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· .
THE WAR
BE~INS:
Boer Soldiers Leave for the
front
in
November, 1899
The war began with a Boer invasion of Natal and a .§eTies of Boer successes. The British counter-advance was held-up at all points
in
the "Black Week, "
and for a while the Boers were jubilant and hopeful of a final victory. But early
in
1900
heavy reinforcementsfrom Britain and the Colonies turned the tide.
The Boers were defeated
in
a series of pitched battles, and their chief towns occupied.
The BoerCommanders
Marthinus Steyn, Presi-
Louis Botha: Became '
dent ofOrange Free State,
Commander-in-Chiefafter
allyoftne TransVaal.
Did
}oubert's
~
death,
and
his
best
to restrain Kruger
, guerilla
-
commander after
before war began.
annexation of Transvaal.
Lo:rd Roberts: Sent .to
South A/rica after early–
British defeats.
Lord Kitchener: C.-in-C.
after Roberts.
Devised
policy against guerillas..
The First Commander of the Boer orees:
}oubert, first commander of the
Boer
armies, was
known
as "Slim Piet" because
of
his caution.
He
led the early successful invasion of Natal and ordered the sieges of Ladysmith, Kimberley
and Mafeking.
In
March,
1900,
five months after
~his
picture was taken, he died at Pretoria.
37