Weenen massacre
Encyclopedia
The Weenen Massacre was the massacre
of Voortrekkers
by the Zulu
on 17 February 1838. After the murder of Piet Retief
and his delegation, the Zulu chief Dingane
sent his impi
s to exterminate the remaining voortrekkers who were camped at Doringkop, Bloukrans
(i.e. Blaauwekrans), Moordspruit, Rensburgspruit and other sites along the Bushman River
, in the present province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
. The present day town of Weenen
, situated close to these sites, derives its name from the Dutch word for "weeping".
Among the Voortrekkers
, 41 men, 56 women and 185 children were killed. In addition another 250 or 252 Khoikhoi
and Basuto that accompanied the Voortrekkers
were killed. The murdered included George Biggar, the young son of Robert Biggar, a trader at Port Natal. Biggar and his second son subsequently participated and died in retaliatory attacks on the Zulus. Most people camped at the Klein- and Groot-Moordspruit were murdered. Here a Boer woman Johanna van der Merwe sustained 21 assegai
wounds but survived. The camps at Rensburgspruit, where Hans van Rensburg and Andries Pretorius
were camped, were successful in defending themselves.
Hans van Rensburg's party were compelled to leave their wagons and retreat on foot to a hill, Rensburgkoppie, which was protected by a cliff on one side. Here they were cornered by the Zulus, whom they kept at bay with limited ammunition. When their ammunition was almost depleted, a young man by the name of Marthinus Oosthuizen arrived on horseback. By shouting instructions they informed him where to locate and salvage ammunition from their camp. This Oosthuizen was able to deliver by charging with his horse through the Zulu file, while covered by the defenders of the hill. With the defense strengthened, the Zulus retreated.
Two months afterwards, on 15 April 1838, Andries Pretorius
reflects in his journal: "As we were separated from one another, they succeeded in their attack at daybreak at Blaauwekrans, thereby killing 33 men, 75 women and 123 children." This implies a total of 231 deaths at the Blaauwekrans camps. The name Blaauwekrans refers to bluish cliff faces present in the area.
The town of Weenen
was established two months after the massacre.
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
of Voortrekkers
Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
by the Zulu
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
on 17 February 1838. After the murder of Piet Retief
Piet Retief
Pieter Mauritz Retief was a South African Boer leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he assumed command of punitive expeditions in response to raiding parties from the adjacent Xhosa territory...
and his delegation, the Zulu chief Dingane
Dingane
Dingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu —commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828...
sent his impi
Impi
An Impi is an isiZulu word for any armed body of men. However, in English it is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu. Its beginnings lie far back in historic tribal warfare customs, where groups of armed men called impis battled...
s to exterminate the remaining voortrekkers who were camped at Doringkop, Bloukrans
Bloukrans River (KwaZulu-Natal)
The Bloukrans River originates in the Emangosini foothills of the Njesuthi Drakensberg, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It proceeds in a north-easterly direction, passing the village of Frere, until it joins the Tugela River. The river and its tributaries are mostly undammed, though...
(i.e. Blaauwekrans), Moordspruit, Rensburgspruit and other sites along the Bushman River
Bushman River
The Bushman's River is an east to north-easterly flowing tributary of the Tugela River, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg Mountain range, with its upper catchment in the Giant's Castle Game Reserve, north of the Giant's Castle promontory...
, in the present province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The present day town of Weenen
Weenen, KwaZulu-Natal
Weenen is the second oldest European settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on the banks of the Bushman River. The farms around the town grow vegetables, lucerne, groundnuts, and citrus fruit. The town was laid out in 1838 at the site of a massacre by the Zulus following...
, situated close to these sites, derives its name from the Dutch word for "weeping".
Among the Voortrekkers
Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
, 41 men, 56 women and 185 children were killed. In addition another 250 or 252 Khoikhoi
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
and Basuto that accompanied the Voortrekkers
Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
were killed. The murdered included George Biggar, the young son of Robert Biggar, a trader at Port Natal. Biggar and his second son subsequently participated and died in retaliatory attacks on the Zulus. Most people camped at the Klein- and Groot-Moordspruit were murdered. Here a Boer woman Johanna van der Merwe sustained 21 assegai
Assegai
An assegai or assagai is a pole weapon used for throwing or hurling, usually a light spear or javelin made of wood and pointed with iron.-Iklwa:...
wounds but survived. The camps at Rensburgspruit, where Hans van Rensburg and Andries Pretorius
Andries Pretorius
Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the Transvaal Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa....
were camped, were successful in defending themselves.
Hans van Rensburg's party were compelled to leave their wagons and retreat on foot to a hill, Rensburgkoppie, which was protected by a cliff on one side. Here they were cornered by the Zulus, whom they kept at bay with limited ammunition. When their ammunition was almost depleted, a young man by the name of Marthinus Oosthuizen arrived on horseback. By shouting instructions they informed him where to locate and salvage ammunition from their camp. This Oosthuizen was able to deliver by charging with his horse through the Zulu file, while covered by the defenders of the hill. With the defense strengthened, the Zulus retreated.
Two months afterwards, on 15 April 1838, Andries Pretorius
Andries Pretorius
Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the Transvaal Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa....
reflects in his journal: "As we were separated from one another, they succeeded in their attack at daybreak at Blaauwekrans, thereby killing 33 men, 75 women and 123 children." This implies a total of 231 deaths at the Blaauwekrans camps. The name Blaauwekrans refers to bluish cliff faces present in the area.
The town of Weenen
Weenen, KwaZulu-Natal
Weenen is the second oldest European settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on the banks of the Bushman River. The farms around the town grow vegetables, lucerne, groundnuts, and citrus fruit. The town was laid out in 1838 at the site of a massacre by the Zulus following...
was established two months after the massacre.