The Irish standard., 1900-08-18
As DESCRIBED BY MICHAEL, BAyITT
Is a Consummate Strategist and
an Able General.
IN ARDENT SYMPATHY WITH IRELAND
Took In Marriage a Miss Emmet
of Cape Colony.

have seen no picture OF Louis Botha
which gives anything like true pres
entation OF him, says Michael Davitt in
the Dublin Freeman. Mrs. Botha has
shown me an illustrated London pape,
with photograph purporting to be
that OF the commandant- general. 1t
was the picture OF Commandant Botl,a,
aged IS, with typical Bocr peasant
figure and features! Louis Botha is
aged SO, stands about six feet, and has
a commanding presence. His hair is
dark brown, and cut rather close, fore
head high, eyebrows prominent, eyes
dark gray, nose strong and mouth large,
with moustache and small pointed
beard, dark brown, the whole face and
build OF the man denoting great natural
power and determined will. The fca-
tures are handsome and would suggest
a Latin rather than Tcutonic origin
The voice is musical, and when the gen.
eral laughs, as he frequently does in
conversation, and other subjects besides
war are discussed, he gives you the inn
preston Of a lovablc, llindly-natured
man-manly, upright, straightforward,
cninently a man who would prefer a
life OF home enjoyment and Of peace to
tie b1oodshcd and turbulence OF the
battlefield; but at the same time a man
born to command in danger or cmcr-
gency, and destined to force his way
to the very front by the sheer momcn>
tum OF his striking individuality.
The Bothas we're reared in the dis
trict of Vreid, near the Transvaal bor-
der, in the Orange Free. State, and
early in life Louis began an evcntful
career. He joined General Lucas Meyer
in the expedition to Zululand, which
led to the foundation OF the short-livcd
new republic" This territory being
subsequently added TO the Transvaal,
Botha settled on farm near the Vry-
held district, where lie has since resided.
Some fourteen years ago he married
Miss Emmett, daughter of Mr.. John
| Emmct of Swcclcndan, Cape Colony.
The Emmets had also been tempted to
| try their fortunes in the adventure oil
the "ncw republic" and became settlers
| near the Buffalo river at Vryhcid Old
Emmct is still living, and is proud OF
his claim to be Of the same blood as
Robert Emmett, after whom his young
est son is named He has three sons,
William, Cherrc and Robert, fighting
under his son-in-law's command.
Louis Botha represented the Vryfeid
district in the Transvaal Volksraad at
the outbreak OF the war, and has not
been near his home since he left it to
attend to his parliamentary duties at
Pretoria in April, 1899. The session
lasted until October, and on war being
declared he was at once made COM
mandant and took the field under his
old general, Lucas Meyer. He took
part in the first operations in Natal, and
soon displayed those qualities OF cool
ness in action, rapid judgment in coun-
Gil and courage on all occasions which
had marked his carly military record in
the Zulu campaign against the forces
with which the young chief Dinzuu had
to contend; Though junior i'll years,
rank and service to General Lucas
Meyer, Commandant Botha was Sc
lccted by Joubcrt to defend Colcnso
against General Butler, and the brilliant
| victory which he won on that occasion,
with a fighting force of some 1000 men,
over the English general and his $4,000
or 5000 troops, revealed the consum-
mate stratcgist and able general in the
daslling young farmer. The Tugcla
campaign and the striking victory at
Spion Kop stamped the visitor OF Co.
lcnso as the ablest officer in the federal
armies, and when General Joubcrt lay
on his dcatll-bcd he rendered his last
service to his country in nominating
Louis Botha for his successor as COM
acknowledgement OF the Transvaal
army.
General Botha is man OF culture
| and refinement. He is we'll read in con-
temporary literature and speaks Eng
ish correctly and nucntly. European
and American political issues are in
tclligently understood and commented
upon by him in his conversation. His
own political convictions are, OF course,
influenced by the inscriptions policy
which England has pursued against the