"we here have decided among ourselves...to make known the day of our victory...among the whole of our generation, and that we want to devote it to God, and to celebrate with thanksgiving, just as we...promised in public prayer", Andries Pretorius.

Every tribe has its war stories and every family in South Africa knows of a battle faught on our soil, this story is told in memory of Geloftedag, a type of sabbath day still kept by the Afrikaans Boers on the Day of the Vow, 16 December:

I enjoy the raconteurs, they always seem to bring the history of what went down on the battlefield to life and though sad for one side, it became a legend for the other. The following is told from the was was told by soldiers on both sides and taken from a Voortrekker Viewpoint : It is the mystery of the battle at Ncume River when less than 200 Voortrekker men went to battle with over 2000 Zulu men…

The boers were ordered to form a defensive laager and await battle. Talk of decoy and attack took place, but not approved. Their spot was chosen well with the river on the right (east) and the donger at an angle off the river to the south.  The 64 wagons were lined up to form an arch between the natural boundries.

Superstition and Nature came to the Boers defence:  As is grew dark, lanterns attached to the ends of long bamboo whipsticks were lit and fastened to the wagons.  A thick mist rolled in down into the valley and surrounded the laager. The Zulu’s lay in wait on the hills and what they saw were great, gaunt shadows cast by the dim yellow light forming what they thought were ghosts and terrified many a superstitios heart. 

Darkness and Worship aid the Boers: There was a prayer and singing of pslams and hymns, this strengthened the morale within the laarger and perhaps made an impression on the warriors listening in the surrounding hills...

Two hours before sunrise, the boers were at their posts watching, while the masses of Zulu’s krept closer through the grass, when the first Zulu regiment rushed in, they were pelted by slugs only 10 feet from the wagons and the remaining regiment was forced to retreat to a distance of about 600-800 paces.  It was seen that the donga was packed with Zulus and the canon fired at short range acurately as did the follow up musketry.   Again the Zulus rushed the wagons from the North-West and North-east and although some of the Zulus were armed with rifles and ammunition, their efforts could not match the accuracy and un-relenting defence made by the men from within the laarger.  The fighting came in waves and when Charl Cilliers and eighty volunteers made their way to the donga, they were able to fire at a few feet beacuse even though there were hundreds of Zulu’s in wait, they were packed in so tightly they could hardly throw their assegais.

After almost 3 hours of battle, the Boers courageously went after the thousands of Zulu’s, they divided into two parties one going to the left and the other to the right. Panicked, the Zulu’s to the right jumped into the river which was so deep some only had their noses above water, most could not swim so they scrambled across, some trying to hide in the reeds, but it did not offer protection. Soon the river was a deep bloody red.  The Boers persued the Zulus until about 20h00 who ran in different directions.

The Boers say a careful count was made at which 3000 Zulus were found dead and only 3 Boers were injured but none perished in the fray.

The Boers returned to camp, stood with uncovered heads and uttered a prayer of thankfulness to the Almighty who had brought them this miraculous deliverance.  Then the laager resounded with the singing of hymns to the glory of God.  After paryers, Commandant-General Pretorius had two Zulus, captured in the fight, brought before him. He gave them a white cloth with his name on it, charging them to take it to Dingaan, and to tell their king, if he desired to make peace, he should send messengers bearing this cloth, to tret with the Boer commander. Thus, in the hour of victory, Pretorius sought to temper justice with mercy.  Could this have been The Day of Reconciliation?  The battle at Ncume River became known as the Battle of Blood River, named for the sight in the long reech of the river.