Start 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne

Chapter 80 Are you sure the occupation of Cape Town is not a joke?

In the early stages of the war in the Transvaal Republic except Cape Town, the Boers took the offensive and defeated the British army many times. When attacking, the Boer army adopted a dispersed formation, shot accurately, and was good at using terrain to construct field battles. fortifications.

The British adopted an awkward and dense formation, neither maneuvering nor camouflaging during combat, resulting in heavy casualties.

On March 1862, 3, the Boer army overcame the British defenses and pushed them back 29 kilometers, completely blocking them from the territory of the Orange Free State.

In just one day, the Boer army captured the cities of Newcastle and Glencoe, and surrounded Ladysmith and Mafeking. Finally, on April 4st, April Fool's Day, it brought an unthinkable disaster to the UK. A fool's story, that is, Kimberley, where the Transvaal Republic was stationed in a 1-strong attack, was captured by the Boers, and the British were defeated very quickly.

April 4, on the three fronts Colenso, Stromberg and Magersfontein.The Boer army repelled the siege of the British troops, and the British troops suffered heavy losses.

After that, the Boer army used its main force to besiege the castle and disperse its forces. This greatly slowed down the offensive ability to attack the British colonies. The death caused the loss of momentum and gave the British a breather. As a result, the main force was unable to attack Huanglong. The attack on the eastern coast opened up the channel to Cape Town and completely connected with the Boers in Cape Town. As a result, a group of more than 40 Boers was formed. For the British, South Africa at this time had reached its peak. Dangerous moments.

Because Cape Town is also occupied.

The Boer military and civilian team there, which was not even a motley crew, completely controlled Cape Town.

In this battle for Cape Town, the British army still used the old tactics, that is, advancing in a dense formation and listening to the commander's orders to fire.

The Boers, on the other hand, were brave and skillful in fighting, mobile and flexible, and adopted tactics of dividing, encircling, and encircling points for reinforcements. These irregular Boers actually defeated the 3 British troops who stayed behind and routed them.

The remaining British army suffered heavy casualties, with more than 2000 people dead, and the remaining 1000 people were forced to surrender.
The one who surrendered with them was their new governor Joe Boone. In order to save his life, Joe Boone finally forced him to agree to negotiate a peace.

News of the British army's defeat again spread back home. Although Palmerston was not asked to resign, their reputation plummeted, and after signing the contract, they withdrew all their frontline troops.The Tories are temporarily ahead of the ruling Whig Party by 6 percentage points in popular opinion, with 53% and 47% respectively.
In the end, the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State suddenly got a chance to breathe, because they knew that Joe Boone, with an army of 5, would never give up his ambitions for them.

This half-month war was later called the First Boer War by European countries.

Its occurrence also let Europe know that Britain's continuous unlucky defeats by others have made Europeans curious about Africa.

Are all the motley armies composed of indigenous and immigrant people in Africa so powerful?

However, the British government was furious, and after calming down, it became frightened.

The first time can be said to be a fluke, but also in southern Africa, Britain changed its opponents and was defeated by the motley army of the Transvaal Republic. This made all Britain feel a serious fear. fact.

The British Army is too incompetent, right?

Compared with the Navy, at this moment, the title known as the British Army is now just a name for nothing. Many people in the Navy feel embarrassed by this.

I feel that they have put the majesty of the British Empire on the ground and stepped on it a few times, which makes them sad.

On April 1862, 4, Queen Victoria, who was helpless, signed another directive in the name of the supreme head of the British military. After the last deployment of 5 troops from the mainland, she once again mobilized 5 troops from the remaining 35 troops. 5 people will be dispatched to South Africa, but the difference this time is that a small fleet will be added to accompany them to respond to land attacks at any time.

(End of this chapter)