And then one
realized a most awful blunder of the Reform Committee, from their point
of view. The Boer forces, arriving hereabouts in hot haste, from a rapid
mobilization, had been almost entirely without ammunition. We were told
on good authority that each burgher had but six rounds, and that the
field-guns were without any shells at all. During the night the
necessary supply was brought by rail from Pretoria, actually right
through Johannesburg. Either by accident or mature reflection on the
part of the conspirators in that city, this train was allowed to pass to
its destination unmolested. It proved to be one of those small
happenings that completely alter the course of events. If the burghers
had not stopped the Raiders there, nothing could have prevented them
from entering Johannesburg, for after another three miles the
long-sought-for chimneys--the overhanging cloud of smoke--would have
come into view. The very stars in their courses seemed to have fought
for the Boers, and justified President Kruger's belief that his people
were specially under the protection of Providence.[11] Neither will
anyone ever determine the number of Boers killed at Krugersdorp. One
_Veldtcornet_ inserted in all the papers that he defied anyone to prove
that more than four burghers were shot, and of these two were killed
accidentally by their own rifles.
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