Is it a matter of astonishment, therefore, that many people felt sore and bitter at all that they had undergone and were going through?
The administration of martial law in the country districts was absolutely deplorable; but when one examines minutely the circumstances of the cases of injustice about which one could have no doubt, it always emerged that these never proceeded from British officers, who, on the contrary, wherever they found themselves in command, invariably acted with humanity.
The great mistake of the military authorities was that they had far too much confidence in the Volunteer Corps and those members of it who were only anxious to make money out of existing circumstances.

Unfortunately, certain officers in command of the different corps were extreme Jingoes, and this distorted their whole outlook.

People said at the time of the war that some districts of Cape Colony had been turned into hells; some things, in truth, called for strong comment.

No words could be energetic enough to describe the manner in which martial law had been administered--in the district of Graaf Reinet, for instance.

The commandants--this justice must be rendered to them--generally meant well, but, unfortunately, they were assisted by men of less stable character as intelligence officers.