In the Shadow of Death | Page 6

first to be elected before
any steps could be taken.
A second meeting of officers for the purpose of electing a Chief
Commandant was next held. In that meeting Prinsloo was elected Chief
Commandant, but, as not all the officers were present, some of them
being still in the positions, it was beforehand agreed that the man
elected by that meeting should have no authority before the votes of the
absent officers were taken, and when their votes came in it was found
that General Roux, and not Prinsloo, was elected.
The latter, however, entered into negotiations with the enemy before
this question as to whom was to be Chief Commandant was settled. He
first asked for an armistice, which was refused. Then he asked for terms,
to which General Hunter replied: "Unconditional surrender is
demanded." Prinsloo, well aware that the burghers would not surrender
unconditionally, pleaded and insisted on terms.

At this juncture Vilonel, the deserter, who had been sentenced for five
years' imprisonment for high treason, but who was, unfortunately,
released, appeared on the scene. He came from the British lines, met
Prinsloo, and officiated as intermediary between Generals Hunter and
Prinsloo. Something in the shape of terms was drawn up, but these
terms, if tested and analysed, amounted to unconditional surrender. As
soon as Prinsloo was in possession of these conditions, he forwarded a
report to the different commandants that he had been successful in
obtaining good terms from the English, and that they must evacuate
their positions so as to arrange for a surrender. This report was sent on
to Commandant Potgieter of Smithfield with instructions to forward it
to the next commandant.
General Roux, on learning of Prinsloo's doings, at once dispatched a
report to the different commandos notifying to them that Prinsloo had
no right to negotiate with the enemy, to ask for or accept terms for a
surrender. Also, that the burghers must on no account abandon their
positions. He, so the report ran, would personally go to protest against
the illegal surrender. The General went, but did not return. Why he
went himself, and did not send one of his adjutants with a written
protest, seems still very strange to us. He was warned not to go.
General Fourie's last words to him were: "Good-bye, General; I greet
you, never to see you again in the Boer ranks." He did not heed the
warning, and so we lost one of our bravest and best leaders.
Unfortunately, General Roux's report fell into the hands of
Commandant Potgieter, who, siding with Prinsloo on the question of a
surrender, had it destroyed whilst Prinsloo's was forwarded. This
settled the whole affair. The positions were evacuated, and in part
occupied by the enemy. Still, at the eleventh hour, there was a
possibility of escape. The long trail of waggons would have been
captured, but most, if not all, the burghers could have found their way
out. But no, they were to be duped by a set of unscrupulous officers.
They were told they could get all they desired, except their
independence. All could go home, each would get a horse-saddle and
bridle, their private property would not be confiscated, and they would
be allowed to follow their agricultural and pastoral pursuits undisturbed.

And the poor officers--well for them that there were no extenuating
terms, no mercy. So, at least, said Commandant Polly de Villiers, of the
Ficksburg Commando. He, when posing as a martyr, announced these
conditions to the burghers, who, after such long separation from their
families, found it impossible to withstand such charming terms.
Sorrowfully were they disillusioned after they had laid down their
arms.
To make the surrender a complete success, all sorts of rumours were
freely circulated. The burghers were told that all who did not surrender
would be shot as rebels when captured, that the pass, higher up the
mountains, was guarded by twenty-five lyddite guns, so that every exit
was cut off by the enemy. When these reports were brought to bear on
men already depressed and discouraged it did not require great pressure
to effect their surrender. Still, if these men had not been misled, if they
had known that Ceylon and India would be the final destination of
many of them, they never would have surrendered, and very few of
them would have been captured there and then. All this they found out
when it was too late.
These unfortunate burghers we do not wish to criticise too severely.
The officers were to blame. Many of them certainly fell into the hands
of the enemy through no fault of their own. There were, however, some
who were only too ready to lay down their arms, and these were the
majority. They did not act the part of men; for they