Basuto Gun War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Basuto Gun War |
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| Part of the South African Wars (1879-1915) | |||||||
 Masopha with his standard bearer |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Basuto |  Cape Colony |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Lerotholi Masopha |
Charles Clarke Frederick Carrington (WIA) |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 23,000 | 4,000 three mountain guns two mortars |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | 94 killed 112 wounded |
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The Basuto Gun War, also known as the Basutoland Rebellion, was a fight between the Basuto people and the British Cape Colony. The Cape Colony was a British territory in what is now South Africa. This war lasted from September 13, 1880, to April 29, 1881. The Basuto people won, which was rare for an African nation fighting a colonial power.
After Basutoland became a British territory in 1868, the Cape Colony tried to make the Basuto people adopt Western ways. In 1879, the Cape Parliament passed a law called the Peace Preservation Act. This law aimed to take away guns from the Basuto people. Guns were very important to the Basuto, not just for fighting but also as a symbol of being a man.
Because of this law and other past problems, the Basuto chiefs Lerotholi and Masopha led a rebellion. It started on September 13, 1880. The Cape Colonial Forces were outnumbered and busy with other revolts. They could not win a clear victory. The war became very expensive and unpopular with politicians in the Cape.
On April 29, 1881, Sir Hercules Robinson announced a peaceful end to the conflict. The Basuto were allowed to keep their guns. The Cape Colony tried to make the Basuto follow their laws, but Masopha and his supporters resisted. The Cape Parliament then passed the Disannexation Act in September 1883. This act made Basutoland a British High Commission Territory. This meant it was not later made part of the Union of South Africa.
Contents
Why Did the Basuto Gun War Start?
How Basutoland Became British
In the early 1800s, different tribes settled near the Caledon River. King Moshoeshoe I united many Sotho-speaking groups into one nation during a time of trouble called Lifaqane. In 1833, missionaries from the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society came to Basuto lands. They wanted to spread Christianity and Western ideas. They tried to change Basuto customs, like how people worked and depended on their chiefs.
The Basuto first encountered horses and guns in the 1820s during cattle raids. They started getting their own horses and guns. By 1843, Moshoeshoe had more horses and guns than any other leader in South Africa. However, these guns were older models. In 1852, the British made a deal with the Boers (Dutch settlers) that stopped selling guns to Africans. This made it hard for the Basuto to get modern weapons.
From 1858 to 1868, the Basuto fought wars with the Boer Orange Free State. The Basuto lost many battles because their weapons were not as good. In 1866, they signed a treaty, giving up much of their land. The Boers then used a "scorched earth" tactic, burning crops and causing starvation. The Basuto asked the British for help. On March 12, 1868, Basutoland officially became a British territory.
The Basuto joined the British Empire because they needed protection. But they did not like the idea of colonial rule. The British wanted to make the Basuto more "Western." The British tried to slowly introduce their laws. Basutoland's legal status was unclear, sometimes called a crown colony, sometimes a protectorate. Letsie I, who became chief in 1870, thought the British rule was just a protection agreement. Basuto chiefs often challenged British efforts to make big changes without asking them first. In 1871, Basutoland was officially made part of the Cape Colony.
What Caused the Conflict?
The Cape government immediately tried to weaken the traditional power of the Basuto chiefs. They restricted trade and transferred power to the Cape Parliament. The Basuto were not asked about these changes. They were also not allowed to join the parliament unless they gave up their traditional laws, which they refused. This led to a power struggle between Letsie I and the British agent, Colonel Griffith.
British magistrates were given power to enforce colonial laws. They interfered with land disputes and marriage issues, which used to be handled by Basuto leaders. Basuto prophets claimed that Moshoeshoe's spirit was angry about the white man's interference.
Morosi's Revolt: A Warning Sign
In the southern part of Basutoland lived the Baphuthi people, led by Chief Morosi. He had joined British Basutoland unwillingly in 1869. In 1877, the British created the Quthing District and appointed a magistrate, which Morosi opposed. After some disputes, Morosi's son Doda was imprisoned and then escaped. Morosi refused to hand him over.
This led the Cape Colony's prime minister, Sir Gordon Sprigg, to order the forced disarmament of the Baphuthi. Letsie I was forced to help the Cape. The fighting lasted for months. Morosi was killed in November 1879. His head was paraded in King William's Town, which shocked Letsie I and the Basuto people.
The Peace Preservation Act and Guns
In 1878, the Cape Parliament passed the Peace Preservation Act. This law allowed the government to take away firearms from African people, offering money in return. Sprigg decided to extend this law to the Basuto after seeing 7,000 Basuto horsemen during Morosi's revolt. He also announced that the Quthing region would be taken for white settlers.
At this time, almost half of all Basuto men owned a firearm. Many had worked in mines just to buy modern rifles. This made the Basuto one of the best-armed tribes in southern Africa. For the Basuto, giving up their guns was unacceptable. Guns were vital for defending their land and cattle. They were also a symbol of manhood; being disarmed felt like being treated like a child. In April 1879, the Cape Colony also doubled the hut tax in Basutoland.
In June 1880, Letsie I sent a group to the Cape Parliament to argue against taking Quthing and disarming the Basuto. They said disarmament was not needed because the Basuto were loyal. But the group was not allowed to speak in parliament. Letsie I, who was old and sick, did not want to start a war. However, the Cape Governor, Sir Henry Bartle Frere, ordered Letsie I to start disarming the Basuto immediately.
Few Basuto obeyed the order. This made the Cape Parliament vote to disarm them. At a large meeting on July 3, Lerotholi spoke against disarmament. Letsie's brother, Chief Masopha, and his nephew, Chief Joel Molapo, openly challenged the order and called for armed resistance. Masopha began to strengthen his stronghold at Thaba Bosiu. White traders left Basutoland, and Basuto loyal to the Cape fled for safety.
Sprigg urged Letsie I to make Masopha surrender. But Letsie I said this was impossible, as most Basuto, including his own sons, supported Masopha. Masopha believed the Cape troops were not very good at fighting, especially after Morosi's revolt. He was also encouraged by rumors that the British would not send more troops and by the British defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana a year earlier.
The Basuto Gun War: What Happened?
Fighting Begins in September 1880
On September 13, 1880, a group of 212 Cape Mounted Riflemen, led by Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Carrington, entered Basutoland. They were going to reinforce the isolated town of Mafeteng. Lerotholi and 300 Basuto warriors met them. Lerotholi refused to surrender his weapons. The Basuto then attacked, and a short fight happened. Carrington's troops then stayed in Mafeteng, where Lerotholi's forces surrounded them. On September 17, another Cape unit was attacked near Mafeteng. After this, Sprigg ordered the Cape's army to get ready for war.
The Cape army was led by Brigadier General Charles Clarke. He visited the front lines only twice. Carrington was put in charge of the Mafeteng area with about 2,000 men. This force included cavalry (horse soldiers) and infantry (foot soldiers), along with three small cannons and two mortars. In total, 3,000 white and 1,000 African troops fought for the Cape.
The Basuto army was much larger. Lerotholi had 23,000 horsemen, with 9,000 in the Mafeteng District. Masopha blocked the Cape soldiers in Maseru. He burned some buildings but could not capture the town. In the north, Joel Molapo's attack on Hlotse was also pushed back, and he started a siege. The rebellion spread across Basutoland. The Basuto suffered many losses in direct attacks. So, they started using guerrilla tactics, like ambushes and defending strong positions. They could move quickly, attacking only when they had an advantage and then retreating fast. While their shooting skills were not as good as the Cape soldiers, they had more and better guns than in past wars.
Other Rebellions and More Fighting
The Basuto Gun War caused other tribes to rebel too. In Griqualand East, Basuto clans were encouraged to revolt. Other tribes like the Griqua and Mpondomise also rose up. Some tribes feared disarmament, others disliked the loss of their traditional ways, and some thought killing white settlers would end colonial rule. These revolts lasted until February 1881. They forced the Cape army to send troops to other areas, making them even more spread out.
In October, Clarke arrived with more troops and artillery to help Mafeteng. His advance was slow due to mud. Basuto horsemen often attacked his column with rifle fire and then retreated. On October 19, the Cape army reached Qalabane. Lerotholi had 3,000 warriors hidden there. A fight broke out, and the Cape army lost 32 killed and 7 injured. The Basuto lost 40 killed. This battle lowered the morale of the Cape soldiers, but the Basuto saw it as a big victory.
Stalemate and Peace Talks
In November, Carrington destroyed villages and moved towards Morija. In January 1881, Colonel Brabant led a force towards Thaba Tsueu. His troops fought a large Basuto force led by Lerotholi and Chief Maama. The Basuto suffered heavy losses, while the Cape lost 16 killed and 21 wounded.
For most of the war, the Cape troops were isolated in a few districts. Their morale was low because they were not making much progress. According to Basuto stories, Letsie I pretended to be weak but secretly encouraged the rebels. He even told Basuto loyalists to surrender their weapons so they could keep control if the rebels lost.
In January, the First Boer War started, putting more strain on the Cape's money and soldiers. The war had already cost £3 million. The Basuto started asking for peace, with help from a politician named Jacobus Wilhelmus Sauer. The Basuto were worried that continued fighting would lead to starvation. They wanted to keep their guns and their own rule. The Cape government refused, demanding all guns be surrendered and rebel leaders face trial (though not death). The talks failed, but a seven-day ceasefire allowed the Basuto to harvest their crops. The new High Commissioner, Sir Hercules Robinson, kept pushing for a peaceful solution.
The End of the War: February–April 1881
In February, Carrington captured Ramakhoatsi. On February 15, Brabant's force was attacked by many Basuto horsemen. The Basuto suffered 138 casualties in this fight. A month later, Clarke took personal command. On March 22, Carrington was badly wounded.
By early April, Sprigg's handling of the war was heavily criticized in the Cape Parliament. Robinson arranged a meeting between Griffith and Lerotholi on April 17. They signed a ceasefire. Lerotholi did not want to surrender weapons because it would be too unpopular with his people.
On April 29, Robinson announced the peace settlement, called the Award. Under this agreement, the Basuto could keep their guns. They just had to register them and pay a small yearly fee. The Cape promised to forgive the rebels and let Quthing remain part of Basutoland. The Basuto agreed to pay a fine of 5,000 cattle and pay back loyalists and traders. This marked the end of the war. The Cape's losses were 94 killed and 112 wounded.
What Happened After the War?
Challenges to the Peace Agreement
Basuto chiefs, including Lerotholi, liked the Award. They quickly paid 3,000 cattle as a sign of good faith. In May 1881, Thomas Charles Scanlen became the new prime minister. However, it was hard to fully enforce the Award. Masopha demanded almost complete power. He refused to pay taxes and would not let the local magistrate return.
The new British agent, Joseph Orpen, was seen as too friendly to the former rebels. His decisions about cattle and land upset Basuto loyalists. In January 1882, Letsie I tried to gather an army to make Masopha follow the Award, but it was canceled because Masopha still had a lot of support. The British government refused to let the Cape give up Basutoland or cancel the Award. Robinson set a new deadline, threatening to take land from chiefs who did not follow the rules. But after pleas from Letsie I and Orpen, Robinson canceled the Award and promised not to take land. The Peace Preservation Act was also removed in April.
The Basuto's lack of cooperation led some in the Cape Parliament to call for Basutoland to be separated from the Cape. Scanlen invited Major General Charles George Gordon to Basutoland. Gordon suggested letting the Basuto chiefs have almost complete self-rule. But this idea was rejected because the Basuto chiefs were not united. Gordon tried to negotiate with Masopha, but Masopha intentionally dragged out the talks, stopping Lerotholi from attacking his stronghold. Gordon left without success and resigned. This incident created a long-lasting rivalry between Lerotholi and his uncle Masopha.
Basutoland Becomes a British Territory
In the north, rebel chief Joel Molapo and loyalist chief Jonathan Molapo continued to fight over leadership. Joel kept attacking loyalists, making it hard to settle the war. Many refugees fled to the Orange Free State. Later, several Basuto chiefs, including Masopha, refused to attend a meeting about new self-rule proposals. Joel Molapo, with Masopha's help, continued to attack and destroy opponents' property. He even burned his deceased father's stone house, which turned public opinion against him.
In May, Letsie I officially made Jonathan the chief of Leribe. But the violence did not stop until the end of the year. The Cape Parliament, facing protests from the Free State and unable to enforce laws in Basutoland, passed the Disannexation Act in September 1883. This act separated Basutoland from the Cape Colony.
At a meeting in November, most chiefs voted to remain British subjects. Masopha did not attend and demanded complete independence. The British government supported the Disannexation Act, which took effect on March 18, 1884. Under this act, the new High Commission Territory of Basutoland was ruled indirectly by the British High Commissioner Marshal Clarke.
The Basuto kept their guns and prevented their land from being taken by white settlers. They also stopped their country from being absorbed by the Free State, which would have happened if they had gained complete independence. The Basuto chiefs kept most of their power. The unrest in Masopha's district only ended after his defeat in the 1898 Basuto Civil War. The Basuto Gun War is a rare example of an African nation winning a military victory against a colonial power in the 19th century. Because it was a High Commission Territory, Basutoland was not made part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
Images for kids
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Map of southern Africa in 1878, showing Basutoland as part of the Cape Colony, before the Basuto Gun War.
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Map of the Basuto Gun War (1880-1881).
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