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Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:20 pm

For a long time now I've come across contradictory information in various sources concerning Ferreira�s Horse and am wondering if anyone can help.

I know the unit was involved in Sekukuni campaign in both 1878 and 1879 and was also part of Rowlands column but I've several times come accross them being mentioned as serving with Wood's column. I've read alot about this columns activities and never come accross anyone actually mentioning them so have put serving in Wood's column down to a mistake - probably from 'Narrative of the field....' but this could be an error on my part so would be curious to hear if anyone knows better. Possibly they were with Wood for a very short time or maybe they were supposed to be moved over to Wood's column along with TR's and Border Horse but didn't??

Justin

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 8:14 pm

Justin,

I came across a thesis which mentioned that Ferreira's Horse was also known as the Transvaal Rangers. So I guess they did serve under Wood. I have some other references which I'll check out in due course

Johnny Hamman
Dundee

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 10:36 pm

Hi Johnny

The Transvaal Rangers were Cmdt Raaff's unit - also known as Raaff's Rangers or Raaff's Horse but their is a close association with Ferreira's Horse, the units having served together and many men served in both units at one time or another.
Would certainly be interested in hearing what info you have though.

Justin

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 11:11 pm

Johnny,

The Transvaal Rangers were Raaff's men, they were initially listed in The Narrative... as 'Raaff's Corps' as part of Rowland's No. 5 Column. 'Ferreira's Horse' under the command of Captain Ferreira are listed as a separate unit. (Justin obviously beat me to it whilst I was busy checking my references! JY)

Justin,

A check on the unit's casualties obviously indicates they were involved in the late 1879 action against Sekhukhune.

I ran a check through my system and found a quote in Charles Norris-Newman's In Zululand with the British... on page 97 he writes:-

Subsequently to the destruction of the camp at Isandwhlana, it was decided to strengthen Wood's Column with the greater part of Rowland's force, consisting of the 80th, Weatherley's, Raaf's and Ferreira's Horse, the Kaffrarian Riflemen; which was done by the end of the month, Colonel Rowland going back to Pretoria, as commandant in the Transvaal.

George Campbell, who died at Ntombe, whilst serving a Wagon Conductor, was a former member of Ferreira's Horse, page 99 of Norris-Newman.

A check of W.O. 100/48, does reveal a number of Yes's in the box The Zulus 1879, if that helps.

John Y.

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:38 am

Hi John

Many of the men of Ferreira's Horse ticked for service against the Zulus in W.O. 100/48 served in different Transvaal units but its hard to figure out if Ferreira's Horse were the last unit they served unless the Rank is higher as some seem to have served previously with the Diamond Fields Horse but could have served with the TR's in 1878 or 1879 and Border Horse during the ZW or Sekukuni. As an example of this I have a medal to an NCO in Ferreira's Horse who later became an Officer in TR's, he is down for a medal for each unit but only the TR's one was apparently issued and by cross checking I've found much the same picture among the Transvaal units especially- if only individual records were available!!

To confuse things more W.O. 100/49 gives a type written roll for Ferreira's Horse in which it states that everyone on this roll served in Col Villiers column between 6th Aug and 30th September 1879 - which would account for these men being ticked for serving in the Zulu War in W.O. 100/48 but I can see some men missing from this updated roll -including my man (who would be with TR's at this time). Unfortunately this only seems to prove that the unit at least served during the moping up operations.

Perhaps Newman is only putting down what appeared in orders and not reality, it does seem strange that in know accounts such as Dennison's, Cheffins, Tomasson, Mossop's and the like who all served with Wood in different units never mention Ferreira's Horse as being involved in an sortie or anything for that matter.

Justin Confused

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 7:32 pm

Hi guys,

I checked the chapter in the thesis to ascertain what it was about, and the author wrote about his family involvement in the 9nth Xhosa War 1877/8/9, and the South African War Medal 1877/8/9 that was given to him by the British (a trooper called Henning), and I quote "who was a member of the Transvaal Rangers, also called Ferreira's Horse," unquote. This is my translation, as the piece was written in Afrikaans. I also found another website which listed Ferreira's Horse, and a paper on the Sekhukhuni Wars on the Sa Military History website. John will know it. It does appear that there were two units called Transvaal Rangers, namely Raaf's unit and Captain Ferreira's Unit. I will check this out and get back if you are interested.

Johnny Hamman

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:58 am

Hi Johnny

Trooper Henning served both in TR's and FH so maybe their is a mistake in the original document?

As you say the SA Military History website has various articles with Raaff or Ferreira mentioned but although certainly not ruling out their being two Transvaal Rangers ( I'd certainly be happy if proved otherwise), I do find it unlikely, especially since both units were working so closely. I know Raaff was originally a Lt in Lydenburg Rifles and I did come across a paper mentioning him being a Lt with FH at one point- although I've never seen anything else to confirm it.
Why Raaff would choose to call his new unit the same name as another unit when their were such a diversity of names of other units seems odd. Raaff being such a 'dandy' you would imagine him wanting an original name for his unit?

According to a entry Paul Naish sent me a few years ago ;

"As before, the call for volunteers in the Transvaal met with scant success. Lanyon agreed to allow Capt Raaff to recruit in Griqualand West. Raaff left Kimberley on 23rd December with 208 men, fully equipped except for rifles. Lanyon supplied the corps with 135 horses.The European volunteers, about 160, became known as the Transvaal Rangers. The coloured members of the corps formed part of the Transvaal Mounted Rifles.

Further adjustments of the forces were necessitated by the Zulu War. When the news of Rorke's Drift reached Sir Theophilus at Utrecht, Raaff was ordered to march there with all available men...... '

in an earlier entry for June 1878:

"Eighty Four of Raaff's volunteers, the Zulu Police under Stewart and Riedel, with a 4 pounder Krupp joined Ferreira for an attack on Magneetshoogte.."

I think Volunteers is possibly just descriptive name for men under Raaff as later it mentions Raaff's troop, probably Lydenburg Rifles but again in info to the contrary would be most welcome.

I know Ferreira's unit (or a unit He commanded) was later known as Transvaal Horse during the Wars or 1880/81, so I'm guessing that as so much of the info concerning these units is so vague, people have at times filled in the gaps with what they felt to be correct- as I guess I'm also doing!

I'll look forward to seeing what info you have

Justin

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:20 am

Justin

Are you 100% certain that the Ferreira who was involved in the 1879 Sekhukhuni campaign was the same man attached to Rowland's No 5 Column and who possibly served with Wood?

I know nothing about any of them, so I shan't be offended if I'm sent packing! However, a glance at Huw M. Jones' Biographical Register of Swaziland to 1902 (which I think you now have a copy of) suggests that the Ferreira who took part in the Pedi expedition in 1879 was a completely different person to the chap who was with Rowlands at Derby and came down to make contact with Wood at Kambula in Jan 1879.

This may be one of the anomalies you have already come across? According to Huw Jones, Ignatius Philip Ferreira (5 Jly 1840- 13 May 1921) "erroneously claimed the honour of surrounding and capturing the Pedi chief", whereas this was apparently accomplished by a Swazi impi assisting the British. However, it seems to have been Joachim Johannes Ferreira (8 Aug 1835 - 16 May 1917) who was up at Derby with Rowlands and who, as a Swazi & Dutch intepreter, went down to Kambula with three others with cattle captured from Hamu, which Wood rejected & ordered them to repatriate. He was accompanied in this exploit by his brother Gerrit Thomas.

There is no mention whether this Ferreira (JJF) was also involved in the 1879 Pedi expedition. He apparently led a commando of 190 against the British agent for the Swazi border in Nov 1880 and, as commandant of the Utrecht Commando, played an important part at Majuba in 1881.

Among the seven Ferreira entries in the Register (JJF's entry running to 3,500 words) only one is described as "Captain Ferreira", he serving in the 2nd ABW and whose christian name is not recorded. There were two called Ignatius, which doesn't help(!), and I suspect the frequent absence of christian names given in military records leads to possible mis-identification too.

In Peter Delius The Land Belongs to Us - The Pedi Polity, the Boers & the British in 19th century Transvaal (Heinemann 1984) "Captain Ferreira" is mentioned a few times between pp 208 & 211, although in the chapter on the 1876 conflict.

Don't know if any of this helps, or merely muddies the waters further!

Peter

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:31 pm

Hi Peter

This is pretty confusing

and I had the same thoughts after looking at Huw�s book and to be honest I�m still a bit confused by the roll of the various Ferreira�s � all I�m sure of is that Ignatius Philip Ferreira was the Irregular units commanding Officer. It was this Ferreira that served with Rowland�s column commanding Ferreira Horse in the 1878 Campaign and again during the ZW and also in the final campaign against Sekukuni. I don�t know anything else of this man or of future Service (if any) but I�ve often tried to find out because I�m sure it would make interesting reading.
Joachim Johannes obviously did also but in a different role

As far as "erroneously claimed the honour of surrounding and capturing the Pedi chief" is concerned, this I�m sure has reference to the battle itself where Ferreira�s Horse were heavily involved but I guess its just a question of this unit stealing the glory when it was really down to the Swazi�s - I didn�t know realise this before reading Huw�s entry. I also knew nothing about Joachim Johannes Ferreira until reading this entry although I had read that a Ferreira led a Commando at Majuba a few years back and initially wondered if it was Ignatius Philip until I found a reference to his initials�. As you say, all pretty muddled. Kind of like the situation when researching all the Cooke�s, Davies and Davis�s serving in SA units during the ZW.

If anyone can correct me on any of this it would be appreciated

Justin