The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-10
De We | IS
GREAT MAN
Turner Knew the Boef
General Well.
WILL NEVER SURRENDER
The Yankee Fighter Now in Homo
lulu Describes the Trans
yaal Hero.

That General De Wet has shown
himself a great general cannot be de-
MED His latest achievement of break
ing through the British trap set by
General Knox and others, just at this
time when Lord Kitchener thinks the
fox is caught, proves that De Wes
is hard fox to catch.
1 was under De Wet for three
months, and had fair chance to study
him. AS soldier he has no equal In
the Boer ranks, with the exception,
perhaps. of Botha and Frichardt.
General De Wet is in every sense of
the word a soldier-quick, shrewd and
far ahead of any of his compatriots.
He is above all a perfect gentleman.
unassuming, kind, humble and hui
name. with a dash about him that
quickly makes all foreigners his
friends.
In appearance General De Wet has
the features of man of determine
ton His face is somewhat rugged,
but square set, having {. well formed
mouth and chin that betokens firm
ness; straight prominent nose, black
pierce one through, or twinkle in a
way that at once assures you the own
er is a man of great nerve, stability
and generosity.
Though his face is not handsome, yet
his soft, flashing eyes, we'll set mouth
and pleasant countenance, make his
face a study. He wears a mustache
and short chin beard; stands about
five feet nine inches; is square Shout
nd in
Altogether, De Wet is a typical from
tiersman. There was much dissatis-
faction among the Beers because ne
did not succeed Joubert.
He was a Boer who had keen per-
ception of what discipline meant, as
the following incidents will show:
After the evacuation of BIoemfonteln
the Beers retreated to Kronsradt.
was asked to bring up the rear and
destroy all bridges and railroad. I
was provided with an engine and
dynamite train. Captain Theron, the
famous Boer scout, was to accompany
me with twenty men for scouting pur-
poses, as we would work by night. Be
fore my departure from Brandfort
General De Wet called me aside and
said, Mr.. Turner, thank you in the
name of my country for your courage
in offering to go back towards Bloem-
fontein, and 1 hope you will be sue
cessful; but one order I will give you
is, whatever you do, do 1t well, and
should Captain Theron give you any
orders, obey him. Remember he is a
captain, and you must obey his COM
mands, though your expedition fail
through such orders; he will be ac-
countable to me as captain"
Some ten or twelve days after the
above President Steyn and De Wet
were at Smaldeel, thirty miles from
Brandfort, making speeches to the
burghers. AT that time De Wet was
known as chief commandant, and was
the following day appointed full gen.
eral.
Later on, when President Steyn's
train had pulled out Of Smaldeel, I was
talking with De Wet when several
burghers came running up asking nu-
fnerous questions of De Wet concern
ing ammunition, forage. etc.
De Wet swung his arms round much
like cart wheel, saying, Clear out
and go to your field comets or COM
mandants, | am general now"
His first victory as a general was at
Sannah's Post, where he outwItted
General Broadwood, capturing seven
guns, four hundred prisoners, one hun
dred and twentyfour wagons, loaded,
and one thousand oxen and mules
From what 1 know of De wet / feel
safe in saying he will not be outwitted
by the British Generals. and will only
be defeated when his body lies on the
veldt weltering in the blood lost for
his country, his peope and his home.
f. ]. TURNER.