Jan Hendrik Olivier | |
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Born | [1] Burgersdorp, Cape Colony, British Empire | 24 January 1848
Died | 30 May 1930 82) Volksrust, Transvaal, Union of South Africa | (aged
Allegiance | Orange Free State (1863 – 1900) South African Republic (1900) |
Branch | Orange Free State Army Transvaal Army |
Years of service | 1863 – 1900 |
Rank | General |
Battles / wars | Seqiti War Second Boer War |
Jan Hendrik Olivier (24 January 1848 - 30 May 1930) was a Boer general during the Second Boer War who was notable for being the main Boer commander at the Battle of Stormberg.
His parents lived in the Burgersdorp area and later moved to Zastron. At the age of 15, he joined the Orange Free State border police. [2] In 1865 he became a Field Cornet and fought in the Seqiti War. [3] He was rewarded with the farm Olifantsbeen northwest of Zastron which made him prosperous. He became a member of the Orange Free State Volksraad in 1883 for the Caledon River Division.
He was in command of the Rouxville and Thaba Nchu commandos, and moved with his mother through the Colesberg, Barkly East and Dordrecht areas. [2] He was in command of the Boer forces during the Battle of Stormberg on 10 December 1899. [3] Later he worked with General De Wet in the eastern Free State and Brandwater Basin. After an argument with De Wet, he decided to join the Transvaal Army. On the way there, he was captured by the British forces on 3 July 1900, and was exiled to Ceylon with three of his sons as prisoners of war. [2] [3] [4]
He was released from exile in 1902 and again became a member of the Legislative Assembly (Volksraad) for the Orange River Colony as well as a horse breeder before withdrawing from public life in 1910. He went to retire with his daughter at Rustenburg. He died during a visit to Volksrust and was buried there with his military honors. [3]
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.
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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 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. Marthinus Prinsloo was the eldest brother of Orange Free State assistant chief commander Antonie Michael Prinsloo.
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.
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.
Johannes Gerhardus Celliers was a Boer general in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa.
Jonathan Crowther was a Boer war general.
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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.
Christiaan "Chrisjan" Ernst Fourie was an Anglo-Boer War commander of the Middelburg and Johannesburg Commandos and later a combat general for the South African Republic. He should not be confused with his colleagues, the Boer generals Joachim Christoffel Fourie (1845-1900) and Petrus "Piet" Johannes Fourie (1842-1916).
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Andries Petrus Johannes Cronjé was a Second Boer War general, like his older brother Piet Cronjé. After surrendering to the British he became a prominent member of the National Scouts Corps, who assisted the British military against the remaining Boer guerrillas in the last years of the Boer War. A.P.J. Cronjé should not be confused with Boer general Andries Petrus Cronjé, who was captured and sent to Bermuda by the British.
Daniel Jacobus Elardus Erasmus was a Boer general during the Anglo Boer War (1899–1902).
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 (1899–1902).
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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.
Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo was a Second Boer War commander of the Carolina Commando for the South African Republic who fought and prevailed at the Battle of Spion Kop. His son and namesake Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo (1890–1966) served as an officer in the South African Army in both World War I and World War II.
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