These were the last prisoners of war that we were able to send into the South African Republic.

Soon afterwards, when Pretoria was on the point of falling into the enemy's hands, the prisoners there had to be sent further east, but--owing either to the stupidity of the Transvaal Government, or to the treachery of the guards--a great many of them were left behind for Lord Roberts to release and re-arm against us.

Our burghers grumbled much at this, and blamed the negligence of the Transvaalers.
Before we had had time to get the captured Yeomanry through into the Transvaal, Sir Redvers Buller had forced his way over the Natal frontier, crossing the Drakensberg between Botha's Pass and Laing's Nek.
This event, which happened on June the 17th, caused yet another panic among our commandos.
"We are now," they said, "surrounded on all sides.

Resistance and escape are equally impossible for us." Never during the whole course of the war were President Steyn and I so full of care and anxiety as at this time.

With Buller across our frontier, and the enemy within the walls of Johannesburg and Pretoria, it was as much as we could do to continue the contest at all.