Battle of Muizenberg
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The Battle of Muizenberg was a small but important naval skirmish which took place near Muizenberg, South Africa in 1795.
Background
In 1795 the Dutch East India Company controlled the southern tip of Africa. They had been in possession of the area since 1652, almost 150 years. The once-mighty company was now failing; bankrupt, confused, beset by powerful nations competing for the same resources, the VOC had not long to live.Detail
On 7th August 1795 a force of three ships of the Royal Navy sailed slowly along the False Bay coast from Simon's Town towards Muizenberg. Sailing under reduced canvas they kept pace with 1400 British troops and sailors trudging along the sandy coastal track towards the Dutch emplacements. At 2.00pm the troops halted. The Royal Navy ships, comprising HMS Echo (sloop, 16 guns), America (64), Monarch (64) and Rattlesnake (16), and commanded by Lord Elphinstone with General Craig in charge of the ground forces, anchored fore and aft opposite the Dutch positions in Muizenberg and opened fire with their broadsides. Within half an hour the Dutch forces, led by Governor Sluyskens and commanded by Major Gordon, broke and ran. They were pursued around the hillside by the British troops until sunset ended the chase. Over the next six weeks a sporadic campaign took place which stalemated at Wynberg Hill. At that point substantial British reinforcements arrived and the Dutch capitulated.Few men died during the campaign on either side. The British dead are well documented, the Dutch less so. Of the 35 British dead only 8 died of wounds received in action; the balance were deaths due to disease.
Result
The British assumed control of the Cape for the next seven years. The Cape was returned to the restored Dutch government (known as the Batavian government) in 1804. In 1806 the British returned and after again defeating the Dutch at the Battle of Blaauwberg, stayed in control for 100 years.English became the language of the Cape. This was Britain's second colony, after Sierra Leone. Ownership of this territory proved crucial during the First and Second world Wars, when mastery of the Cape had significant strategic importance to the Allied war effort. In addition the Cape became the springboard for British colonial expansion into Africa. Certainly current-day Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi all owe their current form to the battle.
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