Three Years' War

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n the morning of that day I received a telegram from States-Presid

ident asking for time to think the matter over. To tell the truth, I sh

nce to the Western borders. I did not know what to do. However, after deliberating for a short time, and with great difficulty overcoming my disinclination to leave my present associates, I decided to accept the post offered to me. Commandant Steenekamp was ki

ay from my commando: that 9th of Decemb

the Transvaal authorities, at the request of my Government, was waiting for us, and we started without a moment's delay. As we jou

o! hur

" In spite of the Government's orders that I was to be sent forward without delay

t once started on our journey of sixty or seventy miles

Colenso, the English had suffered heavy losses, and ten guns had fallen into our hands. Magersfontein also had cost them dear, and there General

Thus it fell to my lot to take over the command of the Free-Staters. The Commander-in-Chief of these Free State burghers, as well as of

n operations in the direction of Hopetown and De Aar with the intention of breaking Lord Methuen's railway communications. But Cronje would hear nothing of the scheme. Say what we would, there was no moving him. He abs

al Cronje the chief command over the Free State burghers at Magersfontein. Thus it was that I, as Vechtgeneraal, had to receive my orders from Cronje. I had the following Commandants under me: Du Preez, of Hoopstad; Grobler, o

, in addition to the burghers of the Free State, and the positions which I had to inspect every day extended over a distance of fifteen miles from end to end. I had to listen to constant complaints; one of the officers w

Lyddite guns dropped shells amongst us. Sometimes not more than four or five reached us in the twenty

o atoms. This youth was a son of Mr. Gideon van Tonder, a member of the Executive Council. Another Lyddite shell so severely wounded two brothers, named Wolfaard, Potchefstroom burghers, that we almost despaired of their lives. Nevertheless, they recovered. I do

kely to make another attack on our extensive positions. I said nothing of this to any of the b

r again, "will not attack us here. He will

the Government on the matter, and begged them to forbid it. But here again my efforts were unavailing. Later on,

re and more apparent to me, and before long we had to suffer f