Siege of Mafeking
1899 · Mafeking (present-day Mahikeng, North West Province, South Africa) · World · Modern
The siege lasted 217 days, and a British relief force lifted it in May 1900.
Belligerents
British garrison
- Commanders
- Robert Baden-Powell
- Strength
- Over 1,000 men, plus armed Barolong and other African residents
Boer republics
- Commanders
- Piet Cronjé, Snyman, Sarel Eloff
- Strength
- About 5,000–6,000 at first, later greatly reduced
Background
After the Second Boer War broke out, the Boers quickly besieged Mafeking, an important railway town in the northern Cape Colony. Baden-Powell held up the Boers with land mines, dummy fortifications, a corps of boy messengers and other devices.
Course of the battle
- EncirclementIn October 1899 the Boers besieged Mafeking and cut the railway.
- Prolonged standoffThe Boers relied mainly on bombardment and launched no large-scale assault, while food rationing in the town grew ever tighter.
- Eloff's raidOn May 12, 1900, Eloff led his men briefly into the town but was ultimately forced to surrender.
- Relief force lifts the siegeOn May 17 the relief force arrived, the siege ended, and wild celebrations broke out in Britain.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1899 |
|---|---|
| Place | Mafeking (present-day Mahikeng, North West Province, South Africa) |
| Result | The siege lasted 217 days, and a British relief force lifted it in May 1900. |
| Winner | British garrison |
| Casualties | Several hundred casualties among the defenders; many African residents of the town died of hunger, exact number unknown |
| Territorial change | The relief did not directly change the course of the war, but it became a symbol of Britain reversing its early setbacks |
Impact
Baden-Powell became a British national hero as a result, and his experience organizing boys as messengers during the siege later became one of the inspirations for founding the Scout movement.
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