They were respectively under Commandants Piet Fourie, Crowther, Fouche, De Villiers, Michal Prinsloo and Vilonel; and these Commandants took orders from Vechtgeneraals J.B.Wessels, A.P.Cronje, C.C.Froneman, W.Kolbe and Philip Botha.
The Colesberg and Stormberg commandos had received the order to go northwards in the direction of Thaba'Nchu and Ladybrand.

These commandos also had been panic-stricken since General Cronje's surrender.
The Kroonstad, Heilbron, Harrismith and Vrede burghers, under Commander-in-Chief Prinsloo, were directed to remain where they were, and guard the Drakensberg.
General De la Rey followed my example, and gave his men permission to return home for some time.] [Footnote 30: This council also enacted that officers should be very chary in accepting doctors' certificates.

The old law had laid it down that if a burgher produced a medical certificate, declaring him unfit for duty, he should be exempted from service.

That there had been a grave abuse of this was the experience of almost every officer.

There were several very dubious cases; and it was curious to note how many sudden attacks of heart disease occurred--if one were to credit the medical certificates.