The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-26
DE WET AND HIS CAREER.
The "weaseI'' Is still mt Large and
DOdging His PurSuers.

DOnGtnE has
From the Chicago Record.
Cape Town, July 15-"That weasel
De Wet" as an English officer courte-
ously called republican commandant VINO
has checked Lord Roberts with so small
a force. is stlll at large. and as long as
he has not been captured the war cannot
be said to be over DeWet. who is com
paratively a young man, is conspicuous
example of the military genius which Is
more or less latent in every Boer' al
though in his case good fortune has
doubtless had much to do with his sue
cess, and the remarkable stupidity Of OPP
poneuts even more
Christian DeWet Joined the commando
under Gen. Lucas Meyer in October last
as plain field cornet. His former lie
had been that OF peaceful farmer ana
silent legislator, for though for some
years a member of the Free State VolNs-
raad, he was never conspicuous as
speaker. One incident in his life now
ever, gave him not only confidence In
himself, but won him the reputation Oh
almost daredevil pluck.
When the burghers rose In 1880 to tght
for their independence DeWet Joined the
commandos and took part in most OF the
engagements that resulted. On the morn
ing of Gen. Colley's Inflated attempt at
Majuba he stood in the burgher camp at
the base of the mountain and saw the
white helmets of the soldiers on the top
Of the kopjes. Near him stood Gen Jou-
bert. sternly silent and anxious, and per-
haps for the first time in his career open
ly showing his despair. The officers gath
cred around and discussed the matter,
and the burghers Joined in, for in repub-
lican laagers there is no discipline that
forbids an ordinary private from orerlng
his advice freely to his superiors.
It is said that the council of war adj
vised a retreat, and that woman-Mrs.
Joubert-saved the day attack them,
was her advice, land God will aid you,
and when her husband stood still uncer-
tain, gnawing his long bea4A between his
to tn, DeWet stepped forward and vol
unteered to lead the attack. After that
there was no longer any hesitation, and
history knows the result MaJuba won
back the independence of the country
but DeWet retired to his farm and used
his Martini to shoot game with, instead
Of "rooineks'
1t was by an act of almost equal cour-
age and perhaps greater resolution that
DeWet stopped on the first rung OF the
ladder during this campaign. The story
-
of the vanquished, has already been told;
from the point Of view of the vjctors II
has yet to be related.
The story goes that DeWet, without ask
ing leave of his commandant, called Tor
volunteers to attack the British troops on
NichoIsons mex, and some fifty men re-
sponded to the call. Taking advantage
of every bit of cover and maneuvering in
their customary excellent manner, the
MI haA
the incline before the defenders were
aware of their presence. Then, however,
there was a formidable Maxim to be ST.
fenced. Two of the small party bit the
dust, but then out of the attackers an
old Boer, famous for his craftsmanship
even In a commando where bad shots were
exceptions, aimed at the gear and sue
ceeded in putting the gun out of action.
1T was Majuba over again after that"
said my informant, and doubtless DeWet
took full advantage of the lessons he had
learned by his first success. When the
white flag was hoisted the party, now
numbering forty-eight, and several of
them wounded, went up to the thousand
odd men, standing so dejectedly on the
crest of the HILL and received their arms.
Where are your mem" asked the COM
handing officer Of DeWet, and the latter
replied There" and pointed to his pala-
whispered to his men, who began to take
critical. but DeWet was not a man OF
effeminate measures. Covering the Off
Ger in command with his Mauser he
threatened him with instant death unless
the surrender was Immediately effected,
and the troops threw down their arms
again.
1t is needless to cay that DeweFs strik-
ing success, effected almost elngle handed,
gained instant recognition. Those who
know the Boer system of warfare know
that 1t is not fayoritism, but merit that
selects the officers. Had 1t been other
wise the war would have been finished
and over by this time. Under these cir
cumstances the president was at once &c
quainted with DeWet's achievement, and
Gen. Joubert, then in chief command of
the Federal forces, made him a COM
mandant and shortly afterward President
SteyH confirmed the appointment by
granting DeWet a special commission I'M
der the seal of the republic.
From Natal Commandant Dewet was
sent to Magerfonteln, where he signalized
himself by the almost unprecedented au-
dacity Of his attack on Honey Nest kloof.
Later on, after the disastrous fight at
Paardeberg, where he, then in command
OF the relieving force-having been made
a general In the meantime-was unable 10
break through the lines OF circumvalla-
ton he swung round and captured
large convoy at Klips drift
Receiving a few days later the rank OF
commandant general Of the Free state
forces he showed that the confidence
which his country placed IN him was not
mistaken. Fighting continually against
fearful Odds defeating where he could,
retreating where he ran risk OF being him
self defeated. tut never allowing his OPP
p0nonts 10 cripple him, capturing the con-
voys st'S-sunahsport aud Kim spruit and