The Battle of Helvetia was an engagement in the Second Boer War fought by Boer and British troops on 29 December 1900 in Helvetia 10 km north of Machadodorp, eastern South African Republic.
Battle Boer troops under Vechtgeneraal Chris Muller and overall command of General Ben Viljoen won a surprise victory over the British forces of Major Stapleton Lynch Cotton (1860-1928), attacking them from east and west at dark before daybreak. The Boers numbered about 580 men (or 350Viljoen 1902.), while the British forces were only about 350 men strong, however boasting a 120mm (4.7 inch) naval cannon. Muller and his troops took 235 prisoners of war and the cannon. After burning British army stocks, Boer troops fled for oncoming British reinforcements.
Aftermath Muller later became particularly famous for the capture of this cannon, jokingly called the 'Lady Roberts'.The cannon's name referred to Nora Henrietta Bews, the spouse of the British Commander-in-Chief Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts. Major Cotton, 1st Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment, was convicted of quitting his post at Helvetia, but acquitted of neglect of good order and military discipline. Page 330.
Literature
At the website angloboerwar.com of David Biggins. Grobler, J.E.H.: The War Reporter. Jonathan Ball Publishers. 2004. ISBN 978-1-86842-186-2. Page 493.
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See also Military history of South Africa