{{Short description|Battle of the Ninth Xhosa War}} {{Infobox military conflict |conflict=Battle of Centane |partof=the Ninth Xhosa War |image=Bataille de Quintana.JPG |image_upright = |caption=Battle of Centane (''The Illustrated London News'', 1878) |date=7 February 1878 |place=Centane |coordinates = {{coord|28.317000|S|32.506870|E|type:landmark_scale:5000|display=inline,title}} |result=British victory |combatant1=20px British Empire |combatant2=Xhosa Kingdom |commander1=Captain Russell Upcher |commander2=? |strength1= |strength2= |casualties1= 10 killed |casualties2= {{circa| 300}} killed | map_type = South Africa | map_caption = Location in present-day South Africa |campaignbox = }} The '''battle of Centane''', also the '''battle of Kentani''' or the '''battle of Quintana''', was fought on 7 February 1878 near Kentani ("Centane") in South Africa's Cape Province during the Ninth Xhosa War between 1877 and 1879. A Xhosa forces, composed of Gcalaka and Rharhabe warriors, attacked a British camp in the Centane Mountains and suffered a severe defeat.
== Battle == Clash occurred a few weeks after the forces of British General Henry Bartle Frere led a successful campaign against the Gcaleka forces, who joined the Xhosha resistance against the British rule. Bartle's forces, under their commander Veldman Bikitsha, managed to engage and finally defeat the Gcaleka on 13 January (near Nyumaxa).The imperial troops assisted, but were tired, short of rations and unable to follow up on the victory.
At morning of 7 February 1878 a combined force of 1,500 Gcalaka and Rharhabe attacked the British camp near Centane (Kentani)<ref>{{Cite book |title=Soldiers and Settlers in Africa, 1850–1918 |editor-first=Stephen M. |editor-last=Miller |publisher=Brill |date=2009 |pages=40|isbn=9789047444794 |oclc=695990151|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xC7ktFpFgW4C&dq=Centane+1878&pg=PA40}}</ref> in an attempt to secure food and ammunition. Imperial forces consisting of about 400 British soldiers, mainly of the 67th Regiment of Foot of the Durham Light Infantry, commanded by Captain Russell Upcher were supported by approximately 560 Fengu warriors and the local Frontier Light Horse militia,<ref>{{cite web |author=Neil Parsons |url=http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/25/rose-of-rhodesia/parsons-2.html |title=Investigating the Origins of The Rose of Rhodesia, Part II: Harold Shaw Film Productions Ltd |publisher=Latrobe.edu.au |access-date=2012-11-18 |archive-date=2011-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507060800/http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/25/rose-of-rhodesia/parsons-2.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> who fought mostly unhorsed, led by F. Carrington.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l8g7AwAAQBAJ&q=John+Jarvis+Bisset&pg=PP26|title=Warriors of the Queen: Fighting Generals of the Victorian Age|first=William|last=Wright|publisher=Spellmount|year=2014|isbn=978-0752493176}}</ref> A subsequent attack was barely repelled, but outnumbered British were able to defend their posts with very low losses.
About 300 Gcalaka and Rharhabe warriors were killed for the loss of only two British soldiers and 8 Mfengu warriors.
==See also== * Xhosa Wars
== Citations == {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite book |last=Featherstone |first=Donald |title=Victorian Colonial Warfare: Africa |publisher=Blandford |year=1993 |location=United Kingdom |isbn =978-0-7137-2256-7}} * {{cite journal |title=The Kaffir War |journal=The Illustrated London News |date=20 April 1878 |volume=72 |page=355 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E4c-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA355 |access-date=2025-05-19}} * Philip Gon, ''The Last Frontier War''. The South African Military History Society, Military History Journal, Vol. 5, No 6, December 1982. [http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol056pg.html Online]
== External links == {{Commons category}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Centane}} Category:Battles of the Cape Frontier Wars Category:1878 in South Africa Category:Battles in 1878 Category:February 1878 Category:Amathole District Municipality Category:History of Eastern Cape Category:Battles involving the United Kingdom