The Petticoat Commando: Boer Women in Secret ServiceBrandt, Johanna
History
The Petticoat Commando: Boer Women in Secret Service
Brandt, Johanna
South African War, 1899-1902; Women in war -- South Africa
Mrs. van Warmelo, with her usual prudent forethought, asked to see Mr.
Greyling only, knowing that it was safer to deal with one man than
with several, so she was shown into the drawing-room while he was
being brought from some unknown back region, with much caution and
bolting of doors and drawing of blinds. It was amusing, when he
entered the room, to see him going straight up to Mrs. Joubert and
shaking her heartily by the hand. As a matter of fact, these
enterprising young men enjoyed her hospitality, slept under her roof,
and partook of the food she secretly prepared for them without ever
setting eyes on their hostess.
She was not supposed to know of their existence, and as she was close
and silent as the grave, no one ever got anything in the way of
information out of her.
It was good to see Mr. Greyling again.
He said that Captain Naude was with General Botha near the Middelburg
line and had been prevented from coming into town that month.
Very little fighting was being done on account of the poor condition
of their horses after the severe winter. The men were in splendid
health, and the same spirit of determination and courage which had
always characterised them possessed them still.
Mr. Greyling and his comrades had come in under some difficulties.
They had been escorted on horseback as far as Eerste Fabrieken on the
North-east Railway, when they had nearly run into the enemy's lines.
They altered their course and rode to Irene, hiding themselves and
fastening their horses in a clump of thorn trees, where they remained
until nightfall.
On their way to Pretoria in the darkness, Mr. Greyling's horse fell
into a hole, throwing him out of the saddle, but his foot caught in
the stirrup and he was dragged about forty yards, bruising his head
and severely wrenching his ankle. Although by no means fit for the
journey, he was determined to go back that night, because the friends
who were waiting for him with his horse did so at the utmost risk of
their lives. The best news he brought was that the Boers had retaken
the Skurvebergen and that it was again the centre of the Secret
Service. Three of the Boers had fallen there during the fight.
Although he fully appreciated the obstacles in the way of procuring a
time-table, he said he felt he could hardly go back to the commandos
without it. His instructions had been very explicit.
Whether she found the time-table at Harmony or not, Hansie
promised to come back that evening, with the European and Colonial
newspaper-cuttings, so eagerly sought after by the men on commando.
Arrived at Harmony at about 5.15, Hansie could conceal her impatience
no longer, but, running up the garden-path, she threw open the front
door with a flourish, and behold, a small flat parcel on the floor, a
book wrapped carelessly in a bit of white paper! The secret
time-table!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account