▁the ▁Va al . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁Major ▁W arden ▁occupied ▁Win burg ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁time , ▁and ▁the ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁Bo ers ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁were ▁in ▁a ▁contin ual ▁state ▁of ▁t ension . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁far mers ▁desert ed ▁Win burg ▁for ▁the ▁Trans va al . ▁Sir ▁Harry ▁Smith ▁became ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 7 . ▁He ▁recogn ised ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁attempt ▁to ▁govern ▁on ▁the ▁lines ▁of ▁the ▁treat ies ▁with ▁the ▁G ri qu as ▁and ▁Bas oth o , ▁and ▁on ▁ 3 ▁February ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁he ▁issued ▁a ▁pro clam ation ▁declaring ▁British ▁so vere ig nt y ▁over ▁the ▁country ▁between ▁the ▁Orange ▁and ▁the ▁Va al ▁east ward ▁to ▁the ▁D rak ens berg . ▁Sir ▁Harry ▁Smith ’ s ▁popular ity ▁among ▁the ▁Bo ers ▁gained ▁for ▁his ▁policy ▁considerable ▁support , ▁but ▁the ▁republic an ▁party , ▁at ▁whose ▁head ▁was ▁And ries ▁P ret or ius , ▁did ▁not ▁submit ▁without ▁a ▁struggle . ▁They ▁were , ▁however , ▁defeated ▁by ▁Sir ▁Harry ▁Smith ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bo om pla ats ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁There up on ▁P ret or ius , ▁with ▁those ▁most ▁bitter ly ▁opposed ▁to ▁British ▁rule , ▁retre ated ▁across ▁the ▁Va al . ▁ ▁Orange ▁River ▁S over e ig nt y ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁