hus the following
morning the English arrived safely at Lindley, and now there was no
possibility of capturing the town.

In the meantime President Steyn's laager had moved from the east of
Heilbron and joined us. He himself, with the members of the Government,
had gone to Bethlehem. General Marthinus Prinsloo was there too; he had
resigned his post of Commander-in-Chief of the commandos which guarded
the Drakensberg. Commandant Hattingh of Vrede had been chosen in his
place, and he also was at Bethlehem.

A difficulty now arose as to Prinsloo's position. The President
declared that Prinsloo was nothing more than a private burgher; but
Commandant Olivier was not satisfied with this, and asked that there
might be an election of a Commander-in-Chief. This request, however, the
President refused to grant.

I did not wish the office of Commander-in-Chief to devolve upon myself,
for I knew that I did not possess the confidence of the officers. And as
some eight miles to the east of Lindley there was telegraphic
communication with Bethlehem, I was able to hold a conversation with the
President over the wires. I accordingly again asked him to permit an
election. But it was all in vain; the President declined to allow an
election to take place.

I now took matters into my own hands. I collected the officers together
with the object of holding a secret election. Thus I should discover
what their opinion of me might be as chief of the Free State forces. I
was firmly resolved that should the majority of the officers be against
me, and the President should still refuse his consent to an election,
that I would send in my resignation, and no longer continue to hold the
post of Commander-in-Chief.

Commander-in-Chief Hattingh, Vechtgeneraal Roux, and all the oldest
commandants of the Free State, were present at this meeting. The voting
was by ballot; and the result was that there were two votes for General
Marthinus Prinsloo, one for General Piet de Wet, and twenty-seven for
myself.

I at once wired to the President, and told him what had occurred. He was
ready to abide by the decision, and I was satisfied now that I knew
exactly where I stood. Mr. Marthinus Prinsloo was also contented with
the turn events had taken. And I must say this of him, that it was not
he who had insisted on an election.

It soon became apparent that the enemy's object was the capture of
Bethlehem. The English forces round Senekal advanced towards Lin