Location Rustenburg, South Africa | ||
Result South African Republic victory; Rustenburg is captured | ||
The Siege of Rustenburg was a siege that took place between 1880 and 1881 during the First Boer War. Boer forces of the South African Republic carried out the siege on Rustenburg, a British-controlled city inside of the Transvaal Colony, and captured it after three months.
Preparations
In November 1880, several months before the opening of hostilities, much of the British garrison was withdrawn, leaving only a single battalion of 62 men of the 21st Regiment of Foot in Rustenburg. Following a rise in tension, and with conflict in South Africa imminent, British forces under Captain Auchinleck strengthened the defences of Fort Rustenburg, which included adding additional sandbags on top of existing Paraparats, laying small mines around the fort and the construction of additional military huts.