Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

128 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE1846.Trumpeter's Drift, as it was found impossible toprotectmen.such a long line of waggons with so fewIt must be remembered that each waggonhad a span of twelve oxen, and, as they could onlytravel in single file, forty -two waggons covereda great extent of ground.The Kaffirs looted thewaggons and burnt them.On the 27th and 28th of May the head-quartersof the 1st battalion was engagedin protecting theFingoe settlement at Fort Peddie, when that postwas attacked by a very considerable force ofKaffirs. An account of this affair isgiven inthe following despatch from Lieutenant-ColonelLindsay, of the 91st Eegiment,who was incommand :" I have the honour to report,for the informationof his Excellency the Commander-in-chief,that on the 27th inst., about 1 o'clock p.m., theresident agent informed me that his spies hadcome in to say that there were partiesof Kaffirsabove the hills north of the post, who wouldprobably try and take off some of the cattlegrazing furthest from it. I directed the troop ofthe 7th Dragoon Guards, with fourteen CapeMounted Eifles, and the light six-pounder, topatrol round the hills and protectthe cattle.