moved in the direction of Winburg. De Wet had made up his mind to
surprise the English garrison which guarded the Bloemfontein Waterworks
at Sanna's Post, and so cut off the water supply of Bloemfontein.

With that object in view he made his movements thither by night, so as
to keep the enemy in the dark as to his plans. Neither were these
disclosed to the burghers, who were naturally anxious to know where they
were going and what they were to do next.

On his way De Wet learnt that General Broadwood, dreading an attack of
Commandant Olivier, had quitted Ladybrand and was marching on
Bloemfontein with a strong force. This information was rather
disconcerting, for now he had not only to reckon with the garrison, but
to be ready for an engagement with a column 2000 strong, which might
come to the relief of the garrison at any moment. In case of such an
emergency, De Wet divided his forces into two parts. He placed one
division--1050 strong with four guns--under the control of Generals
Cronje, Froneman, Wessels, and Piet De Wet, with instructions to occupy
the positions east of the Modder River and directly opposite the
Waterworks, so as to check Broadwood, should he come to the rescue of
the garrison.

Taking the remaining 350 burghers he set out to Koorn Spruit, a brook
which flows into the Modder River. Arrived there, he carefully concealed
his horses and men at a point where the road from the Waterworks to
Bloemfontein passes through the brook. The other generals were to shell
the garrison at daybreak, while he would fall on the troops if they
tried to escape to Bloemfontein _viâ_ Koorn Spruit.

As the Boer forces were getting into their different positions during