m Kitchener's message it was evident that
their march would be steadily harassed and delayed by the frequent
necessity of fighting, of resting at times, and by the slow movement
of the ox-team. Using utmost speed, at 11 A.M. French's detachment saw
the trees lining the Modder's banks, upon which its route had been
converging. On the left a fairly large body of men were perceived
moving east. A line of hills between these and the British force
concealed the latter, who were nearer the river. The horses were
ordered to water while the general and staff rode forward to
reconnoitre. Reaching a favourable height, they saw, 4,000 yards away,
the leading wagons of the Boer convoy just descending to {p.279}
Koodoosrand Drift, where a road from the northward crosses to
Petrusberg, on the Jacobsdal-Bloemfontein highway. The batteries were
summoned up, being cautioned to move at a walk, lest their dust should
draw attention, and at 12.15 P.M. the first shot was fired which told
Cronje that at the very last moment, with safety apparently grasped,
his passage was about to be disputed.

The Boer general, who for a day and a half had been fighting a
constant succession of rearguard actions with Kitchener's infantry,
took his measures promptly to meet this new dilemma. He first tried to
seize positions of command which would give him control of the ford.
In this French was the quicker, and headed him. He then turned his
column to the right to a ford called Wolveskraal Drift, four miles
below, west of Koodoosrand, and the same distance above Paardeberg
Drift, from which his defence has received its name. At Wolveskraal he
"laagered" his trains on the north bank of the river, postponing
crossing to next day. Either he felt sure that the British infantry,
marching afoot, could not come up in time to stop him, or else,
{p.280} unable to reconcile himself to cutting loose from his guns and
his wagons, he determined to risk all on the chance of saving them.
French, unsupported, could only answer for Koodoosrand.

The decision was critical, and proved fatal. The British 6th Division
pressed on untiring after nightfall, aiming to reach Paardeberg, but,
missing the precise point, they passed on and halted a mile and a half
below Wolveskraal, nearly opposite the ford Cronje intended to use.
Though all unknowing, they had taken a commanding position to head
him, as French had at Koodoosrand. Behind them was the mounted
infantry, which had cross