Mooifontein was a farm almost mid-way between Bethal and Standerton.
Commandants Ben Viljoen and Mears decided to attack a British convoy, commanded by General Plummer, which was on its way from Bethal to Standerton. The convoy comprising wagons and cattle, was accompanied by a column of cavalry which was successfully lured away by the Boers in a 14 km running engagement. The Boers soon established that the main portion of the convoy consisted of Boer women and children which inhibited the attackers from completely over-running the convoy. With the Boer women waving handkerchiefs to warn the attackers not to fire (Ben Viljoen’s Memoirs), the Boers took what they could and retreated.
Viljoen reports that the Boer haul was 4 000 sheep and 10 horses, together with 22 prisoners.
The Boers had two men killed and nine wounded, with the British casualties reported to have been around 40.
