ithfully and valiantly until, in an engagement at
Jagersfontein, he gave up his life, a sacrifice for the rights of his
nation. His name will ever be held in honour by his people.

These two Vice-Commanders-in-Chief had no easy task to perform. In fact,
as every one will admit, it was a giant's burden that I had laid upon
their shoulders. To lighten it a little I made the following
arrangement: I sent Captain Pretorius, with a small detachment, in
advance of General Fourie, to prepare the road for him, and Captain
Scheepers to do the same for Judge Hertzog. The first had to say: "Hold
yourselves in readiness! Oom Pieter![71] is coming." The other had to
say: "Be prepared! The Rechter[72] is at hand!"

All went well. General Fourie set to his task at once and did excellent
work. He had not been long in his division before he had collected seven
hundred and fifty men, and had had several skirmishes with the enemy. It
was on account of his acting so vigorously that the English again put
garrisons into some of the south-eastern townships, such as Dewetsdorp,
Wepener, and others.

With General Hertzog things went even better. He had soon twelve hundred
men under arms. General Fourie had not succeeded in getting together an
equally large force in his division, because many burghers from these
districts had been taken prisoner at the time of the surrender of
Prinsloo. General Hertzog also fought more than one battle at
Jagersfontein and Fauresmith.

I ought to add that after I had crossed the Magaliesberg I had sent
Veldtcornet C.C. Badenhorst, with twenty-seven men, on a similar errand
to the districts of Boshof and Hoopstad. I promoted him to the rank of
commandant, and he soon had a thousand troops under him, so that he was
able to engage the enemy on several occasions. He had not been long
occupied in this way, before I appointed him Vice-Commander-in-Chief.
The reader who has followed me throughout this narrative, may very
naturally ask here how it could be justifiable for nearly three thousand
burghers thus to take up arms again, and break their oath of neutrality?
I will answer this question by another--who first broke the terms of
this oath?--the burghers or the English military authorities? The
military authorities without any doubt; what other answer can one give?

Lord Roberts had issued a proclamation saying that, if the burghers took
an oath of neutrality, and remained quietly on their farms, he would
give th