From hence the Battalion was again broken up into detachments; and a company under Lieutenant Cartwright marching from King William’s-town on the 29th for Mount Coke, arrived there the same day and occupied it as a post.
On December 23 Sir Harry Smith was received at King William’s-town, the band of the Battalion playing ‘God save the Queen,’ and ‘See the Conquering Hero comes.’ When the cheers of the assembled concourse subsided, Sir Harry rode up to the Battalion and complimented Colonel Buller on having the command of such a body of men, and the Riflemen on their advantage in having such a commander; and he noticed ‘that bravery and endurance which they had displayed during the long and harassing warfare through which they had struggled.’[199]
The Depôt companies remained at Sheerness during the early part of this year, detaching one company to Canterbury on March 26.
On July 13 and 14 the Depôt companies, in two divisions removed from Sheerness to Bristol; the detachment from Canterbury joining them on the way at Maidstone; and arriving on the 15th and 16th they were quartered at Bristol during the remainder of the year.
The 2nd Battalion continued at Montreal till August 1847; on the 10th of which month the Head-quarter division marched to Lachine; and there embarking proceeded to Toronto. The left wing under Captain Wilkins on the 17th embarked at Lachine and proceeded to Kingston.
Sir D. L. Gilmour, Colonel Commandant, having died at Rome on March 22, Major-General Sir Harry Smith, Bart., G.C.B., succeeded him as Colonel Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, April 16, 1847.
The 1st Battalion were stationed at King William’s-town, with one company detached at Fort Murray and another at Fort Waterloo; and no changes, beyond the occasional relief of these detachments, took place during the first half of the year 1848.
But scarcely had the war with the Kaffirs been brought to a successful conclusion, when the Dutch Boers, not only within the colony but beyond the Orange river and in Natal, who, during the months of June and July had exhibited unmistakable symptoms of disaffection, broke out into open rebellion; and being headed by one Pretorius, a Dutch colonist of some influence and of considerable ability, assembled in great force beyond the Orange river.
Sir Harry Smith at once took energetic measures to attack them. A force consisting of two companies, Captains Murray’s and Hardinge’s, of the 1st Battalion, two of the 45th, two of the 91st and two squadrons of the Cape Mounted Rifles, with two six-pounders, was ordered to proceed at once to Colesberg. Colonel Buller was in command of the whole force and Major Beckwith of the infantry. The two companies of Riflemen were made up to a strength of eighty rank and file each; each man carried sixty rounds of ammunition, and all were in light marching order, carrying their great coats or blankets, but not their knapsacks.