United States or Kiribati ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
We were quite unable to hold the enemy back, and so we had to leave our positions, having lost one dead and one wounded. That night we marched ten miles to the east of Gatsrand, on the road to Frederiksstad Station, and the following morning we arrived at the foot of the mountain. Here we outspanned for a short time, but we could not wait long, for our pursuers were following us at a great pace.
When on the following night we were again in the saddle I heard from many a mouth, "Whither now?" Our destination was Frederiksstad Station, where we were to engage General Barton. Previous to an attack, thorough scouting should always take place.
I now received a report from General Liebenberg that General Barton and his column were in the neighbourhood of Frederiksstad Station. I decided to do so, and sent him a confidential letter saying that I would join him in a week's time.
But whether the enemy were angry or not, there was no doubt that they were pursuing us in very large numbers, and that we had to escape from them. That evening, the 7th of August, we went to the north of Frederiksstad Station, and blew up a bridge with two spans and wrecked the line with dynamite. The following day we arrived at the Mooi River.
I arranged various matters at Doornspruit, in the district of Kroonstad, on the 23rd of September, 1900, and then went from there in the direction of Rietfontein, in order to meet the commando which I had ordered to be at Heilbron on the 25th. Frederiksstad and Bothaville I therefore went out of my course and proceeded in the direction of these commandos.