The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-02-02
Christian Wet, Strategist Cavalry Chief
is the Military Hero the Day.
In All Civilized Countries His Brilliant Achievements Are
Subject of Favorable Comment.
With Handful Of Men He Denes the British Generals
and Keeps Them in Vain Pursuit.

The central figure in the South .tfri-
can drama today is Christian Dc Wet
.Toubcrt. Rotha, Cronic and other mill.
tary heroes of tho TranSvaal war must
take Il secondary place in public esti-
nation to that which this daring Free
State farmer holds. In all civilized
countries his brilliant achievements in
tho field are the subject of favorable
comment Even in England he is
praised for his dash and daring.
Two men recently from South \fri-
ca discussed the methods and move
mcnts and characteristics of Dc Wet
in last Sundays papers. One of these,
Allan Sangrcc, contributed to the New
York World a most interesting story
of the man his rise from obsc,irity to
greatness. Tho other, Mr.. Douglas
Story. the only British war CN,rrc-
Spondcnt accompanying the Rocr
forces during the war. told the tale OF
Dc Vets successes in the New York
Herald Mr. Sangrcc says of the man
AMI his present cmincncc: "Whcn |
say DC Wet is the most celebrated
general OH earth, | mean tho ahlcst,
and for this | do not rely upon my
own Judgment, hut on rhat OF the for
cign military attaches who were with
the Beers. Colonel Gourka Captain
Hicllman and Lieutenant Dcmnl,gr
respectively representing the Russian
United States and French govern
mcntS told me Immediately after the
battle of SnnnAh Post that De Wet
was a military genius. Had he been
in command from the beginning Kim
hrrlry, Mafeking and TIadyslnith, they
said, had not been relieved, ana the
English warships would have had to
lombard Durham No one can say
how the war might have ended.
"Ihc battle of Sannah Post first
opened the eyes OF the Transvanlcrs to
the latent powers OF this quiet, Joking
farmer of the Free State When the
news came to Pretoria that Christian
De Wet, whose name had already ap-
rcarcd several times In the Johannes
burg daily paper, had captured i25
l1nglishmcn and seven cannon ana
had won IL great and memorable victory,
they found that his personality in
Spircd confidence, and that with him
to lead there was nothing to be feared
from Lord Roberts, the idol OF tho
English nation, with all his artillery.
cavalry, sappcrs, photographers, bal
looms, traction wagons ana engineers. :"
The fight Mt Sannah Post. which
| marked the opening of his successful
career as guerilla cMeftain, is graph
cally described by both the corrc,
spOndcnts. Douglas Story was in tho
| affair and he gives very interesting
! account OF it. lIc writes: With the
| little knot of foreign attaches I had
received an invitation to accompany
General De Wet on an important cx-
pcditiOn. With such bald Instructions
we perforcc rested content, and for
three days and nights rode steadily
| forward
Such breathing spaces as we had
were pnnctuatcd with queries:
(Which OF the 1900 men around us
was Dc Wct? "Whithcr was he
honnd?" "Was he going to cut the
railway linc?" "Wns the Roer mad
dream of an attack upon Blocmfon,
tcin to be put to the tcst?'
We asked and marvclled, but found
no answer. With difficulty we singled
out Dc Wet, the man whose name
will live longest in the histories of
the Bocr war; With us were two DC
Wcts-IIoofd Commandant pict De
Wet and plain Commnndant De Wet.
The llo0fd colnmandant was tall and
young and commanding, and to us in
our ignorance seemed the leader Of the
expedition.
The other De Wet was Il tacitlrn
man OF middle height. Of middle age,
| with Il sparse. Scrubby beard and Il
| llick m!lStnchc His high. square fore
head rose stccply from pair Of bnshy
| 'yrbr0wS. beneath which Il pair Of
! restless eagle eyes gazcd out to the
| distance. In the eyes there was no
laughter, but the glcam of steady
| purpose, the cold rcsOurccfulness of n
| nan hunted by his fellows.
Dressed in n secdy black coat and n
pair of striped trousers, nothing in his
! attire or in his bearing suggested the