Battle of Silkaatsnek

The Battle of Silkaatsnek (Afrikaans: Slag van Silkaatsnek, English: Battle of Zilikat's (Silikat's, Uitval's or Nitral's) Nek, or First Battle of Silkaatsnek) was a military engagement in the Anglo-Boer War on July 11, 1900, at the Silkaatsnek mountain pass, between Pretoria and Rustenburg. Boer guerrillas under assistant-commander general Koos de la Rey surprised British troops, using a new guerrilla tactic instead of fighting a set-piece battle. On the same day of July 11, 1900, the British also suffered two similar reversals, at Battle of Dwarsvlei in Krugersdorp district and at Onderstepoort, but a few days later, on 16 July 1900, they withstood a Boer attack in the Battle of Witpoort east of Pretoria.