1808
At the period of the surrender of the colony to the British Crown, this regiment consisted, in the first instance, of about five hundred rank and file; and in 1808 it was augmented to eight hundred. Many of the additional men were procured by native captains, who received two shillings a day; others were procured by recruiting officers, and by small levies on the missionary institutions: a number of volunteers also joined at head-quarters.
At this period, one company was stationed at Graaff Reinett, and another was sent to the frontiers of the colony.
1809
1810
In this and the following year (1809) a company traversed the greater part of the colony, collecting various bodies of Kafirs[2], and removing them beyond the boundary,—the Great Fish River; this company was followed by others, and in June, 1810, five companies were employed on the frontiers under Major Lyster.
1811
1812
The regiment embarked for Algoa Bay, in September, 1810, and was employed, from December, 1811, until May, 1812, in removing the Kafirs from the country between the Sunday’s and the Great Fish Rivers. The command of the force employed on the frontier was confided to Lieut.-Colonel Graham, and the command of the regiment devolved on Major Lyster.
A detachment crossed the Sunday’s River on Christmas-day, 1811, under Major Prentice, and encamped at Commando Kraal, from whence parties were sent out to mark roads through the Addo Bush. This work having been completed, the men of the regiment, and some settlers, advanced in extended order to scour the bush. While moving towards the top of the Addo, in a part known by the name of the “Addo Pass,” a number of Kafirs, who had hidden themselves in pits, jumped up and commenced throwing their assagais, or javelins, at the troops, killing Field-Cornet Greyling, and wounding two other farmers. The Cape Regiment instantly rushed into the bush, and, after a sharp skirmish, drove the Kafirs from among the trees into the flats or plains.
Landrost Stockenstrom having been murdered while engaged in a parley with the Kafirs, relative to their removing from the Zuurberg, Major Fraser marched with a detachment to execute the orders which were to have been carried into effect by Stockenstrom. On crossing the mountain from Cournay he took a bye-path, and thus escaped a body of Kafirs who were lying in ambush to murder him and his party; and coming upon his adversaries suddenly, he succeeded in killing fifteen of their number; he also recovered the bodies of Mr. Stockenstrom, two field-cornets, and nine farmers, and buried them; and he ascertained that several Kafirs had been shot in the struggle, when these gentlemen were murdered.