The headquarters of the reserve battalion remained at Block Drift until the July following. On the 12th of May it was attacked by the Kaffirs, who were repulsed, with the loss of a chief and 60 men killed; the 91st had 1 man mortally wounded.[547]
Crossing the Tyumie or Chumie River.
From a drawing by Major Ward, 91st.
Lieut. Dickson of the reserve battalion of the 91st, while commanding at Trompeter’s Drift, frequently obtained the approbation of Sir Peregrine Maitland and Lt.-Col. Johnston for his great zeal and activity; and on the 21st of May, when a convoy of waggons, proceeding from Grahamstown and Fort Peddie, was attacked and captured by the enemy on Trompeter’s Hill, the gallant conduct of Lt. Dickson, who had voluntarily joined the escort, was highly commended by his Excellency the commander-in-chief, in general orders. In reference to this incident, Mrs Ward writes as follows:—
“On this occasion Lieut. Dickson, 91st Regiment, who had been ordered to assist in escorting the waggons a certain distance, till the other escort was met, nobly volunteered to proceed further, and led the advance; nor did he retire till his ammunition was expended. On reaching the rear, he found the commanding officer of the party retreating, by the advice of some civilians, who considered the defile impassable for so many waggons, under such a fire. Lieut. Dickson’s coolness, courage, and energy, in not only leading the men, but literally ‘putting his shoulder to the wheel’ of a waggon, to clear the line, were spoken of by all as worthy of the highest praise. His horse, and that of Ensign Aitchison, were shot under their riders.”
On July 27th, the battalion proceeded with Colonel Hare’s division to the Amatola mountains, and was present in the different operations undertaken against the Kaffirs between that time and the end of December, when the battalion returned to Block Drift, and thence proceeded to Fort Beaufort, where it remained stationary until the renewal of hostilities against the Kaffirs in the following year.
The head-quarters and two companies entered Kaffirland with Col. Campbell’s column, and were present in the operations undertaken in the Amatola and Tabindoda mountains during the months of Sept. and Oct.[548] As a result of these operations the Kaffir chief, Sandilli, surrendered, the 91st having had only 3 men wounded. Lt.-Col. Campbell and the above column received the warmest approbation of Lt.-Gen. Sir George Berkeley in Orders of Dec. 17th, 1847, at the close of the war.
At the end of Oct. the two companies above mentioned, under the command of Capt. Scott, marched to King-Williamstown to join the force about to proceed to the Kei river, under the commander-in-chief, Lt.-Gen. Sir George Berkeley. They were attached to Col. Somerset’s division, and served therewith until the end of December, when peace was concluded, and the detachment of the 91st returned to Fort Beaufort.
We regret that we have been unable to obtain more details of the part taken by the 91st during the Kaffir War of 1846–47, in which it was prominently employed. Among those who were honourably mentioned by Sir Peregrine Maitland, in general orders, for their conduct in defending their respective posts when attacked, were Lts. Metcalfe and Thom, and Sergeants Snodgrass and Clark of the 91st.