ation of war against the British Empire. It
developed that for some weeks he had been organizing rebellion. He was
secretly arranging a scheme of operations in which the German forces
were to take part, while making plans for the Union Government. He
hoped to win over General Delarey, leader of the Boers in the western
Transvaal, but this officer was accidentally killed by the police near
Johannesburg. The patrol out looking for the notorious Jackson gang of
bandits, then in the neighborhood, had orders to examine any motor car
and fire at once, if when summoned to stop their challenge was
ignored. The car bearing Generals Beyers and Delarey had been twice
challenged while passing through the town. The third time a policeman
fired at the wheel to disable the car, and the bullet ricocheted and
killed Delarey.

A thousand armed Boers at this time were encamped at Potchefstroom in
Delarey's district. Colonel Kemp, who had sent in his resignation to
the Union Government, and was working here for Delarey, had won over
their officers, and on parade urged the men to refuse to volunteer for
German Southwest Africa. He also collected in his tent such ammunition
as he could lay his hands upon.

The death of General Delarey disconcerted General Beyers, and his
fellow conspirators, and Colonel Kemp withdrew his resignation from
the Union army. Over the grave of Delarey General Beyers, in the
presence of General Botha, declared that he had no intention of
advising or causing a rebellion, yet the following day, with General
De Wet and others, he was urging the Boers who had come to the funeral
of their dead leader to revolt against active service should the
commandos be called out under the Defense Act.

Botha knew the men who were stirring up rebellion and acted quickly.
He called for volunteers, announcing that he would lead in person the
Union forces against the Germans, and the immediate response he
received was gratifying. The conspirators remained quiet for some
weeks, but General Beyers and De Wet were secretly at work against the
Government of the Union.

On September 26, 1914, Colonel Grant and a small force of African
Rifles and Transvaal Horse Artillery operating at Sandfontein near the
German border were trapped by two German battalions while on their way
to a water hole. From the heights the German guns swept the circular
basin below where the Union force was gathered. The advantage was all
in favor of the Germans.