in my absence, as Vice-Commandant[6] under Commandant Steenekamp.

It was at five o'clock on the afternoon of that day--the 11th of
October, 1899--that the time, which the ultimatum allowed to England,
expired. The British had not complied with the terms which the South
African Republic demanded--the time for negotiations had passed, and war
had actually broken out.

On this very day martial law was proclaimed by the Governments of the
two Republics, and orders were given to occupy the passes on the
Drakensberg. Commander-in-Chief Prinsloo despatched Steenekamp that
night to Bezuidenhoutspas. Eastwards from there the following commandos
were to hold the passes:--Bothaspas was to be occupied by the commando
from Vrede; Van Reenen's Pass by the commandos from Harrismith and
Winburg; and Tintwaspas by the commando from Kroonstad. Westwards, the
burghers from Bethlehem were to guard Oliviershoekpas.

Commandant Steenekamp was very ill that night, and was unable to set
out; he accordingly ordered me to take his place and to proceed forward
with six hundred burghers.

Although I had only to cover six miles, it cost me considerable thought
to arrange everything satisfactorily. This was due to the fact that real
discipline did not exist among the burghers. As the war proceeded,
however, a great improvement manifested itself in this matter, although
as long as the struggle lasted our discipline was always far from
perfect. I do not intend to imply that the burghers were unwilling or
unruly; it was only that they were quite unaccustomed to being under
orders. When I look back upon the campaign I realize how gigantic a task
I performed in regulating everything in accordance with my wishes.