'The Capture of Fort Armstrong, Kaffir Land - February 22nd 1851 by the Royal Artillery the Cape Mounted Rifles, the Fort Beaufort Burghers and the Fingo Corps, under the command of Major General H Somerset, CB'

Coloured aquatint by J Harris, after Henry Martens (d 1860), after a sketch by Captain George Carey (1822-1872), Cape Mounted Riflemen. No. 3 in the series 'Kaffir Wars', published by R Ackerman, 1852.

The term 'kaffir' derives from an Arabic word used to describe non-believers or non-Muslims. Use of the term spread via trade and commerce and European colonial regimes adopted it as an official term to describe various ethnic groups including the Khoikhoi and Xhosa. It is in this context that the word is used in the title and series title of this print.

The term is now regarded as a pejorative racial term primarily because of its association with the Apartheid regime in South Africa in which it was used as a derogatory term to describe Black Africans. The phrase 'the K-word' is now often used to replace the word.

Carey was commissioned into the Cape Mounted Riflemen as an ensign in 1845. According to the regimental pay lists he was on active service 'In the Field' from December 1850 to December 1852, when he went on leave.

Fort Armstrong was occupied by Khoikhoi ('Hottentots') of the Kat River region when they joined the Xhosa in rebellion in 1850. Major General Henry Somerset attacked on 22 February 1851 with a force of Cape Mounted Riflemen, European Volunteers and Mfengu allies. Somerset stormed the fort, killing more than 90 Khoikhoi and taking 160 prisoners, most of whom were enlisted by the British and served throughout the remainder of the war.