Episode 105 - General Louis Botha stumbles & sleet causes chaos for Jan Smuts
The Anglo-Boer War22 Syys 2019

Episode 105 - General Louis Botha stumbles & sleet causes chaos for Jan Smuts

An incredible turn of events was taking place after a few icy months of winter - the Boers were waking up like hibernating bears and there would be a sudden escalation in incidents across south Africa. General Jan Smuts led a commando of around 400 men. He had survived three near misses after entering the Cape in the first week of September 1901. Remember I’d explained how he was first attacked by a group of Basutho’s, then he was ambushed by a British patrol while conducting surveillance - losing three men and his horse, then he was surrounded on a flat-topped hill in the Stormberg range. He escaped after being led to a steep ravine by an unnamed hunchback. General Louis Botha meanwhile, had managed to invade Natal with a much larger force of around 2000 men in his commando and had savaged a British cavalry unit near the town of Dundee. I explained last week how Captain Gough had charged straight into this commando, and lost virtually all of his 245 men. Botha and his commando had been marching south skirting both Zululand and just clipping the Swaziland border. His men were riding fast - they had hundreds of pack mules and pack horses, leaving their cumbersome ox wagons. They had armed themselves with both Lee Metford and Mauser rifles so could take advantage of seized Britsh ammunition. As Major Hubert Gough had discovered, this commando was moving swiftly. Remember the invasion of Natal was the other half of the grand strategy agreed with Smuts at the meeting in Standerton earlier in the year. The military aim was to divert pressure from the occupied Republics, its political aim, to prove that the war was not over.

Jaksot(143)

Episode 143 - Characters of the war an omnibus final edition with a great deal of Smuts

Episode 143 - Characters of the war an omnibus final edition with a great deal of Smuts

Thanks to those who’ve sent messages of support in the last few weeks – the level of interaction has been remarkable from all my listeners around the world. For some we started this journey together i...

14 Kesä 202023min

Episode 142 - The winners and the losers – counting the cost

Episode 142 - The winners and the losers – counting the cost

This week we count the costs of the war and follow some of those involved as they begin the long process of recovery. First, the cost. There is still debate about some of the statistics as there alwa...

7 Kesä 202022min

Episode 141 - Peace!

Episode 141 - Peace!

Episode 141 is where the British and the Boers finally sign a peace treaty, but there’s quite a bit to cover as we go about watching the days between 19th and 31st May 1902. Remember how the represen...

31 Touko 202021min

Episode 140 - General Cronje demands a St Helena mounted guard & Peace Talks back on in Pretoria

Episode 140 - General Cronje demands a St Helena mounted guard & Peace Talks back on in Pretoria

The first large group of Boer prisoners were taken by the British at the battle of Elandslaagte on 21st October 1899. The army had failed to plan for prisoners because the idea was the Boers would be ...

24 Touko 202023min

Episode 139 - Emotions run high in Vereeniging as the Boers discuss English Peace terms

Episode 139 - Emotions run high in Vereeniging as the Boers discuss English Peace terms

Episode 139 is full of peace and a smattering of love as the Boers gather in Vereeniging to discuss the British terms of surrender. As you can well imagine, the moment is bitter sweet. Men who have no...

17 Touko 202023min

Episode 138 - The Zulu massacre Boers at Holkrantz on the eve of the Vereeniging Conference

Episode 138 - The Zulu massacre Boers at Holkrantz on the eve of the Vereeniging Conference

We’re up to episode 138 and it’s a week to go before the all-important Boer Conference in Vereeniging starting May 15th 1902. Lord Kitchener has ordered his men in all intents and purposes to stop ch...

10 Touko 202021min

Episode 137 -Smuts meets a ragged Louis Botha and a Boer spy loses her mind momentarily

Episode 137 -Smuts meets a ragged Louis Botha and a Boer spy loses her mind momentarily

First we join General Jan Smuts who has been waiting in Cape Town for the British to lay on a a train to take him inland where he will join the Boer political and military leaders at Vereeniging for a...

3 Touko 202019min

Episode 136 - Deneys Reitz receives a record promotion and General Smuts takes a cruise to Cape Town

Episode 136 - Deneys Reitz receives a record promotion and General Smuts takes a cruise to Cape Town

We’re back in the Northern Cape with General Jan Smuts. He’s been waiting in vain for more than two weeks for the British to send a relief force after he laid siege to the well defended town of O’Kiep...

26 Huhti 202018min

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