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The Battle of Bergendal (also known as the Battle of Belfast or Battle of Dalmanutha) was the last set-piece battle of the Second Anglo-Boer War. It lasted from 21–27 August 1900 and took place on the farm Bergendal near the town of Belfast. The 5,000 Boers were under the command of General Louis Botha and the 20,000 British Empire forces were led by General Sir Redvers Buller under the overall command of Lord Roberts.
Advancing from the direction of Pretoria along the main railroad line, the main aim of Lord Roberts' forces were to occupy the temporary South African Republic (ZAR) government seat of Machadodorp. Their line of advance would lead right across the farm Bergendal where the ZARPs - members of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek Politie or South African Republic Police - was positioned.
The battle lasted from 21 to 27 August 1900. Its climax came on the last day, when 70 men of the Johannesburg ZARP faced a full attack by General Sir Redvers Buller's Natal Field Army (also referred to as the Natal Field Force).
Despite a tenacious defence by the ZARPs of the kopje where they had dug in, they were eventually defeated by the British forces. Twenty of the ZARPs force had been killed and nineteen (including their leader, Commandant Oosthuizen) were taken prisoner. The rest of the ZARPs force escaped and joined the other retreating Boer commandos. British losses were three officers killed and seven wounded, 12 rank and file killed and 100 wounded.
On 27 August at Waterval Onder, the first railway station in the Transvaal Lowveld beyond Machadodorp, Presidents Kruger and Steyn, together with other members of their governments, awaited news. Throughout the day, they listened to the rumble of the battle being fought on the mountain ridge above them. The next day, 28 August, President Kruger and the rest left for Nelspruit, which was declared the new seat of governmont. Kruger was granted permission to leave for Europe. The aged president would never return. He died in exile on 14 July 1904 in Switzerland. His body was transported back to South Africa and buried in Pretoria on 16 December 1904.
Although the ZARPs were defeated and the British won the battle, Botha's main force remained intact. The commandos dispersed to Lydenburg and Barberton, and guerilla warfare began. This second phase of the war lasted even longer than the first. Peace would only be declared at the end of May 1902.
The battle of Bergendal should be memorialised not because of its outcome, but to highlight the skill demonstrated by that wonderful soldier and strategist, General Sir Redvers Buller, and to honour the courage displayed by the soldiers on both sides.
Date: 21 Augsut 1900 – 27 August 1900
Location: Bergendal, Belfast, South Africa
Result: British Victory
Boer Commandos
Commanders and Leaders
- General Louis Botha 1862 to 1919
- General Joachim Christoffel Fourie 1855 to 1900
- General Benjamin Johannes Viljoen 1869 to 1917
- Commandant Philip Oosthuizen – ZARP
Strength: 7000 men, 20 guns
Troops
D
- Fritz Joubert Duquesne 1877 to 1956
V
- Freiherr Alfred von Dalwig Heavily wounded 27 August 1900 – Died 11 February 1911 – Captain of the State Artillery ZA Republic
Casualties and losses
20 killed
unknown wounded
19 prisoners
Casualties
A
- Thomas Arnoldus ? to Died 27 August 1900
H
- Titus Hallatt 1862 to 27 August 1900
- Willem Hendrik Hearly 1873 to 27 August 1900
L
- Luther EW 11 September 1900
- Age: 20
- Address: Belfast District
- Commando: Irish American Corps
M
- Stephanus Willem Malan 1865 to27 August 1900
- FJ Matthysen ? to Died 27 August 1900
- Miller Jack 27 August 1900
- Commando: Irish Brigade
- Buried: Bergendal Monument from Belfast
- Christiaan J Mouton ? to Died 27 August 1900
- Mullen Jack 27 August 1900
P
- Ferdinand Pohlman 1864 to 27 August 1900
- Johannes Jacobus Pretorius ? to Died 27 August 1900
- Thomas Andries Prinsloo ? to Died 27 August 1900
V
- Cornelis Johannes van Biljon ? to Died 27 August 1900
- Jacobus Johannes van der Merwe 1866 to Died 27 August 1900
- Jan Willem van der Merwe 1861 to 29 August 1900
- JW van Dyk ? to Died 27 August 1900
- Daniel Nicholas van Vuuren ? to Died 27 August 1900
- Lucas van Vuuren 1880 to 21 August 1900
Commonwealth Troops
Commanders and Leaders
- General Sir Redvers Buller 1839 - 1908
- Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts 1832 - 1914
Strength: 19000 men, 82 guns
Troops
A
B
C
Casualties and losses
15 killed
107 wounded or missing
Casualties
B
C
D
F
G
I
J
K
L
M
P
- Captain Alfred Durham Plomer 1868 - 29 August 1900
S
- Captain Albert Savory 1878 - 23 August 1900
T
W
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bergendal]
[http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol124cj.html]
[http://www.angloboerwar.com/books/65-viljoen-my-reminiscences-of-th...]