Depth 3: The Second Boer War (Command) Flashcards
Who was General Sir Redvers Buller?
He won the Victoria Cross during the Zulu Wars, and served in Egypt as the head of Army Intelligence. He was reluctant to lead the forces during the Second Boer War.
What actions did Buller take during the war that were detrimental to the British Army’s performance?
- He was overconfident and conducted his first attack haphazardly because he thought the Boers would surrender immediately.
- The scouting columns he sent north failed to gather any useful information.
- He was reluctant to commit to attacks and vacillated - he ordered frontal attacks after condemning them.
- He ordered White to surrender Ladysmith even though White held out for another ten weeks.
- Was responsible for Spion Kop.
What actions did Buller take that aided the British campaign in the latter half of the Second Boer War?
- He advanced into the Transvaal and won at Bergendal.
- He learned lessons in getting better intelligence and using cavalry mobility to outflank the Boers.
- Urged his men to use natural cover and co-ordinated infantry charges with a creeping artillery barrage.
What was Buller’s legacy after the war like?
He returned to Britain as a war hero but with a tarnished legacy. He was seen as a scapegoat for the Army’s failings during the war, and he was dismissed from the Army for talking to The Times newspaper whilst in active service. His legacy has been subject to fierce debate over his efficacy and skill.
Who was Field Marshal Roberts?
A career soldier who was popular in Britain. He was a holder of the Victoria Cross, and fought in India, but didn’t expect to be called up to lead in South Africa. His son died in Colenso.
What strategic decisions did Roberts take that helped the British Army?
- Avoided frontal attacks and preferred to outflank the Boers.
- Hired an American frontiersman as chief scout.
- Ordered repairs to damaged railways so supplies could be moved faster than the Boers could react.
- Wanted cavalry and mounted infantry to scout and chase the Boers.
What military decisions did Roberts take that helped the British Army?
- Believed a soldier was better when busy, and fed half rations when they were on the attack.
- He advanced through lightly defended territories and often took town without a single shot fired.
- The ‘scorched earth’ policy began under Roberts.
Who was Field Marshal Kitchener?
He was initially Roberts’ Chief of Staff and commented on the poor quality of ammunition and complained about poor food supplies and lack of emergency rations for men on the march.
He became commander-in-chief in late 1900 and he was forced into a ‘war of attrition.’
What was the impact of the scorched earth policy in the Second Boer War?
Started under Roberts, it was meant to deny food and shelter to the guerillas. The British went through and destroyed Boer crops, livestock, ammunition and any other useful materials.
This policy led to thousands of displaced civilians who were ‘concentrated’ in internment camps that were overcrowded and squalid.
What were the South African concentration camps like?
Very poor living conditions. Water-borne diseases like Typhus killed thousands, and this was exacerbated by overcrowding. There was no proper hygiene. Food supplies were erratic and medical care was non-existent.
Were the concentration camps a blunder or a viable policy?
Blunder: Critics suggest the camp policy was deliberate neglect to demoralise Boer fighters. The British were reluctant to enter the camps themselves, fearing infection. There were incidents of the British shooting prisoners of war, with Lieutenant Morant suggesting that Kitchener had issued a ‘no-prisoners’ order.
Policy: The camps were more humanitarian than letting civilians roam free, which would have been a death sentence. It was poor administration that led to the crisis in the camps. The death rate was only high because of the numbers of civilians and the outbreak of disease.
What dilemma did the British Army face at the end of the Second Boer War?
Should they remain in towns and guard areas to maintain British control, or should they pursue and destroy Boer forces?
What were blockhouses?
Kitchener ordered the segmenting of the countryside with wire and blockhouses (small forts for up to 8 soldiers.) This helped clear the Boers out section by section. It also left Kitchener with a very small fighting force as most men were defending railways or the countryside.
How did the Second Boer War end?
Not with a glorious final battle. Boer guerrillas continued to bother the British troops until the last skirmish in 1902 at Rooiwal.
The Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in May 1902, ending the war.
