On Commando | Page 9

After the Jameson
Raid, which was really the beginning of the war, the Transvaal
Government recognised the dangerous position in which it stood, as an
isolated Republic, and was therefore obliged to arm itself with the most
modern of military equipments. Before the Jameson Raid race hatred
was dying out rapidly. The consequence of the raid was that the gap
between Boer and Englishman widened, the sympathy of the Uitlanders
for us grew deeper, and the Afrikander Bond grew stronger. England's
prestige in South Africa was threatened, and with it her rank as first
Power in the world. She had to maintain her supremacy in South Africa;
while for us it had become a question of all or nothing. England has
evidently succeeded in keeping up such friendly relations with the other
Powers that no intervention seems possible.
The relief of Ladysmith took place on February 28--a Majuba Day--a
day that had been marked as a red-letter day in our calendars. For
nineteen years the enemy have longed to wipe out the remembrance of
that day, and they have done so brilliantly and malignantly. Since that
time we have been humiliated and belittled. Our fall was great. For the
first time there was a general panic. The two Republics, being forced to
venture on war against a powerful kingdom, felt themselves staggering

under the heavy blow.

IV
DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA
After the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith we imagined that the
decisive battles would soon follow. Although my knee was not yet
cured, I went to Glencoe, whither our commandos had retreated. I was
not five days there when I had to leave, being unfit for active service.
Again I went to Warmbad for some weeks with Mr. Burgemeester
Potgieter and his family, and on my return to Pretoria remained in my
office until the beginning of May.
Meanwhile Frits had returned from the Free State, and my knee was
cured. We each bought ourselves a sturdy pony, and left, with some
other burghers, by train for Klerksdorp, from where we went on to
Dewetsdrift, on the Vaal River. General Viljoen was guarding the drift
there with some hundreds of burghers. We rode from there some four
or five hours into the Free State to spy the movements of the enemy.
From Dewetsdrift we went, under Commandant Boshoff, to
Schoemansdrift, Venterskroon, and Lindequidrift. Our division formed
part of the escort for the guns. Our route lay through beautiful scenery.
The Vaal twists and bends between two high mountains that curve on
either side like the roads the khaki makes with his double row of
waggons over the hills of the Hoogeveld. In every opening of the
mountains lies a farm, a mean little house, but among well-cultivated
fields. In nearly every farm the family was grieving for one of its
members who had been taken prisoner along with Cronje, and of whose
fate they were in ignorance. The people received us very kindly.
Everywhere we got milk and biscuits, and we found afterwards that
those people were the kindest who had suffered the most from the war.
As the enemy were already on their way to Johannesburg, we had to
retreat as rapidly as possible, first to Bank Station, near Potchefstroom,
and then by train to Langlaagte. To the north-west of Johannesburg we
had a skirmish with the enemy, who attacked us as we were feeding our
horses. It appeared that our guard was not on duty. I have never seen
horses saddled so quickly. Most of the burghers rode off and left us
behind with the guns. One ammunition waggon stuck in the mud, and
was left behind, but was brought in safety to Pretoria by Frans

Lottering, a comrade of mine, who rode back for it with some gunners
when we had fled. Lottering was given a sword by General de la Rey
for his brave conduct. Through negligence on the part of our officers
we lost on that occasion one gun, several waggons, and some of our
men.
Almost all night long we retreated with our guns to Pretoria. We had
not lost courage. We all spoke of the thorough way in which our
Government would have fortified Pretoria, and of the great battle that
would take place there. We had all made up our minds to a stubborn
resistance at our capital. What a bitter disappointment it was to find
that our Government had decided not to defend the town! The causes
that led to such a decision will be brought to light by historians. The
consequences were that many of the burghers were discouraged, and
rode 'huis-toe,' and nothing came of the great battle that was to have
been fought.
Frits and I decided to give our horses a few days' rest in