Following some early skirmishing and 'shows of force' around this remote administrative centre the Boers and defending forces settled down into an uneventful seige punctuated by a 155mm 'Long Tom' gun shelling the town from time to time. The British made an attempt to attack a Boer fort on the 26th December but it was beaten back with loss. Baden-Powell, in command of the defence, made much of 'his heroic efforts' to rally the defenders, but most of the brunt of the hardship was felt by the town's black population and refugees. This was particularly notable on the 12th of May when Commandant Eloff led an attack to try to take the town before help arrived. The attack was made through the native quarter but the Barolong people who lived there raised the alarm, and trapped much of the force until Eloff decided to surrender.

British Colonial forces

Number engaged :

n/a

Casualties :

273

Boer (Transvaal) forces

Number engaged :

n/a

Casualties :

n/a