The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-11-07

soldier born to the kind of warfare now
on hand--that is, bush fighting, savage
and irregular foes, warfare which defes
military rules and theories. The V. G.
tackled to his name stands for the Vic
toria cross, won 30 years ago by valor
in the South African Zulu war.
General Butler is a man of marvellous
GOODNESS and high personal courage;
moreover, so say his admirers, one Of
the greatest soldiers of his time. His
chance has come to show that this last
tribute is net above the mark. He is go
years of age and has had experience in
every conflict waged by England since
he was boy. 1t was 80 years ago that
he took his baptism Of fire in the Chi
nese war of 1860. He marched and
fought with Lord Wolseley in the Red
river campaign of 1870. He next took
part in the Ashanti war, then went to
South Africa to fight savages until the
wiping out of Cetewayo's Zulus in
1879. 1t was in the Zulu campaign that
General Butler, then colonel, won the
Victoria cross.
This decoration is given to none but
those who in actual presence of the
enemy perform some signal act Of de-
votion to the army or the country.
In the Egyptian war of 1882 and also
in the expedition for the relief of Chi
nese Gordon Butler served with distinc-
ton. 1t is General Buffers practical
knowledge of South Africa-the topog-
raphy, the climate, the savages and
the enemy to be met-that gives the
British people faith in the new military
star. All England as we'll as the war
Office and the experts in South African
warfare knows only too well the size of
the task confronting Tommy Atkins to-
day. 1t is not question of a perfect
machine simply, but of a war god with
his hands on the lever. The price of
Boer defeat, if defeat must come. which
President Kruger says will stagger hui
manity. is the bone and blood of the
British soldiery. The general who pays
out the price in too heavy doles or gets
too little return for the CORY investment
will find himself on bed of thorns II
{ Butler handles the army Of 1899 as
skillfully as he did his corps of irregu'
lars in 1879, then England has made nc
mistake. This knight of the Victoris
cross is the man for the hour.
General Butler is not of the class
which essays to do all the work of his
command alone, but his intimate &C
quaintance with every detail acts as 6
check and stimulus to his subordinates
And he is we'll and loyalty served, fol
he has the knack of getting the best Out
of his men. Though his manner seems
cold and even repellent, his speech
sharp and abrupt, his brief. pithy mem
oranda caustic and occasionally cruel
yet he freely forgives for what is be
hind. Intolerant of shams. he is never
unreasonaply hard on any one.
In 1889 General Butler fought al
over that country which seems destined
to be the theater of the present war
He won his Victoria cross fighting
Zulus within few miles of Majub,
Hill and Laingsnek and in the Transvaa
region. His command then was an ir
regular body of horse made up Of loca
companies and in general character an
swering to the ideal rough riders. Bull
Ter and his steed were both noted TO
their toughness and endurance. Forbes
the English correspondent. says tina
Buffers favorite mount was tiddl
headed, brindled, fiat sided, eve mckee
cob named Punch. Useless to add afte
that description that he was the uglies
horse Of his day and generation in al
South Africa.
He was as valuable as he was ugly
and his master often rode him a hun
dred miles at
.~SIA stretch. The com
~ %&A mand which
SM led chief1v on fr