Second Matabele War

The Second Matabele War was a major conflict fought between 1896 and 1897. This war occurred in a region that later became Southern Rhodesia, which is now the country of Zimbabwe. The struggle began as a revolt by the Matabele people against the British South Africa Company (BSAC). Eventually, the Shona people also joined the uprising against the settlers.

This conflict was driven by deep anger over many hardships. The Matabele and Shona believed the settlers caused recent droughts and locust plagues. They also blamed settlers for rinderpest, a serious cattle disease ravaging the country. A spiritual leader known as the Mlimo helped organize this anger. He promised his followers that settler bullets would turn to water during battle.

The war began unexpectedly in March 1896. The Mlimo had planned a surprise attack for the first full moon in late March. However, some young Matabele rebels started the fighting early on March 20. By March 24, nearly 2,000 Matabele warriors were fighting in earnest. They used a mix of weapons, including Martini-Henry rifles and Winchester repeaters. They also used traditional tools like assegais, knobkerries, and battle-axes.

As the rebellion grew, the Shona people joined the fight. Within one week, 141 settlers died in Matabeleland and 103 died in Mashonaland. Many homes, ranches, and mines were also destroyed by fire.

In the town of Bulawayo, the settlers faced a dangerous siege. Because they had few troops, they built a defensive circle called a laager. This laager was made of sandbagged wagons reinforced with barbed wire. Settlers even spread smashed glass bottles around the perimeter for protection. They used blasting gelatin in outlying buildings to explode them if enemies occupied them.

Nearly 1,000 women and children were crowded into this small space. While the siege continued, the settlers formed the Bulawayo Field Force. This group, including the hunter Frederick Selous, rode out to rescue people. They patrolled the countryside to find survivors and attack rebel groups.

The Matabele warriors did not launch a massive attack on Bulawayo. They had seen the effectiveness of the settlers' Maxim guns in previous wars. Instead, they stayed near the town, with over 10,000 warriors visible. The settlers held their ground, but conditions inside the laager were very difficult. At night, everyone had to seek shelter inside the tight wagon circle. One major mistake by the Matabele was failing to cut telegraph lines. This allowed the besieged settlers to communicate with relief forces elsewhere.

Relief columns eventually arrived to break the siege in late May. Leaders like Cecil Rhodes and Colonel Beal arrived from the northeast. Other forces, led by Lord Grey and Colonel Plumer, arrived from the south. General Frederick Carrington eventually took overall command of the operations. He was joined by his chief of staff, Colonel Baden-Powell. Once the siege was broken, about 50,000 Matabele retreated into the Matobo Hills. This hilly region became the site of the fiercest fighting in the war.

British leaders believed killing the Mlimo would end the war quickly. They thought the Mlimo was a central authority controlling all rebels. Two scouts, Frederick Russell Burnham and Bonar Armstrong, were sent on a mission. They traveled through the Matobo Hills at night to find a sacred cave.

They crawled on their bellies through the brush to stay hidden. Once inside the cave, Burnham shot and killed the man believed to be the Mlimo. This act was meant to destroy the spiritual heart of the rebellion.

The assassination of the Mlimo caused much debate. Some people in the British press called Burnham and Armstrong heroes. However, many people in Rhodesia were skeptical about the mission. They wondered if the man killed was actually the true Mlimo. Some historians argue that the British overestimated how much power one leader held. They believe there were many different priests across the country. An official court of inquiry was later held to investigate the event. This shows how complex the truth of the war remains today.