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Dirk Cornelis "Dirkie" Uys (3 March 1823 – 9 April 1838) was aVoortrekkerhero during theGreat Trek.
Uys was born inSwellendam in 1823, the son ofPetrus Lafras Uys and Alida Maria Uys.
After the massacre ofPiet Retief and his men byDingaan on 6 February 1838, a number of Voortrekker camps were also attacked by theZuluimpis. These Voortrekkers appealed to other treks, particularly those ofPiet Uys andHendrik Potgieter in theOrange Free State, for help. Both treks send outcommandos to help, including Uys' fifteen-year-old son, Dirkie. During the subsequentBattle of Italeni, Piet Uys was mortally wounded by anassegai while riding to the rescue of two of his cornered men. The rescue party failed.
Opinions of what happened next differ: According to the most common version (mostly told by people who had not been present at the battle), Dirkie Uys was ahead of his father with most of the party when he heard his father ordering one of his men to leave him where he had fallen. Seeing the Zulus closing in on his father, Dirkie Uys turned around his horse, shouting "I will die with my father", and charged. He shot three Zulu warriors, briefly forcing them to retreat, but they rushed at him and stabbed him off his horse. Dirkie Uys fell beside his father, where they were both stabbed to death. This version of events is depicted on one of the historicalfriezes of theVoortrekker Monument.
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