Hendrik Alberts facts for kids

Gen. Hendrik Abraham Alberts (born April 7, 1855, in Hoeko, near Ladismith, Cape Colony – died September 8, 1906, in Honingfontein Farm) was an important South African leader. He was a military commander, a writer, and a businessman. He was from a group of people called Afrikaners.

Several places are named after Alberts, including the towns of Alberton and Albertville. The Alberts Farm conservation area near Greymont and the General Alberts Primary School in Alberton also carry his name.

Early Life and Family

Hendrik Abraham Alberts was the oldest son of Hendrik Abraham Alberts and Martha Magdalena Claassen. He grew up on his family's farm in Heidelberg, Western Cape. He was mostly homeschooled by his mother, and he became very good at reading and writing.

When he was 19, Alberts married Petronella Johanna Oosthuizen, who was 17. They moved to a different town also called Heidelberg, in the South African Republic (ZAR). There, he became a successful farmer before the Second Boer War began.

Role in the Second Boer War

When the Second Boer War started in October 1899, Alberts joined the Heidelberg commandos. These were local army units. He was sent to fight in the Natal area.

Key Battles and Promotions

At the Battle of Spion Kop, Alberts acted as a field cornet, which is a military rank. After the British Army took over Pretoria in June 1900, he and his commandos moved to Machadodorp. Alberts then became a commandant, taking the place of Cmdt. Cornelis Johannes Spruyt, who had been promoted. He served in this role at the Battle of Lake Chrissie in February 1901. When Spruyt was killed in July 1901, Alberts was promoted to general.

General Alberts became a close helper to General Louis Botha in East Transvaal. He fought in important battles like the Battle of Bakenlaagte. Later, Alberts was sent with other commandos to the Orange Free State. There, he fought in many areas with General Christiaan de Wet.

Retreat and Peace

At the Battle of Kalkkrans in February 1902, Alberts and the other Boer Republic forces were defeated by the British. He had to retreat with General De Wet into the Drakensberg mountains. After this, Alberts went back to East Transvaal. He worked to disrupt British supply lines to help General Botha's forces.

In May 1902, Alberts attended the meeting where the Peace of Vereeniging was signed. He spoke in favor of accepting the peace offer from the British. On June 5, 1902, when the commandos put down their weapons, he gave a letter of thanks to his officers.

Life After the War

After the war, Alberts went back to his farm. He had to rebuild his house and barn because they were destroyed. Over time, he made his money back through smart real estate deals.

He continued to support General Botha and was active in local politics. He helped start the Het Volk Party. Alberts also led a group that bought the land where the city of Alberton would later be built.

In 1905, Alberts started having heart disease, which sadly led to his death in 1906. A writer named A.P.J. van Rensburg described him as a great patriot, very religious, friendly, and easy to talk to. He was remembered as one of South Africa's heroes. He had three sons and two daughters, and he also had an adopted son.

Alberts Farm

In the 1890s, it is believed that Alberts leased about 114 acres of the old farm called Waterval. The original farmhouse is no longer there, but the family graveyard, which is fenced, still remains. In 1946, Alberts' family sold a large part of the land (45,000 square meters) to the city council for public use.