CF Bezuidenhout

Cornelis Frederik Bezuidenhout was a frontier farmer in the eastern

Cornelis Frederik Bezuidenhout, known by the nickname Freek, was the fifth of seven children of Gerrit Bezuidenhout, a burgher of Graaff-Reinet, and his wife, Sophia Maria Scheepers. Freek was descendant of Wynand Leendertsz Bezuidenhout, of the Netherlands, master gardener at the Cape, and his wife, Jannetje Gerrits, of Amsterdam.^[2]

He was born in the Graaff-Reinet district in 1760.^[2]

As a frontier farmer, he lived in seclusion in the valley of the Baviaans River, east of

He was said to know no fear, to be full of self-confidence and decidedly arrogant and quick-tempered.[2]

As a result of his views on public affairs he came into conflict with the authorities. Unrest on the eastern frontier, caused by conflicts with the Xhosa, increased the tension, especially after the Black Circuit in 1812.^[2]

Bezuidenhout was generally known as a difficult man; he was accused by his servant, Booi, of ill-treatment and of holding back his pay due to a theft accusation against Booi.^[2]

He was summoned to appear before the court at Graaff-Reinet. At first he sent poor excuses for his absence, but eventually defied the court's orders.^[2]

As a result, he was sentenced in his absence by a circuit court for

He was confronted at the Baviaans River (the present Glen Lynden) on 16 October 1815. Bezuidenhout refused to surrender and fired on the soldiers. With his mixed race^[citation needed] son and a casual visitor, Jacob Erasmus, he sought refuge amongst the tumbled rocks of the nearby valley. He would not listen to reason and recommenced firing until he was mortally wounded by the soldiers returning the fire. His son and Erasmus, who took no part in the action, surrendered.^[2]

Bezuidenhout was buried on the farm the next day by his relatives.^[2]

There is no certainty about Bezuidenhout's wife or children, apart from one son, Gerrit Coenraad Bezuidenhout (1790-1838).^[2]

Memorial

The cave in which Bezuidenhout died, and also his grave, are at Silverbrook farm, the present Glen Lynden in the

At Bezuidenhout's funeral, his brother, Johannes Jurgen (Hans Jan) Bezuidenhout, swore to avenge himself on the officials whom he held responsible for his brother's death.^[1]

He incited the whole community to resistance against British authority. He believed that his decision to chase the British and the

• 1816 in South Africa
• Trekboer
• History of Cape Colony from 1806 to 1870

References

External links

• Macmillan, William Miller (1970). The Road to Self-rule: A Study in Colonial Evolution. Ayer Publishing. p. 296.
  ISBN 0-8369-5608-7
  .
• This Day in History

Further reading

• HCV LEIBBRANDT (ed.), The rebellion of 1815. Generally known as Slachtersnek. Cape Town, 1902
• GE CORY, The rise of South Africa, v.1. London, 1921
• CJ UYS, 'Slagtersnek: verdraaide beelde van 'n grusame gebeurtenis', Die Landstem, 28 November 1964
• JA HEESE, 'Die Bezuidenhouts van Slagtersnek', Familia, 1965/6, no. 4.