During the drives, which extended over about a mile of country, many armed Natives withdrew from their hiding-places and were shot as they ran down the streams towards the still more rugged country below. Lieut. R. Armstrong and another, who had become detached from the main body, took up a position below Luhoho's kraal and commanded the fugitives' main route at C (vide plan) with considerable effect.
Towards the conclusion of the drives, intelligence was received that Ngobizembe's men, under Sambela, about 600 strong, were approaching from the direction in which the rebels had just fled. Owing to accounts subsequently received from the fugitives, they decided not to continue the advance.
The total strength of the N.M.R. engaged on this occasion was sixty-six (made up of the Stanger and Greenwood Park troops, exclusive of twelve men sent by Sparks to Nyamazana to expose themselves to the enemy in Meseni's ward, and thereby prevent the latter from joining the impi at Otimati). About 150 rebels were killed and four prisoners captured during the operations, which lasted an hour and a half. There were no casualties among the N.M.R. Powell's body was found later the same day in a horribly mutilated and scarcely recognizable condition, having been dragged by the rebels some 300 yards from where he had been killed to a place where it was supposed it would not be found. It was then removed to Oglesby's store.
The number of rebels killed in this action was greater, in proportion to the number of troops engaged, than in any other action of the campaign. From start to finish, the proceedings reflect the greatest credit on Ritchie and his men, not the least remarkable feature being the rapidity with which the men got into action. Only fifty minutes elapsed between their leaving camp and firing the first shot, although the distance travelled was fully seven and a half miles.
It afterwards transpired that the rebels, led by Ndhlovu himself, were expecting Ritchie and the few with him to go to the kraal, when the plan was to cut them off in rear. No doubt the horse and cattle had been purposely left as baits. Before the arrival of the troops, the enemy were in the cattle-kraal. They slipped into the valleys on either side at the last moment.
After the action, Ritchie sent Smith with sixteen men to investigate what had occurred at Thring's Post. As many of the enemy were still lurking about the broken country in the vicinity of Oglesby's, the reconnaissance caused both sections of the troops to run considerable risks.
When Sparks ascertained that the wire between him and Stanger had been cut, he sent telegrams asking for reinforcements to Kearsney, for transmission to headquarters. The men who carried the despatches were Sergts. A.J. Wadman and J.E. Sjöblom. Leaving at 10 a.m., they found the wire had been cut a few yards from the store at Thring's Post. When proceeding along the short-cut on which Koster had, unknown to them, been attacked the same morning, they found some fifty or sixty of the enemy, who attempted to cut them off. On reaching Thring's Post, they found the store upside down, a great many goods having been looted and the rest scattered on the floor. "I noticed," says Wadman, "about ten mice which I had previously seen at the store had been let out of their cage and then stabbed with assegais." After delivering the despatches, the men returned to Mapumulo the same night.
On this same eventful day (19th), Sub-Inspector A.S. Clifton, of the Natal Police, arrived at Thring's Post with about a dozen men, and removed the deceased Mr. Sangreid, as well as Mr. Robbins, to Stanger.
The troops ordered by Leuchars at this juncture to concentrate at Mapumulo were N.M.R., under Murray-Smith; U.F.F., under Major W.J.S. Newmarch; two squadrons B.M.R. mobilized on the 14th and originally directed to proceed, with D squadron, N.C. (Capt. J.W.V. Montgomery), to Helpmakaar;[264] and C.M.R. Maxim detachment (Capt. M. Humphery). The first-named regiment, receiving orders at 2 p.m. on the 20th, left at 5 p.m. in light marching order, and, after off-saddling for four hours at Balcomb's, reached Mapumulo before dawn on the following day. A portion of the regiment made a reconnaissance the same morning in the neighbourhood of Oglesby's store. Powell's body was brought back and buried at the magistracy.