Smith, Harry (General)

Since 1808, Harry Smith took part in the Napoleonic Wars (he was a major at Waterloo ) and other battles.

In 1829, Smith was appointed Acting Quartermaster of the Cape. Chased the Boer “ furtrekkers ”. In 1834, he ordered the arrest of the "dangerous agitator" Louis Tregardt . However, skillfully maneuvering in the vast veld, Tregardt happily escaped arrest.

In 1835, Harry Smith played a decisive role in the 6th frontier war against the Kafra .

In 1840, Smith left South Africa and was appointed associate general of the British forces in British India . However, on December 1, 1847, he returned to South Africa as governor and high commissioner and on December 23 proclaimed Kaffir lands as British territory. The following year he visited the lands north of the Orange River and proclaimed on February 3, 1848, the area between the Orange and Baal rivers by British territory, defeating the Boer militia of Andris Pretorius at the Battle of Boomplats . On March 14, 1849, Smith announced an agreement on the sovereignty of the Orange Republic .

On August 30, 1851, Smith held talks with the Boer Calvinist preacher F.E. For in the city of Sannaspost.

On March 31, 1852, Smith was replaced by Sir George Cutcart , and on June 1 of that year he returned to England , where he died 8 years later. ^[2]

The cities of Harrismith and Smithfield in the South African province of Free State are named after him. The village of Forsmith ( af: Fauresmith ) is named after him and the Calvinist preacher F.E. Faure , and the village of Ladysmith in the Western Cape and the city of Ladysmith in the province of Kwazulu-Natal in honor of his wife.

The village of Alival-Nord also owes it its name in memory of the battle of Alival ( en: Battle of Aliwal ) in India, which Smith won in 1846.

• Albertyn, CF dr. (hoofred.). 1972. Die Afrikaanse Kinderensiklopedie . Kaapstad: Nasou.
• Raper, PE 1987. Dictionary of South African Place Names . Johannesburg: Lowry Publishers.