First Anglo Boer War

The Transvaal Boers gained their independence from the British on 1852 whilst in the Freestate their independence was gained two years later. They became collectively known as the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. This independence was short lived however as the British raised the Union Jack on Church Square in Pretoria on 12th April 1877.

When negotiations with the British failed the Transvaalers raised their flag, the Vierkleur, at Pardekraal on the 13th December 1880. Three days later the British opened fire on a Boer commando at Potchefstroom and the First Anglo Boer War had started. The British moved troops up from Durban to Newcastle whilst the Boers, under General Piet Joubert, moved their commandos across the border to Laings Nek. On 28th January 1881 General Colley attacked Joubert but withdrew after half an hour. Eight days later Joubert attacked an ammunition convoy at Ingogo where the British suffered many casualties. The red coats of the British and the superior accuracy of the Boer marksmen were too much for the British. During the night of 26th February 1881, Colley and 579 men moved to the top of a nearby mountain called Majuba.

Joubert saw them against the skyline and despatched 150 of his men after forcing the British to surrender after a fierce battle. Once again there were heavy casualties, including General Colley, who was fatally wounded. Colley’s successor, Sir Evelyn Wood, signed an armistice with General Joubert on the 6th March 1881 at the bottom of Majuba. Following this armistice a peace treaty was signed on 21st March 1881. Unfortunately this peace did not last very long.

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Some will argue that the defeat of the British at Majuba was merely a revenge for an earlier defeat of the Boers at Bloemplatz in 1848 and that in all probability the men that fought there were the fathers of those at Majuba. The newly arrived Governor, Sir Harry Smith was commanding the force opposing the Boers at Bloemplatz and inflicted 49 killed and an equal number of wounded on the enemy.