If then the Boers wished to remain a nation, it was absolutely necessary to continue the war.
After having quoted various appropriate passages from the newspapers, the President went on as follows:-- "All these considerations combine to make me believe that we should be committing a National murder if we were to give in now.

Brethren! Hold out a little longer.

Let not our sufferings and our struggles be in vain; let not our faith in the God of our fathers become a byword.

Do all that you can to encourage one another." The President concluded this very remarkable and powerful letter with the question:-- "Are we again to leave the Colonial burghers in the lurch?
God forbid." We decided to set out for the Transvaal in order to discuss the matter with the Government; and on the evening of the 5th of June we marched four or five miles from Liebenbergsvlei, to a place opposite Verkijkersdorp.

We were, all told, between sixty and seventy men, including the staff and part of the bodyguard of President Steyn, the staff of General De la Rey, and eight of my staff officers.
The following morning, an hour and a half after sunrise, a burgher came galloping up to tell us that the enemy had just captured a laager of women.[97] It seemed impossible to ride over to the rescue of these women, for our horses had still to make the long journey into the Transvaal.