Evening star., 1899-11-04
ALL MEN OF MARK
Brave Leaders in the British and
Boer Armies.
ON ONE SIDE BULLER And WHITE
Lined Up Against Them Are Jou-
bet and Juit Cronje.
One SIDE BULLER And WHITE
DIFFER IN MANY WAYS


LCNDON, OCTOBER 1S:ft.
There is no doubt in the mind of any En-
glishman as to the ultimate outcome of the
struggle with the Transvaal. But the Off
cials of the British war department realize
that the task of whipping the Beers cannot
prove an easy one. This is shown by the
fact that they have dispatched TO the scene
OF hostilities the man who is considered in
military circles the most experienced and
careful OF their African commanders-Slr
Redvers Butler.
In actual rank Maj. Gen. Butler holds the
third position in the British army. His
name is not IS familiar to Americans as
are those of his superiors, Lord Wolseley
and Lord Roberts. 1t is an open secret in
England that had the liberal party
nained in power a little longer in 1885 h.
would have succeeded the Duke of Cam
bridge as commander-in-chief. The COM
IleJion Of a triumphant campaign against
the Beers Will doubtless mean that in time
he Will still arrive al this exalted and hon
CraDir position.
Gen. Butler comes Of solid English coun-
try stock. the class that mas gwen England
her greatest Commanders. he Is a Devon
shire man, and i now exactly sixty years
o. . gt. Tie Is rather too stout Tor Jne lucaI
military ngure. but is vigorous OF speech
and movement. with a broad lmpasaive
face, adorned by heavy gray luustacne
ana set OF by a pair OF keen gray eyes
HIS manner Is cold and dustere, MS speech
terse ana cutting. he ls a dlscIpHnaTlan 10
the last degree. Tie commands little love,
but thorough respect, among ms saDUlu--
mates. His ability both a tacticlan and
d neId COMMANDER is unquesuoned II IS
generally Deueved in weII-lntOrmed circles
il London that the plan OF campaign put
iutO erect against the DOerS Is Idr5ciy OF
Sir EedVerS BuIIerS ; deElSIng.
An Old African Soldier.
Cen Butler has had long and varied
military career and is thoroughly familiar
with all the phases of African campaign
ing IN which. by the way, his laureIs have
been Won. although his earliest held e&pe-
rienCe was gained in the China war of lobD.
In 1870 he took part in the Red river eXpe-
GitiUu. II there tndJ he attracted tne
a,,en,ion OF " oi-eicy, ,'nd 0e gan tne up-
ward career which has led him TO the most
coveted II not the highest position IN the
british army.
4nlce years later Butler made the
deputy assistant adJutant general OF the
BrIuSn forces IN the Ashanti war IN Africa
ana established reputation Tor himself aa
Ii daTIHs ana skIilIuI uSuter He Was IN the
filutIHS against the native tribes In South
A4r4gsi. ana commanded The mounted troops
OF Sir kEeIyn " OOu column IN the SERIOUS
Campaign against the ZuIus. 1t was in tins
War JHaJ I,uIIer Won the Victoria cross
that diploma Of personal bravery which Is
the most priced III the BrltIsh army. II Is
sI5mucanU OF Butler : SJeadIaSt character
tudt the act, OF rather the acts, winch
gained for MIN the famous medal We're per
formed, not III the heat OF an engagement,
but in the course of disastrous ueIeat.
The action opened in March, 1919. Butler
had been dispatched by SIR Evelyn Wood
to clear the lunloDaur mountain OF force
OF ZuIus- He had pTacuCaIIy accomplished
his task, when the natives were strength
ened 10y enormous reInforcements, ana in
the face OF OVerw ne Inning numbers the
Buusn were compeued to reIre 10 avoid
TrsnFn h..
preclplJOuS sides OF the mountain, and il
was only by careful mana semaut that the
BRUSH force was saved from utter desJruc-
tIOn.
Buffers Heroic Act.
While carefully guarding his troops the
commander showed his disregard O: per-
sonaI danger by turning back tnres times
under the fire of the closely pursuing Zulua
to rescue troopers who had Deen unhoi ised,
in each case carrying them out of danger
on his own mount 1t is this combination
OF The cautious commander and the DASH
Ing soldier that has made Buffers success
ami won his renown.
IL is a noteworthy fact that Gen. Rullers =
most distinguished performances have been
In resCuiHg threatened columns by master
ly retreats. In the Egyptian war of 1882,
when The desert column OF tne British force
had been ali but hemmed in at Sietemmeh
and had lost its leaders, Butler was dis
patched post haste TO take command. de
brought the column back to kOru in safe
t.. executing the maneuver in a way II al
Won high praise from his superiors. In the
Gordon relief expedition OF 1SS4-S5 he
served as chief Of Stan.
This ended General Buffers active SER
vice down To the present time. For several
years he was aIached to Jhe heauq4as., 4, -,
STAN IN London, and recently he has held
the command at AldershoJ, in charge of the
great drill school of the British army where
his treatise in Infantry Drill has served
as text book, Now he returns 10 Africa
ss Major General Sir Redvers Butler priyy
councillor, '. C., g. {. d, h. [. Nj "a, .o
round out his career by overwhelming the
Beers.
The second in command OF the British
forces Is man whose fighting record com
mands the enthusiastic admiration of all
Brltons-Str George White. As colonel of
the famous Gordon Highanders he won his
generals stars by many a hard-fought
campaign In Egypt and the Soudan Be
loer his assignment to South Africa he was
IN command OF the army in India where he
was uniformly successful In putting down
native uprisings. He directed the recent
campaign against the Afridis Cco al
White was recently appointed governor of
btbraitar. but the present Transvaal diff