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After a day of rest, the commando headed for the Zulu capital. Closer, they saw it to be entirely in flames as Dingane fled. After recovering what they could from the burnt out ruins, the men were drawn to kwaMatiwane where they found the bodies of the Retief party. Retief was recognizable through his clothes and surprisingly enough still had about him the satchel with the treaty ceding the land to the Trekkers, intact after ten months on the veld.
Pretorius buried the party in a communal grave.
The Commando is Attacked
After several days at the kraal, the commando came upon a narrow defile similar to that of Ithaleni and again, a group was lead down. 'Cattle' in the distance suddenly leapt up as Zulu warriors leaped out from hiding under their shields.
The Boers were again cut off but charged through the Zulus, riding more than 15 miles and being incessantly harried until they found another ford in the river. Even here, six more lost their lives along with 70 'friendly' Africans.
The commando retreated again to Umgungundlovu to rest before moving back to the main encampments under the Drakensberg.
Although the Zulu army had been soundly beaten, it still existed and a number of the commando had been killed and the cattle that had been taken from them after the Bloukrans massacres had not been retaken.
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