The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1902-12-06
GENERAL DEWEI'S MEN BOOK
REMARKABLE BOOK BY A MOST
REMARKABLE LEADER.
He Claims Many Rurshers Proved
False 70 Their Own colors--fiis
story Of the Late South African War
Stamped With the Trunth-Reeom-
mends Loyalty TO New, Government.

mends Loyalty to New, Government.
London-"Had not so many OF our
burghers proved false 10 their own col
ors. England. as the great Bismarck
foretold. would have found her grave
In South Africa"
That is the keynote OF the Boer gen.
eral Dewet's book. entitled Three
Years War" published by Archibald
constantable 4 Co. In London and
dedicated by the Boer general TO my
fellow subjects OF the British empire"
IL is perhaps the most remarkable
book by the most remarkable leader
that any recent war has produced. The
concise. simply told tale Of the extra,
ordinary campaign Is marked through.
out with the stamp Of truth. The bold
ness Of the narrative only serves to
bring into strong relief the fiery pas.
sages over which a strong man literal.
ly pours out his soul in pathetic regret
or bitter denunciation.
In thus taking the public into his
confidence. Dewet loses nothing of the
giAmor with which his exploits In the
neld surround him. In criticism he
spares no one: Boer and Briton come
equally under the lash. Dewet declares
that whatever the English people may
have 10 say in discredit Of General
Butler. he had 10 operate against
stronger positions than any other Brit.
ish general Throughout the work the
Boer general has but slight praise for
Lord Roberts and little more for Lord
kitchener. General Knox is almost the
only British general who seems 20 have
struck Dewet as a military genius. For
Tommy Atkins" he has many kindly
words 10 say. and he declares.
The British were far from being
bad shots"
The comparative immunity OF the
Bears from harm Dewet constantly and
most ferYentiy attributes 10 the inter
position Of God.
III any reader" be says, lis eager
10 know how IL was | kept out Of the
cnemy's hands. l can instantly answer.
although I may not be understood. that
! AScribe Il 90 nothing else than this
II was not Gods will that / should fall
into the enemy's hands. Let those who
rejoice At my miraculous escapes give
all the praise TO God"
Nevertheless. the book teens with
accounts Of military and other strate-
gems by which Dcwet outwitted hIs
purSucrE.
Frequently he recounts cases Of de-
: KertIon and pane among his own men.
10 whom the entreaties and ''sjambok.
lng" were all Of no avail Dewet pays
a tribute TO General Cronje for his
bravery. but declares he lost at
PaardeburR only on account OF his fatal
obstlnAcy not TO leave the laager. as
he was advised TO do by General Botha
and by the writer himself.
Regarding his own forces Dewet
writes:
1t was far easier TO fight against
the great English army than against
the trcaohery among my own people.
and an iron will was required TO fight
against both. Once, II only orders had
been carried out a little more strictly
and II only the most elementary rules
Of strategy had been observed in our
efforts TO break the British lines Of
communication, Lord Roberts and his
thousands Of troops would have found
themselves shut up in Pretoria, where
they would have persisted Of hunger
II was not the skin Of their command
or In chief that saved them"
OF the blockhouscs Dewet Is frank
~ contcmptuous. The blockhouse
policy" he says. might equally well
have been called the policy Of the
blockhead."
The writer emphatically defends the
right TO blow up railroad lines and
trains as the usage OF war, and he de
clarcs he never missed an opportunity
, TO do so. The so called war against
women and the misuse OF the white
Tag by British is denounced by the
, Boer general. who says: That such
direct and indirect murders have beer
committed against defenseless womer
! and children is a thing l should hav'
staked my head could never have hap
pened in a war waged by the civiliEeC
. English nation, and yet It happened.
|, His last word is an injunction t.
; his fellow countrymen to be loyal L
, the new government. Loyalty" h
says. pays best in the end. and loyalt!
/ alone Ia worthy Of a nation which hal
. shed It's blood for freedom"
4 The book contains magnificent por
!. trait Of the author by the American
naIntpr Inhn Sargent