The Maritz Rebellion or the Boer Revolt or Rebellion of the Five Shillings, occurred in South Africa in 1914 at the beginning of the First World War, in which men who supported the recreation of the old Boer republics rose up against the government of the South African Union. Many members of the government were former Boers who had fought alongside the Maritz rebels against the British in the Second Anglo-Boer War which had ended twelve years earlier. The rebellion failed and the ringleaders received heavy fines and conditions of confinement.
The government declared martial law on October 14, 1914 and forces loyal to the government under the orders of General Louis Botha and Jan Smuts proceeded to destroy the rebellion. General Maritz was defeated on October 24 and took refuge with the Germans. The Beyers command was attacked and dispersed in Commissioners Drift on October 28, after which Beyers joined forces with Kemp, but drowned in the Vaal River on December 8. General De Wet was captured in Bechuanaland, and General Kemp, having taken his command through the Kalahari desert, losing 300 of 800 men and most of his horses on the difficult 1,100-kilometer journey in a month, He joined Maritz in South-West Africa, but returned after about a week and surrendered on February 4, 1915.
