List of battles in South Africa

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List of battles in South Africa is a list of all military conflicts, wars or battles fought within the borders of South Africa. [1]

Contents

Khoikhoi–Dutch Wars (1659–1677)

Anglo-Dutch rivalry (1664–1804)

Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese navigator, discovered the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. The Dutch settlement in the area began in March 1647. A Dutch expedition of 90 Calvinist settlers, under the command of Jan van Riebeeck, founded the first permanent settlement near the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. Cape Colony established in 1652. 31 December 1687 a community of Huguenots arrived at the Cape from the Netherlands. See also Huguenots in South Africa.

Cape of Good Hope War (Cape Colony)

Xhosa Wars

Also known as the Kaffir Wars or Cape Frontier Wars or Dispossession Wars

Ndwandwe–Zulu War (1817–19)

Also known as the Zulu Civil War. The fallout from this war led to the catastrophe known as the Mfecane (Difaqane, Lifaqane, Mfeqane).

Battles between the Voortrekkers and Ndebele (1836–1837)

Battles between the Voortrekkers and the Zulu (1838–40)

Anglo-Pedi Wars (1876–1879)

Natal (1842–1843)

Transorangia (1845–1848)

South African Republic (1854–1877)

Zulu Succession (1856)

Free State–Basotho Wars (1858–1868)

Koranna War (1868)

Anglo-Zulu War (11 January – 4 July 1879)

Basuto Rebellion

First Boer War (16 December 1880 – 23 March 1881)

The British recognised the two Boer Republics in 1852 (Sand River Convention) and 1854 (Orange River Convention, or Bloemfontein Convention), but the annexation of the Transvaal in 1877 led to the First Boer War in 1880 and 1881. After British defeats, most heavily at the Battle of Majuba Hill, Transvaal independence was restored subject to certain conditions, but relations were uneasy.

Between the two Boer Wars

Second Boer War (11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902)

between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics of the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State. [5]

1899

1900

1901

1902

First World War (1914–1918)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Boer War</span> 1899–1902 war in South Africa

The Second Boer War, also known as the Boer War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics over the Empire's influence in Southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Ladysmith</span> Part of the Second Boer War (1899–1900)

The siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 2 November 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's South Africa Medal</span> Award

The Queen's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps were awarded, to indicate participation in particular actions and campaigns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christoffel Cornelis Froneman</span>

Christoffel Cornelis Froneman, commonly known as Stoffel Froneman, was veldkornet, general and Vice-Commander-in-Chief of the Orange Free State Boer forces during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. P. E. Trichard</span>

Stephanus Petrus Erasmus Trichard was a field cornet and Commander for the South African Republic in the First and Second Boer War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Hendrik Olivier</span> Boer general

Jan Hendrik Olivier was a Boer general during the Second Boer War who was notable for being the main Boer commander at the Battle of Stormberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marthinus Prinsloo</span> Boer general (1838 - 1903)

Marthinus Prinsloo was an Orange Free State Boer farmer, politician and general in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). He was born of Nicolaas Frans Prinsloo (1813-1890) and Isabella Johanna Petronella Rautenbach in the district of Graaff-Reinet, South Africa who migrated to the Orange Free State where they lived in Bloemfontein, Waterval and Bethlehem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piet de Wet</span> Boer general (1861–1929)

Pieter Daniël de Wet was a Boer general in the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) and a younger brother of Boer general and politician Christiaan de Wet. Piet de Wet participated in the Battle of Poplar Grove, the Battle of Sanna's Post for the waterworks there, and defeated the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry at Lindley. In July 1900, he surrendered to the British at Kroonstad, Orange Free State. He became a prominent member of the National Scouts helping the British in the last years of the Boer War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Botha</span>

Christiaan Botha was a younger brother of Louis Botha (1862–1919) and Philip Botha (1851-1901), but an older brother of Theunis Jacobus Botha (1867-1930), and likewise a Boer general in the Second Boer War (1899–1902) who then both fought the British to the end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Crowther (general)</span>

Jonathan Crowther was a Boer war general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petrus Johannes Liebenberg</span> Boer war general (1857–1950)

Petrus Johannes Liebenberg was a Boer general in the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902).

Petrus "Piet" Johannes Fourie was a Boer general for the Orange Free State in the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) in South Africa. He should not be confused with his Boer colleagues generals Joachim Christoffel Fourie (1845–1900) and Christiaan Ernst Fourie (1858–1943).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naas Ferreira</span> Boer War general

Ignatius "(Oom) Naas" Stephanus Ferreira was an Orange Free State Boer war general and Commander-in-Chief, who was fatally shot at the Battle of Paardeberg. Naas Ferreira should not be confused with his son and namesake Ignatius "Natie" Stephanus Ferreira, the gold miner Ignatius Philip Ferreira, and Boer general J. (Joachim) Ferreira.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarel du Toit</span>

Sarel Petrus du Toit was a Second Boer War Boer general for the South African Republic. In 1896 he was elected representative to the Eerste Volksraad in Pretoria for the district of Wolmaransstad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Jacobus Elardus Erasmus</span> Boer general (1845 - 1914)

Daniel Jacobus Elardus Erasmus was a Boer general during the Anglo Boer War (1899–1902).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johan Hendrik Breytenbach</span> South African historian

Johan Hendrik Breytenbach was the official South African state historian for the Second Boer War. He was employed by the National Archives in Pretoria and studied the Second Boer War since 1940. In 1959 the Minister of Education, Arts and Science appointed Breytenbach state historian for the Second Boer War, supervised by the Department of History of the University of Pretoria. When Breytenbach died in 1994, he had published five volumes of his Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899–1902 between 1969 and 1983, with two further volumes at the planning stage. Using Breytenbach's notes, the State Archives finalised and published Volume 6 posthumously in 1996, concluding with a treatment of the Battle of Bergendal. Apart from this major work Breytenbach published many books and articles on South African history.

Ferdinandus Jacobus Potgieter was a Boer general in the Second Boer War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederik Jacobus Potgieter</span> Boer War commander

Frederik Jacobus Potgieter was a Boer commander in the Second Boer War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobias Smuts</span>

Tobias Smuts was a Second Boer War Boer general and member of the Eerste Volksraad for the South African Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andries Petrus Cronjé</span> Orange Free State Boer War general

Andries Petrus Cronjé was a Second Boer War Boer general and a member of the Orange Free State Volksraad and the Orange River Colony parliament. He should not be confused with Boer general Andries Petrus Johannes Cronjé, who surrendered and cooperated with the British in the National Scouts.

References

  1. Military Information Bureau SADF Information Bureau. "A short chronicle of warfare in South Africa. Compiled by the Military Information Bureau. From Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 16, Nr 3, 1986". pp. 40–57. Retrieved 20 July 2023. Khoisan Wars. Khoisan is the collective name for the South African people known as Hottentots and Bushmen....The KhoiKhoi Wars. 1st Khoikhoi War (1659–1660)..
  2. Saks, DY (June 1995). "The South African Military History Society, Die Suid-Afrikaanse Krygshistoriese Vereniging, Military History Journal, Vol 10 No 1, June 1995 (incorporating Museum Review) - SKIRMISH AT ZWARTKOPPIES". samilitaryhistory.org. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 J. H. Breytenbach, Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899–1902, Die Staatsdrukker Pretoria, 1969–1996. Volume I. Die Boere-offensief, Okt. - Nov. 1899, pp. 30-31, Die Staatsdrukker Pretoria, 1969. In Afrikaans.
  4. Rademeyer, Jacobus Ignatius. "Die Oorlog teen Magato (M'pefu) 1898" (PDF). repository.up.ac.za (in Afrikaans). M. A. dissertation, University of Pretoria. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  5. For Afrikaans language designations of battles: Breytenbach, J. H. Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899-1902, Die Staatsdrukker Pretoria, 1969-1996, six volumes
  6. "Battle of Graspan". britishbattles.com. 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023. The battle (also known as the Battle of Enslin) fought on 25th November 1899 in the Great Boer War by Lord Methuen, leading to the British advance to the disastrous battles of Modder River and Magersfontein
  7. Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, George Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1979. Abacus, 1992. ISBN 0 349 10466 2. Pages 188-189 and 192-193.
  8. Conan Doyle, A.C. (1902). "The Great Boer War, London, Smith, Elder & Co., 1902. CHAPTER XX Roberts' Advance on Bloemfontein". pinetreeweb.com. Smith, Elder & Co. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  9. Rickard, John (2 March 2007). "Battle of Driefontein, 10 March 1900". historyofwar.org. Military History Encyclopedia on the Web. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  10. Killingray, David (2012). "Chapter 8. The War in Africa (pages 112-126)". In Horne, John (ed.). A Companion to World War I. John Wiley & Sons. p. 119.