256 
SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN, 1878-9. 
Substitute 
ior drag- 
shoes. 
7-pr, M.L.R. 
guns on 
Kaffrarian 
carriages. 
Carriage. 
Elevating 
gear. 
fire had. the desired effect of driving the enemy out of the village, and 
then the infantry advanced still supported by the fire of the guns, 
which had in the meantime advanced to 950 yds. range. The assault 
was made from three points, but the artillery fire only supported the 
direct attack. After six hour's fighting the heights were crowned, the 
mountain taken, and the enemy dispersed. 
The officer commanding the direct attack reported that during the 
assault the artillery fire kept down that of the enemy most effectually. 
As the enemy retired up the mountain before our skirmishers, the fire 
of the guns was not masked until within a few minutes before the 
crowning of the heights. 
The 7-prs. fired common shell throughout the action, and the 6-prs. 
segment shell, with percussion fuze, there being no common shell in 
the country. The absence of common shell was much to be regretted, 
but it appears that the segment shells, bursting on impact against the 
rocks, did considerable damage; the segments finding their way so 
easily between the rocky boulders. 
The bullocks worked well through a long day, over rough ground, 
and at one time trotted for 1J miles with a cavalry escort. 
It appeared in General Orders, published after the action, that the 
excellent practice made by the guns contributed materially to the 
success of the day in keeping down the enemy's fire during the advance 
of the infantry. 
The column under Colonel Rowlands, FC, C.B., ultimately marched 
to Middleburg, in the Transvaal, where, on the 23rd November, I 
handed over the 6-pr. Armstrong division to Lieut. Chamberlain, 80th 
Regt., having previously instructed two detachments of the 80th Regt. 
in the drill and working of the guns. There being no drag-shoes issued 
with these guns, the wheels were checked by passing a short piece of 
picket-rope (kept for the purpose) over the breech, and making fast to 
two corresponding spokes of the gun wheels. This acted admirably, 
but over rocky ground it caused a great strain on the elevating screw, 
spokes of wheels, and axletree-arms. 
On the 23rd December, having arrived at Utrecht, I was attached to 
Major Tremlett's battery, then forming part of the column under 
Colonel Evelyn Wood, FC, C.B. I was given over a division of the 
battery (II/7), consisting of two 7-pr. M.L.R. guns of 200lbs., 
mounted on Kaffrarian carriages, drawn by six horses, harnessed and 
equipped in the ordinary manner. 
The carriage of the Kaffrarian pattern is constructed on the same 
plan as the 9-pr. (Mark II) carriage—the bracket plates being 
lightened out—and it is fitted with the same tensile stays to the 
axletree-bed. The wheels are of the 3rd class, 5 ft. in diameter. The 
elevating gear consists of an arc attached by a bolt to the cascable, 
and passing through a metal bracket upon the front of the rear 
transom. The arc is worked by a pinion at the back of the latter, 
which is cut through to permit it. The pinion has a worm-wheel, with 
friction cone on its extremity outside the bracket, which is worked by 
a worm with hand-wheel. 
The limber is similar to the field limber, but has 3rd class wheels 
and axles, the same as its own carriage. 
Limber, 
