The bulk of the Free State forces refused to leave their own country, and moved away to the eastern and northern portion of the State, where the British Generals thought--incorrectly, as the future was to prove--that no further harm would come from them.

The State which they were in arms to defend had really ceased to exist, for already it had been publicly proclaimed at Bloemfontein in the Queen's name that the country had been annexed to the Empire, and that its style henceforth was that of 'The Orange River Colony.' Those who think this measure unduly harsh must remember that every mile of land which the Freestaters had conquered in the early part of the war had been solemnly annexed by them.

At the same time, those Englishmen who knew the history of this State, which had once been the model of all that a State should be, were saddened by the thought that it should have deliberately committed suicide for the sake of one of the most corrupt governments which have ever been known.

Had the Transvaal been governed as the Orange Free State was, such an event as the second Boer war could never have occurred.
Lord Roberts's tremendous march was now drawing to a close.

On May 28th the troops advanced twenty miles, and passed Klip River without fighting.