▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁decis ive ▁battle ▁was ▁fought ▁on ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁when ▁a ▁la ager ▁was ▁attacked ▁on ▁open ▁ground ▁near ▁the ▁B emb esi ▁River ▁by ▁Im b izo ▁and ▁Ing ub o ▁reg iments . ▁The ▁la ager ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 6 7 0 ▁British ▁soldiers , ▁ 4 0 0 ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁mounted ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁force ▁of ▁native ▁al lies , ▁and ▁fought ▁off ▁the ▁Im b izo ▁and ▁Ing ub o ▁forces , ▁which ▁were ▁considered ▁by ▁Sir ▁John ▁Will ough by ▁to ▁number ▁ 1 , 7 0 0 ▁war riors ▁in ▁all . ▁The ▁la ager ▁had ▁with ▁it ▁small ▁art illery : ▁ 5 ▁Maxim ▁guns , ▁ 2 ▁seven - p ound ers , ▁ 1 ▁Gard ner ▁gun , ▁and ▁ 1 ▁Hot chk iss ▁gun . ▁The ▁Maxim ▁machine ▁guns ▁took ▁center ▁stage ▁and ▁dec im ated ▁the ▁native ▁force ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Shang ani . ▁ ▁Although ▁Lob eng ula ' s ▁forces ▁tot aled ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁spe ar men ▁and ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁rif le men , ▁versus ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 7 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁South ▁Africa ▁Police , ▁the ▁N de be le ▁war riors ▁were ▁not ▁equ ipped ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁British ▁machine ▁guns . ▁Le ander ▁St arr ▁James on ▁sent ▁his ▁troops ▁to ▁Bul away o ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁capture ▁Lob eng ula