Lesotho -- Social life and customs; Sotho (African people)
Canon Widdicombe gives a most interesting and graphic account of the
fighting in the north in his book, "Fourteen Years in Basutoland." The
actual fighting began on the 19th of July near the centre of the
Lesuto, and soon rebellion became general throughout the country. In
September a few hundred C.M. Rifles were sent up to Southern Basutoland
by the Colonial Government, but nothing was done for the North. Mafeteng
in the south was first attacked on the 13th September; Lerotholi, with a
following of over 8,000 men, all mounted, opening the proceedings by a
vigorous attack upon the station. Fortunately the rebels were repulsed
with great loss. On October 4th the trading station of Lipering,
belonging to the Messrs. Fraser, was attacked and destroyed; Maseru and
Mohale's Hoek were attacked about the same time.
On the 19th October General Clarke, Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial
forces, succeeded in reaching and relieving Mafeteng, but with heavy
loss, the 1st Yeomanry alone losing 32 killed and 11 wounded. The former
lie buried in the little cemetery at Mafeteng, where a monument has been
erected to their memory. On November 8th the first attack was made upon
Thlotse in the north. It was sudden and very well planned, but
nevertheless it failed. Five thousand "braves" under Chief Joel made the
attack at daybreak, but most fortunately heavy rain had fallen, causing
the Thlotse River to become impassable, and thus preventing Ramanella
and his contingent from joining in the attack. The defending force was
only 140 strong. As soon as the river became fordable, Jonathan crossed
into Thlotse with nearly 2,000 loyal followers. What that poor little
garrison suffered can be but little imagined. Many acts of revolting
cruelty were perpetrated by the rebels; Jonathan's village was burnt to
the ground, and all his flocks and herds carried off, while he and his
small following took refuge in Thlotse, the whole country from there to
Maseru being by this time in the hands of the rebels. A force of nearly
300 of the Kimberley Horse, under Major Lawrance, was sent from Maseru
to the aid of the Thlotse garrison, and most effectively they fulfilled
their mission, driving off an enemy ten times their own size right
across the Thlotse River, almost into the mountains. This state of
affairs continued all through the country until the 17th of April, 1881,
when an armistice was made, followed by a treaty of peace, for the
unusually hard winter had at length proved the "last straw" to the
rebels, who, worn out with fighting and hardships, eventually realized
the futility of attempting to overcome the "White Man." Unfortunately,
the Colonial Government, in its anxiety to bring the war to an end, was
ready for peace at any price. A little firmness for a month or two
longer, and the Basuto would have been completely conquered. They were
in real distress for food, and were unfit to stand the hardships of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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