The Battle Of Mosita (Part 1)

Monday, January 14, 2019

A 166 years ago, on January 8, 1853 to be precise, the last major battle of the 1852-1853 Batswana-Boer War was fought at a place called Mosita, which is today located within South Africa’s North-West Province.

The engagement pitted a commando of some 400 armed Boers plus additional press-ganged African labourers under the personal command of General Andries Pretorius against a mixed force of Barolong booRatshidi and Bahurutshe, led by the Barolong Kgosi Montshiwa. In this respect it turned out to be Pretorius’ last military engagement.

While neither side was able to decisively gain the upper hand at Mosita, as with the earlier, August-September 1852, Boer engagements against the Bakwena and Bangwaktse at Dimawe and Kgwakgwe, Pretorius’ commando failed in its primary mission to subjugate the Barolong.

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The Battle Of Mosita (Part 1)

A 166 years ago, on January 8, 1853 to be precise, the last major battle of the 1852-1853 Batswana-Boer War was fought at a place called Mosita, which is today located within South Africa’s North-West Province.