By November 1901 the principal centres of Boer resistance were the north-eastern Free State, the highveld of the eastern Transvaal and the western Transvaal, under de Wet, Louis Botha and Koos de la Rey. Kitchener decided to disregard de la Rey and throw the bulk of his forces against Botha and de Wet. In the first week of November there were 14 British columns in the Free State. Three columns were in Winburg, Colonel Julian Byng was in Heilbron, Colonel Michael Rimington in Standerton and Colonel Dartnell and the Imperial Light Horse at Harrismith.