Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced

Date: 28 May 1900
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

At the begging of May 1900, the British Army, under Field Marshal Lord Roberts, launched an attack on the Orange Free State. President M T Steyn and General C R de Wet of the Orange Free State (Boer Republic) failed to defend their capital town Bloemfontein. The British advancement from the Free State capital was delayed for six weeks to enable Roberts to rest his troops and horses. Shortly after his entry into Bloemfontein, Roberts announced the annexation of the Orange Free State. He also promised burghers who surrendered voluntarily that they would be allowed to return to their farms. The new colony was known as the Orange River Colony.

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How we know this

01 Goldstein, E.,(2005), Wars and Peace Treaties: 1816-1991,(New York),pp 145-146
02Dupont, J., (2001), The Common Law Abroad : Constitutional and Legal Legacy of the British Empire,(United State of America), pp 1032-1034

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209

South African History Online (2011) 'Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209 (Accessed: 22 August 2026).

South African History Online, Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209, (accessed 22 August 2026).

"Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Annexation of the Orange Free State is announced." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011209.