Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-04-19
CHARACTERISTICS -
OF GENERAL De WET.
The Many Sided commandant
General of the Beers.
LIKE A FIGURE OUT OF FICTION.

ARMY SCTp0SSc3 the GrGut Le00eE
In Apprenticeship Only badge of
Authority q Black Cocks Feather.
Regarded by His Followers as .
Great Humorist-Hail Fellow Well
Met With His Men Except When
There's Busincss on Hand.
Howard c. Hillegas. author of 1.-THE
Beers In War;" has the following in
teresting story about General De Wet
in The Worlds Work for March:
Like Yankee Doodle in the old colo
NAL ballad. Christian De Wet, the COM
mandant general of the forces Of the
Orange Free State, wears a feather in
his cap. 1t is u black cocks feather,
and it was placed there by himself at
the beginning Of the war as a sort of
martial ornament. Now it is the badge
by which his burgllers distinguish him
from their fellow Beers. Figuratively
he wears another feather, one accorded
to him and his genius by those against
whom he is fighting. He is the n
general, Boer or British, who is re-
ceiving the praise Of foe and friend,
and the encumiums of his enemy are
not the lesser in fervor or volume.
The mcagcr dispatches which come
to us from South Africa give but little
insight into the character of the man
whose name is daily associated with
all the great events now occurring in
that country. To the majority of people
the name De Wet is suggestive of the
quiXotic. He appears to MS in the
light of n character i'll fiction rather
than as n man of present action. His
work is so remarkable that We can
hardly credit it to this age.
Since the beginning of the war al
most every British general and soldier
in South Africa has at one time or an-
other been bent upon the capture Of
the ending of the pursuit has been
clearly defined. yet invariably lie has
escaped from the cncircling cordons of
men and glln He has %outfought, out
witted and outgcneraled his opponents
at every turn. He has done wen more
than escape from his pursucrs. He
has made more than 5000 prisoners of
war, he has destroyed many millions
of dollars worth of his cnemy's NUM-
tions, he and his small army of 10000
men have subsisted for more than six
months exclusively on the food and
ammunition taken in battle, and, more
than all, he has %rejuvcnatcd a
that seemed to be lost beyond reclaim
when Pretoria fell into British hands.
In personal appearance General De
Wet is easily surpassed by every
burgher in his commands. In search
ing for the commander in chief Of the
forces one would choose every one
else first. lie is not as tai as the
average Bocr, and he is much less
handsome. Usually his clothing is as
ragged as that of the poorest burgher,
and when lie is astride his favorite
horse the c~ommandant general is an
object of pity rather than of admira-
ton. This is the result of his habit
of exchanging articles of clothing with
those of his men who appeal to him
for new outfits. 1t is one of his ways
of retaining the affection of his men.
and it is only by ties of affection that
they are bound to him. Several of
the Bocr officers yea distinctive uni
forms, with little gilt stars OH the
coat collars to indicate their rank. De
Vets black feather is his only badge
of authority.
General De Wet is q many sided
man. Although he has a most gentle
disposition, he frequently displays a
violent temper. He is the intimate
friend of all the men in his COM
mandos. yet when there is q duty. for
them to perform he is cuttingly stern
with them. and temporarily there is
a wide gulf between them. For many
years before the war he was the most
bitter A%nglophobe in the Free State
raad. Now us soon as u British SOL
der falls into his hands he will insist
that the prisoner have the best treat
ment that it is possible to give him.
While forming the plans for a battle
or movement he discusses the subject
thoroughly with anybody and every
body, but as soon as he commences to
carry the plan into effect he becomes
dumb and refuses to disclose his pur-
pose even to his most trusted lieuten-
ants. Although he relishes a victory
90 ASSA3S u any oiiGs 1C NH lIOl ullOW
one Of his burghers to cheer or display
other signs of joy after Il battle is won.
U%nschooled in the tactics of war, he Is
e master tnctician: born outside the
breastworks of civilization. he is noble
in manner and department.; n bitter
enemy of the British. yet he is n
stanch admirer of their capable men.
De Wet Is rough, honest and fearless,
a devoted friend and n vengeful enc
my. He is Il marvellous anaclronism
as q warrior.
The most marked characteristics of
the c%ommandant general are his i'm
perturbability under adverse condi-
lions, his Jealous devotion to official
work, his effervescent humor. his kind
ness to the burghers and prisoners. his
great regard for the opinions Of the
enemy and his u%nbounded. inextin-
guislable faith in the ultimate success
of his and his cOuntry'S ca,1sp. AL.