The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-29
Xxx
9<- MEN OF ALL NATIONS FIGHTING FOR THE BOER. @#E
-nnsMmw dhR BRh dwnmH

boulevard journalists. who live on blackmah
and the Monte Carlo Sustenance Fund.
The murder and robbery of Boer on the
yeldt is no less a murder and robbery than
though il had taken place in Whitechapei
or Fifth avenue.
The Roer has been murdered and robbed,
and the fact that before his life was at
tempted his character was attacked and VII
flied is not the least of the sins for which
the "empire builders of Kimberley, Jo-
hannesburg and the Colonial Office must
some day stand in Judgment
The battle of Sand River lasted for four
hours. 1t might. possibly. have been Sec
ond Colenso. but It was a retreat. At no
time was the advance of the British column
seriously threatened. and by Ranking
movement on General Botha's right it car
ried the bridge. or the place where the
bridge had stood, and had a clear road 20
Kroonstad
The Free Staters were beaten before the
battle began. They had been driven out or
Brandfort. winburg and Virginia. and they
had lost heart.
When you looked down upon the lines Of
the English army advancing for three miles
across the plain, one could hardly blame
them. The burghers did not even raise their
Mausers. One bullet. the size OF a broken
slate pencil. falling into a block three miles
across and a mile deep seems so Inadequate.
1t was like trying to turn back the waves
of the sea with blowpipe.
1t is true they had held back as many at
Colenso but the defensive positions there
were magnificent. and since then six
months had passed. during which time the
same 5000 men who had been fighting then
were fighting STILL while the enemy was al
ways new. with fresh recruits and re-en-
forcements arriving daily.
As the English officers at Durham, who
had lately arrived from home that they
wore swords. used to say with the proud
consciousness of 10000 men back of them:
ut won't last much longer now. The Beers
have had their belly full of fighting. They're
fed up on it; that's what il IS; they're fed
up"
They forgot that the Beers. who for three
months had held Butler back at the Tugela.
were the same Beers who were rushed
across the Free State to rescue Cronje from
Roberts, and who were then sent to meet
the relief column at Fourteen Streams. and
were then ordered back again to harass
Roberts at Sannahspost. and who. at last.
worn out. stale. heartsick and hopeless at
the unequal odds and endless fighting. fell
back at Sand River.
I have seen a retreat in Greece. when the
men. before they left the trenches. stood
up in them and ragged and cursed at the sd-
vancing Turk, cursed at their Government.
at their King, at each other. and retreated
with shame in their faces because they
did so.
But the retreat OF the burghers Of the
Free State was not like that. They rose
one by one and saddled their ponies with
the look in their faces OF men who had
been attending the funeral OF friend,
and who were leaving just before the cof-
fin was swallowed in the grave. Some Of
them for long time after the greater
number Of the commando had ridden away
sat upon the rocks staring down into the
sunny valley below them talking together
gravely, rising to take las: look at the
territory which was their own. The shells
of the victorious British sang triumphant
" over the heads OF their own artillery.
bursting tmpotentiy IN white smoke or tear
ing up the veldt In fountains Of dust
But they did not heed them They did
not even send revengeful bullet into the
approaching masses. The sweetness Of re-
venge could not pay for what they had
lost They looked down upon the farm
houses Of men they knew: upon their own
farmhouses rising in smoke: they saw the
Englishmen like pest Of locusts settling
down around gardens and farmhouses still
nearer. and swallowing them up.
Their companions already far on the way
to safety, waved to them from the veidt to
follow; an excited doctor carrying wound
ed man warned them that the English
were Just below them. storming the hill
"Our artillery is aiming at 200 yards he
shouted. but still they stood immovable.
leaning their rifles, silen-. motionless,
lookin, down without rage or show Of feel
ing at the great waves of khaki sweeping
steadily toward them. and possessing their
land RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.