Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-05-01
rHE-BoERs ~ BATTLE.
ecret OF Their Successful Methods
Warfare.

secret OF Their successful MetnOus
Warfare.
Forum.
A branch of warfare to which t.
Beers attach almost supreme impd1|
ance, and rightly so, is scouting.
this their rowing habits and model
life make them particularly AIDE
although during the present war so
of the most valuable work in d
direction has been performed
Uitlanders. Two corps of scouts, d
composed of Frenchmen under Cap
lie Gallien, and the other of Italian
under the command Of Capt. Ri,
chiardi, both recruited in johanna
burg during the earlier months of Il
war, rendered services of almost il
calculable value to the Boer cause.
an essentially cautious nature, Il
| Beers never think of moving in al
new direction until TIL country h
been thoroughly reconnoitred by scou
| ing parties and the enemy has be-
located and ii is to this fact that the
marvellous mobility is largely du
| Having ascertained the position
their opponents and calculated 4
numbers likely to be engaged at Il
given Point, the scouts report to 4
/ general Of the forces to which the,
attached, and the burghers are t /
shifted from one position TO anutt
so as to be ready for all cmergenca
Thus it is that during the prejl
campaign the Beers have almost
variably been just where they col
do the most effective work. and
about the right numbers to do it.
| Another method of guarding aga
surprise is that OF "craw nesti
Choosing as elevated position
possible in the neighhorhood of TIL
trenches or lager, the Beers cred
cover of loose bushes, made to aplI
80 natural that from quite short 4
lance it is easily mistaken for
growing, shrubby bush with VIII
tho country is to a great extent coveil
Planted on the top of kopi",
Beers, with their telescopes and Il
glasses, are able to keep lookout d
miles of the surrounding country viii
themselves perfectly hidden.
Having decided upon the positiI
they intend to occupy and defend, 1
burghers proceed to dig trenchesl
erect low stone walls, or ''schanZl
as they are called, of loose stones pl
up some three feet high; or, if
ground is suitable, they do both.
anything, the latter afford the m
effective protection of the two; 81
: not only do these schanZes give aim
perfect shelter from rife, but thro,
the interstices between the stones
men are able to watch for the approa
ing enemy. On the smallest mark he
presented, they either use the
terstices as loopholes, or else they
up, aim, fire, and are down again
an almost incredibly short space
time. In this manner they can p
off the advancing soldiers while
naming in almost perfect secui
themselves. This method of fight
, explains to great extent the ex
ordinary disproportion in the casual
of Beers and British respectively
, most of the important engageme
: fought during the present war. Tt
, schanges are frequently several m
l in length, and are sometimes bull
duplicate or even triplicate; t
enabling the Beers, on being dri
back from the first, to retire and c
:. tinue to fight behind the second
the third. The admirable construct
of their trenches has been testified
!, on more than one occasion by
! British generals, notably by Sir Red
Butler in his dispatches on the op,
! tions in Natal.