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Updated: May 27, 2025
I was told that they had said: "De Wet was either too wise or too frightened to attack Dewetsdorp; and if he did, he would only be running his head against a wall." And again, when they had received the telegram which informed them that I had gone through Springhaansnek, they said: "If De Wet comes here to attack us, it will be the last attack he will ever make."
My object in making this arrangement was that when on the following morning we were crossing the mountains, he might be able to hinder the enemy at Thaba'Nchu from either checking our advance, or sending reinforcements to the Springhaansnek forts.
This would have been quite an unnecessary proceeding, as the town was well known to me, and I had already received information as to where the enemy was posted. The garrison could only conclude that we were again flying, just as we were supposed to have done by readers of English newspapers at Springhaansnek.
From this hill we kept up as fierce a fire as we could, and this to a great extent prevented the enemy in those forts from firing on our burghers who were still coming on in a long train. It is necessary, in order that the reader may understand the task which we had set ourselves to accomplish, to say a few words about Springhaansnek.
But in order to deceive the English I sent a strong patrol on the following day in the direction of Springhaansnek, ordering them to make no attempt to conceal their movements. I could advance for eight miles without attracting the enemy's notice; but if I had gone further I should have been seen from the forts.
In front of us there was the line of fortifications from Bloemfontein to Ladybrand, which had been greatly strengthened since we had forced our way through it at Springhaansnek. It was impossible to get through at Springhaansnek now. I decided to march towards Thaba'Nchu.
He had come down from Springhaansnek, and as his horses were in good condition I ordered him to go in advance of us, to pass through Springhaansnek, and then to occupy positions to the north of the lines of forts and east of Thaba'Nchu.
The burghers could not understand this, and began to grumble about it what could their General mean? Why this sudden change in his plans? I said nothing, but thought to myself, "You shall know why to-morrow." We marched directly towards Springhaansnek. It was very slow work, for many of the burghers' horses were so weak that their owners had to go on foot.
I left behind me a portion of my commando under General Fourie, whose duty it was to check General Knox, whilst I myself was going forward to clear a road through the enemy's forts. It was lucky for us that General Knox had been deceived by the strong patrol I had sent in the direction of Springhaansnek, and that he had come to the conclusion that my commando was marching to the same place.
We then marched, with about fifteen hundred men, in the direction of Springhaansnek, to the east of Thaba'Nchu. At the northern point of Korannaberg, Commandant Hasebroek remained behind, waiting for some of his men to join him. We took with us one Krupp with sixteen rounds that was our whole stock of gun ammunition! By the afternoon of the 16th we had advanced as far as Springhaansnek.
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