Everything was in a state of indescribable confusion, and at any moment a force might arrive from Bloemfontein.
But, fortunately, no reinforcement appeared.

Our burghers who had pursued the retreating English, saw, at about twelve o'clock, a body of mounted troops approaching from Bloemfontein.

But this force at once came to a halt, remaining at the spot where we had first seen it.[33] When everything was over a party of troops from General Olivier's commando arrived on the scene of the recent operations.

They had been following General Broadwood, and on hearing the firing that morning, had hastened in our direction, maintaining on their arrival, that it was quite impossible for them to have come any sooner.
[Footnote 31: Ford.] [Footnote 32: Water-course or ravine.] [Footnote 33: I may note here that it seemed very strange to me and to all whose opinion I asked, that Lord Roberts, with his sixty thousand men, sent no reinforcements from Bloemfontein.

The battle had taken place not more than seventeen miles from the capital, and it had lasted for four hours; so that there had been ample time to send help.