▁the ▁British ▁in ▁their ▁advance ▁on ▁Kim ber ley . ▁The ▁battle ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁of ▁three ▁batt les ▁during ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Black ▁Week ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War . ▁ ▁Following ▁their ▁defeat , ▁the ▁British ▁delayed ▁at ▁the ▁Mod der ▁River ▁for ▁another ▁two ▁months ▁while ▁rein for c ements ▁were ▁brought ▁forward . ▁General ▁Lord ▁Roberts ▁was ▁appointed ▁Commander ▁in ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁forces ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁take ▁personal ▁command ▁of ▁this ▁front . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁lifted ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Kim ber ley ▁and ▁forced ▁C ron je ▁to ▁surrender ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pa arde berg . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁the ▁Cape ▁Col ony , ▁the ▁Bo ers ▁surrounded ▁and ▁laid ▁sie ge ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁g arr isons ▁in ▁the ▁towns ▁of ▁Kim ber ley ▁and ▁M af ek ing ▁and ▁destroyed ▁the ▁railway ▁bridge ▁across ▁the ▁Orange ▁River ▁at ▁Hop et own . ▁Sub st ant ial ▁British ▁rein for c ements ▁( an ▁army ▁corps ▁under ▁General ▁Red vers ▁Bull er ) ▁arrived ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁were ▁dispers ed ▁to ▁three ▁main ▁front s . ▁While ▁Bull er ▁himself ▁advanced ▁from ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Dur ban ▁in ▁Natal ▁to ▁rel ieve ▁the ▁bes ie ged ▁town ▁of ▁Lad ys m ith ▁and ▁a ▁smaller ▁det achment ▁under ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁G ata cre ▁secured ▁the ▁Cape ▁Mid lands , ▁the ▁rein for ced ▁ 1 st ▁Division ▁under ▁Lord ▁M