Johannes Gerhardus Celliers
Personal details
Born21 July 1861 (1861-07-21)
Fraserburg, Karoo, Cape Colony
Died9 January 1931 (1931-01-10) (aged 69)
NationalityAfrikaner
ProfessionPolice officer, Boer general
Military service
Allegiance South African Republic
Years of service1880–1881, 1899–1902
CommandsLichtenburg and Marico
Battles/warsFirst Boer War,
Second Boer War
  • Veggeneraal (fighting general)

Johannes Gerhardus Celliers (Jan Celliers, also Cilliers, 21 July 1861 – 9 January 1931) was a Boer general in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa.[1][2]

Youth

Jan Celliers was born in the Karoo, Northern Cape, as a son of Jacob Daniel Celliers (circa 1835 - 1871) and Johanna Elizabeth Blom (Kruger, Fraserburg, circa februari 1837 - Lichtenburg, 11 July 1921). At a young age Celliers migrated to the Transvaal (South African Republic) where he fought in the First Boer War (1880-1881) in the Marico Kommando.

Second Boer War

At the outbreak of the Second Boer War (Anglo-Boer War) in October 1899 he was a police officer at Krugersdorp. In this war Celliers served as a general for the districts of Lichtenburg and Marico. He became renowned for his methods of firing a gun while galloping fast on a horse,[3] as well as silencing British cannons.[2][4] In early 1902 he surprised with less than 500 soldiers British Colonel Stanley Brenton von Donop and his 1000 troops who fled.[5] In a meeting with Boer commanders on 29 May 1902 at Vereeniging, Celliers' vote was with those who proposed to stop fighting.[6] Subsequently, he was one of the signatories of the Treaty of Vereeniging in Pretoria concluding the war on 31 May 1902.

Literature

  • Breytenbach, J. H. (1977). Die Boereterugtog uit Kaapland [The Boer retreat from the Cape Colony]. Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899-1902 (in Afrikaans). Vol. IV. Pretoria: Die Staatsdrukker. P. 148-149.
  • Breytenbach, J. H. (1983). Die Britse Opmars tot in Pretoria [The British advance to Pretoria]. Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899-1902 (in Afrikaans). Vol. V. Pretoria: Die Staatsdrukker. ISBN 9780621083606. OCLC 769254652. P. 89, and 118.
  • Grobler, J. E. H. The War Reporter: the Anglo-Boer war through the eyes of the burghers, Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2004. ISBN 978-1-86842-186-2. P. 111, 131, 134, 137, 139, 141, 146, and 149.

References

  1. ↑ "Johannes Gerhardus Celliers". geni.com. Geni. A MyHeritage Company. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 Breytenbach J.H., Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, volume IV Die Boereterugtog uit Kaapland, Die Staatsdrukker Pretoria, 1977. p. 148-149.
  3. ↑ "Gen. Johannes (Jan) Gerhardus Celliers (70), initiator of the method to fire in full pursuit during Anglo-Boer War 2, dies". sahistory.org.za. South African History Online. 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Breytenbach J.H., Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, volume V Die Britse Opmars tot in Pretoria, Die Staatsdrukker Pretoria, 1983. p. 89, 118. "Cilliers" p. 269, 306.
  5. ↑ John Y. Fillmore Blake, A West Pointer with the Boers. Personal narrative of Colonel J.Y.F. Blake, Chapter 24, Angel Guardian Press, Boston 1903.
  6. ↑ Christiaan Rudolf De Wet, Three years war, Galago, Alberton, South Africa 2005. Appendix C. Minutes of the meeting of the special national representatives at Vereeniging, South African Republic, Thursday, the 29th of May, 1902, and the following days May 29th, 1902.
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