As Commander-in-Chief, I was now determined to carry out most strictly the Kroonstad regulation and have nothing more to do with the waggons.
I did not think that I should have any difficulty in convincing the commanders of Harrismith and Vrede that the best thing would be to do away with these unnecessary impediments, because, shortly before, the English themselves had given me a text to preach from, by taking away a great number of waggons from Commandant Hasebroek at Winburg and at Vet River.

Nevertheless, my words fell on unwilling ears.
It was not long after I had arrived in the camp when I got the burghers together and spoke to them.

After thanking the officers and men for not having surrendered with Prinsloo at Naauwpoort, I congratulated them on their success at Ladybrand, where they had driven the English out of the town and forced them to take refuge in the caverns of Leliehoek.

I then went on to tackle the tender subject--as a Boer regards it--of sacrificing the waggons.

No! I did not say so much as that--I only insisted on the waggons being sent home.