Guerrila Tactics

For most of the war, the Boers assembled in groups in the hills. The British cannons quickly taught them they could minimize their losses by staying in a large number of small groups, rather than vice versa. They were very good shots and frequently sniped the British from their hideouts at long distances. Guerrilla tactics followed as a natural consequence.

It is commonly believed that Genl. Christiaan de Wet was the first to come up with the concept of guerrilla warfare. Sleeping or mobilising by day, with night attacks using camo & stealth that were unprecedented at the time. Some of the Boers’ most successful attacks also took place around 4 p.m. when the British soldiers found the afternoon heat most intolerable.