However, we got an opportunity of using our big guns against 200 mounted men, who had pursued us, but who, when they saw we were ready to receive them, turned round and--took the shortest road to safety! That evening we marched to a place a little to the south of Parijs, and the following day to the kopjes west of Vredefort.

There we stayed a few days until the enemy again began to concentrate at Heilbron.
I then divided my commando into two parts.

One part I took with me, while I sent the Harrismith burghers (those at least who had not gone home with the waggons) under General Philip Botha, in the direction of Kroonstad, where he would meet the commando of that district, which had received orders to operate to the west of the railway line.

General Philip Botha nominated Veldtcornet P.De Vos as Commandant of the Kroonstad contingent instead of Commandant Frans Van Aard.

He made a good choice, for Commandant De Vos was not only a valiant officer, but also a strictly honourable man.
For some days the enemy remained encamped on the farm called Klipstapel, which lies to the south-east of Vredefort.