
On arriving at Matabele, Wilson's farm, six miles from Bulawayo, I found Captain Dawson with his troop and a lot of the "Friendlies" busily engaged in building a fort on a commanding position some four hundred yards away from the homestead and mule stables. With Captain Dawson, too, were my old friends, the well-known American Scouts Burnham and Ingram, and that very plucky English Scout Mr. Swinburne.
Although this detachment had only arrived here on the previous day, very considerable progress had already been made with the fort, which I was very pleased to find was being built at this place, as I had long advocated it, as also that another should be established at the Khami river, about half-way between Wilson's farm and Fort Marquand.