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Free State Across the magnificent Orange River there is a region blessed with such beauty and grace that for scores of years thousands of pioneers paid the ultimate sacrifice for the honour and privilege of calling that land their home. Embraced by several of South Africa’s provinces, the Free State assumes it’s rightful place at the heart of the country. After all, it is the hearts of visitors and inhabitants alike that are won by the majesty of the land and the spiritual ethos of a beautiful people. INTRODUCTION TRANSGARIEP This is a region of vast grassy plains and endless vistas, where the visitor can enjoy the open blue skies, star studded at night, and the fresh unpolluted air. The Gariep Dam is situated in the southernmost corner of this region and offers excellent recreational facilities and endless opportunities for anyone wishing to escape city life. Cities / Towns Bloemfontein, Bethulie, Botshabelo, Dewetsdorp, Edenburg, Fauresmith, Gariep Dam, Jacobsdal, Jagersfontein, Koffiefontein, Luckoff, Petrusburg, Phillipolis, Reddersburg, Rouxville, Smithfield, Springfontein, Thaba Nchu, Trompsburg, Van Stadensrus, Wepener, Zastron FREE STATE BATTLEFIELDS ROUTE The Anglo Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899. This war, which was the last full scale war to be fought on South African soil, was a turning point in the history of the modern wars of our time, but also the last of the gentlemen’s wars. The Free State Province is fortunate to have some of the remnants of those stormy years. Not only are there battlefields, but also blockhouses and the only museum, the War Museum in Bloemfontein, in the world whose mission it is to portray this war. Paardeberg (18 – 27 February 1900) After the battle of Magersfontein, the new Commander in Chief on the western front, Lord Roberts, decided to relieve Kimberley with the help of Gen JDP French and his cavalry. By means of a wide flanking movement to avoid the Boers at Magersfontein, French succeeded on 15 February 1900. This movement put Gen A Cronje in a precarious position in that his force of 4000 were confronted with British soldiers to the north, as well as to the south of them. That left him with no alternative but to fall back to Bloemfontein along the Modder River. They were dependent on the river to obtain water for the livestock and trek oxen. Due to the slow pace of Cronje, the British forces caught up with them at Paardeberg on 17 February 1900. They denied the Boers crossing the drift over the Modder River with the result that the Boers entrenched themselves on both sides of the river bank. On 18 February, HH Kitchener, who commanded the British forces for the day as Roberts had fallen ill, made a frontal assault on the entrenched Boer positions. This war fatal as the Boers were in good positions and the result was that Kitchener suffered heavy losses. In fact, the losses on this day were the heaviest for any day during the whole of the war. After the debacle of the 18th, Roberts again took control and executed his plan of bombarding the Boer laager with military precision. He had 40 000 troops and 100 guns at his disposal against the 4000 troops and 100 guns at his disposal against the 4000 Boers with only five guns. His plan was to encircle the laager and with the heavy artillery bombardment, bring them to surrender. Gen CR de Wet made an attempt to relieve the laager, but due to the women and children in the camp, the men thought it to risky to adhere to his plan. Danie Thereon, a scout, crawled through the encircling soldiers to bring De Wet’s plan to Cronje, but because of the aforementioned consideration, it never materialised. The heavy bombardment left Cronje with no other option but to surrender. After 10 days of withstanding the onslaught of the might of the British Empire, the white flag was hoisted on 27 February 1900. Majuba was at last avenged. Casualties: The Boers lost 100 dead, 250 wounded and 4069 men captured during the battle. British losses were 258 men killed, 1211 wounded and 68 taken prisoner. Popular Grove (7 March 1900) In contrast to the gallant defence the Boers made at Paardeberg, Poplar Grove was an anti climax. The forces of Gen CR de Wet, which had tried to open a path for Cronje to slip through the British encircling movement, now retreated along the Modder River to Bloemfontein. Their next stand would be at Popular Grove, a drift in the Modder River. With the 5050 men and seven guns at his disposal, De Wet positioned them on a broad front in the proposed path of the British forces on their way to Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State. On 7 March 1900, Roberts sent his cavalry under French on a flanking movement around the southern end of the Boer positions. This placed them in a precarious position as they stood a chance to being surrounded. To avoid this, the Boers left their defences and fell back to Bloemfontein, leaving Roberts in command of the position with only a few casualties. Casualties Boer 2; British 57. Driefontein (10 March 1900) While the Battle of Popular Grove was nothing for the Boers to be proud of, the contrary is true of the battle that followed three days later. Driefontein was the last stand they made before Bloemfontein, the Free State capital, fell on 13 March 1900. Gen CR de Wet and Gen JH de la Rey had 1500 men at their disposal to defend their positions which reached from Abrahamskraal drift in the north to Bosrand in the south. This time the burghers were ready for a flanking movement and anticipated the probability thereof. The heaviest fighting thus occurred on the southern flank and it was the Welsh and Essex that took the full brunt of the fighting. Under heavy artillery bombardment they advanced in overwhelming numbers on the Boer positions and succeeded in driving the Boers from their strongholds. The Boers fought with greater determination than at Popular Grove and they only left the battlefield after a full day’s fighting when they fell back to Bloemfontein. Casualties: Boer 87; British 438. Sannaspos (31 March 1900) On 13 March 1900 Bloemfontein was occupied by Lord Roberts. After the long trek from Paardeberg and due to the arduous conditions on their trek, the British army used the opportunity to recuperate from their journey. The respite gave the Boer leaders the chance to send their men home to boost their morale for the struggle that lay ahead. At the end of March 1900, Gen de Wet decided to attack the small garrison protecting the Sannaspos waterworks. This waterworks was the main water supply for Bloemfontein. Instead of dealing with only the garrison of 200 men supposedly guarding the waterworks, he also unexpectedly had to contend with Brig Gen R Broadwood and his 1800 men and 12 guns. They were put under pressure from Cmdt JH Olivier in the region of Thaba Nchu as they were in the process of retreating to Bloemfontein. De Wet divided his burgers into two groups and sent 1200 men with five Krupps to the hills on the northern side of the Modder River. Their task was to bombard the British camp and drive them to Koornspruit where De Wet and the rest of his men, about 400, were ensconced in the river bed. This plan worked well with the result that De Wet captured 421 men, seven guns and 83 wagons during the day. A fierce fight broke out when the soldiers saw what was happening, but Broadwood sounded the retreat at 10 am and managed to get his forces clear to the south of the Boer positions. This battle was the first of the guerilla phase. Casualties: Boer 16; British 571. Mostertshoek ( 3 – 4 April 1900) The clinching victory at Sannaspos was instrumental in the boosting of Boer morale and Gen de Wet used it to good effect. On 1 April 1900, he was halfway between Sannaspos and Dewetsdorp when he got word of a British force in the vicinity of Dewetsdorp. The British also got word of the Boer commando and decided to retreat to Reddersburg. De Wet raced after them and caught up with them near Reddersburg. Due to the favourable geography of the region, Capt McWhinnie and his 591 men made a stand in the hills near Mostertshoek. De Wet and nearly 2000 men decided to attack the British column on 3 April 1900. The battle went on until night time and quickly claimed the lives of three British officers. However, the British contingent clung to their positions forcing the Boers to attack the next day as well. The overwhelming Boer force succeeded in defeating the British force and at approximately 9:30 am, the white flag was raised. This Boer victory was a definite sign to Lord Roberts that the Boers were far from beaten. Casualties: Boer 6; British 591. Jammerbergdrif (9 April 1900) After the success of de Wet at Sannaspos and Mostertshoek, it was found that the whole of the Eastern Free State was nearly denuded of British troops. The only garrison left was that of Lt Col Dalgety at Wepener. The British forces expected such as attack and erected sturdy defences. So strong were these that de Wet and nearly 5000 men were unable to penetrate the town on 9 April 1900. He therefore decided to besiege the British positions. As was the case in most of these attempts, the siege could not be sustained after help arrived on the scene. The Boer force had to retreat on 25 April when a British relief force arrived on the scene. Casualties: Boer 35, British 180. Sand River (10 May 1900) Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, was occupied by Roberts on 13 March 1900. Due to the strenuous journey from Paardeberg to Bloemfontein and the drinking of polluted water of the Modder River, many of the British troops fell ill and Roberts had to rest his force at Bloemfontein. On 3 May 1900, he proceeded with his march to Pretoria. His force consisted of about 25 000 soldiers, 80 guns and 49 machine guns. The Boers had in the region of 2000 men at their disposal who could be utilised to halt the British forces. The resistance which they gave at Brandfort and Vet River did not have any effect on the British march to the north and they decided to make a good stand at Sand River. The Boers were positioned on the northern banks of the Sand River and spread out over a wide area; therefore the line was thinly held. Roberts sent Gen JDP French with his cavalry to the western flank to execute his famous encircling movement. This had the effect that the Boers, under leadership of Gen L Botha and Gen CR De Weet, had to close too many gaps in their line of defence with insufficient men at their disposal. The fear of the encirclement and the overwhelming forces ensured the retreat of the Boers by nightfall. Casualties: Boers 79, British 250. Biddulphsberg (29 May 1900) Biddulphsberg is situated near the town of Senekal. While this battle was taking place, the Boers were attacking the Imperial Yeomanry at Lindley. These two battles were closely connected and the reason is that when the Yeomanry were besieged, Lt Gen Rundle with his 4000 men at Senekal tried to divert the Boers’ attention from Lindley to himself with a march from Senekal to Bethlehem. This Boers anticipated Rundle’s move and placed themselves on Biddulphsberg from where they had a commanding view over the road the Bethlehem. When news reached Rundle about the Boers positions, he decided to attack the northern flank of the force. After an artillery bombardment he sent his men forward but they were within rifle range, they came under heavy Boer fire. Meanwhile, the artillery bombardment had set the veld on fire and was at first used as a smoke screen by the attacking British soldiers. After a while, the wind changed direction and posed serious problems for the attackers. The fire swept mercilessly onto the British line with the result that a lot of wounded were trapped and many died in the ranging fire. This and the continuous Mauser fire proved too much for the British force and they had to retire. The Boers were left victorious on the battlefield but later retreated to fight another battle on another day. Casualties: Boer 40, British 180. Yeomanry Hill (31 May 1900) Col BE Spragge with the 13th Imperial Yeomanry was pinned down about 3 km northwest on the Lindley Kroonstad road. Although the Boer forces were not superior in numbers to the British forces, the Yeomanry decided to entrench themselves on 27 April 1900. On 29 May, Gen de Wet arrived on the scene and the Boer numbers grew significantly to 2000 men. As time went by, the Boers drew the net closer and on the 31st a heavy bombardment coinciding with a charge by Gen M Prinsloo and his men was made on the southeastern British flank. The fierce Boer onslaught proved too much for the British soldiers and the white flag was raised. This flag was actually hoisted without consent of the officer in charge but it had to be accepted as the Boers were already disarming most of the soldiers. This incident proved to Lord FS Roberts that he could not rule the occupied territory. Casualties: Boer 70, British 443 men. Roodewal (7 June 1900) After the occupation of Bloemfontein and Pretoria, the British army became dependent on the railway for transporting their required war provisions. The Boers knew that the railway was very important for the success of the British campaign and therefore made a concerted effort to disrupt the communication lines. This resulted in a pile up of war stores at Roodewal station after the bridge over the Renoster river was damaged. Gen de Wet saw his chance of acquiring those stores and decided to attack the staton on 7 June 1900. He divided his force into three groups – Gen Froneman and Cmdt Steenkamp with 300 men each were sent to attack British forces a few kilometers north and south of Roodewal on the railway line, while, with only 80 men and a gun, De Wet attacked the garrison of 150 men at Roodewal. His plan worked perfectly and he succeeded in overpowering the garrison and making off with goods worth 100 00 pounds. Casualties: Boer 8, British 628. Surrender Hill (30 July 1900) After the battle at Roodewal, Lord Roberts realized that he had to counteract the operations of De Wet, With this in mind he ordered a drive on the Boer forces which were operating in the Eastern Free State. This driving movement succeeded in pushing the Boer forces into the Brandwater basin where they sought refuge against the British drive. The Brandwater basin is a geographical region in the Eastern Free State which offered the Boers the change to regroup. Before Lt Gen A Hunter could close the routes leading out of the basin, De Wet and Pres MT Steyn escaped. There were however over 4000 burgers left in the basin who were quarreling over who should be their new leader. This dispute took up valuable time and before long Hunter succeeded in taking command of all the routes leading out of the basin. This led to the trapping of the Boer force in the region with the result that Gen M Prinsloo, who was eventually chosen as leader, had no alternative but to surrender to the British. The losses were a severe blow to the Boers in general, but it also had a positive outcome. The most hardy Boers who were willing to fight to the bitter end were left. At the place where the Boers surrendered, their weapons were burnt, and to this day, the grass is unable to grow on that spot. Casualties: Boer 4300, British 275. Doornkraal (6 November 1900) On the return of De Wet from the Magaliesburg and his unsuccessful siege of Frederickstad, he was surprised at Doornkraal near Bothaville. He was of the opinion that he had shrugged off his pursuers and was over confident of his abilities to evade capture. Early on the morning of 6 November 1900, the burgers were awakened by the sound of nearby gunfire. De Wet made the mistake of not putting up enough guards, and as a result they were surprised. De Wet and a few of his followers managed to escape but the other members of the commando made a gallant stand against the forces of Lt Col le Gallais. This brave British officer fell on the battlefield after being fatally wounded by a Mauser bullet. The escape of De Wet led to a determined effort to capture him and this because known as the second drive on De Wet. Casualties: Boer 131, British 46. Groenkop ( 24 – 25 December 1901) Major I Williams, with a force of 400 men and two guns, occupied Groenkop with the aim of defending the soldiers busy constructing block houses in the Eastern Free State region. This force posed a perfect target for de Wet and his men and it was decided to attack when the British would be most vulnerable, on Christmas Day. The British force had built a few earthworks on the eastern side of the hill as it was the side they thought would be most vulnerable to attack. On the western side, there were high cliffs which they through were insurmountable and that part of their defence was lacking in strength. The camp was surprised before sunrise on Christmas Day and chaos reigned. A third of the British force succeeded in making good their escape while the rest were captured or killed. Casualties: Boer 44, British 628. EASTERN FREE STATE With it’s beautiful snow capped mountains providing a backdrop to numerous romantic hide aways, this untouched, pristine area with it’s breathtaking scenery, possesses a grandeur of majestic proportions. Hiking Trails meander through densely vegetated valleys and wild gorges created by centuries of wind, water and fire, while Bushman paintings evoke images of lost civilizations and ancient myths - truly an area where the magic and mystery of the Free State can be experienced at first hand. Cities / Towns Arlington, Bethlehem, Clarens, Clocolan, Cornelia, Excelsior, Ficksburg, Fouriesburg, Harrismith, Hobhouse, Kestell, Ladybrand, Lindley, Marquard, Memel, Paul Roux, Petrus Steyn, Phuthadijhaba /Qwa Qwa, Reitz, Rosendal, Senekal, Steynsrus, Tweespruit, Vrede, Warden. GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK Information & Reservations Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains in the northeastern Free State lies the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. The park derives it’s name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the park’s sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock, keeping vigil over the main restcamp. Renowned for it’s superlative scenery, invigorating climate and excellent accommodation in either hotel rooms or self catering chalets and rondavels, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park has become a tremendous holiday drawcard. This 11 600 ha of unique environment is true highland habitat, providing home to a variety of mammals – black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbok and Burchell’s zebra. The bird species found in the park include the rare Bearded Vulture and the equally rare Bald Ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs. Generaalskop, the highest point in the park, reveals a breathtaking tapestry of red, yellow and purple hues as it’s warm shades merge with the cool mountain shadows towards evenings. Seasons Spring With a vision of a green carpet where the Great Artist lavishly painted splashes of white arum lilies and orange pink watsonias to compete with the red of the fire lily and red hot pokers. Summer In the sun drenched pools where sun rays play hide and seek with the shadows. Autumn Never enter the park in autumn without a camera to capture the rich gold when the setting sun paints the rock golden – hence the name of the park – and the graceful poplars splash their yellows and reds and browns lavishly for your pleasure. The prolific birdlife which includes the magnificent Lammergeyer (Bearded Vulture) with a wing span of nearly 3 m, Black Eagle, Jackal Buzzard, Blue Crane, Secretary Bird, Rock Pigeon, guinea fowl and numerous water fowl seem to dance to the click clicking rhythm of cameras. Winter Don’t miss winter time when snowfalls often create a winter wonderland. The mountain air is crisp, the crystal clear water sweet, the atmosphere serene and quiet. Climate Cool highveld summers with the possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoon and cold winters with occasional snow transforming the park into a white wonderland. Travel Equidistant from Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein. Easily accessible via excellent tarred road. Public road runs through the park. Roads in the park are tarred. Office Hours Brandwag 07:00 – 20:00, Glen Reenen (Summer) Monday – Thursday 07:00 – 17:00, Friday – Saturday 07:00 – 18:00, Sunday 08:00 – 16:00, (Winter) Monday – Thursday 07:30 – 17:00, Friday – Saturday 07:30 – 17:00, Sunday 08:00 – 15:00. Outdoors Short nature trails (varying from one hour to five hours), no bookings required. Game viewing at leisure in own vehicle. Guided excursions, night drives, video shows and lectures during holiday periods. Horse riding during peak periods. Enquire at reception. Places to visit The Van Reenen family graveyard, the impressive Brandwag buttress rock formation and a bird hide at the Langtoon Dam. Interesting lookout points and viewpoints, Zuluhoek lookout point, Generaalskop viewpoint, the third highest point in the park, Oribi basin and Drakensberg view. Environmental education courses (varying from one of five days). Other Facilities Bowls, tennis, table tennis and snooker. Picnic site for day visitors has ablution and barbeque facilities. Glen Reenen general dealer, Brandwag curio shop, licensed restaurant, coffee shop, ladies bar, and Laundromat. Enquire at reception. Catering for conferences, weddings and other functions at Brandwag. Enquire at the central reservations office Handy Hints Remember to bring a hat, walking shoes, sun block, camera, binoculars and wildlife reference books. Hikers on day and overnight trails must always carry sufficient water. Take cool and light clothing for summer and warm clothing for winter, area prone to sudden weather changes. Take Note Pets are not allowed in a national park. Firearms must be declared and sealed on arrival. Seal will be broken at the reception office once departure. Vehicle repair, medical, post office and police services at Clarens or Bethlehem. GOLDFIELDS This history of gold prospecting and mining in the Free State goes back to the late 19th century when gold was discovered and mined near Vredefort, but it took a considerable time before any substantial gold deposits were found under the open, desolate plains of the north western Free State. Today the Free State Goldfields are rivaled only by those of the West Rand (Gauteng) in production and reserves. Apart from it’s gold, this region encompasses several districts which form the heart of the country’s maize triangle, where endless maize fields stretches from horizon to horizon. Cities / Towns Allanridge, Boshof, Bothaville, Brandfort, Bultfontein, Dealesville, Henneman, Hertzogville, Hoopstad, Odendaalsrus, Theunissen, Ventersburg, Virginia, Welkom, Wesselsbron, Winburg. NORTHERN FREE STATE This is an important agricultural region and produces a large portion of South Africa’s maize crop. The Vaal Dam lies in this area, on the Free State’s border with Gauteng. Apart from it being a main source of water to Gauteng, South Africa’s industrial heartland, it also is the ‘inland water mecca’ of South Africa, offering endless opportunities for the enjoyment of all types of water sport. Cities / Towns Deneysville, Edenville, Frankfort, Heilbron, Koppies, Kroonstad, Oranjeville, Parys, Sasolburg, Tweeling, Viljoenskroon, Villiers, Vredefort.
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