The Magersfontein battlefield is a must for any visitor to Kimberley. It is situated south of Kimberley and can be reached either via the airport road (31.5km) or via the N12 to Modder River (47,5km). It was here that General P A Cronje and his Boer troops defeated the English forces of Lt Gen Lord Methuen who were on their way to relieve besieged Kimberley.
Methuen planned to attack Magersfontein at dawn on 11 December 1899, using General A G Wauchope’s Highland Brigade as his main assault force. Methuen believed the Boers were positioned on high ground and ordered his artillery to shell Magersfontein during the afternoon of 10 December, thus sacrificing a possible surprise attack.
Wauchope’s Highlanders left Headquarters Hill at 00:30 the following morning. The plan required that they be in position below the Magersfontein hill by 02:30, but a dark, stormy night slowed their advance. The Highland Brigade only deployed at about 03:45 some 400 m from the unsuspected Boer trenches. In the dim pre-dawn the Boers opened fire, throwing the Highland Brigade into chaos.
The Highland Brigade fought valiantly but was driven back by Boer rifle fire and its own shellfire. By midmorning the Brigade was pinned down and unable to move despite reinforcement by the Gordon Highlanders.
The Magersfontein battlefield is a must for any visitor to Kimberley. It is situated south of Kimberley and can be reached either via the airport road (31.5km) or via the N12 to Modder River (47,5km). It was here that General P A Cronje and his Boer troops defeated the English forces of Lt Gen Lord Methuen who were on their way to relieve besieged Kimberley.
Methuen planned to attack Magersfontein at dawn on 11 December 1899, using General A G Wauchope’s Highland Brigade as his main assault force. Methuen believed the Boers were positioned on high ground and ordered his artillery to shell Magersfontein during the afternoon of 10 December, thus sacrificing a possible surprise attack.
Wauchope’s Highlanders left Headquarters Hill at 00:30 the following morning. The plan required that they be in position below the Magersfontein hill by 02:30, but a dark, stormy night slowed their advance. The Highland Brigade only deployed at about 03:45 some 400 m from the unsuspected Boer trenches. In the dim pre-dawn the Boers opened fire, throwing the Highland Brigade into chaos.
The Highland Brigade fought valiantly but was driven back by Boer rifle fire and its own shellfire. By midmorning the Brigade was pinned down and unable to move despite reinforcement by the Gordon Highlanders.
