statement which could possibly embarrass
him--immediately after the trial expressed his regret at the unjust
censure upon the Johannesburg people and the charges of cowardice and
bad faith which had been levelled against them, and stated that he
reached Pitsani the night before Dr. Jameson started, and that he
faithfully and fully delivered the messages which he was charged to
deliver and earnestly impressed upon Dr. Jameson the position in
which the Johannesburg people were placed, and their desire that he
should not embarrass them by any precipitate action.

Before daybreak on Thursday, January 2, Bugler Valle, of Dr.
Jameson's force, arrived in the Reform Committee room and reported
himself as having been sent by the Doctor at about midnight after the
battle at Krugersdorp on Wednesday. He stated that the Doctor had
supplied him with the best horse in the troop and sent him on to
inform Colonel Rhodes where he was. He described the battle at the
Queen's Mine, Krugersdorp, and stated that the force had been obliged
to retreat from the position in which they had fought in order to
take up a better one on higher ground, but that the position in which
they had camped for the night was not a very good one. When
questioned as to the exact message that he had been told to deliver
he replied, 'The Doctor says, "Tell them that I am getting along all
right, but they must send out to meet me."' He was asked what was
meant by 'sending out to meet him.' Did it mean to send a force out?
Did he want help? His reply was, 'No; the Doctor says he is getting
along all right, but you must send out to meet him.' The messenger
was keenly questioned upon this point, but adhered to the statement
that the force was getting along all right and would be in early in
the morning. Colonel Rhodes, who was the first to see the
messenger, was however dissatisfied with the grudging admissions and
the ambiguous message, and expressed the belief that 'the Doctor
wants help, but is ashamed to say so.' Acting promptly on this
conviction, he despatched all the mounted men available (about 100)
under command of Colonel Bettington, with instructions to ascertain
the whereabouts of Dr. Jameson's force, and if possible to join them.

This was done without the authority of the Committee and in direct
opposition to the line already decided upon. It was moreover
considered to be taking a wholly unnecessary risk, in view of the
fact that an attack upon the town