The Queen’s Fort Military Museum, Bloemfontein

Also known as the Bloemfontein Fort. On 3 February 1848 the British declared the Orange River Sovereignty, covering a broad area of land over the Gariep River. In July the British Resident in Bloemfontein, Henry Warden, came under threat of a Dutch commando headed by Andries Pretorius. As a result Warden ordered a set of defensive works, consisting of trenches and sangars, to be constructed on a ridge south of the city centre. They became known as Fort Drury. Following the defeat of the Dutch at the Battle of Boomplaats, Warden was reinstated as Resident and a new fort was built in a more strategic position. By 6 October 1848 new ramparts had been built and the fort was completed in the following year. It was named the Queen's Fort after Queen Victoria. The building was not an impressive structure and even in its time was regarded to be ineffective. Its powder magazine collapsed during heavy rains in 1850 and when the Republic of the Orange Free State was established, it was taken over by Republican forces. It is not recorded to have fired a shot in anger, and when it was retaken by the British in 1900, they converted a portion into a military hospital, while the remainder served as quarters for the Royal Engineers, After the War, it was occupied by a division of the South African Constabulary, and following the armed uprising of 1914-15, its leader, General CR de Wet, as well as many of his supporters, were held here during their trial. In 1930 it was taken over by the Union Defence Force and became the headquarters of the Free State Command. It now forms part of the Orange Hospital.