The following morning we had to continue our journey to the Transvaal. It
being necessary to keep out of sight of the enemy, we marched first a short
distance to the south, and then went south-east. After a few days we reached
Vrede. There Commandant Manie Botha spared us a few burghers who knew this
part of the country well to serve as guides across the railway line. We
headed to the north of Volksrust, and on the second evening after we had
left Vrede, we struck the railway line at a spot which was guarded by an
outpost. They opened fire on us at once. General De la Rey and I then came
to the decision that after the burghers had exchanged a few shots, we would
quietly retreat a short distance, and then, with a sweep, try and cross the
line at another spot. This ruse was successful and we crossed unobserved.
But the first of our men had hardly got seventy paces from the railway line,
when a fearful explosion of dynamite took place, not thirty paces from the
spot where we had crossed. Whether this was managed by electricity or
whether the hindmost horses had struck on the connecting wire of some trap
set by the enemy, I cannot say; at all events, we escaped with only a
fright.
On
the fourth day after this we met the Transvaal Government and held a
conference at once, in accordance with the letter mentioned in my last
chapter. It grieved us much that things should have taken this turn, for it
nearly always happened that somehow matters of this sort came to the ears of
the English.
But the Transvaal Government had again taken courage, as they had received
an answer to the cable which they had sent to the Deputation, which answer
instructed them to hold out; and also because two successful battles had
taken place shortly before—one fought by General Kemp, and the other by
Commandant Muller. We remained there for two days, and after it had been
settled by the two Governments that the war should be continued with all our
might, and also that days of thanksgiving and humiliation should be
appointed, we went away accompanied by the genial and friendly Commandant
Alberts, of Standerton, who brought us across the Natal-Transvaal railway.
Captain Alberts was renowned as a valiant soldier; we now also found him to
be a most sociable man. He beguiled the time with agreeable narratives of
events in which he had taken part, and almost before we realized it we had
reached the railway line. We crossed in safety and took a hearty farewell of
our friendly Commandant and his burghers.
On
our march to Zilverbank—a farm on the Waterval River—I did not require any
guide, for I knew the surroundings, having lived there for two years. After
breakfast on the following morning we went on to within four or five miles
south of Hexrivier farm, about three miles to the north of the Vaal River.
There we off-saddled; and shortly after General De la Rey took leave of us.
He wanted to cross the railway at a place between Vereeniging and Meyerton
Station. This would lead him by a shorter road to his commandos than if he
went through the Free State. Our farewell was affectionate—all the more so
because we did not know whether we should see each other again on this
earth. Then we continued on our way with light hearts; having been
inspirited, not only by the pleasant company of the last few days, but also
by the decision taken by the two Governments, that, come what might, our
independence should not be sacrificed by us.
I
crossed the Vaal River at Villiersdorp and remained there that evening and
through the following day. Then President Steyn and I parted. He went to
Bezuidenhoutsdrift, and I, by way of Frankfort, to the Heilbron commando. I
remained at Frankfort for one night, with Commandant Ross and his men, and
had a very enjoyable time.
With the Heilbron people I stayed a few days only, because I had important
work to accomplish in the Winburg district; to this district therefore I
went.
As
the commandos were now so scattered there was enough work for each of us in
his own district, and I had much more riding to do than formerly. I found
Commandant Hasebroek and his men at Doornberg a few days later. Whilst there
I received from President Steyn a report of his narrow escape at Reitz, on
the 11th of July, 1901, when he and some of his bodyguard escaped, whilst,
unfortunately, Commandant Davel and all the members of the Government,
except Mr. W.C.J. Brebner, who was absent, were taken prisoners.
From Winburg I paid a visit to Vice-Commandant-in-Chief J. Hattingh, of the
Kroonstad commando, and then went to President Steyn. My joy in finding that
the President was safe, was only equalled by my grief at the loss of such
old friends as General Cronje, Member of the Executive Council; General J.B.
Wessels; T. Brain, Secretary to the Government; Commandant Davel; Rocco De
Villiers, Secretary to the Executive Council; Gordon Fraser, Private
Secretary to the President; MacHardy, Assistant Secretary; Pieter Steyn,
brother of the President and Veldtcornet of the staff; and my other friends
in the bodyguard. It was sad to think that such men were prisoners, and were
lost to us so long as the war continued. We had become rather accustomed to
such experiences, but what made this so hard to bear was that treachery had
a hand in it—when the English took the Government and President Steyn's
bodyguard prisoners, they had had a Free State burgher as their guide.
The vacant posts in the Government had now to be filled up, and the
President appointed the following persons:—In the place of A.P. Cronje,
General C.H. Olivier, as Member of the Executive Council; and in place of
Mr. T. Brain, Mr. W.C.J. Brebner, as Government Secretary. Mr. Johannes
Theron he appointed Secretary to the Executive Council, instead of Mr. Rocco
De Villiers; and Mr. B.J. Du Plessis Private Secretary to himself in place
of Mr. Gordon Fraser.
The President also decided to have, in future, only thirty burghers as his
bodyguard, and appointed Captain Niekerk as their Commandant.
