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

176 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE1850.nearly every case were caused by the assegais.The lossof the enemywas over two hundred leftdead on the field.Lieutenant Gordon, who lefta widow and fivechildren, met his death in the following manner.It appearsthat when Lieutenant Borthwick waswounded in the cheek, and began to feel faintfrom lossof blood, so that he was unable to keepup with his men, the adjutant (Gordon) dismountedand put the wounded officer on hishorse, and afterwards he himself from fatigue felltoo much to the rear and was assegaied, severalof the men who attempted to recover his bodybeingkilled. Six months afterwards a detachmentof the 74th Highlanders passed the spot,and an officer of that regiment, in describing the" place, says, The ground, a thorny valley, stillbore marks of the struggle of the 29th ofDecemberrags of uniform and old forage caps,with bones of Kaffirs scattered about, while fromthe graves of the soldiers bones were protruding,scratched up by jackals and hyenas, which wecarefully buried again in the best way we could."1851. On the 5th of January the following orderwas issued from head-quarters, King William'sTown :" The Commander-in-Chief desires to ex-