"It is worthy of remark that whilst, in the first war, the Matabele attacked strong positions defended by artillery and Maxim guns, thereby suffering very heavy loss themselves but killing very few white men, in the present [rebellion] all the fighting has been amongst broken ground, and in country more or less covered with bush, and all the killing has been done with rifles; for, in the first war, the Natives learnt the futility of attacking fortified positions, and now only fight in the bush in skirmishing order, giving but little opportunity for the effective use of machine guns; so that, although a good many rounds have been fired from Maxims at long ranges, only a very small amount of execution has been done by them."[368]
XI. NATIVE CORPS.
(i) Natal Native Horse.
Reference was made in a note in the Introduction to the Natal Native Police organized in 1848. Since their disbandment in 1854, no other Native corps has been permanently established in Natal. In times of trouble, however, apart from the ordinary Native levies and contingents, settlements of Native Christians, such as Edendale and Driefontein, invariably offered their services to the Government. The fact that these men, a number of whom were Basutos, were mounted, added greatly to their usefulness. The first occasion of importance on which they volunteered was the Bushman Expedition of 1866. During the Langalibalele Rebellion, 1873, they again took part, under Col. A.W. Durnford,[369] several being killed in the action at Bushman's River Pass. By that time, Durnford, who arrived in Natal in June, 1873, had already begun to take an exceptional interest in the training of Natives for military purposes. Under his sympathetic control, the people evinced the keenest desire to assist the Government. The same spirit was shown by the large contingents of uneducated Natives, recruited and organized to a great extent by Durnford at the beginning of the Zulu War, not to refer to those called out on other occasions under other officers. The men of Edendale and Driefontein under Jabez Molife and Simeon Kambule[370] respectively, as well as Basutos under Chief Hlubi, served throughout the 1879 campaign, and rendered very valuable assistance. They took part in the battles of Isandhlwana, Kambule, Hlobane and Ulundi, and suffered considerable losses.
The same communities, with Hlubi's Basutos, again volunteered during the Boer War, 1899-1901. To these communities should be added that at Nyanyadu, as well as members of Chief Ncwadi's tribe. Although, in a "white man's war," allowed to serve only as scouts, drivers and leaders and in limited numbers, some 150 came from Driefontein alone, and 200 from Chief Ncwadi. Under Capt. R.C. Samuelson, N.C., a considerable section of the Drakensberg Mountains was thoroughly patrolled. A portion of the men went through the siege of Ladysmith, whilst conspicuous gallantry was displayed by individual members of the corps on several other occasions during the same war.
By 1906, the great majority of those who had served in the earlier campaigns were, of course, no longer able to turn out. They, however, strongly influenced their sons to do so in their stead, with the result that the Natal Native Horse, under Major G. Moe, U.M.R., with Samuelson as adjutant and second in command, was raised with surprising rapidity. On instructions from the Government, Samuelson, by the 2nd April, succeeded in enrolling nearly 1,000 picked men, including Chiefs and Chiefs' sons. This number was, however, reduced by the Government to 326. As only about half the men had horses, the principal difficulty experienced was in obtaining mounts for the remainder.
The corps did not take the field until the middle of May, largely owing to its having to be equipped and trained; it was consequently unable to take part, like the Nongqai, in some of the main operations and engagements.
It was found necessary, during the campaign, considerably to the disappointment of the members, to break the corps up and distribute sections about the country. To whatever command, however, they happened to be attached, the men proved to be thoroughly reliable and serviceable, and their conduct exemplary. With better training, which in common fairness should have been available in some way before the necessity for recruiting arose, they would have been even more valuable than they were.
(ii) Zululand Native Police (Nongqai).