On this day the Siege of Wepener, which had lasted for 16 days, was about to be lifted. The Boer Commandos who supported General de Wet’s force of over 6 000 Boers were under the command of Commandants Wessels, Haasbroek, de Villiers and Olivier, and during the 16 days were unable to breach the defence of Wepener.
Before the siege commenced, Major Maxwell of the Royal Engineers had organised a defensive position, west of Jammersberg Bridge on the outskirts of Wepener. At the same time the garrison at Wepener was reinforced by a British force under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Dalgety. The British were able to hold out despite continuous bombardment by the Boers.
After a final assault on the morning of 24 April and having not gained any ground, and on hearing that a British relief force was close, de Wet decided to abandon his effort, and that night the Boers evacuated their positions and fell back to Thaba Nchu.
An internet article by Chris Ash reports that the British suffered 33 deaths and 133 injuries. General C.R. de Wet in his memoirs wrote that the Boers suffered five deaths with 13 wounded.
