The Second Boer War, 1899-1902
Fought between the British Army and the Boers who were of Dutch origin in South Africa.
British had two colonies in South Africa- Cape Colony and Natal
Boers held- Orange Free State and Transvaal
Background
-First Boer War fought 1880-81 because British annexed the Transvaal
-Discovery of gold in 1880s sparked an inrush of foreign settlers or ‘uitlanders’ meaning outlanders
-Uitlanders mostly English speaking
-By 1890s the uitlanders outnumbered the Afrikaans speakers (language of the Boers)
-Uitlanders denied voting rights
-Distrust between Paul Kruger (Transvaal President) and Alfred Milner (British high commissioner)
Jameson Raid
-1895, was a ploy to give Britain an excuse to intervene in the Transvaal
-FAILED. It led Cecil Rhodes to resign as premier of Cape Colony
-It unified the Boers under Kruger’s leadership
-Colonial secretary Joseph Chamberlain and Milner insisted Britain had a right of control over Boer
republics
-Orange Free State and Transvaal began to mobilise
-Boers issued an ultimatum demanding withdrawal of troops from their frontiers- Britain refused
-War began on 11th October 1899, with Boers attacking Cape Colony and Natal
Boer Forces
-Generals Christian de Wet and Botha planned their own campaigns
-Respected but did not fear the British
-Worried imperialism would engulf their Republic, theirs was a fight for survival and identity
-Mostly volunteers
-Had no regular armies
-Mostly were hunters and ‘trekkers’, knew how to shoot
-All farmers were armed by the Transvaal government, latest guns from Germany
-Their only professional gunners were artillery gunners
-Had local support to move supplies
-Mobile Commandos. Most effective unit, skilled at guerrilla tactics
British forces
-War was met with patriotic fervour
-High confidence due to recent victories
-However, Salisbury was realistic, ‘we have no army capable of meeting even a second-class
Continental Power’
-Optimism was quickly tested as controversies about leadership, organisation and conduct rose
Nature of British Army
-George Wyndham, declared the army to be more efficient than ever
-Cardwell reforms of 1860s/1870s
-Experience of colonial warfare
Army strength
-Around 250,000 regular soldiers
-Many still wore red, but 1st Boer War demonstrated value in Khaki
-Boers initially had more men 50,000, but by Dec. 1899 British had 84,000 men
-Navy escorted ships carrying troops to Cape Town
-Boers were used to moving horses across rough land, the British were not and planned to use
railways
Fought between the British Army and the Boers who were of Dutch origin in South Africa.
British had two colonies in South Africa- Cape Colony and Natal
Boers held- Orange Free State and Transvaal
Background
-First Boer War fought 1880-81 because British annexed the Transvaal
-Discovery of gold in 1880s sparked an inrush of foreign settlers or ‘uitlanders’ meaning outlanders
-Uitlanders mostly English speaking
-By 1890s the uitlanders outnumbered the Afrikaans speakers (language of the Boers)
-Uitlanders denied voting rights
-Distrust between Paul Kruger (Transvaal President) and Alfred Milner (British high commissioner)
Jameson Raid
-1895, was a ploy to give Britain an excuse to intervene in the Transvaal
-FAILED. It led Cecil Rhodes to resign as premier of Cape Colony
-It unified the Boers under Kruger’s leadership
-Colonial secretary Joseph Chamberlain and Milner insisted Britain had a right of control over Boer
republics
-Orange Free State and Transvaal began to mobilise
-Boers issued an ultimatum demanding withdrawal of troops from their frontiers- Britain refused
-War began on 11th October 1899, with Boers attacking Cape Colony and Natal
Boer Forces
-Generals Christian de Wet and Botha planned their own campaigns
-Respected but did not fear the British
-Worried imperialism would engulf their Republic, theirs was a fight for survival and identity
-Mostly volunteers
-Had no regular armies
-Mostly were hunters and ‘trekkers’, knew how to shoot
-All farmers were armed by the Transvaal government, latest guns from Germany
-Their only professional gunners were artillery gunners
-Had local support to move supplies
-Mobile Commandos. Most effective unit, skilled at guerrilla tactics
British forces
-War was met with patriotic fervour
-High confidence due to recent victories
-However, Salisbury was realistic, ‘we have no army capable of meeting even a second-class
Continental Power’
-Optimism was quickly tested as controversies about leadership, organisation and conduct rose
Nature of British Army
-George Wyndham, declared the army to be more efficient than ever
-Cardwell reforms of 1860s/1870s
-Experience of colonial warfare
Army strength
-Around 250,000 regular soldiers
-Many still wore red, but 1st Boer War demonstrated value in Khaki
-Boers initially had more men 50,000, but by Dec. 1899 British had 84,000 men
-Navy escorted ships carrying troops to Cape Town
-Boers were used to moving horses across rough land, the British were not and planned to use
railways
