Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-19


There was ample room ut Lalngs-
mex for green general to blunder.
Had the Beers rushed after the retreat
Ing cavalry, following up to the firm
lines of infantry, there would have
been stand up fight in the open, in
which failure on the part Of the Beers
would have been fatal. But ,Toubert
held them in and made the English
waste their strength In climbing the
hill under Gre.
After Laingsnek the situation was
much the same as 1t has been in this
war. General Colley held on at the
Mex awaiting re-enforcemeIts His
communications with the basA In Natal
were open to Boer rpAers, and he
marched back with COO .,oops to patrol
the road and keep it I'm for supplies
and supports to reach HIN. Tae lingo.
20 river was critical pas,1, and the
British marshaled therein full strength.
Before they could prepare for defense
Joubert attacked with vigor, and the
battle lasted until night closed in. Un-
der cover Of darkness General Colley
retreated, leaving his dead and help
lsssly wounded to the mercy of Jou-
bert. The casualties in the three fights
at Bronkhorst Spruit, Laingsnek and
Ingogo River show on which side the
generalship lay. The British loss foot
ed up 250 killed and $50 wounded
against II killed and 35 wounded in
the Boer ranks. In view of the British
and Boer official returns up to the close
Of the hardest fighting before Lady
smith, these figures are significant.
The battle losses of the British In Octo-
ber were fully 1,1OO killed and wound.
ed according to reports filed In Lon
don. The reports from Pretoria show
90 Beers killed and 200 wounded. In
the long run the palm of generalship
lies with the leader who gets the lar
gest return on the smallest investment.
Joubert shut his enemies up Mt all
points with loss of one to four In
bnttle.
At Majuba Hill Joubert was outgen-
eraled at the start, but recovered his
grip with remarkable celerity and
vigor. The British took advantage of
the trusting nature of the Beers and
stretched the moral law. There was
truce on, and proposal for peaceful
settlement had been sent into the Boer
lines. Through no fault of President
Kruger answer was delayed beyond
the hour named, but General Joubert
is a man of peace when possible, and,
believing in the good faith of General
Colley, he massed his troops In camp,
leaving Majuba Hill unoccupled. Cen
eral Colley climbed to the summit in
the night with strong force and at
daybreak looked down upon the Beers
In the plain below. The hill on the
side Of the Beers was rocky and pro-
cipitous, and the situation was like
that at Little Round Top, Gettysburg,
only worse for the Beers. The Con-
federntes ut Gettysburg had better
chance to drive the Fedcrals from the
key 10 the field than had Joubert to
get Majuba Hill from the British. But
the day was lost to the budding Trans
vaal republic unless Joubert retook
the hill at once. Nerve is n sine qua
non for Il general on the field, and that
Joubert displayed on the instant at
Majuba Hill when lie saw the British
flag flying from the summit. There
was no way Of getting column to
mount the rocky face of the hill. But
the Beers are rs sprlghtly as the cham
ois of the Alps. and Joubert ordered
them to climb that hill to tho cover
Of the brink and from there open on
the enemy. What could be accomplish
cd at long range was done, and the
British found that the hill was safer
ut distance from the brink than II
was close to the edge, where the Beers
could be watched. SO they fell back to
safe positions and loft the Beers to
work unseen.
Suddenly hundreds Of Boer rifles
opened on the British from points Of
vantage on the summit. Although the
British were sheltered by rocks and
ridges Of earth, the bullets struck
home, and General Colley's men began
to grow shaky without so much as see.
ing an enemy. A British charge was
proposed, but General Colley thought
best TO wait until the Beers got excited
and rushed from cover. But when that
time came it was too late for the Brit
ish. The Boer rush was tide not to
be stemmed, and so Majuba Hill
stands as a monument to the martial
genius Of General Piet Joubert and a
freedom giving victory.
Even If Joubert is not IN American
product he is known to many Ameri-
cans, for he visited this country In
1890. One OF the stories told at a re-
ception given him by the Holland socl.
ETY. In New York illustrates his charac.
ter. When the leaders came together
after MaJuba Hill to sign treaty of
peace, the British leader said to Jou-
bert:
II never expected to make peace
with you, SIR"
How so?" said Joubert.
Because" said the Brlton, ~ In.
tended tn lriya vou from tba countrv