What were the greatest Boer victories?

 I was hoping to answer a question on Quora regarding the Anglo-Boer War. This one worked out well.

As someone who was born in South Africa I always welcome questions on my country of birth. I assume by Boer War that you mean the Second Anglo-Boer War. The First Boer War was fought between 1880–1881 and was crowned by the Boer victory at the Battle of Majuba.

The Second-Anglo-Boer (1899–1902) was somewhat of a critical moment in both the history of South Africa as well as that of the British Empire.

From a South African perspective the war impacted the power balance that would define the country for the next century (English v Afrikaans). With respect to the Empire it brought to an end the Era of Splendid Isolation. Soon afterwards London would sign treaties with Japan (1902), France (1904) and Russia (1907). The War showed how stretched British resources could become in the face of a credible regional threat.

The Boers , who were known for their ace markmanship, quality of troops and organizational skills had several victories against the British. The earliest of these occurred at the battles of Kraaipans and Ladymith (the battle not the siege). However the most impressive of all Boer victories were the three triumphs of the so-called Black Week (10th-17th December 1899).

These were the battles of Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso. While less than three thousand troops died in all three clashes (for both sides) the events of this hell week forced a rethink in Imperial policy. Another Boer victory would follow a month later at the Battle of Spion Kop.

British Troops fighting during Black week source: historywm.com

However the Battles of Black week were important, For one it expedited the removal of Sir Redvers Buller who was already blamed for the debacle at Ladysmith and his replacement by Lord Roberts who in turn made Herbert Kitchener (of WWI fame) his chief of staff. The British would increase their troops mobilization drive extending their efforts throughout the Empire drawing recruits from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. They would now win with numbers.

Boer soldiers source:”Guardian

Eventually the enhanced mobilization would bear fruit. The Boers soon realized that they could no longer defeat the numerically superior British forces in open combat so they transitioned toward a guerrilla war that in itself was rather effective in the short run. Stunned once again the British then responded with a scorched Earth policy that brought about the surrender of the Boers in 1902. The signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging finally ended the war.

However in retrospect the Boers gave the British a bloody nose and rubbed their face in it on several occasions. Yes the British would ultimately persevere but at a cost of men, material and morality. The burning of Boer farms and the forced relocation of Afrikaner women and children into the original concentration camps was both tragic as it was ethically regressive.

Military lessons learnt would pay dividends during World War One but the price that the Empire paid was not cheap. The British Empire had their prototype Vietnam..

Sources:

1. Gooch, John (23 October 2013). The Boer War: Direction, Experience and Image. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-135-27181-7.

2. Scholtz, Leopold (2005). Why the Boers Lost the War. Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan.. ISBN 978-1-4039-4880-9