Christiaan Rudolf de Wet
What a sight met our gaze on our arrival there!
We well knew what the Zulus could do under cover of darkness-their sanguinary night attacks were not easily forgotten. Their name of "night-wolves" had been well earned.
These deserters were our undoing. I shall have a good deal more to say about them before I finally lay down my pen, and I shall not hesitate to call them by their true name, the name with which they will be for ever branded before all the nations of the world.
The condition of the wounded touched my heart deeply.
Since the very beginning of our existence as a nation in 1836-our people had been acquainted with black races, and bitter had been their experience.
On our part, we replied with vigour. But that did not continue long. In a very short time white flags fluttered above every kraal-the victory was ours.
Naturally our Government would not consent to such terms, and so the war had to proceed.
Just after sunrise on the 30th of November the roaring of cannon came to our ears.
For myself, I believed that that 13th of March should see a fight to the finish, cost what it might! for if Bloemfontein was to be taken, it would only be over our dead bodies.