pected
families placed behind our commandos. Any male persons who had
surrendered to the enemy out of cowardice were arrested.

Most of them were court-martialled for high treason and desertion, and
giving up their arms, and fifteen were imprisoned in a school building
at Rhenosterkop, which had been turned into a gaol for the purpose.
The court consisted of a presiding officer selected from the
commandants by the General, and of four members, two of whom had been
chosen by the General and the President, and two by the burghers.

In the absence of our "Staats-procureur," a lawyer was appointed
public prosecutor.

Before the trial commenced the President was sworn by the General and
the other four members by the President. The usual criminal procedure
was followed, and each sentence was submitted for the General's
ratification.

The court could decree capital punishment, in which case there could
be an appeal to the Government.

There were other courts, constituted by the latter, but as they were
moving about almost every day, they were not always available, and
recourse had then to be taken to the court-martial.

The fifteen prisoners were tried in Rhenosterkop churchyard. The trial
lasted several days, and I do not remember all the particulars of the
various sentences, which differed from two and a half to five years'
imprisonment, I believe with the option of a fine. The only prison we
could send them to was at Pietersburg, and there they went.

The arresting and punishing of these people caused a great sensation
in the different commandos.

It seems incredible, but it is a fact that many members of these
traitors' families were very indignant about my action in the matter,
even sending me anonymous letters in which they threatened to shoot
me.

Although there was less treason after the conviction of these fifteen
worthies had taken place, there always remained an easy channel in the
shape of correspondence between burghers from the commandos and their
relatives within the English fighting lines, carried by kaffir
runners. This could not be stopped so easily.

On the 19th of November, 1900, I attacked the enemy on the railway
simultaneously at Balmoral and Wilgeriver, and soon found that the
British had heard of our plan beforehand.

Commandant Muller, who was cautiously creeping up to the enemy at
Wilgeriver with some of his burghers, and a Krupp gun, met with a
determined resistance early in the morni