The Irish standard., 1903-12-19
r. BORN SOLDIER.
Col. Blake Gives Interesting Talk
on the BOer,

on the BOer.
Any wearer of shoulder straps who
wishes to be the successful leader Of
men in modern warfare must inStill
show them how to keep under cover,
let them know he is looking to their
safety, and above all, let them know
that the good soldier is the live sol
der" was the advice Col. j. y. f..
Blake, the Boer-lrish native Missouri
ian, Il graduate of West Point, and eN-
perienceu in Indian battles in his own
country, gave to the members of the
Officers Club of the First Regiment Of
Missouri, National Guard, ST. Louis,
on Nov. u, in an informal talk ut the
almlUry. Col. Blake was introduced to
the officers assembled by Capt. Lydon
of the First Regiment, who has known
him for several years. His talk was
entirely without plan, as he had not
been informed that he would be eX-
pecteu to make an address ut the re-
ceptiOn until quite late. He chose as
his topic, Tile Best Methods of Mod
ern Warfare" as eXempliieu by the
game struggle of the handful of Beers
against the immense army of trained
soldiers thrown into South Africa by
the British. The Euer is Il natural
soldier he said. lie is IL farmer and
does not differ from the farmers one
llndS III our Western States, except
that he is larger and very religious.
His training is commenced when quite
young. The Eoer father gives his son
of II Il gun and one cartridge and tells
him to so and get Il buck. The boy
knows he must set the buck or not 30
hunting again for weeks. There starts
the individual gencralslip. The boy is
cautious. He cOlce;llS himself, gets
he is sure Of the game. When war
WAS declared every Hoer Old enough
quit hunting bucks and went after
British uniforms. They entirely re-
formed my IDEAS of war, based, as
| they were, ON nine years Of Indian
lighting. South African BATTLES would
be commenced by one man. The Boer
would get up from the campfire and
80 to the top of the kupje and look for
ly,.;ti. A.
he would not give an alarm, but would
lie close in the grass until lie was sure
tile time lie had fired two OF three
shots some companion would get inter
esteu and join him. The continued
firing of these men would bring the
entire command into the battle. Ii it
WAS to be Il retreat, one man would
decide it was time to leave. The
British We're too strong. He would
get up and leave. Some companion
would see him going, and would 80
alter his horse. Others would leave
and tile general in command would
select eight or ten to remain under
cover ami keep UP the Irlng. When
lett alone they would lire as rapidly
us possible, doing the only reckless
firing in the buttle. After the Beers
hiring would stop, the metnouic;ll
British plan would come TO the Hoers
aid, us the regiment or company woul,l
stand and ire ut the cover that hau
served the Beers for hult an nour tor
fear Il trap had been devised. ~ tue
time they investigated, the Beers
would be well out OF the way, probably
five miles distant at another camp
and the British would never find them.
Each man cared for his own horse
and looked out for his own rations.
We had no commissary department
and escaped the death rate the United
States army suffered in recent cam
paigns. Food consisted Of Indian
meal and fresh beef. The beef we
drove before us. When hard pressed,
Il piece OF dried beef would he carried
on the saddle. We never carried bag
gage unless carrying for women and
children. The commissary department
| OF an army, supplied with plenty OF
money, can kill more men than bullets
| When we captured canned meat, we
burned it. Even the scavenger birds
OF South Africa would not eat it
| The contrast of this method OF fight
ing with regulation tactics and the
old science of war is seen by the
armies engaged in the struggle. We
never had over $4,000 men, while the