The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-21


Capt. S. LII sIocum's report Of his
J observations during the South African
war while military attache with the Brit
/ ish Army, was made public today by the
/ War Department. The report is made in
I four papers, the first one closing Decem-
I Der ., 1883, at which time Captain SIo-
/ cum wrote:
I consider the present situation to be
/ the most critical for the English forces
since hostiIities began. They have been
defeated al along the line and should
| the Beers assume offensive operations.
which is not probable. Judging from the
! past, the English armies with their long
1 and thinIy guarded lines of communfca-
! ton would be placed IN great jeopardy -
! Captain SIocum relates the circum-
/ stances Of the surrender Of Cronje- and
describes in detail the operations leading
to the capture Of the Beers under Cronje
/ by Lord Roberts. The report says:
.'The -risoners numbered 400 men.
There were no doctors or medicines and
the Boer wounded had been without any
skilled attention whatever. The women,
wounded, and prisoners had been kept
out of danger n chambers dug into the
hank Of the river The food was almost
gone ! do not know what history viii
say Of these people, but personally words
fan me TO express adequately my atlmira-
ton for their teiIacious and brave defence
under the condiu2ns in which they were
placed"
Captain Slocum T. marks that the Beers
are splendid on the defensive. but do
not seem to consider offensive movements
as part OF their proper tactics"
IN praising the British he says: IF
ever a people or a nation exemplified the
phrase brave to fault it is the British
If they were less brave there would have
been many less faults and more victories
in this war
He says that the balloon with the Brit
ish Army has been of fnestimabIe value
10 il. 1t usually ascended 800 yards
from the enemy-s line and secured vaIua-
bic information, especially for the artii-
Iery. The Beers fred on II constantly,
but never injured 1t sufficiently TO compel
its descent
IN his report dated June : 1900, Captain
S!oeum relates the details of the advance
from BIoemf0ateIn to Pretoria The ad-
vance began, he says, on the 1st Of May
and on the Uth they entered Erooustad
where the army remained for nearly two
weeks On the 18th OF May Captain SIo-
cum entered in his report the following:
The army remained at Kroonstad.
General BuPer occupies New Castle IN
Natal The sI0wness Of General Buffers
advance II Natal since the relief Of Lady
smith over tTTo and one-haIf months pre-
vious is iuexplica5le.'
At this point the published report has
several stars showing the elimination by
the War Department cf some part Of the
document The following comment by
Captain Siocum is given, however:
Had General Butler advanced and
struck north into the Transvaal until he
reached DeIagoa Bay Railroad, he would
have cut the Boer line of retreat and
supply and L bsIisEe-eonpeIIed in COR
junction with Lord Roberts advance.
President Kruger and the Boer forces 10
The afrIy advanced from Krocnstad on
the I'D Of May, with four days rations
and on the @9th negotiations were opened
with the commandant Of johannesburg
for its surrender. Captain Slocun says:
The Rand mines were learned to be IN
Injured though President Kruger had or
dered them to be destroyed General
Botha, Commander-in-Chief Of the Boer
forces. refused TO obey the order, and
then President Kruger sent it direct 20
the commandant OF johannesburg. Dr.
Krause, who likewise refused TO comply.
and increased the guard on these gold
mines to prevent their destruction"
OF the entrance Of the British into Pre-
toria, the report says: Mrs Kruger and
Mrs Botha. wife Of the Conmmander-in-
Chief Of the Boer forces. were found in
the city, and though put under surveil-
lance, were treated with utmost courtesy
and consideration President KrugeE,
with some Of the Government officials.
had gone by rail TO MiddIeburg. Before
leaving the President Jmmandeered
from the banks about e2,50l % IN
gold, and took it away with him. leaving
Z number of the Government officials IN
paid for the past two months"
Pretoria, with its surrounding heights.
'ffsred magnificent opportunities for de-
'eHce. and a force OF even 300 determined
men could have held the British army at
Jay for q considerable time and inflicted
heavy losses before being driven back
Referring to the British Army hospitals
captain SIocum says The hospitals are
most admirably conducted and each has
number of trained female nurses besides
he male attendants
About the treatment of the Beers by
the British. Captain SIocum says: The
British have been too mercifuI and I be-
ieve. had a more rigorous course been
adopted when the army first entered this
capital CBloemfouteinl. and the enemy
thoroughly stampeded, the war would
have been materially shortened. Lord
Roberts was undoubtedly deceived by the
general profession OF submission
Speaking OF the alleged violations of
he sacredness of the white flag Captain
sIocum gives copy of an order issued
Jy Lord Roberts which makes it appear
hat the Beers were the offenders III this
respect. The order says:
..The sacredness of the white flag hav-
ng been so frequently infrinsed by the
nemy during the present war, the troops
re reminded that they are not in any
vay bound to receive the bearer Of q flag
# truce during an engagement. The
carer of flag Of truce should be IN
.rnled. and the side from which he pro-
.eeds should have halted and ceased fir
ug. and unless it IS clear that the flag
Z truce is being used Iesitimately for the
purpose Of entering on an amicabIe ar
aHgement. the bearer should bt signaIed
% retire. and if he does not obey the sig
al he should be fired On
OF. ordnance and ammunition the report
ays: The lydd.te shell has proven one
# the distinct disappointments Of the
var It has no effect whatever against
The Viczers-NOrdenfeIt
automatic gun used by the Beers has a
,raugeIy demoraIizing effect upon an en-
my. 1t is an effective little weapon and
he British soldier breads 1t more than
ny other gun the Beers have. It is very