Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-04-06

Benjamin Johannis Viljoen was
born on the 18th day of September,
1868, in the District of Woodhouse,
Eastern Province, South Africa His
father, like many of his neighbors in
that region, followed agricultural and
stock raising pursuits. He comes of
sturdy old French-Huguenot stock, his
ancestors having been among the
many prosecuted Huguenots who fed
from France during the seventeenth
century to escape the crueltes impos-
ed under the reign of Louis XIV At
this time Cape of Good Hope was be-
ing settled with cOloniSts by the
Dutch East India Company which
found these fleeing Huguenots eager
and desirable immigrants, and at once
transported over two hundred French
families to that country. The ances-
trail Viljoen married a Dutch girl, Su-
sanna Storm, and thus the subject
of this sketch comes of French and
Dutch stock.
His early education was received
at primitive little country school,
the makeshift of those crude days. At
the age of fourteen he was sent to the
University at Robertson where he
graduated and subsequently received
his military instruction at the Trans
vaal State Artillery Academy at Pre-
tOria.
Mr.. Viljoen began his military
career as a humble clerk In the police
office in the now famous city of
Johannesburg when it was but a min
ing camp few months old. Johan-
nisburg grew rapidly to city with
a population of 100000 The contin,
ued discovery of rich gold mines at
tracted the attention of the world and
population streamed into the country.
The police force kept pace with the
demand occasioned by the immense
population concentrated within lin.
tied area. Viljoen was first promot'
ed to lieutenant in charge of 200 men,
and subsequently was appointed as
commandant of the East Rand in
which capacity he served about four
years. His executive ability and ad'
ministrative talent were recognized
and appreciated by the Boer repub'
lie. He was President Kruger's chief
of staff in command of his body guard
on several of the late Presidents eX-
tended tours through the country He
became the first organizer with the
rank of colonel of the Boer militia
forces.
In 1895 he was given command of
the Burgher as we'll as the volunteer
forces and conducted successful
campaign against Magato, the notorl'
Gus Makatees king of the northern
Transvaal. In 1896 he led an expedl-
ton of 1000 volunteers to Swaziland
and subdued Bunu, the brutal king or
the Swazies in quick and lasting Or
der.
He was in command of the Krugers-
dorp men during the invasion of Dr.
Jamison and was the first Boer officer
to reach Jamison when he raised the
white flag.
Brilliant Military Record.
General Viljoen was elected a mem
ber of the Transvaal senate for Jo-
Harrisburg in 1898, and brilliantly
represented the Golden city in his
country's legislature. While men,
Der of the legislature the conhict be-
tween the plucky little Boer repub'
lie and England broke out in OCTOBER,
1899, and he was appointed by the
commander in chief, General P. }.
Joubert, as assistant commandant
general (or brigadier generaD and
took the field with 1000 men. In con-
junction with General ]. Kock he in
vaded Natal. At Elandslaagte they
encountered the British forces $4,000
strong under General Sir George
White, Generals French and Yule, and