New-York tribune., 1902-12-06
GENERAL DE VETS BOOK
THE BOER WAR TERSELY CHRoNICLED
AND SHREWDLY CRITICISED

AZ HEROIC TYPE-SOME HUMoR OF THE RATTLE
FqELD-CRoNJE ESTIMATED BY HIS coMRApE.
OF making many books about the late war I'm
south Africa there may be end: but it is diff
cult imagine anything better than an anti-cli-
max after the work just In hand. There may
he other histories more comprehensive and more
iudcial but for real red-blooded interest commend
10 US Three Years War" written by Christian
Rudolf De Wet and published to-day by Charles
srrihners Sons For 1t only book written
nv a hand that lately held sword-or rifle and
sometimes by his own confession. the sjarnbok!-
hut il the frank outpouring of mind of the man
whom may well describe ''the noblest Ro-
man Of them ALL When that unhappy be-
gan CHRISTIAN De Wet was private in the ranks
Of the Orange State army. and his name was un-
xnown the world AT its close he was one Of
the chief generals of the Boer army. and his name
and fame were ringing the world around Such
distinction he well deserves. For really he was
and is, above all his comrades, the typical Boer.
the incarnation Of all the best ideals of that sturdy
race. Other Boer leaders may have disappointed
Us by falling short of preconceived notion of
the warriors OF the veldt, but this one never. In
battle indomitable, in strategy resourcefuI. In
council wise. in peace loyal and optimistic, Gen.
eraI De Wet embodies at once the most heroic
memories Of the past and the best hopes of the
future OF South Africa
His Odyssey begins in the simplest manner. with
the date which he was commandeered and
brief but instructive description Of the manner In
which Boer troops brought together and
organized. Then from Nicholson's Mex to Vereeni-
sirg he gives q current diary Of his doings. IL
lumined with touches Of humor and flashes Of pas
sion He began noticing the humors OF the great
tragedy at Nichosons Mex:
Jew came up TO a burgher who lying be-
hind stone, on a piece OF ground where boWIoers
scarce
Sell me that stone for half crown" whined
Ioop!' Get outD the Boer cried; 'I want it
4 viii give you fifteen shillings." insisted the
Although the Boer had never before possessed
anything that had risen in value with such sur
prising rapidty- at that moment he was anything
but ready to drive bargain with the Jew, and
business.
Again. much later in war. when cowardce and
even treason were playing havoc in the Boer
forces his grim humor displayed itself toward ma
lingerers:
duced medical certificate declaring MN unf & aoa
duty he should be exempted from service; dhat tnere
of almost every officer. There were several very
many sudden attacks of heart disease occurred-if
one were TO credt the medical & csrnGa.eS1 S bTs gg
fed from Poplar Grove, had thrust upon me SUD suo,
denly eight separate certificates which had all oeen
issued that morning. each declaring that some
burgher or other was suffering from disease or the
fond tbat it also alleged the same complaint.
lost ali patience and let the doctor know that was
quite enough for day. When this queSuon
Of certifcates was discussed at the council, sug-
gesed in joke that certificate should De accept
ed unless it was signed by three old women, as a
guarantee of good faith
We have said that he began service as private
He tells US he would much have preferred to go
through the war in that capacity 1t was with
hesitation and reluctance that he accepted promo
ton TO the Office of VechtgeneraaL But wnen once
he haG done so there was no commander more
strenuous and inexorable than he. On his way 10
his command he now and then asked IL ne
vould not like to stop for q time at such or such
a station but his answer always was NO! no!
Hurry onr' Long afterward General Prinsloo after
his surrender sent General De Wet a note, inform
ing him OF the surrender and signing hlInseh NJ
ro,insioo Commander in Chief" General De Wet
who REGARDED the surrender as having been tainted
with treason returned brief but indignant reply,
addressing it TO Mr. NJ Prinsloo. and saying: 1
am surprised TO see that you call yourself com
mander in chief. BY what right do you usurp that
title? 1 have the honor TO De c. R. De Wet, Com
rnander in chief
The Beers sinned General De Wet tells u.s. but
not against the English" By that he means that
the war was lost through blundering. cowaroice
an5 trea achery The indictment which ne mus
makes of his countrymen is appalling. Inc nrst
fatal blundering done by General CrohJe' "ao
stubbornly persisted in the course winch enoeo II
the capture of him and mis- army says Geheiaa
De Wet:
On more than one occasion told General CronJe
what l thought about the matter; a- ord over
But Cronje would not listen TO me. -rI.a bs
6re 81 MS losses would not have been heavy; His
deTsrminaton to remain IN that i'll fateo laager
The word viii honor that great genera! and ms ms
brave PaTheFis is 6eea6n aa Il t IS only because be-
iie1e fhaf he ought TO sacrificed his own ioeas
not been courageous at the expense OF f nus Goun-
try's Independence. TO which ne was as iieiee4S q"
tached as l.
INST before the capture of CrOnje. General De
Eer made one final effort to move him he sent
To him yerba! message by the daring scout
DAME Theron, who set out with it on February D.
The message urged Cronje to abandon his camp
aud fight his way out by night
On the morning of February q Theron returned;
He had performed exploit unequa@lleu @ IS II iiiS
var Both in gong and returning ne mao ctd"iso
past the British SenTleS, Tearing ms ;ns
rags during me & process bs fkn T had been scraped
OF He that he had seen the se1elai, ,;nS n,S
/ had proposed had any good chance of success.
Al q o'ciock that day General Cronje suTren- en-
lsst attempt had been all in vain. The stubborn
general would not listen to good advlee.a ,. +bs,
renest here what j have said De1ore-Ifdt
as lar as my personal knowledge OF General CronJe
goes II is evident that his obStlnacy IN nlait
tanning his position must be ascfbed to the a fac1
that il was toe much to ask him-intrepid nero
that he naust stand or fan witait, did he CON
sider the certain consequences OF ne Iee g, the
death of many burghers, and OF indescribable pane
throughou not only an tne stagmSerg W and Lady
smith II the famous Cronje were captured. no"
could any ordinary burgher be expected 10 ooN
It NAV be that it was the will Of God. who rules
The cnn Which 81 we had TO empty but this considera
tion does not excuse General C!on1e ioht At
ne but taken my advice, and attempted nisn1 a.
tack he might have avoided capture altogether.
As resnlt q. the capture Of Cronje. the Beers
became disheartered, rank cowardice was oesei-
oped among them and they often fell into ois-
graceful pancs Thus at Poplar Grove
panic seized my Before the Engsn to na1 na1
even got near enough to sheL our cpo ay1arv nos,