Commando.

At 3 a.m. on February 17, French left Kimberley, and by a marvellous
piece of far-sighted calculation made straight for Koodoos Rand Drift,
the very crossing which Cronje himself had chosen. His horses died on
the way, but French reached the river first and seized the Drift,
almost under the enemy's eyes.

Cronje was completely surprised. The previous evening, French had been
in pursuit of the Boers north of Kimberley; now he had suddenly
appeared 35 miles to the south, and was facing the enemy, determined
to cut off his retreat. Swiftly Cronje moved down the river and took
possession of a long stretch between Gaardeberg Drift and Wolveskraal
Drift.

It must have been an anxious night for General French, for had Cronje
realised how small was the force that thus held him at bay, and made a
desperate effort to break through, there would have been little chance
of thwarting him. But Cronje lay still in the river bed, while the
British forces closed swiftly in and the net was drawn closer round
him.

[Page Heading: CRONJE SURRENDERS]

For ten long days the Boer General held out, while the British
artillery poured shells into his laager. Meanwhile the Boers flocked
in from every side to endeavour to rescue Cronje from his hopeless
position. French undertook to check them and hold them back, leaving
the main army to deal with the surrounded enemy.