Battle of Blaauwberg Traditional Geocache
Henzz: Time to put this series to bed...
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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Enjoy a steaming cup of coffee from a tin cup (blikbeker). Look
South and try to imagine how much effort it must have taken to
clamber up to the top of Blaauwberg Hill in full battle dress,
dragging a cannon up as well. Sir David Baird's men was ready and
willing to take on the enemy, and started the climb at 03h00. It is
8 January 1806.
Blaauwberg Hill is not open to the public, so we won't be joining
in the battle, but we will hear history happening from down here if
we listen really attentively. At 05h00 the British troops were on
the saddle of the hill looking down onto the battlefield down
below. The battle commenecd on Kleinberg. The 2 British brigades
was organized and disciplined. The Highland brigade fixed their
bayonets and bagpipes and charged under cover of the canon. Can you
hear the sounds of battle behind the hill? On the Batavian front
confusion reigned. The regiments began to break rank and started to
retreat ignoring General Janssens' pleas to stand their ground.
Eventually even he sensed a defeat and ordered a retreat. The
British did not pursue. They were exhausted after their march
across hot sand under a scorching sun and without water. Many
feinted and collapsed. Losses on the Batavian side was numerous.
The British lost more men when a boat capsized during the landing,
than in the battle itself. Janssens retreated to the Hottentots
Holland mountains, and Sir David Baird marched on to Cape Town
where on 10 January 1806 the capitulation was signed under a tree
in Woodstock.
THIS IS PART OF A 4 CACHE SERIES - ALSO DO
GC1JEDR AND
GC1JEEF AND
GC2D9MC TO KNOW THE FULL HISTORY.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Obea va Ratynaq. Ergverq va Nsevpn.