urned home from
Poplar Grove without asking for permission to do so; and now all the
others were hurrying back in the greatest disorder to their own
districts.

I felt sure that Lord Roberts' troops would remain for some time in the
capital, in order to obtain the rest they must have sorely needed. And I
now asked myself what I could do whilst the English were remaining
inactive. For notwithstanding all that had happened, I had not for a
single moment the thought of surrender. It seemed to me that my best
course was to allow the burghers, who had now been away from their
families for six months, an opportunity to take breath![29]

After everything had been arranged I went to Brandfort and thence to
Kroonstad, at which place I was to meet President Steyn, who had left
Bloemfontein the evening before it fell.

On my road to Kroonstad I fell in with General P.J. Joubert, who had
come to the Free State, hoping to be able to discover some method for
checking the advance of Lord Roberts. He was anything but pleased to
hear that I had given my men permission to remain at home till the 25th
of March.

"Do you mean to tell me," he asked, "that you are going to give the
English a free hand, whilst your men take their holidays?"

"I cannot catch a hare, General, with unwilling dogs," I made reply.

But this did not satisfy the old warrior at all. At last I said:

"You know the Afrikanders as well as I do, General. It is not our fault
that they don't know what discipline means. Whatever I had said or done,
the burghers would have gone home; but I'll give you my word that those
who come back will fight with renewed courage."

I knew very well that there were some who would not return, but I
preferred to command ten men who were willing to fight, rather than a
hundred who shirked their duties.

Meanwhile President Steyn had proclaimed Kroonstad as the seat of the
Government, so that in future all matters were to be settled there.

On March 20th, 1900, a war council was held, which was attended by
from fifty to sixty officers. President Steyn presided; and there
sat beside him that simple statesman, grown grey in his country's
service--President Kruger.

The chief officers at this council were Commandant General Joubert,
Generals De la Rey, Philip Botha, Froneman, C.P. Cronje, J.B. Wessels,
and myself. A number of the members of both Governments also put in an
appearance at this meeting.

Do not let it be imagined that