On the 24th the Battalion started at half-past four in the morning accompanied by all the available force at Colonel Buller’s command, leaving a party in charge of the forts. They marched in the direction of Mundell’s Krantz, near which they burned a number of Kaffir huts, and captured several horses. Several shells were fired into the Kloof into which the Kaffirs had fled, and from which they kept up a smart fire by which two men of the Battalion were wounded; one dangerously; the other, the Colonel’s orderly, shot in the face and neck. Sergeant Green had a very curious escape; the bullet passing behind his ball-bag, and bending the brasses of his waist-belt.
The General Order of which the following is an extract, was issued by General Cathcart on the next day:
‘General Order No. 59.
‘Head-quarters, Fort Beaufort, July 25, 1852.
‘3. The Commander of the Forces has received with much satisfaction Colonel Buller’s report of his attack on the 24th inst. at daylight on the Kaffir kraals of the Waterkloof near Mundell’s Krantz, which were destroyed, as well those above as those below the krantz.[213]
‘In this attack, which Colonel Buller conducted with much ability, a considerable loss of life was inflicted on the enemy, many of their arms and some ammunition destroyed in burning the huts, and twelve head of cattle and eight horses taken.
‘Colonel Buller speaks in terms of marked praise of the manner in which Major Bedford, commanding the 60th rifles, and Major Horsford, Rifle Brigade, led their battalions, &c....
(Signed) ‘A. J. Cloete,
‘Q. M. Gen.’
On their return to camp the Riflemen were warned, that, as they were to start on an expedition across the Kei river against Kreili, they were to take out of their knapsacks any article wanted for the road; and the knapsacks were to be conveyed in waggons to Fort Beaufort, to be kept in store till their return.
At daybreak on the 25th four companies under the command of Major Horsford started for Fort Beaufort, leaving two companies with Head-quarters to occupy and complete the fort.