The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
SOUTH AFRICA'S REPUBLIC.
AN ETENTFUL HISTORY LESS THAN
SIXTY YEARS IN LENGTH.

In 1877, ana won Its Freedom In n war
Where the British Lost Every battle
Gold IL at the Bottom OF Its Troubles.
In view OF the possibility Of war between
England and the Transvaal. a possibility which
seems to be growing greater, a sketch OF the
last campaign OF the British troops in the Boer
republic will be OF interest. A few preliminary
details Of TraIsvaal history arc necessary for
q full comprehension OF the causes OF tho pros
ent dispute.
The South African Republic. as the state ~
which President Kruger is at present the head
Is officially known. WAS founded in 1910 by n
body OF Beers from Natal m its annexation Dv
the British Government. They were part OF
those who had trekked out OF Cape Colony IN
1885 to escape from under the British flag
and found free state Of their own on the
eastern slopes OF tho Drakensberg Mountains.
The independence OF tho Transvaal was
recognized by the British Government in 1852
During the quarter OF century that followed
the Beers were engaged in organizing the
country and consolidating their power over the
natives. with whom they we're frequently In
conflict. In war with the Xulus in 1877 over
a question OF boundary they met with par
tial defeat. which the British Government tool;
advantage Of. and sent Sir Theophilus Shcp-
stone into the country with instructions to
proclaim II British territory. In order as was
stated. to avert general rising OF tho ma
tives. Then followed the Zulu war. with the
British disaster Of Isandua and the victory Of
ulundi. brought on by the British claiming
from Cetowayo the same boundary for which
he and the Beers had been fighting.
The protests of the Beers against the usur-
patton of the British Government were of no
avail. and on Dec IL. 1880. at Heidelberg. the
flag OF the republic was once more hoistcd. and
steps we're taken to expel tho British troops in
occupation of the country. This was an act Of
war. and the British military authorities begun
at once to prepare for emergencies. The first
fighting took place at Bronkerspruit betwecna
British infantry regiment. the Ninety fourth.
when was on tho march to Pretoria. and the
Boers. At point on their route they were met
by Boer patrol. the commander of which
the regiment that his orders were to
he indicated The British officer, NATURALLY
continued hts march. escorted by body Of
mounted Beers who kept a line parallel with
w r ,bs 3rSS at a39nt goo yards ds nn
that had been indicated by the Boer com
mqnder the Beers opened Are, and in less than
nearly half the men wore killed or wounded
and the rest made prisoners. Immediately the
BocrS all over the ItansvaSl rose. and by their
patrols cut OF and $50 lated al! the British gar
ris9n rs, from cotmImMnieatioR with each other
nutrition. the Beers were una bic to act vigur-
ou+ly on the Offensive and confined themselves
to disEuting the British advance from Nata. 10y
The first attempt to open a way through to
by sir e1Tge sy To hh
reputation as II skilled aud experienced ONCE.
Moving UP from Na'al, It'll l.l"G, men and ak
1881. here he was met j. a body OF Tutrs.
stated at l.i3O men without artillery, The a"-
intrcnchments at a distance Of a mile and a
%as the nspsd by 4
reserve. and tho naval brigade with the rocket
tuhcs and I.%!rtion Of the Sixtieth Rifles in
OF the ,Fifty-eighth Regiment with about
hundred cavalry to the assault of the BOcr
position ignorant Ct the full strength Of tho
were scattered and one-third OF The infantry
lay dead or wounded on the. slope. The sur
the Sixtieth Rifles, when the British force was
drawn off ,undisturbed by the Beers. In this
The Beers then foIIowci , up this victory ov
attacking Gen Colley's munications which
forced him once more to take tho Offensive.
on Feb he marched from his Camp near the
frontier with Ave companies of the. SiNtlcth
Riiies. a small force Of cavalry. and four guns
the camp he lett a han, company ana two guns
70 guard tho drifts OF the Image liver then in
Hood and Lat about / a NIL" ana ha'i further On
Tho Beers at once assumed the offensive, Con
hhGey Win goo men ana Eli tRG W
took cover all round the hill, keeping, up a
deadly fire or the defenders until ,nlghtlali.
"empt nS to- assault SnH the rh poson rh"y
had twelve men Killed and fourteen wounded.
while on the British side one half their men
nearly al! hislhorsrs. Gen. Co'I"y r"gained nis
AFTER t h a"snSro'H nsh march with the
ltV this time rainfOrc rmeUra began 10 arrive
and his force was ~tr"ngthen"d Nv III" addition
otthc ,Ninetysecond Ii:snIand"rs from India.
He at once resumed the offensive. but avoiding
l.aing's Mex on this, occasion decided 70 try
Mountain. which GycchaEgs the bass on tho
southwest side. He made up his force with
tWo M the
two of the SiXtieth Rifles. with u naval contn-
gent. By night march on Feb % he REACHED
pearances, was impr"gnabe. Tn" top Of Ma
luha is sauccr-shapod. with perpendicular
lcys through which access might be had Fl m
the slopes below. These slopes are steep and
urpSr Haf from nS view le% apGy I'VE
edge OF this position. but neglected 70 fYr-
tfy it vo II any w1g not ~, h"IieyiRG The
first il looked as though he was ustiiied in this
belief for the Beers had a'rnndy begun to pre-
encd. when ,uut r some inspiration their lead
ors. Gems. Juubcrt and Smldt, decided to try
the enert nj a direct assault y part of the
Bo"r force king cover with their usual skill
opened fire at long range. doing. however, COM
paratlNCiy little execution. owing to tie British
troops. after tn" experience AT the lngogo, taxi
ing care not to expose themselves to the Boer
While the attention of the
British was distracted by this firing and they
were unable to put their heads over the edge
OF the summit without the very great
risk OF receiving Il bullet, SOME 300 Beers, the
official statement says 223. were creeping up
the steep slOp" ct the mountain. One OF the
Boer leaders, with picked body Of about sixty
men made for Il small peak standing out on
the edge OF the mountain summit. which
proved 10 BE- the key Of the position. Arrived
at this point he discovered British picket
quite unconscious of the proximity of the
enemy, BY wcll-aimcd vo!ley the whole Of
the picket were laid low and the Doors seized
tn" peak. BY this manuuSre the British were
caught in flank and rear and fell back in
confusion from the edge of the summit.
Meantime other parties OF Beers rushed
up by another gap and completed the
defeat Of the British. who fed in
panic, the Inflated 81, George Collcy putting
an end to his own life. Cameron. the special
correspondent OF one Of the London papers,
who was present on the occasion and was cap
tured hv tho Beers and taken before Gen.
lOubert who released him after examination,
described tho British soldiers as running and
bounding down the slope Of the mountain like
deer. He himself was in the flight. and step
ping on loose stone rolled down the hill to