General De La Rey

Display Hall: General De La Rey

The table and chairs on exhibition in the De la Rey Hall were used during the Bloemfontein Conference (31 May 1899 to 5 June 1899), hosted in the newly completed Bloemfontein Railway Bureau building. The table is surrounded by five large panoramic paintings by the German military portrait painter, Sylvester Reisacher. They depict some of the major battles that took place during the war.

Moments in history

The Bloemfontein Conference (31 May 1899 to 5 June 1899)

The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand attracted an influx of foreigners, termed “Uitlanders” to the South African Republic (ZAR/Transvaal). President Paul Kruger’s government had misgivings about these newcomers’ loyalty to the Transvaal – especially those from Britain. The South African Republic could ill afford the furthering of British imperialist interests. In 1890, as a counter measure, Kruger increased the residence period for citizenship from seven to 14 years. In 1897, on the eve of the war, Sir Alfred Milner was appointed British High Commissioner to South Africa. His imperialist mandate made him highly intolerant of the South African Republic and, with Joseph Chamberlain, British Secretary of State for Colonies, has seized upon foreigners’ voting rights as an excuse to draw the republic into the British Empire. Using the so-called “Uitlander Question”, Milner increased pressure on the South African Republic until, a few months before hostilities commenced, President MT Steyn of the Republic of the Orange Free State, managed to convey a meeting between Kruger and Milner in Bloemfontein. The conference, held from 31 May to 5 June1899 in the newly completed Railway Bureau building, sought a peaceful resolution to the tensions around the Uitlander Franchise Question. Kruger declared his willingness to restore the seven-year residence period for citizenship. Milner dismissed the concession out of hand, countering with a five-year period, which Kruger rejected. Milner accused Kruger of running the South African Republic as if it were a farm, treating those who came to live in it as tenants, to which Kruger responded by saying, “These strangers come to me to get rich, and now they want to fight about farm ownership rights too”. The conference ended in a stalemate – an outcome which, it later emerged, through correspondence, Milner and Chamberlain had set out to provoke. On 5 June Milner declared: “The Conference is absolutely at an end, and there is no obligation on either side arising out of it”. The Bloemfontein Conference made retreat for ever impossible. Then Transvaal attorney Jan Smuts echoed this by declaring: “It is perfectly clear that Milner is planning to make war”. The conference proved to be unsuccessful and war finally became a reality on 11 October 1899.

Title: Table and fourteen chairs

Description: A very long and heavy rectangular table with six turned table legs. Four silver plaques at the main end of the table with the following inscriptions: 1) Bloemfontein conference 1st to 5 June 1899 2) Pres Kruger, ZAR 3) Mr Fisher, Member Orange Free State 4) Sir Alfred Milner. Fourteen large chairs with decoratively carved backs and upholstered brown leather seats and armrests.

Medium: Wood

Accession number: 05172/00001, 05172/00009 – 05172/00022

Date received: 1982

Donor: South African Transport Services

Sylvester Reisacher (1862 - 1916)

Reisacher was born on 9 March 1862 in Wolfertschenden, Allgãu in south Germany. He received his art training from Louis Braun who was a member of the German military academy at München. Part of this academy’s purpose was to create paintings of battles in other countries. Despite his military works of art, Reisacher also painted landscapes, politicians and ordinary citizens. One of his most well-known portraits is that of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, painted in 1896.

In 1902 Reisacher painted the five scenes of the Anglo-Boer War that were exhibited in Munich. Although Reisacher travelled a lot, it is unsure whether he ever visited South Africa. He was very accurate in the five paintings regarding the uniforms, weapons, scenery and personalities. He succeeded to compare the individualism of the Boer burger with that of the British soldier who was part of the mighty British war machine.

Luckily the paintings were not destroyed by a fire at the rotunda Theresienhöhe in Munich, Bavaria on 14 October 1915, where they were on exhibition. Five months after this incident, Reisacher died of a stroke on the 19th of March 1916 in Munich.

THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH (1899/11/02 - 1900/02/28)

Between 28 October and November 1899 Ladysmith was surrounded on three sides by a Boer force consisting of 7 500 burghers, armed with 17 guns and 3 pom-poms. General Sir George White with 14 500 soldiers and 50 guns were trapped in the town. The Boer artillery frequently bombarded the British position around Ladysmith, but their sporadic attacks were uncoordinated leaving them unable to capture the town.

On the right General Daniel Erasmus is talking to General De Villebois-Mareuil. From their position on Bulwana they can see the rooftops and the Town Hall of Ladysmith. Under the hill the Klip River is undulating across the valley toward the town. On the left Intombi Camp can be seen with Pepworth Hill on the right and Wagon Hill and Caesars Camp left above the camp.

Title: Painting

Description: The Siege of Ladysmith (1899/11/02 – 1900/02/28)

Date: 1902

Medium: Oil paint

Style: Post-Impressionism

Measurements: 2,85 x 5,95 m

Accession number: HG 54271

On loan: Ditsong National Cultural History Museum

THE BATTLE OF COLENSO (1899/12/15)

On 15 December 1899 General Sir Redvers Buller decided to attack the Boer position on the Tugela River at Colenso. Here 3 000 Boers with 4 guns and 1 pom-pom under General Louis Botha were entrenched across a large front. The British attack began at 05h30, but because of bad reconnaissance the force on the right flank could not cross the Tugela and they were thus bogged down. The attack by the other division also went wrong and by 10h00 Buller had to withdraw leaving 130 men dead, 750 wounded and 250 missing and 10 guns were lost. The Boers lost 7 and 30 men were wounded. The later British commander in South Africa, Lord Roberts’s only son, Lieutenant Freddie Roberts, killed in the battle, was awarded a Victorian Cross for his attempt to safe some of the British guns from capture by the Boers.

On the foreground behind the bridge the small-town Colenso is visible. On the hill to the right General Louis Botha is watching proceedings. In the front-line volunteers are trying to save Colonel Long’s guns. The soldiers in the centre are on their way to the only surviving bridge across the Tugela where the Boers are well entrenched.

Title: Painting

Description: The Battle of Colenso (1899/12/15)

Date: 1902

Medium: Oil paint

Style: Post-Impressionism

Measurements: 2,85 x 5,95 m

Accession number: HG 54275

On loan: Ditsong National Cultural History Museum

THE BATTLE OF SPIOENKOP (1900/01/24)

On 24 January 1900 Major-General E Woodgate and his 1 700 men decided to climb Spioenkop, surprise the Boers on the hill, drive them off and entrench themselves on the hill. The Boers stormed the hill under cover of the Boer artillery and attacked the British. Woodgate was killed, but the arrival of reinforcements helped to keep the Boers at bay. The British withdraw leaving 225 dead, 550 wounded and 300 captured. The Boers lost 58 dead and 140 wounded.

It is a grey, misty dawn on Spioenkop. The officer on the right is Colonel Crafton. The signaller is sending the following message: “Reinforce at once, or all is lost. Gen. is dead.” From Alwynkoppie on the left the Boers are keeping up a heavy bombardment.

Title: Painting

Description: The Battle of Spioenkop (1900/01/24)

Date: 1902

Medium: Oil paint

Style: Post-Impressionism

Measurements: 2,85 x 5,95 m

Accession number: HG 54272

On loan: Ditsong National Cultural History Museum

THE BATTLE OF PAARDEBERG (1900/02/17 - 1900/02/27)

On 11 February 1900 Lord Roberts started his advance on Bloemfontein from the Modder River. When General PA Cronjé realized that he was in danger of being outflanked, he tried to flee along the Modder River in an easterly direction with his force of 4 000 men and a convoy of wagons. Kimberley was relieved on 15 February by General French. The British forces finally caught up with Cronjé’s slowly moving wagon train on 17 February near Paardeberg. Here the Boer entrenched themselves on the banks of the Modder River. On 18 February Lord Kitchener, in Roberts absence, stormed the Boer position. The attack failed and the British casualties were: 300 dead, 906 wounded and 61 captured. From 19 February 1900 with Lord Roberts again in charge, the Boer laager was subjected to a heavy bombardment. On 27 February 1900 Cronjé and his men surrendered.

The burning wagons, the women and children hiding in the shelters and the terrible suffering of the animals are vividly portrayed. In the foreground General Cronjé is listening to the scout Danie Theron who is telling him about General De Wet’s plan for his escape. In the background they are destroying the bridge supposed to aid the burghers in their escape.

Title: Painting

Description: The Battle of Paardeberg (1900/02/17 – 1900/02/27)

Date: 1902

Medium: Oil paint

Style: Post-Impressionism

Measurements: 2,85 x 5,95 m

Accession number: HG 54273

On loan: Ditsong National Cultural History Museum

GENERAL CR DE WET CROSSING A BLOCKHOUSE LINE

As a means of ending the war, the British command resorted to a measure of erecting a series of blockhouses throughout the country. The aim was to protect the railroad, bridges and other key installations. Another reason was to try to contain the mobile Boer commandos. There were, however, instances where the Boers managed to break through the lines. For example, in February 1902 General CR Wet managed to burst through the line at Langverwacht south of Vrede with 3 000 burghers.

It is a rainy night. General De Wet’s commando is crossing a blockhouse line near a railway line. The barbed wire entanglement is clearly visible in the middle. General De Wet can also be seen in the middle of the painting. Everywhere the riders and their horses are trying to evade the British infantry and the entanglements.

Title: Painting

Description: General CR de Wet crossing a blockhouse line

Date: 1902

Medium: Oil paint

Style: Post-Impressionism

Measurements: 2,85 x 5,95 m

Accession number: HG 54274

On loan: Ditsong National Cultural History Museum

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General De La Rey

Display Hall: General De La Rey

Moments in history

The Bloemfontein Conference (31 May 1899 to 5 June 1899)

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