The Battle of Veg Kop, which took place on 16 October 1836, was the first head on collision between Bantu spearman and Boer musketeer. The Matabele intended to fight in the open and with complete confidence in their own rules of warfare. Only when Kalipi had lost over four hundred men did his force make their orderly retreat. As far as he was concerned, he had won a notable victory, for he carried off the prodigious booty of some 55,000 head of cattle, sheep and goats to take back to Umzilikazi. From The African Adventure - A History of Africa's Explorers by Timothy Severin, page 145. *** Local Caption ***