The Western Boers Were Commanded By Judge Hertzog Of The Free
State, Having With Him Brand, The Son Of The Former President, And
About Twelve Hundred Well-Mounted Men.
Crossing the Orange River at
Sand Drift, north of Colesberg, upon December 16th, they paused at
Kameelfontein to gather up a small post of thirty yeomen and
guardsmen under Lieutenant Fletcher, the wellknown oar.
Meeting
with a stout resistance, and learning that British forces were
already converging upon them, they abandoned the attack, and
turning away from Colesberg they headed west, cutting the railway
line twenty miles to the north of De Aar. On the 22nd they occupied
Britstown, which is eighty miles inside the border, and on the same
day they captured a small body of yeomanry who had been following
them. These prisoners were released again some days later. Taking a
sweep round towards Prieska and Strydenburg, they pushed south
again. At the end of the year Hertzog's column was 150 miles deep
in the Colony, sweeping through the barren and thinly-inhabited
western lands, heading apparently for Fraserburg and Beaufort West.
The second column was commanded by Kritzinger, a burgher of
Zastron, in the Orange River Colony. His force was about 800
strong. Crossing the border at Rhenoster Hoek upon December 16th,
they pushed for Burghersdorp, but were headed off by a British
column. Passing through Venterstad, they made for Steynsberg,
fighting two indecisive skirmishes with small British forces. The
end of the year saw them crossing the rail road at Sherburne, north
of Rosmead Junction, where they captured a train as they passed,
containing some Colonial troops.
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