He returned to western Transvaal in mid-1902 as a captain.

In February 1901 he was promoted to combat general and instructed to make contact with General JH de la Rey in the western Transvaal.

That year, he was arrested with a group of 45 recruits near Zeerust in the western Transvaal, currently part of the North West Province.

Although hounded by British columns, he succeeded in crossing the Vaal into western Transvaal, to allow Steyn to travel to meet the Transvaal leaders.

A time of relative quiet descended thereafter on the western Transvaal.

Moreover, adjacent to the western Transvaal to the Zuiderpark.

Smuts served with de la Rey, raiding British supply trains across the western Transvaal.

It is the obvious depot for the western Transvaal upon one side, and the starting-point for all attempts upon the Kalahari Desert upon the other.

They subsequently served in Rhodesia and western Transvaal.

The Australians were subsequently sent to western Transvaal, joining Colonel Thornycroft's Field Force at Klerksdorp.