After their crack-pot declaration of war on the British Empire on 11 October 1899, the Boers invaded Natal at several points, and pushed on against no opposition: there were no ‘British troops massing on the border’, despite what certain frazzled South African academics like to tell one another. A week after their invasion began, Commandant-General Joubert’s men still had not fought a significant action, but such was their ponderous advance that they only captured the undefended town of Newcastle on 17 October[i].
The town had been abandoned but, ignoring Joubert’s pleas, his men gleefully embarked on a looting spree. Efforts were also made to establish a new administrative structure in the occupied areas, with rebels appointed to serve as veldkornets, landdrosts and the like. Newcastle would remain under Boer control for seven months, with the republicans even going to the trouble of renaming it Viljoensdorp.[ii] So much for the self-serving rubbish about it being a ‘defensive invasion’.
After Buller’s victory at the Battle of Tugela Heights (12-27 February 1900), and the resultant Relief of Ladysmith on 28 February, there was a lengthy delay while the British reorganised and rebuilt the sabotaged railway and bridges. It was not until 8 May that Buller felt able to recommence his advance to clear the invading Boers from Northern Natal.
NOTES:
[i] Torlage & Watt, A Guide to the Anglo-Boer War Sites of KwaZulu-Natal, p.5
[ii] Ibid, p.5
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