Dictionary of Battles / From the Earliest Date to the Present Time

by Thomas Benfield Harbottle

Bronkhorst Spruit (First Boer War).

The opening engagement of the war, when, on December 20, 1880, a British column, 259 strong, under Colonel Anstruther, was ambushed by 150 mounted Boers under Joubert, and defeated with a loss of 155 killed and wounded. The Boers stated their losses at 2 killed and 5 wounded only.