The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-17
Silent, Good Tempered and Alert Com
mander Sets Hard Pace and
Knows When to Stop

from anything like "limelight." This
characteristic has been very marked in
MS recent dispatches from France, in
which all the praise for the successful
operations OF our troops Is given freely
10 his subordinates, although had any
ming untoward occurred we may be
quite sure that the commander in chief
would have taken the whole RESPONSE
billy.
remember striking instance OF this
quality during the march on Johannes
burg which ] have just. mentioned We
were occupied on turning operation
4; the Klipriversberg on approaching
johannesburg We were engaging the
enemy and were ON the left in advance
of Lori Roberts, army.
French found that the Beers were
really retreating and that vigorous at
tack would give him the credit OF the
capture OF johannesburg But II would
have cost good many lives, ana French
believed that by gently pushing the
Beers back the same objective could be
reached with much less sacrifice. lie
therefore decided to wait for Sir Ian
Hamilton and his brigade, which he
knew was coming up from the South
eastern Orange River colony.
We waited for three hours, when Sir
Ian Hamilton came up and a confer
ence was held. IL was arranged that
Hamilton should be in the centre, while
French made a sweeping movement ON
the west to prevent the Beers from es-
Gaping in that direction, and so forcing
them lack right across johannesburg
and in front OF the advancing British
army We made wide sweeping move
ment and soon saw the enemy in re-
treat, turning backward and inward
toward the town, but before the move
ment could be completed an attack was
ordered from the centre on the Beers
who were still tentatively holding on to
"A rear guard position
The Gordon Highanders led the
attack and suffered heavily French
could have taken all the credit to him
self for the capture Of tine town but It
never occurred to him that personal
credit was worth the life OF a single
British soldier.
Another characteristic Of French IL
that he never loses his head in din.
cult position. although once or twice
have seen him in a very tight corner
one instance that occurs TO me specially
was at Klipheuvel. northwest OF Pre-
toria.
The cavalry was making wide
sweeping mo> emtnt west and north
west of Pretoria. II was about ) O'Clock
In the afternoon and the sun was gong
down. We were advancing through a
very narrow gorga,lke valley. and the
road edged the steep edge OF a hill
while the ground sloped on the other
side and in front the hills closed IN.
The advance patrols We're out when
We suddenly heard few shots. quickly
followed by more. The patrols were
drawn in, and Il looked as though We
were ambushed, for a terrific fire was
opened on MS. Gen. French and his
stan had come into line with the adj
vanced cavalry brigade. and We found
ourselves at once under extremely
severe rife fire.
French stood foT a moment uL..r cool
ard collected thinking out the posi-
ton Then messages were despatched
10 the rear TO prevent other troops from
pressing forward The men were dis
mounted and lined the slope Of the
"ill and the shelving ground below.
Room was quickly made for the guns
10 come into action After a very brisk