Three Years' War

ando as a Pr

tate were notified, under the Commando Law, to hold themselves in

that, if required for active service, he must provide himself with a riding-horse, saddle and bridle, with a rifle and thirty cartridges-or, if he were unable to obtain a rifle, he must bring with him thirty bullets, thirty caps, and half a pound of po

d rule amongst the burghers that they should consist of meat cut in strips, salted, peppered, and dried, or else of sausages and "B

re called up for active service. On the 2nd of October, 1899, the order came. On that

ivate burgher, I entered on the campaign. With me

Els, and the Commandant of the whole contingent Mr. Lucas Steenekamp. It soon became known that the War Commission had decided that our commando was to proceed as rapidly as possible to the Natal fro

now began in

feed themselves were soon over, and now it was

uantity and the same quality as his comrade. Our methods were very different, except as regards flour, coffee, sugar, and other articles of that nature. The British soldier, f

ed, for, as the portions differed much in quality, it became of the first importance that the Vleeschkorporaal should be a man whose impartiality was above suspicion. To avoid any temptations to favouritism, this useful pers

would let his tongue go, and the burgher who had complained was a man to be pitied. But such quarrels only occurred early in the campaign. By the time that the Vleeschkorporaal had been a few weeks at his work he had gained a considerable knowledge of human nature, and the inju

btained from a branch of the nearest tree. A more ambitious fork was manufactured from fencing wire, and had sometimes even as many as four prongs. A

in making cakes; these they cooked in boiling fat

to be content with bully-beef. They then, like ourselves, killed oxen and sheep; but, unlike us, were very wasteful wit

our farms. In the course of this narrative my intention is to mention only those cases which I saw with my own eyes. The reader, perusing them, may well pause i

r subject-the story of my own experiences and doings in th

r with the other burghers of the Heilbron commando, had just

Commandants present were Steenekamp, of Heilbron; Anthonie Lombaard, of Vrede; C.J. De Villiers, of Harrismith; Hans Nandé, of Bethlehem

ed his duties admirably, until he was made a prisoner of war. This happened when he

ezuidenhoutspas, in the Drakensberg. This imposing range of mountains, which then formed the dividing line between Bo

rontier. I saw nothing of the English there, for they had abandoned all their positions on the frontier shortly before the beginning of the

the ultimatum allowed to England, expired. The British had not complied with the terms which the So

patched Steenekamp that night to Bezuidenhoutspas. Eastwards from there the following commandos were to hold the passes:-Bothaspas was to be occupied by the commando from Vrede; V

unable to set out; he accordingly ordered me to take hi

d, however, a great improvement manifested itself in this matter, although as long as the struggle lasted our discipline was always far from perfect. I do not intend to imply that the burghers were unwilling o

get everything arranged,

to cross the frontier. The English might have been on the precipitous side of the mountains under the ridge without my being any the w

ccurred. When the sun rose the following morning the whole countr

ill far from well, appeared with the remaining part of the commando. He brought the news that war ha

llness, was unable to be present, I attended the council in his place. It was decided that a force of two thousand burghers, under Commandant C.J. De

htgeneraal. But shortly before the war began the Volksraad had given the President the power to appoin

m going to the front, I was ordered, as Vice-Commandant of the

were stationed at Dundee and Elandslaagte. We were to be aided in our task by the Transvaalers who w

lic, or to Commander-in-Chief Prinsloo, or to Vechtgeneraal De Villiers. For then I was merely a Vice-Commandant, who had not to give orders, but to obey them. But whoever was to blame, it is certainly true that when, early

them a very warm time. But now that they had joined their comrades at Ladysmith, we had to be prepared for an at

d not keep us

sole exception of the skirmish between the Harrismith burghers and the Carabineers at Bester Station on the 18th of October, when Jonson

d Dundee. Our only gun was placed on the side of a high kop on our western wing. Our men did not n

ning cannonade was opened on us by the enemy's artillery, at a range of about 4,500 yards. Our gun fired a few shots in return, bu

tempt to get round our wings. Their object appeared to be to keep us in smal

ite near to us without coming under our fire, for small kloofs[9] and other inequalities of the ground afforded them excellent cover. But when they

I myself was, our men had less to endure. But every burgher, wherever he might be, fought with the greatest courage. Although there were som

ing us out of our positions, withdrew to Ladysmith. Shortly afterwards we were able to go over the battlefield. There were not many dead or wounded

sequently died. This loss touched us deeply, yet it was encouraging to not

hinking that our forces were too weak to pursue the retreating English troops. As soon as I was able to leave my position it gave me great pleasure to shake hands with him, for he was an old friend and fellow-member of the Volksraad. It was pleasant to greet him as