The burghers who were present at the engagement accused General Botha, while he declared that Thewnissen had been imprudent.

However that may be, we had failed in our essay.

The position had not been taken, and Commandant Thewnissen, with a hundred whom we could ill spare, were in the hands of the enemy, And to make matters still worse, our men were already seized with panic, arising from the now hopeless plight of General Cronje and his large force.
I, however, was not prepared to abandon all hope as yet.

Danie Theron, that famous captain of despatch-riders, had arrived on the previous day with reinforcements.

I asked him if he would take a verbal message to General Cronje--I dare not send a written one, lest it should fall into the hands of the English.