West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-01-17
GREAT BOER FIGHTER.
The Intrepid Con. pewot Has Thus
Far outmanouvered the British
Officers in South Africa.
lie Fights Like Morgan's Raiders.
M WILLIAM BANTER.

WfD We, once a farmer aud merchant, 4
now uuques,ionably the chief 6euie II
the Boer resistance. Ills tactics arc amas
ing aud ineSpliesble to the British, VIII,
scarcely know when, where OF how TO pro
vide against his assaults. Hunter with hi
"horse' forces has been pursuing Dewe
lot months only TO meet him when he ha,
no idea OF his presence. More latterly these
operations have been under the direction Of
Kitchener who is described as irritated al
mos, beyond control over his inability tc
corner the willy Aftikander
dozen places on the map. separated b,
hundreds of miles, mark the scene of DE
VETS stands y dozen more, not SO marked,
would indicate where he has inflicted dis.
eomhiurc upon his foes. DeWeisdorp. south
OF Bloemfontein, and within n few miles of
four different British gauisons, shows where
the Boer leader captured battalion of the
Suiiolks, diveslcd them of their arms, ami.
mails and supplies, aud then sent them Ia
their own headquarters rather than he bur.
dened with them as prisoners. This was on
August ~.
Instantly force of 1000 mounted infan-
try with four guns, was dispatched in pur.
suit Men and horses were worked as they
had never been before. The trail was found.
the force galloped for two days and then was
compelled TO abandon the effort. having
failed to come up TO its quarry.
Kitchener was angry. When Hunter re-.
turned, he ordered fresh force in pursuit.
II took up the trail where Hunters first
force had laid it down and followed /, in n
sou,heasterly direction for more than 10
days, examining every bit of the country for
miles in all directions a. i, proceeded While
tins force was SO engaged DeWet suddenly
appeared at B1shof, northwest of DeWeis.
do'p, and west, some 90 miles, from BIocm-
fontein. BoShof surrendered without FIGHT.
the garrison Withdrawing as DeWet ap.
peared.
Kitchener wa. dumfounded. War with
the Beers presented phases not on the cslen-
dar OF his experiences with the Mahdi and
his deryishes Instantly force was sent in
the direction Of Boshof
When /, reached there Dcwet had mys.
teriously vanished. Search was begun and
pushed vigorously. Not trace of the Boer
commands could b- found. Boshof mer.
chants reported that DcWct had taken n
large quantity Of supplies and clothing. and
had paid for them all at the usual prices.
They seemed, in fact. in no way sverse to
another visit from the Boer leader.
There was an immediate redistribution of
gauisons. Large forces were subdiyided
and stationed about in scattered places in
the hope that one of them could come into
contact with the elusive patriot. Kimberly
was again put IN state Of defense.
I' soon became apparent that DeWct had
moved northward. Word Of tho passage of
a Bosr command was received here and
there, bn, before anything effective could be
done To intercept hun, there came the un-
welcome news that he had fallen upon the
British garrison at Zeerus,, in the Transyaal.
Here he captured the entire force, officers
aud men, destroyed an immense quantity of
stores and wagons. leysled the fortiGcstions.
disarmed the British survivors and made
them attend divine services in his lines.
Then he released them.
Ills next exploit was never officially re
ported. Al least. IL it was, the report was
not made public, It was perhaps the most
wonderful Of them all aud the mos, stupe.
lying.
This was abou the middle Of September.
Hunters forces had been ordered to par.
TALLY concentrate near the railway lines 70,
Redistribution Of clothing and other SUP.
plies. Along the line from Bfsndford TO
Kroonsisd the British delachments began
assembling, infantry, cavalry and horse
artillery, glad for respite from the cease.
less duiies tina, had kept them busy for
weeks
~ The command moved north toward
Winbnrg there was considerable astonish.
nsn' expressed At the discovery that eul-
vert or bridge nearly half mile long had
been destroyed. Hunter At once telegraphed
10 BloemfouIsin Of this fact, aud received in
return what purpoued to be a dispatch from
Lord Kitchener, directing him 10 halt his
forces and await orders. lie proceeded TO
cncamp.
AZ the same time the staff departments at
Bloemiontein were in receipt Of smother dis.
patch apparently from General Hunter. di.
ree.iug that 1000 mules be sent TO Winbura
This seemed odd, but odd things are 50
usual 10 war that the request was promptly
complied with Eighty cars were quickly
loaded with mules, each carrying 20. one
after another these. in four trains we're di,
patched toward Winburg.
~ The same time great quantities Of
clothing and military stores were sen, 10 re-.
place 'he uniforms and stores which Hun.
icr's men had worn out and put him in Dos
session Of The stores needed by his forces.
Then followed lull Hunter. his men
ragged end almost starving. lost patience
and attempted to send fuiher ieleerapbie
demand 10 headquarters The replies 10 his
iclegrams were FIRST cyssivo. then ouiz,iesl
and at laH became absolutely scofinq. Ills
position was now almost unondurable. and
be proceeded 10 fetraco bis path son,bward.
hoping 90 intercept The supplies which he
icli confident wcl, ON their way i5 bis force
He bad scarcely covered 20 miles when he
found 60 bis even greater as,onisbment
that aaoihcf bridge over a broad ravins. n
ihe bottom of which ran torrent, had been
destroyed.
Amazed even siups6sd al this discovery,
Hunter proceeded 60 telegraph again. This
Time ihe reply was even more fcmarkabls.
lt consisted Of brief telegram, this lime
pwpoding 70 be signed by Lord Roberts.