The Battle of Grahamstown took place on 22 April 1819, during the Fifth Xhosa War (1818-1819), at the frontier settlement of

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London, Eastern Cape, East London. Makhanda is the lar ...

in what is now the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

province of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. The confrontation involved the defence of the town by the British garrison, aided by a group of

Khoekhoe Khoekhoen (singular Khoekhoe) (or Khoikhoi in the former orthography; formerly also '' Hottentots''"Hottentot, n. and adj." ''OED Online'', Oxford University Press, March 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/88829. Accessed 13 May 2018. Citing G. S. ...

marksmen, from an attack by a large force of attacking

Xhosa Xhosa may refer to: * Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa * Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people See als ...

warriors.

Background

When a British-led force commanded by Colonel Thomas Brereton seized 23,000 head of cattle from the

AmaNdlambe The AmaNdlambe or the Ndlambe is a Xhosa chiefdom located in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Founded by Chief Ndlambe, son of Chief Rharhabe and grandson of King Phalo, Ndlambe's advisors and strong army were known as the 'AmaNdlambe'. Chief Ndla ...

, Makhanda, a Xhosa prophet, urged all the Xhosa to unite to try to drive British forces out of Xhosaland once and for all. Makhanda advised Ndlambe that the gods would be on their side if they chose to attack the British garrison in the settlement of Grahamstown, and promised that the British "bullets would turn to water".

Battle

On 22 April 1819, a force of about 6,000 men (some sources say 10,000), under the command of Dushane, Ndlambe's warrior son, and led by Makhanda, launched a daylight attack against Grahamstown. They were accompanied by women and children, prepared to occupy Grahamstown after the battle. The Xhosa had warned Colonel Willshire, the commanding officer, of their planned attack on the settlement. During the course of the battle, the British were running low on ammunition. The Xhosas, however, were unable to overcome superior British firepower with their tactics, against the garrison of some 350 men. A

group, led by Jan Boesak, helped the garrison to repulse Mahkanda, who suffered the loss of 1,000 Xhosa.

Aftermath

The war continued for several months thereafter, where the Xhosa's suffered heavy losses. Makhanda was highly sought after and pursued by the British forces who they saw as being the leading protagonist in causing the war. Makhanda later surrendered, under the belief it would bring an immediate end to the conflict, and was taken captive. The battle site continues to be called "Egazini" ("Place of Blood"), and a monument was erected there for the fallen Xhosa in 2001.

Notes

References

External links

Photograph of Elizabeth Salt monument
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grahamstown Conflicts in 1819 1819 in South Africa Makhanda, Eastern Cape Xhosa Battles involving the British Empire