al on
November 21, 1914, closely pursued by Commandant Dutoit and a motor
car contingent from Witwatersrand. De Wet's followers had gradually
deserted, and he had only four men with him when he succeeded in
joining a small commando of fugitives gathered at Schweizer Renek. The
heavy rainstorms at this time favored him as he started with this
force to follow Colonel Kemp and join Maritz in German Southwest
Africa, for the motor cars in pursuit could make small progress over
the heavy roads. Crossing Bechuanaland on November 25, 1914, De Wet
was pursued by another loyalist force under Colonel Brits who in two
days captured half of the fugitives.

On December 1, 1914, at a farm at Waterburg, about a hundred miles
from Mafeking, De Wet and his party of 52 men surrendered to Colonel
Jordaan without firing a shot, and the one-time Commander in Chief of
the Orange Free State forces was imprisoned at Johannesburg to await
his trial for high treason.

In the Orange Free State, General Beyers and about seventy men harried
by loyal commandos divided his party, and leading one group made a
dash for the Vaal River pursued by Captain Uys and Cornet Deneker with
a small force. Trapped at daybreak on December 9, 1914, near the Vaal,
Beyers and a few men tried to swim the river to the Transvaal under a
fierce fire. Beyers was seen to fall from his horse, and was heard to
cry for help, but was drowned before anyone could come to the rescue.

General Botha's operations in the northern district of the Orange Free
State were made difficult because of the heavy fogs, but early in
December, 1914, the rebels were in sore straits, 500 being captured
while 200 surrendered to Commandant Kloppers a loyalist, who had been
taken a prisoner and was afterwards released.

General Maritz, Colonel Kemp, and the "Prophet" Litchtenburg had fled
west, and after some fighting at Kurumun, and two minor successes,
surprising two posts at Langklip and Onydas which they were forced to
abandon on the arrival of reenforcements, they retired toward the
German frontier where they were penned in by the Union forces.

On January 24, 1915, the rebels made their last sally, attacking
Colonel Van der Venter at Upington. The rebel force, about 1,200
strong and led by Maritz and Kemp, was easily repulsed. On February 3,
1915, Maritz, having fled to German territory, Colonel Kemp and his
commando of 43 officers and 486 men including the "Prophet"
Lichtenburg surrender