The Shangani Patrol, comprising 34 soldiers in the service of the British South Africa Company, was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors during the First Matabele War in 1893. Headed by Major Allan Wilson, the patrol, also referred to as Wilson's Patrol, was attacked just north of the Shangani River in Matabeleland in Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe). Its dramatic last stand, sometimes called Wilson's Last Stand, achieved a prominent place in the British public imagination and, subsequently, in Rhodesian national history, roughly mirroring events such as the Alamo massacre or Custer's Last Stand in the United States.
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| - The Shangani Patrol, comprising 34 soldiers in the service of the British South Africa Company, was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors during the First Matabele War in 1893. Headed by Major Allan Wilson, the patrol, also referred to as Wilson's Patrol, was attacked just north of the Shangani River in Matabeleland in Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe). Its dramatic last stand, sometimes called Wilson's Last Stand, achieved a prominent place in the British public imagination and, subsequently, in Rhodesian national history, roughly mirroring events such as the Alamo massacre or Custer's Last Stand in the United States.
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- There Were No Survivors, an 1896 depiction of the patrol's last stand, by Allan Stewart
- Captain Henry Borrow headed the reinforcements.
- Major Allan Wilson led the Shangani Patrol.
- Map of the First Matabele War, 1893–94:
- An 1895 sketch, portraying a scene from the battle. Burnham kills a Matabele warrior.
- Chief of Scouts Frederick Russell Burnham in 1900, during the Second Boer War
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| - 110(xsd:integer)
- 114(xsd:integer)
- 138(xsd:integer)
- 160(xsd:integer)
- 300(xsd:integer)
- 40.0
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| - 34(xsd:integer)
- ~400–500 killed
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| - A black-and-white sketch depicting a Southern African battle fought amidst long grass in a thick wood. The image focuses on two figures in the foreground: a white soldier on horseback and a black warrior on foot . The white man has apparently just fired his rifle at the warrior, who is thrown back in his stride by the shot, his spear falling from his right hand. More soldiers and warriors can be seen in the background.
- A black-and-white portrait of a white gentleman in a dark suit, a carnation prominent in his buttonhole. He has a square jawline and a handlebar moustache.
- A cigarette card featuring a black-and-white portrait of a handsome-looking white man in a dark suit. He has a well-groomed moustache, bright eyes and sharply cut hair. A caption reveals this to be "F. R. Burnham, the American scout serving with Lord Roberts in South Africa".
- Map of Rhodesia showing the locations of towns and battles. The Shangani Patrol battlefield is in the west, to the north of Bulawayo.
- A black-and-white portrait photograph of a middle-aged European man in a dark suit. He has closely cut dark hair, and is cleanly shaven apart from a magnificent moustache, which covers most of his mouth as well as most of his cheeks.
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| - Allan wilson.jpg
- Burnham boer war london.jpg
- Henry Borrow.jpg
- Shangani patrol burnham 1893.jpg
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- Matabele Kingdom
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| - North of the Shangani River, Matabeleland, Rhodesia
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| - I have heard all that you have said, so I will come, but let me to ask you where are all my men which I have sent to the Cape, such as Maffett and Jonny and James, and after that the three men – Gobogobo, Mantose and Goebo – whom I sent. If I do come where will I get a house for me as all my houses is burn down, and also as soon as my men come which I have sent then I will come.
- I send this message in order, if possible, to prevent the necessity of any further killing of your people or burning of their kraals. To stop this useless slaughter you must at once come and see me at Bulawayo, where I will guarantee that your life will be safe and that you will be kindly treated. I will allow sufficient time for these messengers to reach you and two days more to allow you to reach me in your wagon. Should you not then arrive I shall at once send out troops to follow you, as I am determined as soon as possible to put the country in a condition where whites and blacks can live in peace and friendliness.
- Leander Starr Jameson
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| abstract
| - The Shangani Patrol, comprising 34 soldiers in the service of the British South Africa Company, was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors during the First Matabele War in 1893. Headed by Major Allan Wilson, the patrol, also referred to as Wilson's Patrol, was attacked just north of the Shangani River in Matabeleland in Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe). Its dramatic last stand, sometimes called Wilson's Last Stand, achieved a prominent place in the British public imagination and, subsequently, in Rhodesian national history, roughly mirroring events such as the Alamo massacre or Custer's Last Stand in the United States. The patrol comprised elements of the Mashonaland Mounted Police and the Bechuanaland Border Police. Scouting ahead of Major Patrick Forbes' column attempting the capture of the Matabele King Lobengula (following his flight from his capital Bulawayo a month before), it crossed the Shangani late on 3 December 1893. It moved on Lobengula the next morning, but was ambushed by a host of Matabele riflemen and warriors near the king's wagon. Surrounded and outnumbered about a hundred-fold, the patrol made a last stand as three of its number broke out and rode back to the river to muster reinforcements from Forbes. However, the Shangani had risen significantly in flood, and Forbes was himself involved in a skirmish near the southern bank; Wilson and his men therefore remained isolated to the north. After fighting to the last cartridge, and killing over ten times their own number, they were annihilated. The patrol's members, particularly Wilson and Captain Henry Borrow, were elevated in death to the status of national heroes, representing endeavour in the face of insurmountable odds. The anniversary of the battle on 4 December 1893 became an annual public holiday in Rhodesia two years later, and was an official non-work day until 1920. A historical war film depicting the episode, Shangani Patrol, was produced and released in 1970. Controversy surrounds the breakout before the last stand—which various writers have posited might have actually been desertion—and a box of gold sovereigns, which a Matabele inDuna (leader) later claimed had been given to two unidentified men from Forbes' rear guard on 2 December, along with a message that Lobengula admitted defeat and wanted the column to stop pursuing him. Two batmen were initially found guilty of accepting the gold, keeping it for themselves and not passing on the message, but the evidence against them was inconclusive and largely circumstantial; the convictions were ultimately overturned.
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