Second Boer War: The Conflict That Reshaped Southern Africa

The Second Boer War, fought between October 11, 1899, and May 31, 1902, was a pivotal struggle for dominance in Southern Africa. Pitting the British Empire against the two independent Boer republics—the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State—the war evolved from a conventional military clash into a brutal guerrilla conflict that left a lasting scar on the region's history.

The roots of the conflict lay in the Witwatersrand Gold Rush, which triggered a massive influx of foreign settlers, primarily British citizens known as Uitlanders. These settlers faced restrictive voting laws in the South African Republic, requiring 14 years of residence to participate in politics. When diplomatic efforts and the Bloemfontein Conference of 1899 failed to resolve these grievances, the British government deployed 10,000 troops, sparking an open war.

Paul Kruger, leader of the South African Republic (Transvaal)

Key Facts

Boer victory over the British at the Battle of Majuba Hill, First Boer War, 1881

Duration: October 11, 1899 – May 31, 1902.
Belligerents: The United Kingdom and its Empire (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India) vs. the South African Republic, Orange Free State, and Boer volunteers.
Outcome: British victory; dissolution of the Boer republics and the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging.
Total Imperial Strength: Approximately 448,435 personnel.
Total Boer Strength: Approximately 87,365 personnel.
Financial Cost: Estimated at £211,156,000 for the British government.

The Three Phases of War

A sketch showing the arrest of Leander Starr Jameson after the failed Jameson raid, in 1896

Phase I: The Boer Offensive (1899–1900)

The war began with a swift Boer offensive into the British-held Natal and Cape Colony. The Boers utilized commandos—civilian militias characterized by high mobility and expert marksmanship—outnumbering the initial British force of 13,000 with roughly 33,000 soldiers. While most Boers fought in civilian clothes, the Staatsartillerie (State Artillery) wore light green uniforms.

A typical British soldier. Corporal Alexander Turnbull of Kitchener's Fighting Scouts

This phase was marked by the Boer sieges of Ladysmith, Mafeking, and Kimberley, which tied down significant British resources and caused early humiliations for the Imperial forces.

Phase II: The British Counter-Offensive (1900)

Following early defeats, General Redvers Buller was replaced by Lord Roberts. The British shifted their strategy, successfully relieving the besieged cities and capturing the Boer capitals. The capture of Pretoria signaled a turning point, forcing the Boer forces to retreat and leading to the surrender of thousands of soldiers, including General Piet Cronjé at the Battle of Paardeberg.

General Redvers Henry Buller launched an offensive against the Boers in the early phases of the war but after several defeats, culminating at the Battle of Colenso, he was replaced by Lord Roberts.

General Piet Cronjé as a prisoner of war in Saint Helena, 1900–02. He was captured, along with 4,000 soldiers, after the loss of the Battle of Paardeberg.

Phase III: Guerrilla Warfare and Scorched Earth (1900–1902)

Refusing to surrender, Boer leaders like Christiaan de Wet launched a guerrilla campaign. In response, Lord Kitchener implemented a scorched earth policy, burning farms and destroying crops to deny the guerrillas food and shelter. To restrict Boer movement, the British constructed a vast network of blockhouses.

A British response to the guerrilla war was a scorched earth policy to deny guerrillas supplies and refuge. Here Boer civilians watch their house as it is burned.

Christiaan De Wet was the most formidable leader of the Boer guerrillas. He successfully evaded capture several times and later involved in the negotiations for a peace settlement.

Human Cost and Controversies

Mauser 1895 bolt-action rifle (at the Auckland Museum)

The war is remembered for its severe impact on non-combatants. The British established concentration camps to house Boer women and children displaced by the scorched earth policy, as well as camps for native Africans. These camps were plagued by disease and malnutrition, leading to thousands of deaths.

Tents in the Barberton concentration camp, c.1901

Lizzie van Zyl, a Boer child (age 7), photographed by Emily Hobhouse in a British concentration camp near Bloemfontein, February 1901

Native Africans interned in the Bronkerspruit camp

The conflict also saw the involvement of diverse Imperial forces, including the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps, which included a young Mohandas K. Gandhi.

Natal Indian Ambulance Corps with future leader Mohandas K. Gandhi (Middle row, 5th from left)

War Summary and Statistics

A British Lee–Metford rifle used by British troops during the Second Boer War

Category	British Empire	Boer Republics & Allies
Total Strength	448,435	87,365
Dead	22,092	6,189
Captured/Surrendered	2,006	45,256
Sick/Wounded/Missing	76,364	110

Frequently Asked Questions

1899 German political cartoon: "War and Capitalism, or the transformation of human blood into gold"

British casualties lie dead on the battlefield after the Battle of Spion Kop, 24 January 1900.

The Relief of Ladysmith. Sir George Stuart White greets Major Hubert Gough on 28 February. Painting by John Henry Frederick Bacon (1868–1914).

A Transit camp for Prisoners of War near Cape Town during the war. Prisoners were then transferred for internment in other parts of the British Empire.

Kitchener succeeded Roberts in November 1900 and launched anti-guerrilla campaigns. 1898 photograph in 1910 magazine.

Playbill for an "illustrated lecture" on the campaign by war correspondent and artist René Bull,1900

"Transvaal War". Queen Victoria on her throne among Commonwealth subjects in front of London. First British magic lantern slide in an educational series for children, 1900s.

Sol Plaatje who kept a diary during the siege of Mafeking.

Major James Francis Thomas standing over the joint grave of Breaker Morant and Peter Handcock, officers executed after a 1902 court-martial.

British and Australian officers in South Africa, c. 1900

The unveiling of the South African War Memorial in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1908

New Zealand troops marching down Wellesley Street, Auckland, to embark for South Africa

Rhodesian volunteers leaving Salisbury for service in the Second Boer War, 1899

Alfred, Lord Milner, was the British High Commissioner of Southern Africa. He was involved from the start of the war and had a role in the peace process and the creation of the Union of South Africa.

Unloading the hospital train with wounded British soldiers, around 1900. Nurse Constance Louisa Agg's album.

Canadian soldiers of Lord Strathcona's Horse en route to South Africa in 1899.

Memorial window from St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin by An Túr Gloine. Many Irish Republicans sympathised with the Boer side,[169] rather than the British side on which fought the Royal Irish Regiment.

A horse destined to serve in the war, being offloaded in Port Elizabeth

What caused the Second Boer War?

The primary cause was the tension over the Witwatersrand Gold Rush. The British sought greater influence in the region and pushed for voting rights for the Uitlanders (foreigners), which the Boer government of the South African Republic resisted.

What was the 'scorched earth' policy?

It was a military strategy used by the British to defeat Boer guerrillas by destroying their means of survival. This involved burning farms, killing livestock, and destroying crops to force the guerrillas to surrender.

How did the war end?

The war ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging on May 31, 1902. The Boer republics were dissolved and became British colonies, eventually leading to the creation of the Union of South Africa.

Who were the Boer commandos?

The commandos were civilian militias rather than a professional standing army. They were highly skilled in scouting, riding, and marksmanship, which made them formidable opponents in the South African terrain.

What role did other Commonwealth nations play?

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand provided significant troop contributions. For example, Canadian soldiers played a major role in the victory at the Battle of Paardeberg.