Washington sentinel., 1899-11-25
The Boer War OF 1891

Sir Owen Lanvon, the British Ad
ministrator oi tine Transvaal, hat
the greatest contempt for tn
Beers, and he wrote home that tn
agitation against British rule
which all through IS79-So ha'
been carried on by Kruger, Pre-
torius and Joubert, would come t'
nothing. He was destined to b'
most disagreeably undeceived, Or
December 10, 1880, several thou
sands of Beers met near Heidel
berg, a Transvaal station now some
A miles southeast of Johannes
burg, which latter city then hac
not been founded, declared theii
independence Of Great Britain, ano
hoisted the Vierkleur, as the GRIM
son, green and white flag OF the
Republic is termed. The British
authorities were totally unpre-
pared, and a few days later a strong
body OF Boer horsemen entered
Potcheistroom, the old capital Of
the Transvsal, forced the British
civil officer, with his guard OF 100
men of the 3Ist regiment to sur
render, and then printed the Dec .
Iaration Of Independence. The
next thing was message to Sir
Ow n Lanyon, summouing him to
surrender in the name Of the Pro-
visional Government and the gath
ering of commanders on the bor-
bers Of Natal.
Still Sir Owen Lanyon could not
believe that war was intended, and
the few British troops the author.
tiles had available were moved
from point to point with leisurely
indifference. 1t required massa'
ere to open the eyes Of the Gov
ernment. This was provided Tor
them on December 20, through the
agency of Alfred Awkward, the
Fenian. This fellow, whom it was
afterwards discovered had acted as
agent for the transmission of Fen
ian funds, to Kruger, Joubert and
Pretorius, to assist them in the
agitation OF 1880, and who later
became Joubevt's secretary, had
wormed himself into the confidence
Of some OF the British officials,
who never for a moment suspected
his real character. Through them
he got to know that 7So men OF the
oath regiment were to take stores
in OK wagons from Lydenberr to
Pretoria. He at once informed
Joubert, Nicolas Smidt and Cronje
oil the intended movement, and the
Beers laid their plans accordingly.
AT Broncker's Spruit Boer patrol
carrying a white flag suddenly
appeared before the astonished SOL
diers, who know nothing of the
hostile demonstration at Potchefs-
troom, and gave their colonel two
minutes to surrender the arms and
stores. Naturally the demand was
met with a prompt refusal The
white flag was Immediately drop
ped, and concealed Boer marks
men opened fire on the troops, who
had no time to deplOy or retaliate
effectively, and in seven minutes
tWo thirds OF the whole force were
stretched out wounded or dead.
The colonel in command being
mortally wounded gave the order
for surrender, and the Beers seized
the arms and stores.
In January, 1881, a few troops
were sent from England, the au-
thorities still assuming that to
crush the rebellion would be an
easy task, and Sir George ColleY,
appointed Governor ot Natal in
1880, took command. General
Joubert, with 100 men, had crossed
the border on January 8, and oc-
cupied Laing's Mex, Sir George
Colley, with his force, consisting
OF twelve companies oi infantry,
I7o half trained mounted men, and
Ieo blue jackets, advanced 20 meet
him. The engagement took place
on January a8, the Br itish troops
attempting to storm the heights on
which the Beers were ensconced
in such a way behind rocks and
boulders that they could hardly be
seen. The result was a disastrous
check to the English arms. The
Beers fired steadily at the climbing
troops, who were crowded to-
gether, and who we're forced to re-
tire in confusion, the sssh Regi-
ment alone losing seventy three
killed and having one hundred
wounded, the other regiments suf-
fering in similar heavy proportion:
Alter this repulse General ColleY
resolved to wait for the re-
Inducements which had been or
dered up under Sir Evelyn Wood.
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