Article Index

Chronology

1899

October:  11th.-Time fixed by Boers' ultimatum expired at 5 p.m.  14th.-Boers march on Kimberley and Mafeking.  15th.-Kimberley isolated.  20th.-Talana Hill captured by British under Symons.  21st.-Boers routed at Elandslaagte.  22nd.-Yule retires from Dundee on Ladysmith.  23rd.-Death of Gen. Symons at Dundee.  30th.-Nicholson's Nek disaster.  31st.-Gen. Buller lands at Cape Town.

November:  1st.-Boers invade Cape Colony.  2nd.-Ladysmith isolated.  9th.-General attack on Ladysmith repulsed. 15th.-Armoured train wrecked near Chievely.  23rd.-Methuen successfully attacks Boers at Belmont.  25th.-Methuen successfully attacks Boers at Enslin.  28th.-Methuen defeats Boers at Modder River.

December:   10th.-Gatacre surprised in night attack on Stormberg.  11th.-Methuen repulsed at Magersfontein, Gen. Wauchope killed.  15th.-Buller's force repulsed at Colenso.  18th.-Lord Roberts appointed Com.-in-Chief in S. Africa.

1900

January:  6th.-Disaster to Suffolk Regt. near Rensburg.-Attack on Ladysmith repulsed.  10th.-Lords Roberts and Kitchener arrive at Capetown.-Movement for relief of Ladysmith resumed.  11th. –Dundonald seizes pont at Potgeiter's Drift.  18th.-Buller makes second attempt to relieve Ladysmith.  23rd-24th.-Spion Kop captured on 24th, but evacuated during night.-Gen. Woodgate fatally wounded.

February:  5th. -Buller's third attempt to relieve Ladysmith commenced.-Lyttlelton crosses Tugela, and captures Vaal Krantz.  9th.-Lord Roberts arrives at Modder River.  13th.-Lord Roberts at Dekiel's Drift.  15th.-Lord Roberts at Jacobsdal.-Relief of Kimberley.  17th.-Rearguard action between Kelly-Kenny and Cronje en route to Bloemfontein.-Fourth attempt to relieve Ladysmith.-Buller advances on Monte Cristo Hill.  19th.-Buller takes Hlangwane Hill.  20th.-Cronje bombarded by Lord Roberts near Paardeberg.  21st.-Fifth Division crosses Tugela.  23rd.-Buller unsuccessfully attacks Railway Hill.  26th.-Buller makes fresh passage of Tugela.  27th.-Cronje surrenders at Paardeberg.-Pieter's Hill carried by Hildyard.  28th.-Relief of Ladysmith.-Clements occupies Colesberg.

March:   5th.-Gatacre occupies Stormberg.-Brabant defeats and pursues Boers.  7th.-Lord Roberts routs Boers at Poplar Grove.  10th.-Lord Roberts defeats Boers at Driefontein.  13th.-Lord Roberts occupies Bloemfontein. 31st.-Broadwood attacked at Waterworks.-Artillery entrapped at Koorn Spruit.

April:  7th.-Col. Dalgety isolated near Wepener.  25th.-Dalgety relieved by Chermside.

May:   12th-Lord Roberts enters Kroonstad.-Attack on Mafeking repulsed, Commandant Eloff taken.  13th.-Mahon repulses attack at Koodoosrand.  15th.-Buller occupies Dundee.-Plumer joint hands with Mahon.  17th-18th.-Relief of Mafeking.  28th.-Annexetion of Orange Free State.  31st.-British flag hoisted at Johannesburg.-Surrender of Yeomanry at Lindley.

June:  5th.-Occupation of Pretoria.  8th.-Hildyard takes Botha's Pass.-Mishap to 4th Derbyshires at Roodeval.  11th.-Fight at Allemans Nek.  12th.-Boers evacuate Langs Nek.-Roberts defeats Botha at Diamond Hill.  14th.-Boer attack on Sand River repulsed.

July:   4th.-Roberts and Buller join hands at Vlakfontein.  11th.-Disaster to Scots Greys and Lincolns at Uitval Nek.  21st.-Advance towards Komati Poort begins.  30th.-Surrender of Prinsloo and 3,000 Boers to Hunter in Brandwater basin.

August:  16th.-Eland's River garrison relieved.  26th.27th.-Fighting at Dalmanutha.  30th.-Nooigedacht occupied and 2,000 prisoners released.

September:  6th.-Buller occupies Lydenburg.  13th.-Proclamation issued by Roberts calling on burghers to surrender.-French occupies Barberton.  25th.-British force occupies Komato Poort.

October:  9th.-De Wet driven across the Vaal.  24th.-Buller leaves Cape Town for England.  25th.-Formal annexation of S. African Republic.

November:  6th.-De Wet defeated at Bothaville.  23rd.-Garrison at Dewetsdorp captured by De Wet.  29th.-Lord Kitchener takes supreme command.

December:  5th.-De Wet’s attempt to enter Cape Colony frustrated by Knox. 11th.-Roberts leaves Cape Town for England.  13th.-Clements defeated by Delarey at Nooitgedacht.-Mishap to Brabant's Horse at Zastron.  14th.-De Wet and Steyn escape through Sprinkhaans Pass. 16th-20th.-Boer raid into Cape Colony.  28th.-De Wet fails to break back into Cape Colony.  29th.-Mishap to Liverpools at Helvetia.

1901

January:  7th.-Boer attack on Belfast.  18th.-Delarey's force defeated near Ventersburg.  28th.-French enters Ermelo.-Smith-Dorrien repels Botha.-Sweeping movement commences in S. E. Transvaal.

February:  10th.-De Wet enters Cape Colony.  28th.-De Wet recrosses Orange River, having lost his          guns.

March:  3rd.-Unsuccessful attack by Delarey on Lichtenburg.  22nd-23rd.-Babington routs Delarey at Ventersdorp.

April:  8th.-Plumer occupies Pietersburg.  14th.-Rawlinson captures laager at Klerksdorp.

May:   29th.-Delarey defeated by Dixon at Vlakfontein.

June:   2nd.-Kruitzinger captures James Town, Cape Colony.  6th.-Elliot captures De Wet's convoy near Reitz.  12th.-Disa.ster to Victorians near Wilmansrust.  26th.-Boers attack blockhouses on Delagoa Railway.

July:  13th.-Broadwood surprises Reitz.-Narrow escape of Steyn.

August:  6th.-Proclamation by Lord Kitchener of banishment of Boer leaders taken in arms after Sept. 15.  13th. -Kruitzinger's commandos routed near Steynsburg by Col. Gorringe.  17th.-Boer laager near Middelsburg captured by B.A.C.

September:  5th.-Lotter's commando captured by Col. Scobell.  10th.-Col. Crabbe routs Scheepers's commando at Laingsburg.  17th.-Major Gough surprised near Utrecht. Smut's commando surprises 17th Lancers at Elands River Poort.  26th.-Botha's attack upon Forts Itala and Prospect, on Zulu Border, repulsed.  30th.-Delarey's attack upon Kekewich's camp at Moedwill repulsed.

October:   16th.-Rhenoster River blockhouse line attacked.  20th.-Col. Dawkins captures three laagers, Nylstroom.  22nd.-Col. Benson surprises laager near Clipportje.  24th.-Kemp attacks Von Donop's convoy near Marico River.  25th.-Major Damant disperses Boers near Villiersdorp.  30th.-Col. Benson's column attacked at Brakenlaagte.

November:  1st.-Col. Kekewich captures Van Albert's laager.  7th.-Maritz attacks Picquetberg.  11th.-Major Pack Beresford, S.A.C., captures Dutoit's laager at Doornhoek.  14th.-De Wet attacks Col. Byng near Heilbron.  26th.-Gen. C. Knox captures Commandant Joubert.

December:   4th.-Gen. Bruce Hamilton captures laager near Ermelo.  10th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Bethel commando.  12th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Piet Viljoen's laager.  20th.-Majors Damant's and Bridgeford's columns severely handled by Boers.  23rd.-Kroonstad-Lindley blockhouse line completed. 24th.-De Wet captures Col. Firman's camp at Tweefontein.  29th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Gen. Erasmus east of Ermelo.

1902

January:  10th.-Bruce Hamilton captures Wolmaran's laager.  22nd.-Beyers enters Pietersburg concentration camp.  25th.-Gen. Ben Viljoen captured near Lydenburg.  28th.-Col. Du Moulin killed at Abraham's Kraal.  30th.-Col. Price takes Wessel's laager in Cape Colony.

February:  4th.-De Wet's last gun captured by Col. Hon. J. Byng.  5th.-Lord Kitchener commences Wolvehoek drive against De Wet.  8th.-British convoy captured near Fraserburg.  12th.-Mishap to 28th Co. Mounted Inf. at Klip River.  20th.-Col. Park captures commando in Bothasberg.  22nd.-Col. Mackenzie captures Hans Grobelaar's commando near Lake Chrissie.  24th.-Delarey captures Von Donop’s convoy near Wolmaranstad.

March:  7th.-Major Paris's column overwhelmed near Tweebosch by Delarey.-Methuen wounded and captured.  15th.-Bruce-Hamilton surprises Emmett's commando, captures Gen. Cherry Emmett. 31st.-W. Kitchener's column repulse Delarey.

April:  1st.-2nd Dragoons surprise laager at Boschman’s Kop.  8th.- Col. Colenbrander attacks Beyers near Pietersburg.  11th.-Kemp's men attack Kekewich's column at Rooiwal; repulsed with heavy loses.

May:  11th.-Col. Barker captures Manie Botha.-Rebels invest Ookiep.  7th.-Col. Cooper relieves Ookiep.-Serious accident to armoured train near Pretoria.  16th.-Conference at Vereeniging.-Jack Hindon, train wrecker, surrenders at Balmoral.  18th.-Aberdeen attacked by 120 Boers.  21st.-Lord Lovat captures Fouche's camp at Stapleford.  25th.-J. Hindon's corps surrenders at Balmoral.  27th.-Commandant Malan, mortally wounded, captured at Ripon Road, Cape Colony.  31st.-Conditions of surrender signed.