Agterryer

An Agterryer (lit. 'rear rider') is an Afrikaner term for Indigenous South Africans who volunteered or were conscripted as auxiliaries to fight during various conflicts in South Africa including the Great Trek, the Xhosa Wars, the First Boer War, and the Second Boer War.

Etymology

According to A Dictionary of South African English, the term "agterryer" in the Afrikaans language has its origins in the Dutch word "achter rijder" (lit. 'he who rides behind').[1] An achter rijder or "after rider" was typically a domestic worker who followed his master while on horseback.[1] Likewise, agterryers were Indigenous or mixed race domestic servants and military aides who rendered assistance to Boer commandos during times of conflict, often in a non-combatant role, however, in some isolated cases fought in combat.[2][3][4]

Role in various conflicts

Although originally intended as domestic servants, agterryers had a wide range of roles in the Boer commando system.[5] Agterryers often served as cooks, saddlers, personal servants, or took care of horses while a commando engaged in combat.[2][4][6] A single agterryer was usually attached to a group of five or more Boers in a commando, it is surmised by South African historians Fransjohan Pretorius that some commandos had between 9,000 and 11,000 agterryers in a single commando while deployed on duty.[2] According to Pretorius the relationship between an agterryer and Boers were often based on paternalism.[2] South African historian Bill Nasson argues however that these relationships were more so based off of comradery as they often shared the same food and sleeping quarters.[7]

One of the first notable uses of agterryers was during the Great Trek when a combination of 30+ agterryers and servants were killed alongside Piet Retief near UMgungundlovu in what was later known as the Piet Retief Delegation massacre.[8]

During the First Boer War agterryers played a critical role, most notably at the Battle of Majuba Hill where several agterryers were noted for taking part in the hill assault alongside Boer commando militiamen.[9][10] During the Boer Wars between 100 000–120,000 agterryers served on both sides during the course of the conflict.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Branford, Jean (1980). A Dictionary of South African English. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. p. 5. ISBN 0195701771.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Pretorius, Fransjohan (2010). The A to Z of the Anglo-Boer War: The A to Z Guide Series, No. 200. Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. pp. 5–6. ISBN 978-0810876293.
  3. 1 2 Maripane, Kgomotso Moncho (September 18, 2022). "Remembering black people's suffering and presence in the Anglo-Boer War with The Parrot Woman". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Herbert, Edwin (1990). The Second Anglo-Boer War. New York: Sterling Publishing. p. 89.
  5. ↑ Hall, Darrell (1999). The Hall Handbook of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press. p. 122.
  6. ↑ Harman, Mike (March 6, 2017). "Role of Black people in the South African War". libcom.org. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ Nasson, Bill (1991). Abraham Esau's War: a Black South African War in the Cape, 1899-1902. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 99. ISBN 0521385121.
  8. ↑ Jackie, Grobler (2011). "The Retief Massacre of 6 February 1838 revisited" (PDF).
  9. ↑ Laband, John (2017). The Battle of Majuba Hill: The Transvaal campaign, 1880-1881. Solihull: Helion & Company. p. 78. ISBN 9781911512387.
  10. ↑ Carter, Thomas Fortescue (1896). A Narrative of the Boer War: its Causes and Results. London: J. C. Juta & Co. p. 165.
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