It was possible for the burghers, he considered, to hold out for more than a year.
General Hattingh (Kroonstad) declared that in one part of the Kroonstad district there were still plenty of sheep and cattle, and that seed had been sown for next year's harvest.

But another part of the district was entirely exhausted, and had to obtain its supplies from Bethlehem.
General Badenhorst (Boshof) stated that he could report on the Boshof district and the parts of the Winburg and Bloemfontein districts to the west of the railway.

There were enough cattle to last his commandos for years, even if they had no other food at all.

Recently he had captured fifteen hundred head of cattle, and he was in a position to give assistance to other districts.

Grain, however, was not so plentiful as it had been the previous year, but nevertheless there was still a large enough supply to permit him to send help to others.
General Nieuwouwdt (Fauresmith) reported that his district was entirely devastated, and that for the last seven months there had been a dearth of all provisions; nevertheless, his burghers had contrived to live.
There was, moreover, enough corn left to last them for another year.
There were now only three women in the whole of his district.
General Prinsloo (Bethlehem) declared that he would be telling a falsehood if he were to say that there was no food in his district.