By this time he had been promoted to lieutenant-general and seen action alongside the Pedi under Chief Sekhukane, who had been sent to ally with the Boer Republic.

At the Battle of Ingogo Heights, he and 200 soldiers managed to hold off an opposing force three times as strong in atrocious weather conditions.

At the Battle of Majuba Hill, Smit showed bold and courageous leadership, directing his unit to move uphill in the teeth of enemy fire while using the contours of the land for protection.

The British had failed to dig in or protect their lines by trenches and had not brought artillery with their baggage trains, making defense of a hilltop position difficult.

Smit married Hendrika Stephina (1841-1894), daughter of Hendrik Stephanus Pretorius and Rachel Jacoba Liebenberg, at Rustenburg in April 1863.