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The district of Boshof: the men under Commandant J.N. Jacobsz, P. Erasmus and H. Theunissen. All of these were under Vice-Commander-in-Chief C.C.J. Badenhorst. The district of Philippolis: the men under Commandants Munnik and Hertzog. Sub-district of Fauresmith: the men under Commandant Charles Nieuwouwdt. Sub-district of Jacobsdal: the men under Commandant Hendrik Pretorius.
We started on the road, but were compelled to return, as it had rained hard the whole night, and continued to do so all day. It snowed all night and until about nine o'clock in the morning, when it cleared up, and we set out on our journey. We reached the ferry at one o'clock, where we waited three hours to be taken over by the lame brother-in-law of Jan the baker, or Jan Theunissen.
After dinner we intended to leave for a place called the bay, where Jan Theunissen, our fellow passenger, lived, who had made us great promises of friendship; besides, my companion was desirous, as they said there would be preaching, to hear the minister of the island, who was very zealous and a great Cocceian, and, perhaps, a Cartesian.
Having slept the night again at Najack, we four went, after breakfast, to the bay, where we arrived about ten o'clock. We did not find Jan Theunissen at home, as he had driven to the city to bring his goods; but the father and mother bade us welcome, and took us around into their orchards to look at them.
As Jan Theunissen had said to us in the house, that if the domine only had a chance once to speak to us, Oh, how he would talk to us! that we avoided him, and therefore could not be very good people; now, as we were there, we sat near him and the boors and those with whom he was conversing. He spoke to us, but not a word of that fell from him.
The Commandants present were Steenekamp, of Heilbron; Anthonie Lombaard, of Vrede; C.J. De Villiers, of Harrismith; Hans Nandé, of Bethlehem; Marthinus Prinsloo, of Winburg; and C. Nel, of Kroonstad. The result of the voting was that Prinsloo was chosen for the supreme command. Then the burghers of Winburg selected Mr. Theunissen as their Commandant.
On our return from this ramble we found Jan Theunissen had come back with his company.
Meanwhile, I hurried to and fro, encouraging the burghers in their attempts to break through. When thus engaged I came across two of my staff, Albertus Theunissen and Burt Nissey. To them I gave the order: "Get the waggon through at all costs." I also found my son, Isaac, and kept him with me.
Telegraph poles all along the line had been wrecked; an amount of mild pillaging had been going on. The people of Theunissen were almost in panic. The two fights one against Conroy, at Allaman's Kraal, the other and larger, against De Wet, at Doornberg had been enormously magnified. General Botha was welcomed in genuine relief. We remained at arms in the train during the first part of the night.
Several of the relieving forces, including the pick of the Winburg Commando with Commandant Theunissen, were themselves surrounded and captured in trying to break through the lines of the besiegers. To intensify the gloom, Ladysmith, which was daily expected to fall, was relieved on the day of Cronje's surrender.
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