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Battlefields If you are very quiet and still you might just be able to hear the long-ago sounds of spear against shield, bayonets and lead bullets, horses charging and the groan of a soldier falling wounded. You could be forgiven for thinking you had been transported back in time but you haven't. You are in for the adventure of the Battlefields. A SENSE OF HISTORY The Battlefields are an area of broad rolling hills and valleys set against the backdrop of the northern Drakensberg Mountains. Our area boasts the largest concentration of battlefields in South Africa. Here Boer, Brit and Zulu clashed in bloody conflict and shaped the future of South Africa. Spioenkop, Blood River, Majuba, Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana are amongst the best known battle sites in Southern Africa, attracting visitors from all over the world. Prince Louis Napoleon, Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill and Louis Botha are just a few of the well known historical legends who were involved in the turbulent past of this area. Dundee is a central and convenient base from which to explore the various sites. From Dundee most battlefields are no more than a day's outing - whether you are traveling east or west, to Johannesburg or Durban or heading to the Drakensberg mountains. Knowledgeable local guides will show you the sites and recount tales of epic battles, bravery and betrayal. Battlefields within easy reach of Dundee 1. Battle of Blood River - 16th December 1838 A party of Voortrekkers, led by Andries Pretorius, defeated a Zulu army on the banks of Ncome river. The river was renamed "Blood River" after the Boers' victory. The Voortrekkers used a "laager" technique to defend themselves and today replica bronze wagons stand as a memorial to the Boers' defeat of the Zulu. There are two museums on site, the recently opened "Ncome Museum" and the "Blood River" museum. 2. Battle of Isandlwana - 22nd January 1879 Here a 25,000 - strong Zulu impi defeated British forces camped at the base of the Isandlwana hill making this battle the biggest single defeat suffered by the British in Africa during Queen Victoria's reign. Today cairns mark the graves of the fallen British soldiers. 3. Battle of Rorke's Drift - 22nd January 1879 Here 100 British soldiers fought off about 4000 Zulus in a twelve hour battle centered around the Rorke's Drift Hospital. Soldiers earned 11 Victoria Crosses, the most ever awarded for a single engagement. On site is a informative museum housed in some of the original buildings as well as a craft centre. 4. Battle of Kambula - 29th March 1879 So far as the British were concerned, the definitive battle of the Anglo Zulu War, where the same Zulu Regiments that had fought at Isandlwana were enticed to attack Col. Wood's fortified camp. The death toll was 27 British Soldiers and approximately 2000 Zulus killed. No entrance fees but donations are welcome. 5. Battle of Talana - 20th October 1899 This was the scene of the first major battle between British and Boers during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 - 1902. On site is Talana Museum, well worth a visit for the tourist interested in Dundee's varied history and the Anglo-Boer war. 6. Battle of Elandslaagte - 21st October 1899 Site of the second major battle of the Anglo Boer War. A classic action, noted for the first and last real cavalry charge of the war. Notable personalities involved included Sir John French, Douglas Haig and Ian Hamilton. 7. Battle of Spioenkop - 24th January 1900 One of the bloodiest battles fought by Gen. Sir Redvers Buller in his attempts to relieve the Siege of Ladysmith by the Boers. The original British trench line on top of Spioenkop Hill is now a mass grave. Other battlefields within travelling distance from Dundee: Ladysmith, Majuba, Hlobane, Colenso, Vaalkrans, Helpmekaar among many others.
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