Gun War - The End

 previously: February 1881

During the peaceful time of negotiations BaSotho fortified their positions and pretended to negotiate until complete of their harvest, they had planned to fight indefinitely. The rebels still maintained high spirits in February. 

March

Carrington's patrol on 18th moved within 2,000 yards near the rebels. On the 22nd artillery fire stopped a Basotho assault on the patrol near Boleka Ridge, at the outer flank the troops and rebels fought for about 6 hours with an indecisive outcome.

Two days Later on the 24th, Basotho stole 400 horses and cattle which halted the colonial forces from advancing. The Mabelete regiments refused to disperse unless the colonial army left Lesotho. 

April

the rebels waited until April when they finished the peace arrangement where Mabelete had to pay fines for the rebellion. By mid April the Gun war was officially closed.

After the rebellion

Most of rebel land remained untouched by the cape colony. In Tsitsa Valley Alfred Leary fatally shot Mahlangeni (Hope's Killer). After the battle of Tsitsa's Gorge Mhlontlo and his family members spent some time in Pondoland but eventually crossed into Lesotho where the Mpondomise lived for two decades in exile. Ledingwana and Leshuta went over the Drakensberg mountains into Matatiele.

Both Mpondomise and Sotho chiefdoms after the rebellion most of the people began returning from the mountains to their forested areas in which remained homesteads for some. The war attributed to homesteads burnt, cattle herd reduced, crops destroyed and grain pots empty. Food shortages loamed.  Mditshwa followers were left in a impoverished state. The consequence of the rebellion was that the Basotho, AmaMpondomise & AmaHlubi were almost destitute. The famine forced large amounts of men into the labour market in the cape colony. 

The cape colony rewarded Lebenya of Bakwena BaNkopane, Zibi of AmaHlubi and Lehana of Batlokwa for their loyalty as new magistrates of Mount Fletcher with other contributions from Ramohlakoana and Sidi.

The two AbeThembu chiefs Tyala and Mdukiswa followers are still referred as Bathephu(the Thembu of Lesotho).

In the end 

The Rebels Mabelete won rather than firearm confiscation, a gun license register was issued. 

For Lesotho to remain an independent country was due to the additional efforts of Mpondomise AbeQwathi, AbeThembu, Baphuthi, Batlokwa and the few Bhaca and Hlubi who had to fight against their own clans men.

Video: February 1881 - End of the Rebellion

Sources: The resources of the Basotho - AmaXhosa Rebellion

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