ds
were carefully guarded, and the cordon was gradually tightening around
us. We were repeatedly attacked, now on this side, now on that, the
British being clearly anxious to discover our position and our
strength. In a sharp skirmish with a column from Lydenburg my faithful
Fighting-General Muller was severely wounded in his shoulder, and a
commando of Lydenburgers had been isolated from me and driven by the
enemy along Waterfal River up to Steelpoort, where they encountered
hostile tribes of kaffirs. The commandant of the corps after a short
defence was obliged to destroy his guns, forsake his baggage, and
escape with his burghers in small groups into the mountains.

Our position was growing more critical, but I resolved to make a stand
before abandoning our carts and waggons, although there seemed little
hope of being able to save anything. In fact the situation was
extremely perilous. As far as I could see we were entirely hemmed in,
all the roads were blocked, my best officer wounded, I had barely 900
men with me, and our stock of ammunition was very limited.

I have omitted to mention that early in April, when we first got an
inkling of this move I had liberated all the British officers whom I
had kept as prisoners at Middelburg, and thus saved the British
authorities many a D.S.O. which would otherwise have been claimed by
their rescuers.

The British around us were now posted as follows: At Diepkloof on the
Tautesberg to the north-west of us; at Roodekraal, between Tautesberg
and Bothasberg, to the west of us; at Koebold, under Roodehoogte; at
Windhoek, to the east of us; at Oshoek, to the north-east; and to the
north of us between Magneetshoogte and Klip Spruit. We were positioned
on Mapochsberg near Roos Senekal, about midway between Tautesberg and
Steenkampsberg. We had carts, waggons, two field-pieces, and a
Colt-Maxim.

We speedily discovered that we should have to leave our baggage and
guns, and rely mainly on our horses and rifles. We had placed our
hospitals as well as we could, one in an empty school-building at
Mapochsberg with 10 wounded, under the care of Dr. Manning; the other,
our only field-hospital, at Schoonpoort, under the supervision of Dr.
H. Neethling. Whether these poor wounded Boers would have to be
abandoned to the enemy, was a question which perplexed us
considerably. If so, we should have been reduced to only one
physician, Dr. Leitz, a young German who might get through with a
pa