Jacobus Philippus Snyman

During the war he was initially commander of the Zeerust commando, and later general of the Rustenburg and Marico burghers. At the Siege of Mafeking he was under the command of General Piet Cronje, but was placed in command of the siege on the departure of the aforesaid on 18 November 1899.[1] Snyman, however, could not achieve any success. Due to his indecision and poor application of discipline, many of his men were shot dead, wounded or captured.

After the Battle of Diamond Hill near Pretoria, he was relieved of his rank for gross misconduct, and sentenced to cowardice on the battlefield.[1] After the fall of Pretoria, he was released by the British and spent the rest of the war on his farm.[2]

'According to Fransjohan Pretorius book: "The A-Z of the Anglo-Boer War", (pages 421 & 422), regarded as an expert historian of the Anglo-Boer War, his description of Snyman differs in that;-' 1. Snyman was appointed as a General by Gen. Piet Cronje despite him not having had any experience of command but motivated by the fact that Snyman was the native commissioner for the Marico. 2. Snyman and his Marico Commando took part in the Battle of Diamond Hill (11 & 12 June 1900) on the northern flank but their attack was repulsed by Maj.Gen. Sir John French. After this battle Snyman was relieved of his command by Comdt-Gen.Louis Botha because of his incompetence. 3. For the rest of the war Snyman remained on commando as an ordinary burgher in the Western Transvaal campaigns of Gen. Koos de la Rey.

In conclusion Snyman was not charged and/or sentenced for cowardice on the battlefield, nor could he have been imprisoned in Pretoria as at the time of the Battle of Diamond Hill, Pretoria was already occupied by British forces (5 June 1900).

He died at the age of 87 in Doornhoek, Groot Marico.[1]