Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-29

uClI uleu IdSL night at Il.oU CLOCK.
He had been suffering from a stomach
complaint
The town is plunged into mourning
for the true patriot, gallant general
and upright and honorable gentleman.
Gen. Pietrus Jacobus Joubert, COM
mandant general of the Transvaal
forces, better known as Pet Joubert,
or "Slien Pet" (Slim Peter), was born
about IS years ago. He was descend
ed from an old French Huguenot fam
lily, which settled in South Africa
many years ago. He was born in Cape
Colony, but vas taken by his parents
when seven years old. to the Orange
Free State, where he was taught from
early boyhood to shoot straight and
hate the British. He is described as
having been utterly fearless. OF
schooling he had but little and he
never saw a newspaper until he was
Is years old. In spite of this, his
ambition prompted him to read the
few books he could obtain and he sue
ceeded in obtaining a fair knowledge
OF history and language.
In consequence of the acquisition of
Natal by the British his family moved
ANAtNA i1o CtCtC0 III IuS l1duo-
yaal. Soon after he became a burgher
of the South African republic and a
daring fighter. 1t was claimed in his
behalf that he could lead a body of
men more successfully against hostile
natives than any other man i'll the
Transvaal. He came to be so feared,
by the natives that the knowledge that
he was at the head of a punitive ex-
petition usually resulted in their sur
render.
1t was during these wars with the
natives that Joubert became acquaint-
ed with Paul Kruger, and the two
men
Became Bosom Friends.
He was elected Vice-President of the
Transvaal in 1896, defeated Sir George
Colley at Majuba Hill in 1881 and act
ed as President of the republic in
1S83-94, during Kruger's absence il
Europe.
Gen. Joubert was always in favor of
the use of force instead of diplomacy,
and President Kruger on several oc-
casions had great difficulty in repres-
sing his hotheaded colleague, notably
in 1897 when Joubert, with Kruger and
Pretorius vas planning the rebellion
to overthrow British rule in the Trans
yaal. The result vas Majuba Hill and
the practical independence of the
TranSvaal.
1t was Joubert who organized the
army of the South African republic,
later on, dividing the country into III
military departments and each of these
departments into smaller divisions,
urith M II nfc Ga1J ar,an+ anI
~lieutenants of various ranks in charge.
According to the generals plans, every
mar became a trained soldier without
leaving his farm and had his equip
ment ready at hand. To such a point
of perfection was the system carried
that within forty-eight hours after the
present war was declared the Boer ma
ton was under arms.
1t was also due to Gen. Joubert that
the South African republics succeeded
in amassing the immense stores of war
munitions and provisions which have
stood them in such good stead during
the conflict now in progress.
When the Jameson raiders were lock- |
ed up in Pretoria jail Joubert was
strongly in favor of
lneIE kHuHleuiHtc Execution.
1t was not until Joubert and Kruger
had been closeted together for a whole
night that the more merciful ~counsels
of Kruger prevailed.
In spite of these characteristics,
Joubert, on some occasions, showed
considerable regard for the usages of
civilization. When the Beers raided
British territory, Bechuanaland, in
1884, Joubert>was probably the only
prominent Boer who refused to sup
port the movement, and his opposition
resulted in the withdrawal of the Boer
from the territory seized, as he
threatened to resign unless he had his
way, saying: Il positively refuse to
hold Office under a government that
deliberately breaks its covenants, and
W. have made covenants with Eng
land"
In November last it was reported
that Gen. Joubert had been killed in
action and later reports said he was
dangerously wounded and had to use
a cart in order to follow the opera
tons of the field.
The circumstances of the death of
Gen. Joubert are not explained in the
dispatch, which revealed the fact that |
William Cox, newspaper correspond
n who arrived at Durham, said Gen.
Joubert was apparently suspected of
half-heartedness and that his life
would be in danger at the hands of
the burghers if Pretoria was beseiged.
LONDON, March %, 5 a. m.-All the
morning papers print singularlv kind
editorials concerning Gen. Joubert.
They praise his military skill and up
hold his chivalrous conduct and re- /,
gret that so strong and modern a
mind should be absent from The firal
settlement of the dispute.
Although some of the younger COM |
manders thought the old soldier want |
ing in dash and enterprise. his raid
into the country south of the Tugela
is considered the best piece Of Boer
leadership during the whole war. 1t
is now known that he crossed the Tu- |
gela with only 1900 rifemen and six
guns, bat so bold and rapid werer his |
movements that the British command
ers thought 5000 Beers were march
ing on Pietermaritzburg. For a few
days, although in the presence of
greatly superior forces, he isolated Gen.
Barton's camp at MOOT river. Then, |
British reinforcements were push |
ed up. Joubert re-crossed the TugeIa |
without losing a prisoner, a wagon or |