South Africa has a turbulent 19th century history with various nations confronting each other as they struggled to dominate and occupy key strategic territory. KwaZulu-Natal was the centre of much of this conflict as Boer, Briton and Zulu clashed using traditional and guerrilla warfare.
Momentous 19th century battles brought to life
Today skilled narrators will enthral as they relive the tragedies and glories of these battles right where they happened, adding insights handed down by earlier generations of family members who were present.
The good news is that now, unlike the torrid conditions those poor warring souls had to contend with, the visitor has top class wine, a fine meal and a comfortable bed waiting after a day on the battlefield.
Here’s a brief guide to some of the key battles and areas where they took place:
Voortrekker/Zulu Wars 1836 - 1838
Area: Vryheid, Dundee, Weenen
Hundreds of years ago, the tribes of Bantu migrating south clashed with the resident indigenous tribes of Khoisan. The clashes, which began as relatively tame affairs, became more aggressive and vicious with the rise of the Zulu and their refined weapons and tactics. They equipped themselves with a stabbing spear ideal for close combat and a tough, man sized shield for protection. A “chest and horns” strategy was used to surround and conquer their victims. In little time they developed into the most powerful tribe in the area by seizing the women and cattle of the vanquished and incorporating the surviving warriors into their army.
Early in the 19th century, frontiers were being pushed eastwards by the Voortrekkers (pioneers) of Dutch, French and German origin as they fled the British rule in the Cape Colony and searched for new land. Thus began the Great Trek in 1835 against overwhelming adversity of barren deserts, wild animals, deadly mosquitoes, tsetse fly and savage natives. A thousand Voortrekker wagons crossed the Drakensberg Mountains to enter Natal in the belief that a land deal had been struck with Shaka’s successor king Dingane. But it was not so. Dingane’s warriors killed leader Piet Retief and his group during negotiations and ordered the killing of all the Voortrekkers, sparking a series of battles known as the Voortrekker Zulu Wars.
The Anglo Zulu War 1879
Area: Dundee, Vryheid, Ulundi
The discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa in the late 1800’s made the area an attractive proposition for British colonization as Britain fought to recover from war debt.
On December 11 1878 the British presented the Zulu chiefs with a contrived agreement that would effectively disarm the Zulu nation. The Zulu’s delayed response was taken as a refusal and the British Redcoats under Lord Chelmsford clashed with the Zulus under King Cetshwayo. The many famous battles include the battle of Isandlwana on the Day of the Dead Moon (eclipse) and Rorke’s Drift, where more Victoria Crosses were awarded than in any other battle in history.
The First Boer War 1880
Area: Between Newcastle and Volksrust
In 1877 the British annexed the mineral rich Transvaal (parts of which are now Gauteng). However, there was much resentment amongst the Boers (farmers) and war between the two nations ensued. In embarrassing defeats for the British their garrisons were besieged by the Boers so Sir George Colley was despatched to organise the British troops.
Although Colley was negotiating with his opposite number Petrus Joubert, Colley decided to invade the Transvaal to relieve the besieged British garrisons. This required taking the higher slopes of the 1 900 m (6 000ft) mountain of amaJuba (Mountain of the doves) on the border between Natal and the Transvaal – already occupied by the Boers camped lower down the mountain.
The skills of the British troops were exposed as the Boers retaliated and retook Majuba on a Sunday – a day on which the religious Boers would not usually fight. Many of the British perished when they fell down the mountain in flight. When a British delegation complained about their defeat, the Boers replied - "What do you expect from fighting on a Sunday". After suffering defeat at Majuba and several other battles, the British signed a peace treaty, however, it was an uneasy truce and things were far from over.
The Second Boer War 1899 – 1902
Area: Ladysmith, Estcourt, Colenso
More and more uitlanders (foreigners) were attracted by the mineral wealth of the region, outnumbering the Boer residents. The Boer government was reluctant to grant the uitlanders permanent rights. After failed negotiations with the British on the rights of the foreigners – many of whom were British - President Paul Kruger realized that the British were bent on war and gave them an ultimatum that all their demands be withdrawn. No agreement was reached and the Second Boer War that would see the capture of a young Winston Churchill by the Boers was about to begin. The Boers threw their full might at Natal to prevent the British making good use of the port of Durban, but despite a protracted guerilla campaign by the Boers they accepted defeat in 1902 and the war ended.
What the British confidently expected to be a quick three month exercise to teach the Boer farmers a lesson ended up a disaster. The scorched earth policy of the British left 40 000 men, women and children of all races dead, causing international outrage. The war drew over half a million men into combat of which fifty thousand men of both sides were killed and almost half a million horses perished. One of the battles, that for Tugela Heights, was the greatest ever land battle fought in the Southern hemisphere until the Falklands War and saw the loss of 2 300 British and 200 Boers.
Interesting Facts:
- There was a pivotal moment for the world during the Second Boer War. Present together at the Battle of Spioenkop (Spy Hill) near Estcourt were Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi (as a stretcher bearer) and Louis Botha (future South African Prime Minister and leader of the Boer forces). The 20th century would have been very different had those men suffered an unfavourable fate.
- The war was not without its lighter moments and there sometimes existed a strange camaraderie between foes. On one occasion the capture by the Boers of a British train with alcohol amongst its cargo was followed by a party where the Boers and their captives shared in the spoils. Much merriment saw a Boer sergeant singing the British anthem “God save the Queen”.
Links:
Self-drive tours
Guided battlefield tours, experts and information:
A useful map showing the main areas can be found at: