As the Boer forces were getting into their different positions during the night, Broadwood, who had left Thaba ’Nchu at nightfall, arrived that very night at Sanna’s Post.  But we were each unconscious of the other’s presence.

The next morning at daybreak we saw a waggon and a large number of cattle and sheep not far off the brook.  The Kaffir drivers informed us that the British column had just arrived at Sanna’s Post.  As soon as we could see some distance ahead, we observed the enemy now hardly 3000 paces off.  A few minutes later our guns began to play upon the unsuspecting British forces.  What a scene of confusion!  Broadwood had fallen into a trap and was between two fires.  The whole column, with guns, waggons and carts, made hurriedly for the drift where De Wet and his men lay hidden.  Nearer they came.  At length a cart entered the drift.  The occupants, husband and wife, looked bewildered on seeing armed Boers all around them in the bed of the brook.  De Wet immediately ordered two of his adjutants to mount the cart and drive on.  Then in quick succession followed a number of carts and vehicles, all driven by Englishmen from Thaba ’Nchu.  These were ordered to proceed ahead and warned not to make any signals to the enemy.  So well was everything arranged, that the first batch of troops that entered the drift had not the slightest suspicion that there was something wrong.  Absolutely abashed were they on finding themselves among us; the men raised their hands in surrender at the cry of “Hands up!”

In this way we disarmed 200 without wasting a bullet.  But this was not to go on for long; there came an officer from the rear who was determined to upset our plans and disturb our peace seriously.  He, at least, was not going to surrender in this fashion.  On being asked for his rifle he said, with marked resoluteness, “Be d——­d!  I won’t,” and called on his men to fire.  He drew his sword, but before he could use it he was no more among the living.

The battle had begun.  Scarcely 100 paces from the banks of the brook stood five of the enemy’s guns and more than 100 waggons.  Some 400 paces from these two more guns had stopped.  The enemy had withdrawn for cover about 1300 yards to the station on the Dewetsdorp-Bloemfontein railway.

[Illustration:  Sanna’s post—­Plan of Battle.]

It was while they were retreating to this station that the greatest havoc was wrought among them.  Across the open plain, with no cover at all, they had to retreat, and before they reached the place of shelter the ground between the brook and the station was thickly strewn with their dead and wounded.  It was, indeed, a ghastly scene.  The burghers stood erect and fired on the retreating foe as though they were so much game.  So quickly did the waggons and guns wheel round that many were overturned.  To remove them was impossible.  In vain did the English try to save the guns.  They succeeded, however, in getting two to the station house, where they had rallied.  With these they bombarded us for some time; but owing to our sheltered positions only two men were wounded.