The casualties were Tpr. Robert Knight, D squadron, T.M.R., killed; Tprs. Simcox and Tobin, A squadron, T.M.R., wounded. The enemy's losses amounted to about 400.
A local Native Chief, Mahlube, who was with Barker's column when the foregoing action was fought, although many of his tribe had joined the rebels, expressed the following opinion: "My belief is that the enemy intended disputing the drift with the troops as they were watering their horses. The T.M.R. saved themselves by their courageous stand. Had they betrayed the slightest weakness, they would have fared badly, for I could see the enemy were reckless and did not care what happened."
The march to Esidumbini was resumed at a quarter to three. A camp was formed at that place on its being reached two hours later. The night passed without incident.
The demeanour of the local and apparently neutral Natives was unsatisfactory. They were very reticent and pretended to know nothing whatever of the intentions of the enemy. They professed to be ignorant of the impis that had attacked but a few miles away at Insuze. One of the Chiefs, Njubanjuba, living on high ground, must have seen the fight and could have given valuable information had he chosen. He maintained a sullen and insolent attitude all the time the column was in the district. It was in view of these facts that Barker decided not to leave camp until after daybreak, a decision which, as it happened, was one McKenzie had also come to, in consequence of information obtained by him on the night of the 2nd that the rebels proposed to attack Barker at dawn on the 3rd.
When the column started (7 a.m.), one squadron, T.M.R., and the New Hanover Reserves being left to guard the camp, it proceeded along the Mapumulo road towards the high ground overlooking Umvoti Drift.
INSUZE
Dispositions at the beginning of the action
REFERENCE
A = First attacking impi
B = Pickets
C = Two troops, T.M.R.
D = Impi; out of sight at drift
E = Where part of enemy gathered when about to retreat
F = Hill to which pickets were sent
G = Police Station
H = Six men posted here to check impi in bush
J = Butler's store
K = Position of 15-pdrs. during enemy's retreat. Maxims and Colt gun were then between G and L
(arrow)= Direction of enemy's retreat
(crescent)= Enemy
(block)= Waggon
(dashes)= Swamp, with long grass and rushes
(circle)= Kraal
On the march, a number of Natives was seen on a ridge at Sikota's kraal in the neighbourhood of a prominent detached hill Ponjwana.[282] Word was passed on to the advanced guard, A squadron (78), who, however, had already perceived the rebels' movements. As further attack was imminent, the main body was kept within two to three hundred yards of the advanced guard. About three miles from Esidumbini Mission Station, the Mapumulo road passes over two well-defined hills about a thousand yards apart, and connected by a hog-backed neck. The country on either side of the road is steep and thickly covered with thorn bush. As the road approaches Sikota's kraal from the hog-backed hill, the ground rises immediately on the left to about fifty feet above the road, such elevation extending for about 200 yards, when the road enters and ascends open ground for another 200 yards. It is about a hundred and twenty yards from the road at this point that the kraal referred to was situated. On the immediate right of the road is a dense, precipitous bush, 100 yards broad at the top and extending some 400 yards down into an enormous, steep, and wooded valley. On the left of the road where Sikota's kraal was, and opposite that kraal, is a patch of open, high ground extending some two or three hundred yards, and about a hundred and fifty broad. To the west of this, the country falls away into another great valley, similar to the one already referred to. At the front, again looking from the road where it is nearest the kraal, the ground slopes gently to the front and right front, but more sharply to the left, where the trees grow more closely together.
As the column came along the hog's back, it became a little "crushed up," whereupon the advanced guard cantered forward a little way to the knoll on which Ngembudi's kraal stood.[283] At this point, a section was marching some thirty to sixty yards ahead along the road, whilst half a dozen scouts moved out to their positions on the right and left fronts, owing to the ground there lending itself to better deployment. No sooner, however, was the top of the knoll reached at A than the enemy, some three to four hundred strong, was observed 150 yards to the right front, that is, some way down an incline, but not concealed from view of the leading section. The scouts fell back to the troop in rear, which, at the same time, advanced to a point in sight of the enemy and immediately lined across the road.