General Sir Redvers Henry Buller’s troops relieve British forces at Ladysmith

Updated: 24 Feb 2020

General Sir Redvers Henry Buller's troops relieved British forces at Ladysmith near Durban, KwaZulu Natal. The British forces had been under siege by the Boers since 2 November 1899. They were besieged almost a month after the outbreak of the Second South African War (also known as Second Anglo-Boer War), which broke out in October 1899. Ladysmith was not the only town to be under Boer siege. Mafikeng, and Kimberley were besieged for equally long periods. At the end of the war on 31 May 1902, shortly before midnight, the two parties (English and Afrikaneers) signed the peace treaty of Vereeniging at Melrose House in Pretoria. By 54 votes to six the Boer representatives agreed to surrender their independence and to recognize the authority of Edward VII.

How we know this

01Boddy-Evans, A., ‘This Day in African History: 28 February’, from About African History, [online], Available at africanhistory.about.com [Accessed: 11 January 2013]
02SAHO, ‘South African War 1899-1902 / Second Anglo-Boer War’, from South African History Online, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 11 January 2013]
03Anglo-Boer Museum, ‘Peace Treaty of Vereeniging’, from Anglo-Boer Museum, [online], Available at www.anglo-boer.co.za [Accessed: 11 January 2013]

Last updated · 24 Feb 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, February 20). General Sir Redvers Henry Buller’s troops relieve British forces at Ladysmith. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094899

South African History Online (2013) 'General Sir Redvers Henry Buller’s troops relieve British forces at Ladysmith', South African History Online, 20 February. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094899 (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

South African History Online, General Sir Redvers Henry Buller’s troops relieve British forces at Ladysmith [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094899, (accessed 24 October 2026).

"General Sir Redvers Henry Buller’s troops relieve British forces at Ladysmith." South African History Online, 20 Feb. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094899. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "General Sir Redvers Henry Buller’s troops relieve British forces at Ladysmith." South African History Online. February 20, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094899.