South Africa Stuff
Author: Jan Hofmyer
Date: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
Description: This presentation was created by, and is the property of, Jan Hofmeyr. It describes the history of military actions in South Africa. It is presented as a courtesy through the Military Postal History Society. See: http://militaryphs.org/blog
Publisher: Military Postal History Society

Presentation: South African Skirmishes -- Frontier Wars: 1779 – 1879

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This presentation describes some of the history of the Frontier Wars: 1779 – 1879, a series of 9 wars over shifting territorial boundaries in South Africa.

The presentation is the property of the author, and is provided freely for research and educational purposes only, on the Military Postal History Society website .

The Military Postal History Society (MPHS) is a non-profit organization for philatelists and stamp collectors interested in the collecting and studying of the postal aspects of all wars and military actions of all countries, including soldiers' campaign covers, naval mail, occupation and internment covers, patriotics, propaganda, V-mail, censorship and similar related material.

This presentation was originally prepared for the New York Collectors' Club 20 September 2023.

Frontier Wars: 1779 -- 1879

Map of South Africa

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Frontier Wars: 1779 -- 1879

A series of 9 wars over shifting territorial boundaries

Dutch Farmers: 1779-1781 (Great Fish River); 1789-1793; 1799-1803

British Government: 1811-1812 -- the "buffer zone" war;

Gov. Cradock: no more bloodshed "than was necessary to impress on the minds of these savages a proper degree of terror and respect."

British Government: 1818-1819 -- the Civil/Treaty War; Keiskamma "100k buffer"

Concept of "friendly" natives. Huge displacement of people.

British Government: 1834-1836: Poverty, drift back, cattle raids

Gov. D'Urban: Kei river = new British territory (170 kms)

London fired D'Urban, accused Dutch of being the problem.

Settlers withdrew to Keiskamma. Stockenstrom treaty period.

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Frontier Wars: 1779 -- 1879

Map 2

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Frontier Wars: 1779 -- 1879

A series of 9 wars over shifting territorial boundaries

Dutch Farmers: 1779-1781 (Great Fish River); 1789-1793; 1799-1803

British Government: 1811-1812 -- the "buffer zone" war;

Gov. Cradock: no more bloodshed "than was necessary to impress on the minds of these savages a proper degree of terror and respect."

British Government: 1818-1819 -- the Civil/Treaty War; Keiskamma "100k buffer"

Concept of "friendly" natives. Huge displacement of people.

British Government: 1834-1836: Poverty, drift back, cattle raids

Gov. D'Urban: Kei river = new British territory (170 kms)

London fired D'Urban, accused Dutch of being the problem.

Settlers withdrew to Keiskamma. Stockenstrom treaty period.

Robert Godlonton: "the British race was selected by god himself to colonize Kaffraria" Treaties null and void in 1844.

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Seventh "War of the Axe" : 1846-1847

(The first of Sandile's Wars)

A Chief had stolen an axe, escort killed by Xhosa raiders

Massive mobilization – civilian slaughter. Xhosa led by Sandile

Brits on losing side until joined by the Dutch

Cover, 1846

Details of the letter:

- 30 July 1846 in the Amatola Mountains

- No franking privilege.

- "To Pay" Manuscript "6" is the 4d rate + 50% penalty.

Letter, Page 1

Letter, Page 2

Letter, Page 3

"The Kaffirs keep the Governor night after night without sleep, as they continuously shoot at the camp... The Kaffirs constantly ask for peace but it is refused. That is the reason why the Kaffirs keep shooting at the camp."

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Eighth "Gov. Harry Smith" War: 1850-1853

(The second of Sandile's Wars)

Smith declares a new province.

Personally attends treaty talks – boycotted by Sandile. Deposes Sandile, Brits ambushed. Initial Xhosa success.

Annexes the Orange Free State

Smith fired by London. Brits continue the war until Sandile's surrender (famine). Outcome: total defeat of Xhosa West of the Kei.

Cover, 1852

Details of the letter:

- 12 October 1852

- From the field by ship to London then Stratford at ship's rate = 8d

- Fully prepaid and noted in red

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Ninth (Gov. Frere Confederation) War: 1877-1879

(Sandile's last war)

The Cape at Peace with the Xhosa (1853-1876): frontier lightly policed by European settler police with Fengu tribal allies; territory and property respected on both sides; mutually beneficial trade.

British Imperial Ambition

A Southern African confederation (Canadian model), rejected by the Cape.

Tribal conflict used as an excuse by Frere to conquer an independent country.

Short summary: a war of Britain against both the Cape and the Xhosa. Sandile defeated and killed.

Cover, 1880

Details of the letter:

- from Cradock to Rosebank in October 1880

- Claims franking privileges though there was no such thing at the time

- Granted by the commanding officer.

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Basuto (Gov. Frere Imperial) Gun War: 1880-1881

England lost

Frere "Preservation of Peace" Act: disarm all black people and confiscate land for white settlement and double what was called "the hut tax"!

London fired Frere.

Independent Kingdom under the protection of the British Empire

Cover, 1879

Details of the letter

- On Active Service. Stamps unobtainable.

- Arrived in Cape Town: 21 July 1879.

- No franking privilege.

- Rate = 6d, penalty = 100%

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Makgoba Campaign -- Soutpansberg (115 kms): 1895

ZAR annexed land – resistance started in 1894

Chief Makgoba led guerilla resistance for two or three years

Captured and beheaded by Swazi soldiers fighting on behalf of the ZAR

Cover, 1894

Backstamped Pietersburg 7 September 1894

Details of the letter

- "Velddienst" means active service.

- Backstamped Pietersburg 7 September 1894.

- Franking privilege.

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Galeshewe Campaign: 17 March 1897

1878: Cattle wander onto Dutch settler farm land. All shot for fear of Rinderpest. Led to a 20 year conflict. Galeshewe captured on 26 August 1897

Cover, 1897

Details of the letter

- On Active Service. No stamps available.

- Kuruman 17 March. Backstamped St Andrews 10 April.

- No franking privilege: 25 centime penalty (2x rate)

- Incorrectly 1d in the UK. Then correctly 5d.

- Crossed out and delivered free.

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Mphefu War -- Doorns River (207 kms): 1898

Not so much a war as a rout: 18 October to 31 December

Afrikaans settlers wanted land. Mphefu claimed the Doorn river as an international boundary. Afrikaners crossed the river and attacked. Torched Chief Mphefu’s "kraal" -- he fled to Zimbabwe.

Cover, 1898

Details of the letter

- "VeldDienst"

- Pietersburg 14 December. Arrived in Johannesburg, 15 December.

- Franking privilege: carried free.

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Summary

They were International conflicts

Wars of Conquest

Diplomats lost, power won

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Thank you for your stamina and attention

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General Index

0Introduction, READ HERE FIRST (main section,index) | Letter (axe)
Axe, Stolen (axe) | Makgoba (makgoba)
Basuto (gun) | Makgoba Killed (makgoba)
Buffer Zone (frontier1) | Map of South Africa (map1)
Buffer Zone (frontier2) | Map of South Africa (map2)
Cape (ninth) | Orange Free State (eighth)
Cape (ninth) | Read Me First (main section,index)
Cradock (ninth) | Rosebank (ninth)
Displacement (frontier1) | Sandile (eighth)
Displacement (frontier2) | Sandile (eighth)
Dutch (frontier1) | Sandile Killed (ninth)
Dutch (frontier2) | Sandile Surrender (eighth)
Dutch (frontier2) | See Introduction (main section,index)
Dutch (axe) | Ship Rate (eighth)
Famine (eighth) | Shooting (axe)
Fengu (ninth) | Smith (eighth)
Franking Privileges (ninth) | Smith Fired (eighth)
Frere (ninth) | Swazi (makgoba)
Frere (gun) | Territorial Wars in South Africa (frontier1)
God, Selected By (frontier2) | Territorial Wars in South Africa (frontier2)
Great Fish River (frontier1) | Treaty (frontier1)
Great Fish River (frontier2) | Xhosa (axe)
Guerilla (makgoba) | Xhosa (eighth)
Gun War (gun) | Xhosa (eighth)
Introduction (main section,index) | Xhosa (ninth)

Kaffir (axe)

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Back to Top (All Document Indexes)

Table of Contents

- Jump to Index

- Top

- 0Introduction, READ HERE FIRST (main section,index)

- Letter (axe)
- Axe, Stolen (axe)
- Makgoba (makgoba)
- Basuto (gun)
- Makgoba Killed (makgoba)
- Buffer Zone (frontier1)
- Map of South Africa (map1)
- Buffer Zone (frontier2)
- Map of South Africa (map2)
- Cape (ninth)
- Orange Free State (eighth)
- Read Me First (main section,index)
- Cradock (ninth)
- Rosebank (ninth)
- Displacement (frontier1)
- Sandile (eighth)
- Displacement (frontier2)
- Dutch (frontier1)
- Sandile Killed (ninth)
- Dutch (frontier2)
- Sandile Surrender (eighth)
- See Introduction (main section,index)
- Dutch (axe)
- Ship Rate (eighth)
- Famine (eighth)
- Shooting (axe)
- Fengu (ninth)
- Smith (eighth)
- Franking Privileges (ninth)
- Smith Fired (eighth)
- Frere (ninth)
- Swazi (makgoba)
- Frere (gun)

- Territorial Wars in South Africa (frontier1)

- God, Selected By (frontier2)

- Territorial Wars in South Africa (frontier2)

- Great Fish River (frontier1)
- Treaty (frontier1)
- Great Fish River (frontier2)
- Xhosa (axe)
- Guerilla (makgoba)
- Xhosa (eighth)
- Gun War (gun)
- Introduction (main section,index)
- Xhosa (ninth)
- Kaffir (axe)
- Back to Top (General) --