I have tried to give the public some idea of what was done by Boer
women, during the great Anglo-Boer war, to keep their men in the
field and to support them in what proved to be a hopeless struggle
for independence and liberty.
As far as I was able I have also described the perils and
hardships connected with the Secret Service of the Boers and the
heroism and resource displayed by the men.
Although it is with the knowledge and consent of the Boer
leaders that I give publicity to what is known to me of the methods
employed in the Secret Service of the Boers, I do not wish to
convey the impression that these events of the war at any time bore
an official character.
It is a purely personal narrative and has only been written at
the repeated request, during the last ten years, of the many
friends associated with the experiences of the diarist and of the
principal characters appearing in this book. In order to preserve
the historical value of the book no fictitious names have been
employed.
There are, as far as we know, very few records of this nature in
existence, owing to the dangers connected with keeping a diary
under martial law, and it seemed a pity, therefore, to withhold
from the public materials which may be of use to those who are
interested in studying or writing the history of those critical
years.
I cannot vouch for the truth of every war rumour related here,
nor for the accuracy of the information which I have obtained from
other people, but the experiences of the diarist, as they were
recorded from day to day, are correct in every detail.
My Dutch edition of this book, Die Kappie Kommando, is now
appearing in the Dutch South African bi-monthly journal, Die
Brandwag, and will, when completed, be published in book form in
Holland.
--The Author