I had also to send men to keep watch out towards Thaba'Nchu, Wepener and Reddersburg; nor could I leave the President's little camp (which I had allowed to proceed to the farm called "Prospect") without some protection.

Thus it was that of my nine hundred men, only four hundred and fifty were available for the attack.
It delighted me to see how courageous our burghers were at Dewetsdorp.
As one watched them creeping from _schanze_ to _schanze_, often without any cover whatever, and in danger at every moment of falling under the enemy's fire, one felt that there was still hope.
On the first day we advanced until we were close to the _schanzes_ on the south-east and on the north; we remained there during the night in our positions, our food being brought to us.
The second day, November 22nd, firing began very early in the morning, and was kept up until the afternoon.

Our most advanced burghers, those of Harrismith, had come to within about one hundred paces of the first _schanze_.
I saw one of our men creeping on till he was close under the enemy's fort.

Directly afterwards I observed that rifles were being handed over the _schanze_ to this man.

Later on it appeared that the man who had done this valiant deed was none other than Veldtcornet Wessels, of Harrismith.