#1 Petraeus and Pretorius.... Both Dutch and quite similar in spelling. Believe it or not, there's actually a physical likeness as well. Makes one wonder.
On 16 December 1838, Commandant-general Andries Wilhelmus Jacovus Pretorius' force of some 500 men was attacked by over 10,000 Zulus, who were beaten off with an estimated loss of 3,000 men in what became known as the Battle of Blood River. The day was remembered as Dingane's Day by Afrikaners until 1910, when it was renamed Day of the Vow and recognised as a public holiday by the first South African government. |