Part 1

ON COMMANDO

DIETLOF VAN WARMELO

With a Portrait

Methuen & Co. 36 Essex Street W.C. London Colonial Library

1902

PREFACE

This book was written in 1901, while its author was a prisoner at Ahmednagar. It was written in Dutch, and has been put into English by a young lady from what was the Orange Free State.

The author is a friend and relation of mine, son of a clergyman in the Transvaal, and of old Afrikander stock on both sides. His book is the more valuable because of the absence of all literary pretensions, and it may be taken as truly representative of the Afrikander spirit, which has been so much misconceived in England.

FREDERIK VAN EEDEN

WALDEN, N. HOLLAND, July, 1902

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

FOREWORD

I. AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH

II. SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING UP OF THE CANNON

III. THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK OF INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF LADYSMITH

IV. DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM, PRETORIA

V. TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF SELIKATSNEK

VI. GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE OF PRESIDENT STEYN AND GENERAL DE WET

VII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER

VIII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST

IX. PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH OF LYDENBURG

X. FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL BEYERS TO THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS

XI. BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT

XII. PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK ON KAALFONTEIN STATION

XIII. COMMANDO SUFFERINGS

XIV. BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN

XV. BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL BEYERS