But even then, all would have gone well if Roux had only stood firm.

Unfortunately, however, he yielded, and on July the 17th a meeting was called together at which Mr.Marthinus Prinsloo was chosen Assistant Commander-in-Chief.
He had a bare majority even at the actual meeting, and several officers, who had been unable to be present, had still to record their votes.
Not only, therefore, had Prinsloo been elected irregularly, but his election, such as it was, could only be considered as provisional.
Nevertheless, for the moment, power was in his hands.

How did he use it?
He surrendered unconditionally to the English.
On the 17th and 18th of July the enemy had broken through at Slabbertsnek and Retiefsnek, causing the greatest confusion among our forces.
Many of the officers and burghers were for an immediate surrender, as appears from the fact that the same assembly which, in defiance of the law, elected Mr.Prinsloo as Commander-in-Chief, also decided, by seventeen votes to thirteen, to give up their forces to the enemy.

But this decision was at once rescinded--an act of policy on the part of the officers--and it was agreed to ask for an armistice of six days, to enable them to take counsel with the Government.
A more senseless course of action could hardly be imagined.

The Boer Army, as anybody could see, was in a very tight place.