Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-12-21
slim PET JOUBERT.
He Is Of French Husuenot Descent, Taught
from Childhood to Hate the British and
Shoot Siralght--iic Was Vic.
tor n Majuba filll.


Petrus Jacobus Joubert, better known
as Pet Joubert, or '.Slim Pet" (Slim
Peter. was born sixty-eight years ago.
lie came of an old French Huguenot
family, long settled In South Africa,
and many writers attribute his chival-
rous instincts to the less mixed charac-
ter of his origin than is the case with
the majority of the Beers. Like Pres
ident Kruger, he was born in Cape
Colony but was taken, when seven
years old. by his parents to the Orange
Free State. He was taught from early
childhood to detest the British, 10
shoot straight, and to be absolutely
fearless when hunting big game or
blacks OF ordinary schooling he had
little, in those days when the nearest
homestead to his fathers farm was
many miles away. He never saw Il
newspaper until lie was nineteen years
old. but he was ambitious to become
something more than Il mere farmer,
and, with the aid of the few books he
tanning Il fair knowledge of history
and languages.
Joubert's hatred of The British was
by no means lessened when, as a
young man. he moved from his farm
in consequence of the acquisition of
Natal by his hereditary foes. lie de-
cided to settle in the Transvaal. and
the "woonplaats" he founded almost
Joins Natal at its northernmost post.
But 1t was not long after he became Il
burghcr of the South African Republic
before he was known rs Il useful man
and Il daring fighter. 1t was said that
he could lead body of men more
successfully against hostile natives
than any other man in the Transvaal,
so ii came about that whenever there
was an ugly uprising against the burg
hers Joubert was called upon to lead a
detachment Of Beers. The natives soon
learned to fear him. and the knowl-
edge that he was mt the head of a pun
tive expedition usually resulted in the
surrender of the Kaffirs.
1t was i'm these little wars with the
natives that Joubert became acquaint-
ed with Paul Kruger. The two be-
came bosom friends, and the former
thereafter forsook the life of farmer,
though he still retained his farm. for
IA political career. He was vice presi-
and acted us president during the lat
dent during the presidency of Burgers
ter's absence in Europe. Before this
he had been State Attorney of the Re
public. An event that had "A great in
fuence on his career was his first visit
to England. when he accompanied Mr..
Kruger. What Joubert saw there inn
pressed him, as he never hesitated to
admit, with the power of the British.
but rather accentuated than mol
flied his attitude of determined resist
ance to anything that he regarded as
British aggression. He was always in
favor of the use of force instead of Iii
plomacy, and on several occasions.
when he was vice president and Kru-
ger president, the latter had great diff
Guilty in REFRESHING his more hot-head-
Ell colleague.
A notable instance of this was in
1879, when Joubert was one of the
triumvirate-the others being Kruger
and Pretorious-who were planning
the rebellion to overthrow British rule
in the Transvaal. Kruger had the
greatest difficulty in holding Joubert
in check when the latter wanted to
rush hostilities before the best mo-
ment had come in which to strike the
blow for freedom. When, however.
the time came to fight, Joubert was Sc
lected as the best man to have control
the campaign, which began and ended
so disastrously for the British, is
known TO nearly everyone. The battle
of Majuba Hill i'm 1881 was his crown
ing feat Of generalship. He personally
led the force that dealt to Great Brit
ain blow that she has never forgiven,
and that is supposed by many persons
to be the real cause of the present con-
fidt.
After peace had been arranged Gen.
JouSert did not remain idle. The
terms of the agreement with Great
Britain We're not satisfactory to a
large number of Beers, Joubert in
Guided, and, in view of a possible fut-
ure conflict, the army of the South
African Republic was organized by
him. He divided the country into sew
enteen military departments, and each
| of these departments into smaller di-
| visions, with commanders, field cor
| nets'and lieutenants of various ranks,
| in charge. Every man, it is said, be-
came a trained soldier without leaving
| his farm, and had his complete equip
| ment ready at home. When the sum
mons came every man was pledged to
| appear at an appointed spot.
| When war was declared Joubert had
to send only seventeen kilograms, and
within forty-eight hours the entire
Boer nation was in arms.
| Besides this extraordinarily perfect
| organization, Joubert did more than
| any one else in the South African Re
public to secure an immense quantity
of artillery. What the strength Of the
| republic in modern guns is the British
are beginning to find out. Most of
them came from France, and are of
the latest and most improved type.
When the jameson raiders were cap
tured and locked up in Pretoria jail
Joubert appealed in the strongest
/ terms for their immediate execution.
Not even the suggestion of another
Boer leader that the raiders ears be
cut off was n sufficiently harsh meas
| ure to please him. He said that the