However, prior to the formation of Batterij Dingaan, all artillery units of the ZAR were part-time volunteers, organised under its commando system.

The first artillery pieces purchased were 4 Krupp 6,5 cm mountain guns and one obsolete French Mitrailleuse.

The members of the battery, most of who were not citizens of the ZAR, joined the three British volunteer corps, which had been created in order to assist the garrison with the defence of Pretoria.

Shortly after the British occupation of the ZAR ended in 1881, the executive council of the ZAR mandated the formation of the Artillerie Korps van de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Artillery Corps of the South African Republic).

During the same year the executive council also mandated the formation of the Transvaalsche Rijdende Politie Korps (Transvaal Mounted Police Corps).

With the collapse of the Boer offensive, the Staatsartillerie retreated to the Free State in order to halt Lord Roberts' advance on Pretoria.

Due to lack of ammunition and the changing Boer strategy, the guns were dumped in the Krokodil River or blown up at Komatipoort.

Their outstanding service led to Winston Churchill to comment "these are the finest gunners in the world....they can teach the Royal Artillery a lesson or two."

It was not the Battle of Dalmanthutha where indirect was first used, – they did it first at Spioenkop (24 January 1900) and then at the Thukela Heights (12 to 27 February 1900) – six months earlier.