The skirmish at Majuba Hill (near Volksrust, South Africa) on 27 February, 1881 was a convincing victory for the Boers. Although small in scope, the battle is historically significant for three reasons:
- It lead to the signing of a peace treaty and later the Pretoria Convention , between the British and the newly created South African Republic, ending the first Anglo-Boer war.
- The fire and movement tactics employed by the Boers, especially Commandant Smit in his final assault on the hill, were years ahead of their time.
- Coupled with the defeats at Laingsnek and Schuinshoogte , this third crushing defeat at the hands of the Boers ratified the strength of the Boers in the minds of the British, arguably to have consequences in the second Anglo-Boer war. The Boers in turn made "Remember Majuba" their rallying cry.
Losses were:
- British: 92 killed, 134 wounded, 59 POW's.
- Boers: Two dead, six wounded. H Bekker died on the scene, and J Groenewald died of his wounds two days later.
The South African Military History Society Journal link below gives a detailed account of all phases of the battle.
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