Marshall's Horse
Encyclopedia
Marshall's Horse was a South African cavalry unit raised in 1899 at the start of the Second Boer War
, to support the British campaign. The Unit was created from the Uitenhage
and Grahamstown
Volunteers. They first formed up in Grahamstown in 1899 when they were 244 strong. On 17 October 1900, as part of General Barton's column, six members of Marshall's Horse were cut off by Boers whilst collecting supplies near Frederickstad. By June 1901 their number had reduced to 120. On 30 October 1902 they were absorbed into the Cape Police.
The Commanding Officer was Major George Marshall.
Members of Marshall's Horse may have been involved in the Relief of Mafeking against the Boer's Siege of Mafeking
as well as the Battle of Elandslaagte
. They were involved in combat at Thaba Nchu
under General Ian Hamilton an event related in Winston Churchill's Ian Hamilton's March. They also fought at Israel's Poort on April 25th 1900. Captain Gethin (pictured above) was killed that day. Marshall himself was wounded. Lord Roberts
mentioned their performance in dispatches.
In the march on Pretoria
John Stirling wrote in his book The Colonials in South Africa, "Marshall's Horse frequently took a prominent share of the work. On 5th June at Schippen's Farm, for example, they had 1 killed and 5 wounded. They were engaged at Doornkop, south-west of Johannesburg
, on 29th May, and in the Battle of Diamond Hill
, east of Pretoria, on 11th, 12th, and 13th June, and had slight casualties in both actions. In the latter part of August and during September Marshall's Horse was employed about Krugersdorp
and in the Gatsrand, and frequently had fighting and rather heavy casualties. In October, November, and December they were with Barton in the Frederickstad district, and on 18th October a foraging party got into a nasty place - when Marshall's Horse lost 2 killed and 4 wounded. The corps took part in the very severe fighting which Barton's force had between 20th and 25th October, which resulted in the total defeat of the force opposed to him. Marshall's Horse had Lieutenant Mullins and 2 men wounded."
Marshall's Horse would be called back to protect Cape Colony
when it was attacked in late 1900.
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, to support the British campaign. The Unit was created from the Uitenhage
Uitenhage
Uitenhage is a South African town with 275,185 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. The town's name is pronounced by English speakers and in Afrikaans...
and Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
Volunteers. They first formed up in Grahamstown in 1899 when they were 244 strong. On 17 October 1900, as part of General Barton's column, six members of Marshall's Horse were cut off by Boers whilst collecting supplies near Frederickstad. By June 1901 their number had reduced to 120. On 30 October 1902 they were absorbed into the Cape Police.
The Commanding Officer was Major George Marshall.
Siege of Mafeking
The Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. It took place at the town of Mafeking in South Africa over a period of 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell, who went on to found the Scouting Movement, into a national hero...
as well as the Battle of Elandslaagte
Battle of Elandslaagte
The Battle of Elandslaagte was a battle of the Second Boer War, and one of the few clear-cut tactical victories won by the British during that conflict...
. They were involved in combat at Thaba Nchu
Thaba Nchu
Thaba Nchu is a town in Free State, South Africa, located 60 km east of Bloemfontein. Its population is largely made up of Tswana and Sotho people. The town was settled in the 1830s and officially established in 1873...
under General Ian Hamilton an event related in Winston Churchill's Ian Hamilton's March. They also fought at Israel's Poort on April 25th 1900. Captain Gethin (pictured above) was killed that day. Marshall himself was wounded. Lord Roberts
Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts
Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...
mentioned their performance in dispatches.
In the march on Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
John Stirling wrote in his book The Colonials in South Africa, "Marshall's Horse frequently took a prominent share of the work. On 5th June at Schippen's Farm, for example, they had 1 killed and 5 wounded. They were engaged at Doornkop, south-west of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, on 29th May, and in the Battle of Diamond Hill
Battle of Diamond Hill
The Battle of Diamond Hill took place on 11 and 12 June 1900 during the Second Boer War. Fourteen thousand British soldiers squared up against four thousand Boers and forced them from their positions on the hill....
, east of Pretoria, on 11th, 12th, and 13th June, and had slight casualties in both actions. In the latter part of August and during September Marshall's Horse was employed about Krugersdorp
Krugersdorp, Gauteng
Krugersdorp is a mining city with between 378,821 and 408,065 inhabitants in the West Rand of the Gauteng province of South Africa. Krugersdorp was founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius and named after Paul Kruger....
and in the Gatsrand, and frequently had fighting and rather heavy casualties. In October, November, and December they were with Barton in the Frederickstad district, and on 18th October a foraging party got into a nasty place - when Marshall's Horse lost 2 killed and 4 wounded. The corps took part in the very severe fighting which Barton's force had between 20th and 25th October, which resulted in the total defeat of the force opposed to him. Marshall's Horse had Lieutenant Mullins and 2 men wounded."
Marshall's Horse would be called back to protect Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
when it was attacked in late 1900.
- Conan DoyleConan DoyleConan Doyle is a rugby player. His club is Garryowen. His usual position is inside centre, but he also plays out-half. He has made two appearances for Munster Rugby in the Magners League, but was released by Munster at the end of the 2008/2009 season. While at Munster he was selected for the...
, Arthur (1902). The Great Boer WarThe Great Boer Warright|thumb|Title page from The Great Boer WarThe Great Boer War is a non-fiction work on the Boer War by Arthur Conan Doyle and first published in 1900. By the end of the war in 1902 the book had been published in 16 editions, constantly revised by Doyle...
, London: Smith, Elder and Co.