The distribution of the troops on the eastern side of the Free State was, at the time of this the final advance of the main army, as follows—­Ian Hamilton with his mounted infantry, Smith-Dorrien’s brigade, Macdonald’s brigade, Bruce Hamilton’s brigade, and Broadwood’s cavalry were at Winburg.  Rundle was at Thabanchu, and Brabant’s colonial division was moving up to the same point.  Chermside was at Dewetsdorp, and had detached a force under Lord Castletown to garrison Wepener.  Hart occupied Smithfield, whence he and his brigade were shortly to be transferred to the Kimberley force.  Altogether there could not have been fewer than thirty thousand men engaged in clearing and holding down this part of the country.  French’s cavalry and Pole-Carew’s division had returned to take part in the central advance.

Before entering upon a description of that great and decisive movement, one small action calls for comment.  This was the cutting off of twenty men of Lumsden’s Horse in a reconnaissance at Karee.  The small post under Lieutenant Crane found themselves by some misunderstanding isolated in the midst of the enemy.  Refusing to hoist the flag of shame, they fought their way out, losing half their number, while of the other half it is said that there was not one who could not show bullet marks upon his clothes or person.  The men of this corps, volunteer Anglo-Indians, had abandoned the ease and even luxury of Eastern life for the hard fare and rough fighting of this most trying campaign.  In coming they had set the whole empire an object-lesson in spirit, and now on their first field they set the army an example of military virtue.  The proud traditions of Outram’s Volunteers have been upheld by the men of Lumsden’s Horse.  Another minor action which cannot be ignored is the defence of a convoy on April 29th by the Derbyshire Yeomanry (Major Dugdale) and a company of the Scots Guards.  The wagons were on their way to Rundle when they were attacked at a point about ten miles west of Thabanchu.  The small guard beat off their assailants in the most gallant fashion, and held their own until relieved by Brabazon upon the following morning.

This phase of the war was marked by a certain change in the temper of the British.  Nothing could have been milder than the original intentions and proclamations of Lord Roberts, and he was most ably seconded in his attempts at conciliation by General Pretyman, who had been made civil administrator of the State.  There was evidence, however, that this kindness had been construed as weakness by some of the burghers, and during the Boer incursion to Wepener many who had surrendered a worthless firearm reappeared with the Mauser which had been concealed in some crafty hiding-place.  Troops were fired at from farmhouses which flew the white flag, and the good housewife remained behind to charge the ‘rooinek’ extortionate prices for milk and fodder while her husband shot at him from the hills.  It was felt