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Updated: May 11, 2025
The English camp was now close to our friends, the Steenkamps, who were anxiously waiting an opportunity to become "hands-uppers." They had, of course, left off fighting long ago, one complaining that he had a disease of the kidneys, another that he suffered from some other complaint.
We often thought that the enemy would be surprised if they could know of the debates we had for instance, 'Must the "hands-uppers" be allowed to vote after the war is over? 'Must the Kaffirs or natives have more rights? 'Is intervention advisable under the circumstances? etc.
But I cannot resist saying here that the English only learnt the art of scouting during the latter part of the war, when they made use of the Boer deserters the "Hands-uppers." These deserters were our undoing.
People came towards us from all directions. Some women called out to us: 'Why were you so stupid as to let yourselves be caught? Others inquired, weeping, after husbands and sons. When we got to the prison I alone was detained, and had the disagreeable experience of being locked up. The ambulance doctor was dismissed, as he was 'Not guilty'; and the 'hands-uppers' were taken to the refugee camp.
My two professional scouts, Jordaan and Mellema, had also reconnoitred the village from another direction, and had brought back confirmatory information and the news that Lydenburg was occupied by about 2,000 British soldiers, consisting of the Manchester Regiment and the First Royal Irish, together with a corps of "hands-uppers" under the notorious Harber.
All the others had gradually disappeared, either because they were taken prisoners, or killed through their somewhat foolhardy courage, or because they had left the country in disappointment. The townspeople were by no means superior to the farmers. There were traitors and 'hands-uppers' among them as well.
As soon as it became light enough to see anything we discovered that just above the spruit stood a waggon, with some Kaffirs and a number of sheep and cattle beside it. The Kaffirs told us that the waggon belonged to one of the "hands-uppers" from Thaba'Nchu, and that they had been ordered to get it down to Bloemfontein as quickly as possible and to sell it to the English.
About this time a society was formed at Pretoria, chiefly composed of surrendered burghers, called the "Peace Committee," but better known to us as the "Hands-uppers." Its members surreptitiously circulated pamphlets and circulars amongst our troops, advising them to surrender and join the enemy. The impartial reader will doubtless agree that such a state of things was not to be tolerated.
All respectable people have long since surrendered, and it is only such people as you who continue the War, while you personally are one of the ringleaders of these rebels." "Tut, tut," I said, "where is your husband?" "My husband is where all respectable people ought to be; with the English, of course." "'Hands-uppers, is that it?" answered my men in chorus, even Mooiroos the native joining in.
The following day the waggon lager arrived at Tafelkop, and the cavalry that had been sent on to capture our lager joined the camp minus any prisoners. When the enemy's lager arrived at Potchefstroom a week later, it brought along seventeen or eighteen 'hands-uppers, one ambulance doctor, several families, and one prisoner of war.
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