British mission to subdue Sekhukhune is abandoned

A British mission to subdue Sekhukhune was abandoned after having failed with heavy loss of life on both sides. The attempt to subdue Sekhukhune came after the British Annexation of the Transvaal (April, 1877). When the Transvaal was annexed, Sekhukhune's country was included without any question under Britain's new possessions. Sekhukhune did not accept British claims over his territory. By March 1878 drums of war were beating again in Sekhukhuneland. Captain Clarke who was sent to subdue Sekhukhune, was routed with heavy casualties and barely escaped with his life at Magnet Heights. Immediately after this first British failure to subdue Sekhukhune, a fully equipped force of 1,800 men under Colonel Rowlands made another attempt from August until October 1878, to reduce Sekhukhune to submission. The mission failed and had to be abandoned on October 6,1878. Sekhukhune was ultimately defeated in 1879 and imprisoned in Pretoria. Click here to read more about the Bapedi Kingdom.