Kraaipan – Nongqai Vol 17 No 4
3. FIRST BLOOD: KRAAIPAN
Jennifer Bosch
The Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899 – 1902 stemmed from rising tensions between the British Empire and the Boer republics — the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The 1886 Witwatersrand Gold Rush triggered the conflict by bringing thousands of British “Uitlanders” into the Transvaal, leading to disputes over citizenship, taxation, and political control.
Economic and political friction began deepening as Britain sought to dominate the gold-rich region and unify South Africa under its rule, while the Boers defended their independence. Key flashpoints included the failed 1895–96 Jameson Raid, which strengthened Boer unity, and the 1895 Drift Crisis over trade restrictions.
As both sides armed for conflict and diplomatic talks at the 1899 Bloemfontein Conference collapsed, Transvaal President Paul Kruger issued an ultimatum—marking the start of war. – ebsco – sahistory.org –
Boer forces in front of the Dundee Town Offices -Talana Museum-
Key Figures
PIETER ARNOLDUS CRONJE
Boer Commander in the Western Theatre;
Ordered Potchefstroom and Lichtenburg commandos to attack Kraaipan on the night of October 11, 1899
JACOBUS HERCULAAS DE LA REY
Field General;
Led the night attack on October 11, 1899
The Battle of Kraaipan was the opening clash of the Second Anglo-Boer War on October 12, 1899, a day after the formal declaration of war.
Around 800 Boer commandos led by General Koos de la Rey from Potchefstroom and Lichtenburg targeted the British railway siding near Mafeking (45-60 km southwest). They derailed the armoured “Mosquito” train—carrying Captain Nesbitt, 20 men, two 7-pounder guns, rifles, and supplies. Following five hours of rifle and artillery fire, the British surrendered the next morning.
-Battle Tours -Allan Gordon-
“Captain Nesbitt, who was in command of the train, was wounded and about twenty men under him were rounded up and conducted as prisoners of war to the laager of General Cronje.”
– ‘De la Rey – Lion of the West’ by Johannes Meintjies- -‘The Great Boer War’-Arthur Conan Doyle-
General Koos de la Rey’s commando with the captured British armoured train Mosquito after the battle of Kraaipan, 12 October 1899.
Petrus Johannes (Piet) Liebenberg (1857–1950), a veteran of the 1st Boer War and Klerksdorp Volksraad member was a Boer general and served throughout the Second Anglo-Boer War. He fought in early battles such as Kraaipan, Mafeking, Modder River, and Magersfontein, later rising to ‘Fighting General’ (Veg Generaal) under Piet Cronjé in 1900. After operations in the Eastern Cape, he became a full General and led the Potchefstroom commando during the guerrilla phase in the western Transvaal until the war’s end. Despite his active role, he remains relatively little known.
Petrus Johannes Liebenberg,
– Breytenbach, 198-
-angloboerwarforum-
Petrus Johannes (Piet) Liebenberg (1857-1950)
– angloboerwarforum –
