MY REMINISCENCES OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR
BY
GENERAL BEN VILJOEN
(ASSISTANT COMMANDANT-GENERAL OF THE TRANSVAAL BURGHER FORCES ANDMEMBER FOR JOHANNESBURG IN THE TRANSVAAL VOLKSRAAD)Maps from Drawings by P. Van BredaLONDON:HOOD, DOUGLAS, & HOWARD,11, CLIFFORD'S INN, E.C.1902.
(p. 005) PREFACE.
General Ben Viljoen, while engaged on this work, requested me to write a short introduction to it. Thisrequest I gladly comply with.General Viljoen was a prisoner-of-war at Broadbottom Camp, St. Helena, where, after two years' service inSouth Africa, I was stationed with my regiment. It was at the General's further request that I conveyed thiswork to Europe for publication.The qualities which particularly endeared this brave and justly-famous Boer officer to us were hisstraightforwardness and unostentatious manner, his truthfulness, and(p. 006) the utter absence of affectationthat distinguishes him. I am certain that he has written his simple narrative with candour and impartiality, andI feel equally certain, from what I know of him, that this most popular of our late opponents has reviewed theexciting episodes of the War with an honesty, an intelligence, and a humour which many previouspublications on the War have lacked.During his stay at St. Helena I became deeply attached to General Viljoen; and in conclusion I trust that thiswork, which entailed many hours of labour, will yield him a handsome recompense.THEODORE BRINCKMAN, C.B.Colonel Commanding,3rd, The Buffs (East Kent Regt.)Tarbert,Loch Fyne,Scotland.September, 1902MY REMINISCENCES OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR1
(p. 007) INDEX TO CONTENTS.
PagePREFACE BY COL. THEODORE BRINCKMAN, C.B.5THE AUTHOR TO THE READER9CHAPTERthe war clouds gather19
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and the war storm breaks24
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the invasion of natal30
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defeated at elandslaagte40
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pursued by the lancers44
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risking joubert's anger59
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the boer general's superstitions68
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"great powers" to intervene72
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colenso and spion kop fights78
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the battle of vaalkrantz88
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the turn of the tide100
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the great boer retreat110
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driven from the biggarsbergen124
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dispirited and demoralised133
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occupation of pretoria145
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battle of donkerhoek ("diamond hill")150
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i become a general161
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our camp burned out175
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battle of bergendal (machadodorp)181
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two thousand british prisoners released185
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a government in flight193
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(p. 008) an ignominious dispersal204
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a dreary trek through feverland212
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pains and pleasures of commandeering237
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punishing the pro-british246
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battle of rhenosterkop258
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the second christmas at war278
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capture of "lady roberts"285
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a dismal "happy new year"302
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general attack on british forts307
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a "bluff" and a battle322
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execution of a traitor333
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in a tight corner339
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eluding the british cordon348
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boer government's narrow escape358
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a government on horseback377
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blowing up an armoured train382
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trapping pro-british boers388
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The Project Gutenberg e-Book of My Reminiscences of the Anglo-Boer War; Author: Ben Viljoen.(p. 007) INDEX TO CONTENTS.2
brutal kaffirs' murder trail402
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capturing a freebooter's lair411
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ambushing the hussars416
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i talk with general blood421
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mrs. botha's baby and the "tommy"425
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the last christmas of the war435
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my last days on the veldt442
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i am ambushed and captured449
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shipped to st. helena462
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life in bonaparte's prison471
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how we blew up and captured trains485
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how we fed and clothed commandos496
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our friend the enemy506
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the fighting boer and his officer515
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APPENDIX523
(p. 009) THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.
In offering my readers my reminiscences of the late War, I feel that it is necessary to ask their indulgence andto plead extenuating circumstances for many obvious shortcomings.It should be pointed out that the preparation of this work was attended with many difficulties and disabilities,of which the following were only a few:—(1) This is my first attempt at writing a book, and as a simple Afrikander I lay no claim to any literary ability.(2) When captured by the British forces I was deprived of all my notes, and have been compelled to consultand depend largely upon my memory for my facts and data. I would wish to(p. 010) add, however, that thenotes and minutiæ they took from me referred only to events and incidents covering six months of the War.Twice before my capture, various diaries I had compiled fell into British hands; and on a third occasion, whenour camp at Dalmanutha was burned out by a "grass-fire," other notes were destroyed.(3) I wrote this book while a prisoner-of-war, fettered, as it were, by the strong chains with which a British"parole" is circumscribed. I was, so to say, bound hand and foot, and always made to feel sensibly thehumiliating position to which we, as prisoners-of-war on this island, were reduced. Our unhappy lot wasrendered unnecessarily unpleasant by the insulting treatment offered us by Colonel Price, who appeared to mean excellent prototype of Napoleon's custodian, Sir Hudson Lowe. One has only to read Lord Rosebery'swork, "The Last Phase of Napoleon," to realise the insults and(p. 011) indignities Sir Hudson Lowe heapedupon a gallant enemy.We Boers experienced similar treatment from our custodian, Colonel Price, who appeared to be possessedwith the very demon of distrust and who conjured up about us the same fantastic and mythical plans of escapeas Sir Hudson Lowe attributed to Napoleon. It is to his absurd suspicions about our safe custody that I tracethe bitterly offensive regulations enforced on us.While engaged upon this work, Colonel Price could have pounced down upon me at any moment, and, havingdiscovered the manuscript, would certainly have promptly pronounced the writing of it in conflict with theterms of my "parole."The Project Gutenberg e-Book of My Reminiscences of the Anglo-Boer War; Author: Ben Viljoen.(p. 009) THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.3
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