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

October 2lst, 1899, and losing heavily
OF his own command and General
kock being killed he abandoned the
position and retreated about six
miles to reorganize, and eight days
later took prominent part in the bat
tie of MOddorspruit, where 1000 Brit
ish and l. cannons were captured, cul-
minating in the siege of I.adysmith
At the battle of Colenso he com
mandcd the Boer left wing and re-
ceived the surrender of the two bat
teries of artillery commanded by Lieu,
tenant Roberts who was killed (the
son of Lord Robcrtsy
The general still retains the British
bugle which was used to- signal the
rea3e-fire of the i'll fated artillery. At
Spion Kop he fought yaliantly during
the three days of terrific slaughter. At
the battle of Vaalkrans on the Tugela
he distinguished himself and was
praised even by the enemy through
Winston Churchill and Conan DOYLE
(war correspondents) by accomplish,
ing what seemed almost a
superhuman feat. He cut loose sew.
eral dead horses of a team of six.
hitched to Boer quick.firing gun of
which the artillerymen were killed
and wounded, and which was about to
fall into the hands of the enemy,
htched up fresh horses under a de-
yastating cannon fire, raced out of
certain death through the ranks of
the on rushing enemy to point of
safety, and though severely wounded
posted the rescued cannon and per.
sonally served it with splendid effect
until reinforcements arrived.
General in Boer War.
Al the death of Commander in Chief
Joubert, Louis Botha (now British
premier of the TransvaaD was made
commander in chief, and recognizing
Niljoen's ability and success as a cav.
airy leader promoted him to general
(lhe highest military rank below the
commander in chief and chief of staff
carrying with this latter rank the
rank of second in command.
At Rhenosterkop General Viljoen
with only 1900 men defeated Generals
Paget and Lytleton who had 5000 men
at their disposition. At Belfast he
captured three companies of the IA
nous first battalion Royal Irish regi
ment, and at Helyetia he attacked and
captured the garrison. $500 strong,
composed of the 18th Hussars and the
Gordon Highlanders, as well as 4
point Z naval gun brought there from
Fl. NJ. S. Ship Terrible, the only large
siege or naval gun captured during
the war. On the 10 foot barrel of the
gun the name Lady Roberts was
chiseled out.
Towards the close of the long ruin
GUS war (in fact about two months be-
fore it's close) while General Viljoen
with light escort was attempt
ing to cross the British Gordon
he was ambushed at midnight,
all but two of the escort
killed, his horse received 13 bullets
and fell dead, the general falling in
the midst of the line of firing sol.
diers but receiving only flesh wound
was captured. Later he was banished
for life to st. Helena whittier he was
Immediately shipped.
While in captivity in Napoleon's
prison he wrote his "Reminiscences of
the War; which was published later
in England and the United States,
also can Exiled General and a novel
entitled Under the Four Colors,' or
"The Story Of a Lost Cause
After three years duration the An
glo-Boer war terminated with kind
OF mutual peace treaty in May 1902.
One of the provisions of the treaty
was the withdrawal of the Danish.