'I wish it had been worse,' said the amiable German gunner.] The commando which attacked this party, and on the same day Colonel Spreckley's force, was a powerful one, with several guns.

No doubt it was organised because there were fears among the Boers that they would be invaded from the north.
When it was understood that the British intended no large aggressive movement in that quarter, these burghers joined other commandos.

Sarel Eloff, who was one of the leaders of this northern force, was afterwards taken at Mafeking.
Colonel Plumer had taken command of the small army which was now operating from the north along the railway line with Mafeking for its objective.

Plumer is an officer of considerable experience in African warfare, a small, quiet, resolute man, with a knack of gently enforcing discipline upon the very rough material with which he had to deal.

With his weak force--which never exceeded a thousand men, and was usually from six to seven hundred--he had to keep the long line behind him open, build up the ruined railway in front of him, and gradually creep onwards in face of a formidable and enterprising enemy.