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The Boer War or South African War was an inevitable conflict fought between the province of the Transvaal and Great Britain.
In 1836 a number of Boer farmers, disliking the sovereignty of Great Britain left Cape Colony for the north. Passing over what was later the Orange Free State, they eventually crossed the Vaal, calling the country north of the river Transvaal. In 1852 Great Britain recognised the independence of the region, which took the name of the South African Republic. However, in 1877 the district was annexed by Britain.
In 1880, the Boers wishing to regain their independence from Britain launched an attack. From 1881 and even more from 1884 the Transvaal was a republic allowed to administer its internal affairs, but with external affairs managed by Great Britain. This unsatisfactory situation was compounded with the discovery of gold in the Transvaal which attracted gold miners who clashed with the Boer farmers. The Jameson Raid of 1895 further fuelled ill feeling and negotiations between Britain and the Boers failed to reach agreement.
In the autumn of 1899 the Boers delivered an ultimatum to Britain, and the war ensued. The first conflict occurred when the Boers attacked a column of 4000 men under General Penn Symons guarding the railway at Dundee. The Boers eventually surrendered at Pretoria on the 31st of May 1902, and signed a peace treaty recognising the sovereignty of Great Britain.
 Research Boer War
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Abbreviations
Warfare
