New-York tribune., 1900-12-02
COMMANDANT BOTHA.
THE YOUNG LEADER OF THE BoERs-

THE YOUNG LEADER OF THE BoERs
A. C. Hales. in The London News
Louis B9tha, who has cut deep mark n tne
about seven ana thirty ivy Years Sfi q age He s ns
six feet in his boots His face Is handsome. intel
lectual and determined. his expression kindly and
but lis brown beard IS 1--WE neatly trimmed Tor
the young Commandant General is particular in re
though IN no respect foPPish. He IS now and - A.
shot and arst class horsernan not given az any
time to indoor pastnes overmuch, though fond OF
Duteh parents. and married Miss Emmett; a re.a-
I've I've OF robert Emmet the irish reyolurionists;
though a good sound Commercial scholar. he gave
him No one R 56 S1eo0y fe2 IN aSyS fhS1 % would have
dreamed that before he was forty years of age ns
folks We're moderately well OF. but the advent
from Nata " When @ 5uiTs iarse n4beT os Natal ana
Free state Beers enlisted under the flag OF General
powerful negro tribe IN the neighborhood Of wy
Gs, urlng r tas agn.ins young sosnA ma 81 t5af
eaIy age cool level head and STOUT hTar go
vryheid was declared a republic. ard Lucas Meyer
was elected first President But the new re2uoae
mutual consent. merged into Transyaal te-ri5oTy.
and both Lucas Meyer and Louis Botha were erect
tanned his seat right up 70 the time hosIss & Dos
Mr.. KRUGER and Mr.. steyn- - -.o..,a
During the many stormy scenes w3Icn t PrgSsS cytsS
that he possessed the coolest and most level head
prophetic eve foFesaw awful dsyastaton Of his his
British army. But when the time came and Is
country was irrstrievably E.edged 20 war. be vas
Who f had man ncS 70 to lose and little indeed to gain Sy
taking up arms against Us for by honest nanssIy Es
At the first call 70 arms he threw aside nis seTa-
95 % doando a5 and at 3S2 T7hsS g ais a S ene
General Lucas Never IL Is said that at ne o9Ls s
the god Of battles had decided against him and Us
LOUIS BotSa fIs ercsy combst.d his sGsneras de-
cison and point blank refused 70 throw down MS nls
All the world knows ana BOsha went up yegZ hig6
burrbers Al fl,e 1-IgsIa before the frsr big
battle took place genera Meyer vas taken 1,a II @ ase
then elected assistant general and the planning OF
II was terribly rsSponsibie position TO place 50
young man IN TO- = vas face g faee wltn ne ne
Redvers Butler. general OF dauntless deterrnina-
ton ana a qndouotsd ability Expsrisncs @ n En- In@n;; n;
the British general. but the awful nature OF ths
Boer leader ana he made terrible use OF IL The
day Of CoIenso. when Sir Redvsrs Butler. received
his first decisive shock. viii not soon be forgotten
in the annals of our army man OF wsaksr g, a2Es
by the Disaster OF that day for there he lost ten
guns and large number OF men But Butler car
the heavier the check the more his soul was set
Heop R rG a5 yst9sy sS aaSs S p q oyo oys5 MAJ %
by Louis Botha- They were chosen with consun-
mate skill. born Of a thorough knowledge. Of the
nature OF the country and inherent generalship.
I have looked at the country Sir Redvers Butler
had 10 pass through TO get AT his wise and skilful
adversary. The who dared make the attempt
that Butler made must have had nerves OF steel
and a soul that would not blench II ordered 20
storm the very gates OF Hades- The worst fighting
mOckery OF war compared 20 the ground around
CoIensO and I have terrible places in
the Free State. But a man has 10 see the ground
Butler fought in TO realize the magnitude Of the
task he himself at the beginning OF the
That battle OF COlenso made young Louis BOtha
famous and from that hour the eyes OF the burgh-
ers were turned toward him the man n 70
lead them At Spion kop. when the Boer leader.
SChaIk Burger. vacated the splendid position he
had been ordered 70 take up, Louis Botha's genius
grasped the mighty import OF the situation. and
terribly and II he who rerook those positions
with such disastrous consequences 10 our forces
His fame spread far and near. and his name be-
came thing 20 conJure with. When the Com
Northumberland Of the Boer army. General JoU-
bert lay dying. ne asked who the best man
70 MI his place And ne. the gray veteran. did
hesitate for a second. but with his dying breath
gasped out the name OF Louis B0rha- The BOer
Government promptly appointed him the posi-
paramount military power in the BOer lines He
Is not the only OF hts hne fighting under the
Transvaal flag There have been four other brothers
in the field. AS soldier Louis 5oJha has proved .
himself foeman worthy the steel OF any or our |
generals a man. his worst enemy say
nothing derogaCory concerning him. for IN all his
actions he has borne himself Ike gentleman He I.
is generous and courteous IN the hour OF victory
stout hearted and selfreltant in the tire OF dis
aster-iust the type OF soldier that a great nation
ike knows how 90 esteem even though he is |
q in against