Further reconnaissances took place towards Otimati and Isiwasezimbuzi, near the Tugela, on the 22nd and 23rd respectively.
A patrol under Knox proceeded on the 25th to Hlonono Mission Station, when many of the enemy in the low country of Meseni's ward were located.
Arnott's column reached Otimati drift on the 24th. As the camp was to be a standing one, the waggons were formed into a lager, strengthened with barbed-wire entanglements.
Leuchars, who reached Arnott on the morning of the 27th with the greater portion of the Mapumulo force, now decided that a reconnaissance in force should take place in the direction of the hill Peyana, some three miles to the south-west of Thring's Post, and two from Hlonono Mission Station. The troops, including a section of C Battery, N.F.A. (Currie); four C.M.R. Maxims (Humphery), and two Maxims and one Rexer, N.M.R., left camp at 9.30 a.m. under the command of Lieut.-Col. Arnott.[265] The N.M.R., 350 (Murray-Smith), were in advance, N.C., 100 (Montgomery), on the left, and B.M.R., 100, supporting. The Carbineers, besides supporting on the left, covered a convoy of waggons then on the way to Kearsney, escorted by a troop B.M.R.
After branching off due west from the main road at Thring's Post, some difficulty was experienced in getting the two field guns down a rough incline. These guns, with a troop N.M.R. as escort, took up a position and unlimbered at C (vide plan), which covered some 2,000 yards to right and left front; N.C. took high ground to the left at D, from where a deep kloof to their front was commanded; N.M.R. moved in extended order to neck A, and halted on the ridges to right and left thereof, with B.M.R. supporting in immediate rear on the right. These dispositions were made owing to the broken nature of the ground, which favoured ambuscade, and had up till then been held daily by the enemy's outposts. The track along which the column had to advance skirted to the right of, and under, Peyana hill (B), by which it was commanded.
When the troops were engaged occupying the ground referred to, the time now being about noon, some half a dozen of the enemy's decoys were observed on hill E to the west of Peyana, freely exposing themselves. This was almost a certain indication that the enemy was in ambush somewhere, most probably behind Peyana, and overlooking the route along which the troops were moving.
After the ridges referred to had been properly held, two troops N.M.R. were sent forward to scout before the column proceeded further towards the decoys. One troop advanced to within 100 yards of the crest of Peyana, the other halted in support, about 150 yards in rear. Lieut. P. Addison, in command of the advanced troop, then went forward alone mounted, accompanied by his dog. He rode to a neck near the crest and to within thirty yards of the enemy, who were about 400 strong, lying concealed in a slight depression out of sight of the troops at A. In the immediate rear of the enemy, was a bushy krantz. On seeing the rebels, Addison shouted "Here they are," and, turning immediately, rode back to rejoin his troop, and then on to the main position at A. The troops supporting had already been ordered to retire. As Addison was turning, the enemy rose en masse, then crouched, only to rise again in an instant, crying "Usutu! Usutu!" as they charged down the steep, grassy slopes in open order at the retiring troops. N.M.R. at A, with three Maxims (C.M.R. and N.M.R.), and the Rexer,[266] could not open fire because of the enemy being masked by the retiring troops. In the meantime, however, the two 15-pounders on higher ground opened with shrapnel at about 1,800 yards, over the troops at A, as well as those retiring. One of the two or three shells fired struck right in the middle of the swiftly-moving mass, but, failing to burst, did no harm. In a few seconds, heavy rifle and machine fire broke from the N.M.R., who were reinforced at the same moment by a squadron of their own regiment, up till then kept in reserve, but which, on seeing the charge, was at once pushed forward to assist on the left.
The combined fire had the effect of checking the rush and breaking the rebels into three bodies. One of these (i.e. the larger portion) ran into a valley immediately below the ridge south of the neck referred to, where it hid in scrub and such other cover as could be found; another fled to the left of N.M.R. position and disappeared into a kloof, but, when making down the kloof, was met by a hot fire from N.C. at D, when a number of casualties was sustained. The centre portion continued the charge, and came within a few yards of A before it was stopped; the rebels then turned and fled to the south-west. At this particular moment, the N.M.R., as well as the ridge on which they were, masked the fire of the field guns at C, which had, for a few seconds, been directed at the charging rebels.[267]
After the rush had been broken, N.M.R. galloped in line of squadrons up Peyana, accompanied by the machine guns. It so happened that a large portion of the enemy (about 300), had taken no part whatever in the charge. They preferred to lie in wait, that, no doubt, being part of the plan. They were discovered a few yards from where the first lot had started. For the most part, they turned right about and fled, under rifle and shell fire, down the precipitous and bushy country in rear of B.
When the position at the kop had been taken, Arnott ordered the B.M.R. (by this time strengthened by C squadron, under Capt. J.L. Gordon),[268] to descend on foot into the small valley of scrub, etc., on the right of, and below, A. This was thereupon driven from top to bottom by C squadron at the point of the bayonet. Gordon sighted a large impi in Mvoti valley that had not been engaged; he continued to watch its movements until recalled to the column.