Marshall's Horse

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 Major 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.

Second Boer War


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 25 April 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.