Northern Natal Offensive

Northern Natal Offensive
Part of the Second Boer War
The Siege of Ladysmith, a key engagement in the offensive
Date 12 October 1899 - 10 June 1900 Location Natal, South Africa Result British Victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	South African Republic Orange Free State
Commanders and leaders
Joseph Chamberlain Lord Roberts Redvers Buller George White William Penn Symons Ian Hamilton Walter Kitchener	Paul Kruger Piet Joubert Louis Botha Christiaan de Wet

The Northern Natal Offensive (12 October 1899 - 10 June 1900) was a military invasion of the Northern region of Natal by the Boers of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State during the Second Boer War. It was part of a larger offensive by the Boers into the British colonies, with other invasions occurring in Bechuanaland and the Cape Colony. The Boers invaded on 12 October, after Paul Kruger had declared war a day earlier. The Boers initially had success with this offensive, besieging Ladysmith, and reaching as far south as Estcourt in November 1899. However, with Redvers Buller's reinforcements arriving that same month, the Boers retreated to the Tugela River. Multiple attempts were made by Buller to relieve Ladysmith, but to no avail. However, the fourth attempt in February 1900 expelled the Boers from their position at the Battle of the Pieters. Scattered fighting from March-May 1900 continued, with the Boers being expelled from Natal completely at the Battle of Laing's Nek. With the Boers out of Natal, the offensive ended.

Background

The British and the Boers had been building up troops at the border between their two domains. The Natal Field Force, under the command of Sir George White, had been dispatched to Ladysmith at the behest of Joseph Chamberlain, if conflict broke between the Boers and the British. A garrison Force had been dispatched to Dundee under the command of Major-General Penn Symons, and Kruger moved his commandos to the border. The position of Northern Natal was defined by a series of passes and hills, which would make easy for the Boers to invade, and throw up defensive positions, as they had done in the First Boer War.

The British forces in Natal numbered ~22,000, whilst the Boers held around 33,000 from both republics. De-escalation attempts were unsuccessful, and on 9 October, Kruger had sent an ultimatum to the British Government, asking them to remove all troops from Natal. The ultimatum arrived late, on 11 October, and was met with general ridicule. That same day, Kruger declared war, and President Steyn of the Orange Free State followed suit.

Early Offensive

"If Mr. Chamberlain was really playing a game of bluff, it must be confessed that he was bluffing from a very weak hand."

Arthur Conan Doyle, The Great Boer War - Chapter 4

The Boers crossed the Buffalo River at Volksrust on 12 October, officially beginning the Offensive. By nightfall, they had reached a position outside of Newcastle.