To spur some interest on this site, would our members have any interesting stories of
their Ancestors:-
Jack Carruthers recalls accounts of the Matabele war of 1893 - Rhodesia
The Insukameni discarded their shields in a trick that almost worked. Seeing the
apparently unarmed warriors approaching the laagers from a kopje on the south, Forbes
ordered a cease-fire. The Insukameni pressed forward within a few yards of the laagers
before opening fire with their concealed rifles. The full weight of our force fell upon
them. FORBES dispatched Captains Frederick FITZGERALD and BASTARD to the southwest of the
Victoria laager after the Ma'Tebele's repeated attempts to get to close. They were
finally driven back. Just after 8a.m. the Ma'Tebele launched a third concentrated
attack from the north, east and south. This attack drove the mounted Column's toward
the laagers, the artillery then opened fire in support. The Maxims brought an end to the
final attacks. Lo'Bengula dedicated one third of his army to this assault, his
casualties were significant numbering around two hundred, from a five thousand strong
force.
"I (Jack CARRUTHERS) saw one of our levies actually cut off his dangling arm with his
own assegai. The Matebele retreated at daylight, several had hung themselves to trees with
their girdles rather than return beaten. One in desperation had fallen on his own assegai.
The Salisbury laager had several wounded, one badly who died that night. The deceased was
Harry WATSON from Breakfast Vlei near Grahamstown. We buried him at our next camp the
following day. Unfortunately we had killed about forty of our loyal natives having to open
fire with the Maxim. The only surviving native woman had been badly stabbed the Matebele
had killed her baby, one assegai wound penetrated her breast from behind. She walked along
with the other wounded to Bulawayo. Us Scouts were away soon after the battle following on
the retreating warriors. We climbed the big hill two miles south of the Shangani
Battlefield. Here I had a wonderful panoramic view of the retreating Matebele. There were
several Impis moving in different directions. Their coloured shields in the right hand and
assegais in the left, glinting in the morning sun a picture now so engrained in my mind, I
shall always remember this."
"JONES who was with me made several attempts to shoot a Matebele spy we had disturbed
on the hill. Having only six cartridges for my sporting rifle I did not fire. A troop of
the Salisbury horse under Major HEANY were almost led into a trap just beyond the granite
kopjes out west. In the early afternoon after shelling the natives out of the hills the
Column's moved forward for safety to an open plain, what is now the Shangani Siding.
We halted fully prepared for further trouble. The small kraal half a mile up to the right
was where Ted BURNETT was wounded while sitting on his horse. The next day found us in
timber country, the Impi's had disappeared and the Column's continued forward. The
wagons moved slowly, cutting the way meant a deal of work and delay. The noise of the
driving wagons could be heard a long way off. I was given the direct front and scouted out
into an open glade about seven to eight miles ahead. We heard firing and pulled up, we
Scouts were quite out of touch with the moving Column at this time. DOLLAR with most of
the Victoria Scouts were away on the south side. The Salisbury Scouts were somewhere to
the north. We suddenly heard a galloping horse passing away to our right flying for his
dear life but could not see who it was until it had broken out into the open, half a mile
ahead of us. After shouting we chased after the hatless rider, eventually getting him to
stop. It turned out to be SWINBURNE. He was quite concerned, pulling up breathless he
mentioned Captain Owen WILLIAMS had been killed and that the Ma'Tebele's were
following him. We rode back part of the way and directed him with Bain accompanying,
towards the oncoming Column. This finished his Scouting, I never saw him out again. After
a tedious day of uncertainty we found the laager at dark. The Column had been forced to
laager among the big trees, owing to DOLLAR sending back word that the Matebele were in
great force close by to the south. Captain Jack SPRECKLEY and his troop had been chased in
from the north."