Action at Bronkhorstspruit

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Action at Bronkhorstspruit
Part of First Boer War
Date December 20, 1880 Location A few miles east of Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng Result Boer Victory
Combatants
Great Britain	Transvaal Boers
Commanders
Lieutenant-Colonel Anstruther	Unknown
Strength
268	250
Casualties
156 dead and wounded Remainder captured	2 dead 5 wounded

First Boer War
Bronkhorstspruit – Laing's Nek – Schuinshoogte – Majuba Hill

The Action at Bronkhorstspruit was one of the first serious clashes of the First Boer War. It was a skirmish between a British army column and a group of Boers, fought a few miles east of the town of Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng on December 20, 1880.

A column of British soldiers consisting of six officers and 246 men of the 94th Regiment, as well as 12 men of the Army Service Corps and four of the Army Hospital Corps, were marching on a road to Pretoria, when at least 250 Boers ambushed the column. Making use of the limited cover, the Boers crept to within 200 yards of the British column and opened fire at 12:30 pm.

Within 15 minutes, most of the officers were killed or wounded, and the horses and oxen pulling the covered wagons at the front and rear of the column were killed, preventing any movement. Shocked by the sudden and aggressive nature of the attack, Lt. Col. Anstruther gave the order to surrender. In a battle lasting just 15 minutes, 156 British soldiers were killed or wounded, with the rest taken prisoner. Reported Boer casualties were only two killed and five wounded.