On the morning of the 27th of August we made an unsuccessful attack on
Winburg. Olivier, with 27 men, got captured. The burden and
responsibility of leading others was then first placed upon my
shoulders. I was elected commandant.

Frustrated in our attempt to seize Winburg, we resolved to attack
Ladybrand, which was not strongly garrisoned. Having encamped at
Koeranerberg--a mountain 30 miles west of Ladybrand--we mustered our
forces, took three guns and about 800 burghers, and left for the
village.

It was a bitterly cold night--one of those nights which one can hardly
forget. We rode till sunrise without off-saddling once. At 9 P.M. we
halted to prepare a hasty supper. How we enjoyed that! A few days
before, the enemy had unwillingly provided us with sugar, coffee, milk,
butter and cheese. Owing to the intense cold the men that had no
overcoats wrapped themselves up in their blankets, in which they
appeared before the village just as the sun was rising.

Commandant Hertzog, on our arrival, despatched a messenger under a flag
of truce to demand the surrender of the garrison. In reply he received a
message to the effect that it would be much better if he would come in
himself and lay down arms; that would put an end to the business much
quicker. On receiving this answer we at once began to bombard the forts
of the enemy, with the result that almost all their horses took to
flight and fell into our hands, while some of them were wounded and
killed.

General Fourie, Commandant Nieuwhoudt and myself, with a number of
daring volunteers, made for the village. We reached a few houses safely,