President Steyn's Narrow Escape
The following morning we had to continue our journey to the Transvaal.
It being necessary to keep out of sight of the enemy, we marched first a
short distance to the south, and then went south-east. After a few days
we reached Vrede. There Commandant Manie Botha spared us a few burghers
who knew this part of the country well to serve as guides across the
railway line. We headed to the north of Volksrust, and on the second
evening after we had left Vrede, we struck the railway line at a spot
which was guarded by an outpost. They opened fire on us at once. General
De la Rey and I then came to the decision that after the burghers had
exchanged a few shots, we would quietly retreat a short distance, and
then, with a sweep, try and cross the line at another spot. This ruse
was successful and we crossed unobserved. But the first of our men had
hardly got seventy paces from the railway line, when a fearful explosion
of dynamite took place, not thirty paces from the spot where we had
crossed. Whether this was managed by electricity or whether the hindmost
horses had struck on the connecting wire of some trap set by the enemy,
I cannot say; at all events, we escaped with only a fright.
On the fourth day after this we met the Transvaal Government and held a
conference at once, in accordance with the letter mentioned in my last
chapter. It grieved us much that things should have taken this turn, for
it nearly always happened that somehow matters of this sort came to the
ears of the English.
But the Transvaal Government had again taken courage, as they had
received an answer to the cable which they had sent to the Deputation,
which answer instructed them to hold out; and also because two
successful battles had taken place shortly before--one fought by General
Kemp, and the other by Commandant Muller. We remained there for two
days, and after it had been settled by the two Governments that the war
should be continued with all our might, and also that days of
thanksgiving and humiliation should be appointed, we went away
accompanied by the genial and friendly Commandant Alberts, of
Standerton, who brought us across the Natal-Transvaal railway. Captain
Alberts was renowned as a valiant soldier; we now also found him to be a
most sociable man. He beguiled the time with agreeable narratives of
events in which he had taken part, and almost before we realized it we
had reached the railway line. We crossed in safety and took a hearty
farewell of our friendly Commandant and his burghers.
On our march to Zilverbank--a farm on the Waterval River--I did not
require any guide, for I knew the surroundings, having lived there for
two years. After breakfast on the following morning we went on to within
four or five miles south of Hexrivier farm, about three miles to the
north of the Vaal River. There we off-saddled; and shortly after General
De la Rey took leave of us. He wanted to cross the railway at a place
between Vereeniging and Meyerton Station. This would lead him by a
shorter road to his commandos than if he went through the Free State.
Our farewell was affectionate--all the more so because we did not know
whether we should see each other again on this earth. Then we continued
on our way with light hearts; having been inspirited, not only by the
pleasant company of the last few days, but also by the decision taken by
the two Governments, that, come what might, our independence should not
be sacrificed by us.
I crossed the Vaal River at Villiersdorp and remained there that evening
and through the following day. Then President Steyn and I parted. He
went to Bezuidenhoutsdrift, and I, by way of Frankfort, to the Heilbron
commando. I remained at Frankfort for one night, with Commandant Ross
and his men, and had a very enjoyable time.
With the Heilbron people I stayed a few days only, because I had
important work to accomplish in the Winburg district; to this district
therefore I went.
As the commandos were now so scattered there was enough work for each of
us in his own district, and I had much more riding to do than formerly.
I found Commandant Hasebroek and his men at Doornberg a few days later.
Whilst there I received from President Steyn a report of his narrow
escape at Reitz, on the 11th of July, 1901, when he and some of his
bodyguard escaped, whilst, unfortunately, Commandant Davel and all the
members of the Government, except Mr. W.C.J. Brebner, who was absent,
were taken prisoners.
From Winburg I paid a visit to Vice-Commandant-in-Chief J. Hattingh, of
the Kroonstad commando, and then went to President Steyn. My joy in
finding that the President was safe, was only equalled by my grief at
the loss of such old friends as General Cronje, Member of the Executive
Council; General J.B. Wessels; T. Brain, Secretary to the Government;
Commandant Davel; Rocco De Villiers, Secretary to the Executive Council;
Gordon Fraser, Private Secretary to the President; MacHardy, Assistant
Secretary; Pieter Steyn, brother of the President and Veldtcornet of the
staff; and my other friends in the bodyguard. It was sad to think that
such men were prisoners, and were lost to us so long as the war
continued. We had become rather accustomed to such experiences, but what
made this so hard to bear was that treachery had a hand in it--when the
English took the Government and President Steyn's bodyguard prisoners,
they had had a Free State burgher as their guide.
The vacant posts in the Government had now to be filled up, and the
President appointed the following persons:--In the place of A.P. Cronje,
General C.H. Olivier, as Member of the Executive Council; and in place
of Mr. T. Brain, Mr. W.C.J. Brebner, as Government Secretary. Mr.
Johannes Theron he appointed Secretary to the Executive Council, instead
of Mr. Rocco De Villiers; and Mr. B.J. Du Plessis Private Secretary to
himself in place of Mr. Gordon Fraser.
The President also decided to have, in future, only thirty burghers as
his bodyguard, and appointed Captain Niekerk as their Commandant.