The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1899-06-03
4, WOMAN WARRIOR.
Wife Of the Transvaal Commander
a Good Fighter
II Was Through Her That the English
Were Defeated at ATatuba-HeR
I Husbands staneh Com-
rade.

Since the days Of Cleopatra the num-
Der OF women to actually take part in
the conduct of the wars of their re-
spective countries has been few. At the
present day there is only one woman
who, with any justice, can be termed
"a general in petticoats," and that is
Mrs. Joubert, wife of Gen. Joubert, com
mander in chief of the Transvaal forces.
Mrs. Joubert has accompanied her hus-
band in all the wars heihas undertaken.
her CHEEKY face, almost hidden from
view under the folds Of a huge black
capple, has become such a familiar
sight that the incongruity of one wom-
an walking in and out among an armed
force of several thousand men seems
to be commonplace. From the DAYS of
her earliest childhood Mrs. Joubert has
been used to wars alarms. She can
load and fire of gun with almost as
much skill as ''Slim Pet" (Anglice.
Clever Piet'') himself, and on many oe-
easions has shown the greatest cour-
age,
It is not generally known that 1t was
to Mrs. Joubert that the great defeat
OF the English at Majuba was greatly
due. The general considered the posi-
ton unassailable,, but Mrs. Joubert.
her eyes afire with patriotism. urged
the attack, eventually conquering the
scruples of her husband and the other
commandments. The result is known.
Mrs. Joubert's last appearance at a
war occurred during the recent Magat-
GLAND campaign, at the extreme north
OF the Transvaal. An artillery, burgher
and native force of nearly 10000 men
was dispatched to the front to subdue
the rebel chief, M'Pefu, entrenched in a.
series of rocky businesses backed by the
Limpopo. Notwithstanding what was
feared would be the bloody nature of
the war, the heat-over 100 degrees in
the shade-and the fever, the pluelxy
woman joined the general week or
two after his arrival at the Hoofd Lager,
accompanied only by two or three little
Kafir maids.
Finding Gen. JoubeFt in an anything
but comfortable tent, she routed him
out, erected tent of her own, and in
stalled him amid all the comforts of
home. What was more, she recon-
structed the generals mess arrange
ments and cooked his meals with her
own hands. The wife of the com
manding general peeling potatoes was
an ordinary sight during the campaign.
On one occasion during the war the
news came into camp that the general
had been taken i'll 30 miles away, in the
midst of country full of hostile ma
tives and deadly with malaria. Without
hesitation, Mrs. Jeubert made prepara-
tiOns to go and join her husband, and
there is little doubt that she would have
accomplished her purpose had not more
reassuring news come to hand.
The war came to an early close owing
to the military genius of Gen. Joubert,
and, it is not too much to say, his bet
ter half. The plans of the campaign
from the time Mrs. Joubert arrived till
the camp was struck were talked over
at her dinner table, her sound advice
and almost unequaled knowledge of
Kafir warfare being held in high es-
TEEN.
Although such warrior, Mrs. Jou-
bert is true woman. There is moth
ing masculine about either her appear
ance or manner. Unlike most Dutch
Afrikander women, she is slim, espe-
cially when compared with the robust
proportions of Gen. Piet Joubert. Won
derfully active, for her 60 years, and
over, she can accomplish as much hard
work in an hour as town-bred women
would in week.
Needless to say, she is immensely pop
ular among the burghers. To the sick
she is ever ready to lend assistance, and
many dying man has blessed her min
istrations. When not on the warpath,
Mrs. Joubert is singularly retiring.
Many Pretorians have never seen her,
although she lives in their midst, in
the town house of the general, off Mar
ket street. Her preference, however,
is for the quiet of the farm, where she
loves to remain until called forth to the
battles of her country by wifely affec-
tion.-Chicago Times-Herald.
The Eclipse OF 1000.