By evil fortune a force of five hundred Yeomanry, the 18th battalion, including the Duke of Cambridge's Own and the Irish companies, had been sent from Kroonstad to join Colvile at Lindley.

Colonel Spragge was in command.
On May 27th this body of horsemen reached their destination only to find that Colvile had already abandoned it.

They appear to have determined to halt for a day in Lindley, and then follow Colvile to Heilbron.

Within a few hours of their entering the town they were fiercely attacked by De Wet.
Colonel Spragge seems to have acted for the best.

Under a heavy fire he caused his troopers to fall back upon his transport, which had been left at a point a few miles out upon the Kroonstad Road, where three defensible kopjes sheltered a valley in which the cattle and horses could be herded.