Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-26
CoMMANDANT CRONJE.
Personal RecoiiectiOns Of the WHY
Boer General.
lParls Messenger

ilAAlr -hf~"'tAnNAff
In the deep gloom which now 0yershad-
ows South Africa, presently TO be convert
ed into Gargantuan shambles. one
figure looms out prominently on the iur'u
canvas-that OF COmmandant CronJe, al
once the belauded hero Of D0rnkop.
Boer of the Beers, fanatic to the core
imbued with the strongest racial pre-
iudices Of his nation, CrOnje has at least
one characteristic which Is achho"lrben
alike bv his friends ana enemle7-cOh-
sisfencV In the farm at POtchelstroom'
close 10 the MOOl River where MS Hyi'i,-
stead ie situated he is worshipped as
one who stands quite apart from NE -
lows. a leader of men, ana TINS t'P"T,"
,ion acquired I'm the early days Wneh lns
Poers frckked north lighting their Wy
ibrougb swarms Of hostile saydges, sun
clinps 10 him Traditions OF his proves
and skill in those bygone Tines emu a. a.
cred bv the vista OF years, AIe I" e1.-
da,- related I'D the young lOIAes Dy lHc,'
,.,r.,,fg '4s they sit over the evening lir". :
botv he withstOod the savage rush va
me laggered wagons az uNs O'o'"'
Thought them safely through. - Jts-
commandant CrOnje is man o. ~ -
49,. ,,''',onaiitv in spite n his some" nay
.it1 cottuteuauce heavy lnlch-sc.
$50, ,,ifb husky eyebrows, a stern 9'
.i,',,,th scarcely concealed by the Bil1zI'S
nustache and dark thick beaiu atl 49, -
with gray: merciless as lii9 Ia ali
,,tt.rlv relentless and unscI uPul""' - -,
Gseiinos with his enemies. As "a 80 -
ia GUERRILLA warfare ne - una" -
even bv Pet JOubert, ana W5 w, ireodv
ceniion OF the affair OF losi, ~ 49,
S.,,pi,s,tIn,ed his bravery has never DeSn
llaIi,i - question. This is the man WY
80 ~ head OF 1900 men now Itcy5 49,
az ~ po,peu on the borders OF Bechu' ~"
V ,1 ,nd he IL is who has opeileu W.
ball" ,,., ~ Dorrkon. The
- s,ui hung about in q mist rom
,.,,,r engagement, ana the put nl,l~
eiir ,I,,rsd down on the small farI at.s,
Win The white flag OF su.Isil"e Ill in.
frorn The roof The low sloho ,,bi,e
!, -, 81 ~ garden behind shone wiz,
clySiHs ali around lay brown groups y.
~ nm Who had done their pesI ~ -
.L.o,,,b IN johannesburg ana tail-ur D'
- above hundreds or ltIesu..a
tnreer,fn. rough and unkehlFs, otr-
sinrch hats and bandohers, Vain t,tsie
s, ST.. ,round and winding 10 tlS nS IT,
Sl'ns to,,se on which the small WI H.
az ~ uttered in the breeze. bioupyu - a.
H s,t,, 81 the building was Knot Oh On
cars the leaders OF the eAPeule.o,s face
surrender written large on 49, bor6e
,be head OF the advancing hViue
~ h,,riv figure IN q dirty slouch nat
l.os,,ce in his saddle, unclean anu III, III.
sloopii'o ,-ervthing about him betokenihs
,,eeiect. the wretched-lO0N,hs Up ,",st,-
borsa the antiquated sdu"ioi ~. thst
n,asI everything. Yet one coul1 zee ' ne
80 SIC rs the master mind directing ~,
hnrdSs which were gradually ehgSIop'. ~
~ Un,ortunate body or men Iylns
~, thair mercy. IL was Coli !la''S ts
Sron3e' In arrogant, truculent tones srn nv
S,ctated the terms OF SURRENDER, -
u .,,Sra ar his mercy. but he dare hot 20 %
" 49, "a he would like TO have gone, ~
l1n 90 e,tteral invectiye he put IoIWdts
S Sis terms. The small body OF men IT.
t hin and thirsty. still had their VIZ ~
nuns ~ their hands. and he knew Wen
o srs, m ' ne gave vent TO his feelings,
ma Nah " meant putting the leaders Win VII
,slI. harks 10 the wall ana shooil,.s
,hsrl, ,haf he would find II very can,
,srni,s game 10 play, but II rs 1onD' ~
tsS''pp he would not have done II out lo'
The restraining infunces around MN hIs
lie He snarled like a tiger deprived Oh IA
iaei,imate prey. They were the accui - s.u
Fn@IIsh whom no hated and whose 20.
ION was TO be shot down hAs aos .s
AM the influences around MIN pieav H.
mated. With a keen eye he wateneu "a
process Of disarmament taking place, IN. .
there was a glut OF satisfaction. sinos,
amounting TO a smile-ii such thiis
were possible TO HMM the AFFECT NO
initiation OF his hated enemies. as they