The Battle of Driefontein on 10 March 1900 followed on the Battle of Poplar Grove in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...

between the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...

and the Boer republics, in what is now

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

. In the first half of 1900, the British made an offensive towards the two

Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled this are ...

republic capitals of

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape To ...

and

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foothi ...

. The Boer forces under the command of Christiaan de Wet were holding a line covering the approach to Bloemfontein. Lord Roberts subsequently ordered a division under Lieutenant General

Thomas Kelly-Kenny General Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny, (27 February 1840 – 26 December 1914) was a British Army general who served in the Second Boer War. Military and political career Thomas Kelly was born on 27 February 1840 in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland, ...

to attack the position from the front, while Lieutenant General Charles Tucker's division moved against its left flank. The Boers were subsequently forced to withdraw losing 124 men killed and captured, while the British lost 82 killed and 342 wounded.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Driefontein, Battle of Conflicts in 1900 1900 in South Africa Battles of the Second Boer War Battles involving the United Kingdom March 1900 events