Belmont was a little village in the Northern Cape, about 80 km south of Kimberley.
The Battle of Belmont was an engagement where the British under Lord Methuen assaulted a Boer position on Belmont kopje on the way to relieving Kimberley. The Boers were led by Commandant Prinsloo who had 2 000 men and was joined by 800 men under Koos de la Rey on the day of the battle.
The battle took place in the early hours of 23 November. Knowing that the Boers occupied the hills, before light, Methuen had planned a flanking movement to attack the Boers rear, however at sunrise the main British force was in front of the Boer position.
The Boer fire had devastating results which forced an artillery attack on the Boer positions. British re-enforcements were about to mount a bayonet charge when the Boers retreated. British losses were heavy with 75 killed and 225 injured.
