I had therefore to be off without a moment's delay.

I had not even time to send my wife and my children into a place of safety.
Our whole stock of ammunition was on the rail at Wolvehoek.

I had given orders to Mr.Sarel Wessels, who had charge of the ammunition, to hold himself in readiness to proceed with it by rail, through the Transvaal, to Greylingstad as soon as he received orders to do so.
But now the ammunition could not remain there, as Sir Redvers Buller was gaining ground day by day towards the veldt on the Natal frontier and the ammunition would thus be in danger of being taken.

Therefore there was nothing left for me but to get it through by way of Greylingstad Station.

It had to be done, and,--I had no carriages by which I could convey it, as I had not sufficient hands to take carriages from the trucks.[41] There was only one way (course) open; the commandos from Smithfield, Wepener and Bethulie still had, contrary to the Kroonstad resolution, carriages with them at Frankfort; I hastened to that village and sent the necessary number of these carriages under a strong escort, to fetch the ammunition from Greylingstad.
In order to do this responsible work I required a man whom I could trust.