CHAPTER XV.
I Make Lord Kitchener's Acquaintance On the morning of June the 10th my anticipations were realized by the approach of a large English force from Vredefortweg and Heilbron.
Commanded by Lord Kitchener, and numbering, as I estimated, from twelve to fifteen thousand men, this force was intended to drive us from the railway line.
I gave orders that the few waggons which we had with us should proceed in the direction of Kroonstad, to the west of the line; once out of sight, they were to turn sharply to the west, and continue in that direction.

This manoeuvre, I hoped, would serve to mislead the enemy, who was on the look-out for us.
So much for the waggons.

For the rest, I felt that it would never do for us to withdraw without having fired a shot, and I therefore got my men into position on some kopjes (where Captain Wyndham Knight had been four days previously, and which lay to the north of Rhenosterriviersbrug) on my farm Roodepoort, and on the Honingkopjes.
The English, with their well known predilection for a flank attack on every possible opportunity, halted for an hour, and shelled our positions with Lyddite and other guns.

This did _not_ have the desired effect of inspiring terror in the burghers who were under my command at Honingkopjes.
Then the enemy began to move.

I saw masses of their cavalry making for a piece of rising ground to the north of Roodepoort.