Voortrekker Laagers in Natal

Saailaer was the camp of Gert Maritz and is overlooked by the adjacent Fort Durnford Museum across the Bushman's River. The sounds of gunfire from the other laagers alerted Maritz who assumed a defensive position. Later, the Zulus attacked across the river but, being in flood (it was the wet season) had to resort to human chains to get across.

This was exploited by those in the laager who shot repeatedly at the chains to break them. Later, the attack fizzled out and Maritz moved off to help the other trekkers.

While he was here, Maritz dug irrigation furrows that can still be seen to this day. There are also signs of old walls, the old drift and a road. After the attacks, Maritz moved the laager to Strydpoort.

The site of this laager is just off the old main road between Estcourt and Mooi River. On the night of 16th Febraury, the laager, like nearby Maritz's was alerted by the sound of gunfire from the other laagers. The entire party took refuge on the nearby koppie and when the Zulu attack came, were able to produce such a withering fire that the Zulus could not dislodge them.

Eventually, very close to the end of their ammunition, relief arrived from the other laagers but they could not get through the Zulu attackers. One of the party however rode to the laager, grabbed bags of ball and powder and galloped through the Zulu throng to the besieged trekkers.

The worst attacks occurred at the laagers on the Bloukrans river (close to Chieveley) where almost all the trekkers from the Liebenberg, Roussouw and Bezuidenhout families were wiped out.

In 1895, those killed were exhumed and reinterred in a communal grave.

This laager held the families of Piet Retief and Erasmus Smit and was one of the largest. Because it was set somewhat back from the others, closer to the Drakensberg, it was not attacked and then acted as a refuge for the others.

Maritz moved his laager next to that of the (dead) Retief and later, Andries Pretorius split his party between the two laagers. Later again, Uys's party formed a separate laager so that by April 1838 all the Voortrekkers were in laager at the same spot.

So named because of the muddy conditions, this laager was established when it became known that the Trekkers had been defeated at Italeni. The laagers of Retief and Uys combined at this point over the hill from Doornkop.

Also known as Gatslaer, the site is now covered by the Wagendrift Dam. The laager was set in a steep valley on the Bushman's River and was set up because the two laagers at Doornkop could stay close together for long because of the lack of grazing.

Consequently, those trekkers at Modderlaer moved to this point in July 1838. On 13th August, ten thousand Zulu warriors surrounded the laager and attacked it for two days and nights, being repulsed only on the 15th August.

Maritz, having moved his laager to Doornkop, then to Modderlaer and then to near the Bushman's River was forced to move again to the Little Tugela near Loskop, an easily recognizable mountain. Because attacks from the Zulus were expected at any moment the laager was immediately reinforced with sod lumps.

After the attack at Veglaer, Maritz went to help the trekkers there who moved to Sooilaer, one group with him and one groups across the river. The trekkers stayed there some months, digging irrigation furrows and planting crops.

It was at this laager that Gert Maritz died on 23rd September 1838 and it was also from this laager that the 'wenkommando' under Andries Pretorius departed to engage the warriors of Dingane at the Battle of Blood River. After the battle, the trekkers dispersed.

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