There I disposed the available forces for defence, and kept them occupied in throwing up _schanzes_.

These _schanzes_ were erected to the west and south of the town, and at distances of from four to six miles from it.
On the evening of the 12th of March, Lord Roberts appeared, and a few skirmishes ensued south of the town, but no engagement of any importance took place.

We awaited the morrow with various forebodings.
For myself, I believed that that 13th of March should see a fight to the finish, cost what it might! for if Bloemfontein was to be taken, it would only be over our dead bodies.
With this before my eyes, I made all necessary arrangements, riding at nightfall from position to position, and speaking both to the officers and to the private burghers.

They must play the man, I told them, and save the capital at any cost.

An excellent spirit prevailed amongst them; on every face one could read the determination to conquer or to die.
But when, about an hour before midnight, I reached the southern positions, I heard a very different story.