The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-09
CHRISTIAN DE WET.
The Farmer and Guerrilla Chief
Now EIudfng Roberts Generals.

The Farmer and Guerrilla Chief
Now EIuding Roberts Generals.
From the London Globe.
When first Christian De Wet began his
tactical pnpricks, it was currently re-
ported that he was a man Of light as well
as leading, and that the curriculum $of
one of the colleges on the Cam was re-
sponsible for his training. That, how
ever was by no means the case. The
famous general is totally devoid of Gull
lures and loathes learning as the badge
of British servitude. He is, IN fact, zen
opregte Beer" a typical purgher, son of
a voortrekker, and an inheritor Of many
of the most violent prejudices Of his sire.
Born on a farm near the small town Of
Dewetsdorp-so named from the generals
father-he first saw the light more than
forty years ago. He had but a few
months schooling before he began TO
take his part in the battle OF life yet he
has been as successful in that as he has
latterly been in actual warfare. He has,
indeed, proved himself a shrewd man of
business, and his farm, under his practi-
cal methods, has yielded him a comfort
able fortune. For, though he loathed the
Uitlander, he saw that by supplying Jo-
hannesburghers with farm produce he
might rake in British gold Like most
Dutchmen, he is married-his wife be-
longing to Dopper-and has several
children, the eldest being q son, now
about eighteen years Of age.
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
Christian de Wet has for some years
been g. member of the Free State volks-
raad, and is, what Marc Antony profess
ed to be, no orator. In parliament he
has been chiefly conspicuous in the dis
cussion of any English question, when
his anti-British feelings found vent in
This feeling has Influenced his every pub
lie action and induced him to make him
self ridiculous by objecting to the en-
ployment of an Englishman to teach the
English language in the Grey college at
Bloemfontein After the Jameson raid
this same feeling led him to support the
candidature of Mr.. Steyn for the presi-
dentship, as against -Ar. Frazer, the pro-
gressive candidate On that occasion he
professed his willingness to pour out his
blood rather than see a id Englishman
president Of the Orange Free State. There
| is no doubt that it was the support of
Christian de Wet and a few others of his
| kidney which secured the triumphant
election of Mr.. Steyn, and thus indirectly
| led to the present conflict.
PREVIOUS MILITARY CAREER.
| Previous to the outbreak of the present
| war, the subject of this sketch had had
! but little military experience. He was a
| mere child during the great war between
the Free State and the Basutos, in which
| the latter were only saved by the inter
vention of Great Britain. He was, how
| ever, one of the Free Staters who defied
President Brands declaration of neutral
| ity in the war of 1SS0-S1. He served under
Joubert throughout that conflict, and took
part in all the battles in Natal. Indeed,
! at Ma3uba he was one of those who vol
| unteered to storm the hill, and treasures
to this day the kilt of a Highlander whom
! he shot there, in no very glorious fashion,
it must be said. 1t will, however, be seen
from the foregoing sketch that his genius
| for warfare of the kind he has pursued
Of late is natural and not acquired from
| any course of training. brief resume
of his successes will therefore be Of in
| terest.
MOSQUITO TACTICS.
Not very long after the occupation of
I Bloemfontcn, all England was startled to
| hear that cavalry brigade had been am
| pushed not mary miles east of the thcn
| Free State capital, and that five guns Of
the Horse artillery had been lost. This
disaster at Sanna's post was the first Of
| De Vets exploits, but in few days he
| followed 1t up with another, which brings
out striltingly the innate military skillful-
! ness of, the man. The whole story is as
| follows: During the gradual occupation of
| the Southern Free State, small flying COL
umns were sent out to receive the submits
sion of the burghers. One of these, COM
posed Of four companies CT the Royal
Irish rifles and some mounted infantry
| from that regiment and the Northumher-
| land fusiliers, had been sent by a circuit
| tous route from Smithfield to Bethany.
They had left Dewetsdorp and Were but
| thirty miles from their goal. Three hours
off hajI dcT1o fIITa 10 OF Shnd
with his victory at Sanna's post, arrived
in the small town, and finding that the
British column was but weak and had
no artillery, he sent messenger back
for men and guns, and mustered the
burghers Of the neighborhood. The Brit
ish, unconscious of opposition, had ar
rived within twelve miles of the railway
when they came across the enemy's
scouts. They seized a long kopje near
Reddersburg, where they were held until
the Boer reinforcements arrived upon
the scene. Soon four captured British
guns were playing on the little force
and in the end, finding their position
hopeless, they surrendered. The Boer
messenger had first to travel twenty
miles for reinforcements and another
twenty-five miles with the transport and
the guns. Yet De Wet surrounded the
British force after they had marched
eighteen miles, within seventeen hours Of
their leaving Dewetsdorp. The cleverness
and daring of the movement are therefore
clear The same features marked De
| Vets other swoops, the two at Honing
| Spruit, the two at Roodewal, and that
at Lindley, while they were also charac-
teristic Of his daring escape from the
Brandwater basin, when it seemed that
| he was hopelessly shut in by the forces
under Hunter, Brabant and Rumble 1t
must be confessed that in De Wet, Kit
chener has met foeman worthy of his
steel.