Three Years War

Three Years' War, by Christiaan Rudolf de Wet

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Title: Three Years' War
Author: Christiaan Rudolf de Wet

Release Date: July 8, 2006 [eBook #18794]
Language: English
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THREE YEARS' WAR
by
CHRISTIAAN RUDOLF DE WET
Frontispiece by John S. Sargent, R.A.
Four Plans and a Map

[Illustration: (signature) C. R. de Wet

New York Charles Scribner's Sons 1902 Copyright, 1902, by Charles Scribner's Sons All rights reserved Published, December, 1902 Trow Directory Printing and Bookbinding Company New York

TO MY FELLOW SUBJECTS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Preface
By way of introduction to my work I wish, dear reader, to say only this short word: "I am no book-writer."--But I felt that the story of this struggle, in which a small people fought for liberty and right, is rightly said, throughout the civilized world, to be unknown, and that it was my duty to record my personal experiences in this war, for the present and for the future generations, not only for the Afrikander people, but for the whole world.
Not only did I consider this my duty, but I was encouraged to write by the urgings of prominent men among my people, of men of various nationalities and even of several British officers.
Well, dear reader, I hope that you will not feel disappointed in reading these experiences, as it is not in me, as is perhaps sometimes the case with historical authors, to conjure up thrilling pictures--imaginary things--and put them together merely to make up a book or to make a name for themselves. That be far from me! In publishing my book (although it is written in simple style) I had one object only, viz., to give to the world a story which, although it does not contain the whole of the truth, as regards this wondrous war, yet contains nothing but the truth.
The original has been written by me in Dutch, and I can therefore not be answerable for its translation into other languages.
C. R. DE WET.

Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
I. I GO ON COMMANDO AS A PRIVATE BURGHER 3
II. NICHOLSON'S NEK 13
III. LADYSMITH BESIEGED 19
IV. I AM APPOINTED VECHTGENERAAL 22
V. THE OVERWHELMING FORCES OF LORD ROBERTS 26
VI. PAARDEBERG 39
VII. THE WILD FLIGHT FROM POPLAR GROVE 49
VIII. THE BURGHERS RECEIVE PERMISSION TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES 56
IX. SANNA'S POST 61
X. FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ENGLISH TAKEN PRISONER AT REDDERSBURG 71
XI. AN UNSUCCESSFUL SIEGE 77
XII. THE ENGLISH SWARM OVER OUR COUNTRY 82
XIII. OUR POSITION AT THE END OF MAY, 1900 92
XIV. ROODEWAL 96
XV. I MAKE LORD KITCHENER'S ACQUAINTANCE 108
XVI. BETHLEHEM IS CAPTURED BY THE ENGLISH 117
XVII. THE SURRENDER OF PRINSLOO 123
XVIII. I AM DRIVEN INTO THE TRANSVAAL 129
XIX. I RETURN TO THE FREE STATE 144
XX. THE OATH OF NEUTRALITY 156
XXI. FREDERIKSSTAD AND BOTHAVILLE 161
XXII. MY MARCH TO THE SOUTH 172
XXIII. I FAIL TO ENTER CAPE COLONY 180
XXIV. WHEREIN SOMETHING IS FOUND ABOUT WAR AGAINST WOMEN 191
XXV. I AGAIN ATTEMPT TO ENTER CAPE COLONY 197
XXVI. DARKNESS PROVES MY SALVATION 215
XXVII. WAS OURS A GUERILLA WAR? 225
XXVIII. NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ENEMY 230
XXIX. PRESIDENT STEYN'S NARROW ESCAPE 242
XXX. THE LAST PROCLAMATION 246
XXXI. BLOCKHOUSES AND NIGHT ATTACKS 260
XXXII. MY COMMANDO OF SEVEN HUNDRED MEN 267
XXXIII. A SUCCESS AT TWEEFONTEIN 275
XXXIV. I CUT MY WAY THROUGH SIXTY THOUSAND TROOPS 284
XXXV. I GO TO THE TRANSVAAL WITH PRESIDENT STEYN 298
XXXVI. PEACE NEGOTIATIONS 305
XXXVII. THE END OF THE WAR 319
CORRESPONDENCE 325
APPENDICES
A.--REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE GENERAL REPRESENTATIVES HELD AT VEREENIGING IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC ON THE 15TH OF MAY, 1902, AND THE FOLLOWING DAYS 333
B.--THE CONFERENCE AT PRETORIA BETWEEN THE COMMISSION OF THE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND LORDS KITCHENER AND MILNER (MAY 19TH-MAY 28TH, 1902) 365
C.--MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SPECIAL NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AT VEREENIGING, SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC, THURSDAY, THE 29TH OF MAY, 1902, AND THE FOLLOWING DAYS 397
INDEX 429
MAP At end of volume

THREE YEARS WAR
CHAPTER I
I Go on Commando as a Private Burgher
In the month of September, 1899, the burghers of the Orange Free State were notified, under the Commando Law, to hold themselves in readiness to go on active service at the shortest possible notice.
Before proceeding any further I should like to explain that portion of the Commando Law which dealt with commandeering. It stipulated that every burgher between the ages of sixteen and sixty must be prepared to fight for his country at any moment; and that, if