It so happened that on Monday, the 18th June, a convoy of nine waggons, drawn by oxen, left Stanger for Mapumulo. The waggons outspanned for the night 200 yards from Oglesby's store, near the Otimati stream, and some six miles from Mapumulo. On receipt of news of the locality being in a greatly disturbed state, an early start was made on the following day. The usual Native driver and voorlooper (leader) accompanied each waggon, also a European conductor (Q.-M.-Sergt. L.E. Knox, N.M.R.), Trooper Albert Powell, of the same regiment (who was returning from sick leave), and a Griqua. Just as the waggons had begun to descend a white cutting, some fifty or sixty rebels of Ndhlovu's tribe, wearing tshokobezi badges, sprang up on either side and made for the leading waggon. Knox was struck with a knobstick, and stabbed in the right thigh (the assegai penetrating to the stomach). He jumped from the waggons, dashed through his assailants and made off for Mapumulo along the road as hard as he could go. Being a good athlete, he quickly out-distanced the rebels and arrived at the magistracy shortly before 9. In the meantime, Powell, who was on the last waggon, ran to Oglesby's store. The Oglesbys (father and son), did what they could. The former was in the act of conducting Powell to a cave a few hundred yards off, when the impi came in sight and overtook them. Powell, who, like Knox, was in uniform, was immediately stabbed to death, but Oglesby and his son, well known to the Natives of that part, were not touched.
The drivers and voorloopers ran off for a time as soon as the attack began, although the rebels shouted that, being Natives and having been commandeered for service, they would not be molested. The oxen were not interfered with, nor were any contents of the waggons worth referring to looted.
Early the same morning (19th), Corporal J. Koster, N.M.R., rode off from Mapumulo towards Stanger on leave. After going about eight miles, and at 7 a.m., when on a short-cut, he was suddenly attacked from the lower side of the path by eight rebels of Ndhlovu's tribe. The telegraph wire between Mapumulo and Stanger had just been cut. It was possibly in anticipation of a despatch-rider going that way, that the Natives lay there in ambush. Assegais were flung at Koster, who narrowly escaped being killed as he rode past. One of them struck his horse, piercing a kidney. After galloping about 300 yards, he dismounted and fired several shots at the enemy, who at once decamped. These shots were heard by the rebels then engaged with Knox some three miles off, and to this may be due their not having pursued Knox further than they did. Koster then passed on to Thring's Post, where he was informed that a Norwegian storeman, Sangreid, and Mr. W.C. Robbins (Stock Inspector), had been murdered during the night in Mr. Thring's dwelling-house, some 400 yards from the store. After obtaining a trap and pair at Bull's some miles nearer Stanger, Koster returned to Thring's. He found Sangreid dead, but Robbins living, though severely wounded.
The impi that attacked Sangreid and Robbins was also from Ndhlovu's tribe, evidently the same men that subsequently attacked Knox. Robbins' life was saved by one of the rebels, owing to his being well known in the district. Sangreid was brutally murdered in his bedroom, late at night, for no offence whatever.
The stores at Thring's Post and Oglesby's were looted, as also the cattle belonging to the former place. Oglesby's store was not looted until it had been vacated by the owners.
On Knox reaching Mapumulo, it so happened a patrol was about to leave for Balcomb's, six miles north-west of the magistracy. A hurried account of what had occurred was given to Lieut.-Col. J. Ritchie, V.D., who, after directing others to follow in support, left with Capt. W.H. Smith and eleven N.M.R. at a gallop for the spot at which the convoy had been attacked. On getting within a couple of hundred yards of Oglesby's store, a large track, evidently of the impi, was come upon. Following this, the men passed through a Mission Station (Norwegian), about a thousand yards from the store. Near this station, which was still being occupied by the missionary, four armed Natives, evidently scouts, were seen on a hill on their left front. These immediately disappeared into a large valley and towards a kraal belonging to Chief Ndhlovu (Ezintandaneni). Ritchie galloped to a high ridge overlooking the valley. A solitary horse was observed some distance below tied to a tree, whilst a number of cattle, which afterwards turned out to be those seized at Thring's Post, were seen grazing within the immediate vicinity of the kraal. The men dismounted and descended the rocky, steep slopes towards the kraal. This, in respect of the position they then occupied, lay between them and the magistracy. After proceeding about 120 yards, and when about the same distance from the kraal, they were suddenly surprised by an impi about 200 strong, up to that moment concealed near a bed of reeds in one of the two forks at the head of a kloof or small valley running past, and on the immediate north of, the kraal. As soon as the enemy showed himself, he charged upwards at them, shouting Dinuzulu's war-cry "Usutu!" The troops opened fire at once at fifty yards. This had the effect of checking the advance for the time being. "They attempted several times," says Ritchie, "to get round our flanks and ... in fact had almost succeeded, when Knox and Campbell came up with the supports.... The rebels had again to take shelter under the cliff and behind the rocks. Shortly after this, they made one more determined rush to get up over the rocks, where eight or ten of us were standing. They came to within five yards, but, although all had their assegais poised ready for throwing, only one was actually thrown. The fire seemed to paralyse them. The assegai that was thrown just grazed the head of one of the men."
OTIMATI
Sketch Plan
Reference
A. Ndhlovu's Kraal.
C. Those of Enemy that escaped fled past B in this direction. Others went down stream on left.
D. Bed of reeds
Enemy.
Point where troops were attacked when moving towards A from X.
X Point from which sketch was made.
It was but a few minutes after Ritchie had gone off from Mapumulo, that Capt. A.G. Knox, brother of the man already referred to, and Capt. W.A. Campbell left with about fifty men in support of Ritchie as directed. They arrived on the ridge referred to just before the charge. Their appearance was most opportune as, having descended as far as they had done, Ritchie and the others would probably have been annihilated had the rebels not been checked as they were from the ridge. Finding the supports too strong, the enemy retreated down the valley up which they had come, many being shot as they ran. The locality being 'thorn-country' afforded cover—even though it was winter—of which full advantage was taken by the enemy. The troops now combined and drove the valley from which the attack had come, as well as a similar one 120 yards from the kraal on the south, in which other rebels were found concealed. One or two of the ridges were also driven.