On the next morning, Sunday the 29th, Heany arrived at Mafeking, and after making the purchases detailed above, left by special cart for the camp at Pitsani, where he probably arrived about eight o’clock a.m.  At five minutes past nine Dr. Jameson telegraphed to Harris, Charter, Capetown:  ’Shall leave to-night for the Transvaal.  My reason is the final arrangement with writers of letter was that, without further reference to them, in case I should hear at some future time that suspicions have been aroused as to their intention among the Transvaal authorities, I was to start immediately to prevent loss of lives, as letter states.  Reuter only just received.  Even without my own information of meeting in the Transvaal, compel immediate move to fulfil promise made.  We are simply going to protect everybody while they change the present dishonest Government and take vote from the whole country as to form of Government required by the whole.’

The force took with them provisions for one day only, relying on the commissariat arrangements made on their behalf by Dr. Wolff en route. They were well mounted and armed with Lee-Metford carbines, and took with them eight Maxims, two seven-pounders and one twelve-pounder.  In order to facilitate quick movement no heavy equipment was taken, and but little spare ammunition.  The vehicles attending the column were six Scotch carts and one Cape cart.  The total distance to be covered was about 170 miles to Johannesburg, or 150 miles to Krugersdorp.  The start was made from Pitsani shortly after 5 p.m., and marching was continued throughout the night.  The force consisted of about 350 of the Chartered forces under Colonel Sir John Willoughby, Major in the Royal Horse Guards; the Hon. H. F. White, Major 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards; Hon. R. White, Captain Royal Welsh Fusiliers; Major J. B. Tracey, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards; Captain C. H. Villiers, Royal Horse Guards; and 120 of the Bechuanaland Border Police under Major Raleigh Grey, Captain 6th Inniskillen Dragoons, and the Hon. C. J. Coventry, Captain 3rd Militia Battalion Worcester Regiment.  The two contingents met at Malmani at about sunrise on Monday morning, December 30.  They marched throughout that day and night and the following day, Tuesday.  There were half-hour rests about every twenty miles for rationing the men and feeding and watering the horses, the fodder being ready for the horses at various stores.  Provisions for the men consisted of tinned meats and biscuits.  There was no lack of provisions at all; but the men complained afterwards that they were so overcome with fatigue from continuous marching that when they reached the resting-places they generally lay down where they dismounted, and slept, instead of taking the food which was ready for them.  A serious fault in the conduct of the expedition appears to have been the lack of opportunity for rest and food afforded the men.  It was contended that the same or a higher average of speed might have been attained by pressing on faster for spells of a few hours and allowing reasonable intervals for rest and refreshment.  Only about 130 miles had been covered by the column during the seventy hours that they were on the march before they were first checked by any serious opposition from the Boers.