TOPIC:

I am interested in this event, and there are several things I am trying to find out:

1. The role, if any, played by the English magistrate of the town, Cecil Vaughan

2. Which regiment (I believe they may have been Highlanders) was dispatched from Cradock and arrived in Maraisburg a few days later

3. Who their commanding officer was

Hello and welcome to this forum,
The invasion of the Cape by the Boers, in particular, the second one, are both fascinating and seldom talked about on here, I wish I could help you, perhaps Adrian will see this and have some information for you.
I have read about it, along time ago now, from memory I think a force of around three hundred of the enemy occupied the town for several days
The only thing I know about Maraisburg, is that Captain Meyrick is buried there, but he had been killed at Doornkop sometime a little later than we are talking about, anyway, again welcome and I hope the information you need is forthcoming.
Regards Frank

Sigi
I thought I had read something about this and it took me a while to find where I saw it. The series of books: "South Africa and the Transvaal War" vol.6 page 15 has it that Kruitzinger's commando "..were routed from Maraisburg, which was reoccupied by the British on the 8th (March); but in the interval the magistrate had had a somewhat uncomfortable experience, having been imprisoned in his own house. The enemy reaped a certain reward of their exertions in the form of some horses, saddles and a revolver. They afterwards broke into small bands and were hunted by Colonel Donald's column". I had a look in the index - however, there was no mention of Colonel Donald; nor of the breakup of his command. He might have been "filling in".
Regards
IL.

Commandant Gert van Reenen with about 200 Cape rebels occupied Maraisburg on 7 March 1901. Linked to this event is the trial in Cradock in September of a number of young girls from Maraisburg, who had welcomed the Van Reenen's men (many of whom they knew), had sung the Volkslied with them etc and were later tried for treason.

I have a photo of the British camp at Maraisburg, along the dam, presumably 1901. Perhaps one of your members can identify the unit from this?

What I think I know is that it was a company of Highlanders. There was a major with a few other officers, and the major had a batman, who was also a piper. Taffy Shearing once mentioned to me that she thought it was Major Pennefather, but I have found no evidence to support this. I am still hoping to identify him and his unit.