The 1806 Battle of Blaauwberg – an archaeological perspective by Willem Hutten submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject ARCHAEOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: Professor J.C.A. Boeyens CO-SUPERVISOR: Dr N.J. Swanepoel January 2019 DECLARATION Name: Willem Hutten Student number: 42586054 Degree: Master of Arts in the subject Archaeology I, Willem Hutten, declare that 'The 1806 Battle of Blaauwberg – an archaeological perspective' is my own work and that all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. I further declare that I have submitted the dissertation to originality checking software and that it falls within the accepted requirements of originality. I further declare that I have not previously submitted this work, or part of it, for examination at Unisa, for another qualification or at any other higher education institution. Signed this ___22nd___ day of _January_, 2019. Willem Hutten The 1806 Battle of Blaauwberg – an archaeological perspective ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research would not have been possible if it was not for the impetus provided by the FoBCA and Battle of Blaauwberg Interest Group. Roy Fuller-Gee, as the driving force behind the FoBCA, has contributed tremendously towards this research by arranging access to the site and providing the required hardware. Roy has also been the link between the City of Cape Town and Blaauwberg Nature Reserve. Ian van Oordt has spent many hours researching the battle and has given endless support, and shared valuable information and insights into the battle and associated events. Ian’s knowledge and experience of battle-related aspects have been invaluable. Without the metal detecting of Alan Wright, Robert Turvey, John Gravenor, Clayton Alison, Lance Turner, Steph Little, and many more metal detector volunteers, spending numerous hours persistently transecting the grids, this research would not have been possible. Their knowledge and experience have been a great help in conducting our surveys. The guidance, support and input provided by both Alan and Robert have, since the project’s inception, been key to its success. Garry Thomson and Joe Ribaudo have been involved with research into the battle for many years and have contributed greatly through their insight and hard work. Garry provided access to the Battle of Blaauwberg artefact collection retrieved from previous research. Many hours of discussion have also been of great help to obtain a better understanding of the era. Similarly, the continuous fieldwork by Francois van Lill, Anja Huisman and Marius Breytenbach made a massive contribution to the successful conclusion of the field surveys. I do appreciate the ongoing assistance of students from the University of Cape Town, and the many volunteers. The financial assistance of the UNISA bursary and NSFAS contributed to lighten the financial burden of the project. Catherine Damerell’s help with proofreading and editing is appreciated. I value the guidance by Prof. Jan Boeyens and Dr. Natalie Swanepoel during this project. I also extend my gratitude towards my wife, Louisa Hutten, who has been a pillar of strength while guiding the research expertly. Lastly, I want to thank my children, Kara, Mia and Ryno, for their regular assistance and for generously allowing me the time to complete the research. ABSTRACT British forces captured the Cape of Good Hope from the Batavian Government in 1806. The archaeological investigation into the Battle of Blaauwberg aims to identify the strategic use of the landscape by both sides focusing on specific geographic areas. Metal detector surveys and the mapping of archaeological material clarified the various battle positions within the reconstructed historical environment. Analysis of the artefacts provided insight into their use and the strategies followed by both armies. Altogether the evidence illuminated the use of the landscape and its influence on the course of the battle. This unique multi-pronged study of a South African battlefield and its material cultural record sheds new light on the 1806 battle, thereby complementing and refining prevailing historical interpretations. It explores methodological issues and approaches that are critical to the domain of battlefield archaeology in South Africa, where a large number of battle sites still await archaeological investigation. KEY WORDS Battlefield archaeology; Conflict archaeology; Geo-physical surveys; Metal detector surveys; 1806 Battle of Blaauwberg; General Jan Willem Janssens; General David Baird; Batavian Republic; Blaauwberg Hill; Melkbosstrand. OPSOMMING Britse magte het die Kaap die Goeie Hoop in 1806 van die Bataafse Regering verower. Die argeologiese ondersoek na die Slag van Blaauwberg is gerig op die identifikasie van die strategiese gebruik van die landskap deur beide kante met die fokus op spesifieke geografiese areas. Metaalverklikkeropnames en die kartering van argeologiese materiaal het die onderskeie gevegsposisies in die gerekonstrueerde geskiedkundige omgewing opgeklaar. ’n Ontleding van die artefakte het insig gebied in hul gebruik en die strategieë wat beide gevegsmagte gevolg het. In die geheel gesien, belig die getuienis die gebruik van die landskap en hoe dit die verloop van die geveg beïnvloed het. Hierdie unieke meervlakkige studie van ’n Suid-Afrikaanse slagveld en sy materiële kultuurrekord werp nuwe lig op die 1806-veldslag en sodoende word bestaande historiese interpretasies aangevul en verfyn. Dit verken metodologiese kwessies en benaderings wat kritiek is vir die domein van slagveldargeologie in Suid-Afrika waar ’n groot aantal gevegsterreine nog argeologies ondersoek moet word. ISISHWANKATHELO Imikhosi yaseBhritane yayihlutha iKoloni Yethemba eyayibizwa ngokuba yiCape of Good Hope, iyihlutha kurhulumente waseBatavia ngonyaka we-1806. Uphando lwezixhobo zakudala zexesha ledabi iBattle of Blaauwberg lujolise ekuqwalaseleni ubuchule bokusetyenziswa kobume belizwe ngala macala mabini, lugxininisa kwiindawo ezithile. Isifundo sembali senza uqikelelo lobunjani bedabi, kwaqhutywa iintlolo zimvo ezisebenzisa izixhobo zesinyithi nokuphengululwa kwezixhobo ezifumaneke kwizakhiwo zakudala nezacacisa iindawo ezahlukeneyo zedabi. Izixhobo zokusebenza ezafunyaniswayo zatyhila ulwazi lwendlela ezazisetyenziswa ngayo namacebo obulumko awayesetyenziswa yimikhosi yamacala omabini. Ubungqina bacacisa ukusetyenziswa kobume belizwe nefuthe lobo bume ekuqhubekeni kwedabi. Le ndlela ikhethekileyo, nenobuchule obuziindidi ezahlukeneyo, yokufunda indawo yedabi laseMzantsi Afrika, nengxelo yezinto zenkcubeko, inika ulwazi olutsha ngeli dabi lowe-1806, kwaye yongeza ikwacolisisa indlela yokutolika imbali yeli dabi. Kuphandwa imibandela yeendlela zokwenza namacebo abaluleke kakhulu kwicandelo lophando lwezixhobo zakudala zamadabi eMzantsi Afrika, apho iziza zamadabi eziliqela zisalinde ukuba kuphandwe ngazo. 1806 Battle of Blaauwberg – an archaeological perspective TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .................................................................................................................................................. 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................................... 1 ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 KEY WORDS ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................................... I TABLE OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... IV LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................................................. VIII CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. 1806 BATTLE OF BLAAUWBERG ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT .................................................... 1 1.2. RESEARCH QUESTION AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE .................................................................... 5 1.3. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE ................................................................................................... 7 1.4. PROJECT LOCATION ........................................................................................................ 11 1.5. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 13 1.6. CHAPTER OUTLINE ......................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 2. BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY ................................................................................................... 16 2.1. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH WITHIN BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY ... 16 2.2. EXAMPLES OF BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY .......................................................................... 21 2.2.1. Battle of the Little Bighorn ...........................................................................................................