Christiaan De Wet, commander of the Boer forces in the Anglo-Boer
War, had the ability to lead his burghers, many of them
individualists, with a strong hand, subjecting them to his
stringent discipline. He was also a masterful strategist who could
anticipate the moves of his opponents. But it was his ability to
evade the British forces in what became known as the "First De Wet
Hunt" that contributed significantly to his legendary status. Lord
Roberts, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in South Africa,
believed that the capture of De Wet would lead to the end of the
Anglo-Boer War. When De Wet slipped over Slabberts Nek on July 15,
1900, breaking through Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Hunter's
cordon and taking with him 2,000 Free Staters, including President
Steyn and the government of the Orange Free State, Roberts
organized a massive pursuit. From all sides British columns entered
the chase. However, from July to August, 1900, De Wet, along with
2,500 men, managed to evade the elaborate net Lord Roberts had so
carefully prepared to ensnare him. In so doing, the "Boer
Pimpernel" ran rings around 50,000 British troops. Significantly,
De Wet's successful evasion of the British ultimately led to the
adoption of guerilla tactics by the Boers. This compelling story of
a watershed event in the course of the war and the colorful
personality of the man behind it is masterfully told, and brings an
important personal dimension to the history of the Anglo-Boer War.
General
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