| Battle of the Shangani | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the First Matabele War | |||||||
 An illustration of the battle by Richard Caton Woodville Jr. | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 British South Africa Company | Ndebele Kingdom | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Patrick William Forbes |
Manonda † Mjaan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
700 5 Maxim guns 3 other rapid-fire guns 2 cannons | 5,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 killed | 1,500 killed | ||||||
The Battle of the Shangani took place on 25 October 1893 during the First Matabele War in what is now Zimbabwe. A British South Africa Company column led by Major Patrick William Forbes was attacked during night by a large force of Ndebele Kingdom warriors. Equipped with superior weaponry, the column, consisting of British South Africa Police troopers and African auxiliaries, repulsed them with a heavy loss of life to the Ndebele force. The battle is noted for being the first battle in which the Maxim gun played an important role.