Free State) asking for information regarding
several missing commandos and officers, amongst whom my name appeared,
while the telegram also contained the startling news that my commando
had been reported cut up at Klip River and that I had been killed in
action! This was the second time that I was killed, but one eventually
gets used to that sort of thing.

I sent, by the despatch-rider, this reply:--

"I and my commando are very much alive!" Adding: "Tell the General we
want four slaughter oxen."

The following day I received orders to attend a council of war which
was to be held at Glencoe Station. The principal object of this
gathering was to discuss further plans of operation, to decide as to
where our next positions were to be taken, and where the new fighting
line would be formed.

[Illustration: General Joubert opening a Council of War with Prayer.]

We all met at the appointed time in a big unoccupied hall near Glencoe
Station, where General Joubert opened the last council that he was to
conduct in this world. Over 50 officers were present and the interest
was very keen for several reasons. In the first place we all desired
some official information about the fate of General Cronje and his
burghers at Paardeburg, and in the second place some expected to hear
something definite about the intervention of which so much had been
said and written of late. In fact many thought that Russia, France,
Germany or the United States of America would surely intervene so soon
as the fortunes of war began to turn against us. My personal opinion
was stated just before the war at a public meeting, held in
Johannesburg, where I said: "If we are driven to war we must not rely
for deliverance on foreign powers, but on God and the Mauser."

Some officers thought we ought to retire to our frontiers as far as
Laing's Nek, and it was generally believed that this proposal would be
adopted. According to our custom General Joubert opened the council
with an address, in which he described the situation in its details.
It was evident that our Commandant-General was very low-spirited and
melancholy, and was suffering greatly from that painful internal
complaint which was so soon to put an end to his career.

No less than eleven assisting commandants and fighting generals were
present, and yet not one could say who was next in command to General
Joubert. I spoke to some friends about the irregularities which
occurred during our retrea