Battle Of Paardeberg Article Index for
Battle Of
Website Links For
Battle
 

Information About

Battle Of Paardeberg




  partof Second Boer War
  date 18 February - 27 February , 1900
  place Paardeberg Drift, Orange Free State
  result British victory
  combatant1 The British Empire
  combatant2 Boers
  commander1 Lord Kitchener <br> Lord Roberts
  commander2 Piet Cronje
  strength1 30,000 men
  strength2 5,000 men
  casualties1 258 dead <br>1,211 wounded <br>86 captured
  casualties2 100 dead <br>250 wounded <br>4,096 captured


The Battle of Paardeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War . It was fought near ''Paardeberg Drift'' on the banks of the ''Modderrivier'' ("Mud River") in the Orange Free State . It was the largest and bloodiest single - as well as last major - battle of the war.

The battle started on 18 February 1900 , when the British forces under command of Lord Horatio Kitchener surrounded the Boer forces, under General Piet Cronje , at Paardeberg. Kitchener was taken ill the next day and thus Field Marshal Lord Roberts assumed command of the Imperial forces. After a drawn-out siege of nine days, the Boer forces finally surrendered on 27 February .

The losses on the Boer side were heavy - 100 killed, 250 wounded and 4,096 captured. The loss of nearly ten percent of its fighting strength further weakened the Boer forces and led the way for the Relief Of Ladysmith . British losses were equally heavy - 258 killed, 1 211 wounded and 86 captured.

The Battle of Paardeberg also marked the first ever deployment of the Canadian Army . The Royal Canadian Regiment suffered nearly 100 casualties and was credited with leading the assault that led to the surrender of the Boer army.