harge any position without their consent. To exercise too great
power or authority over burghers was, at all times, especially at the
beginning of the war, a risky thing. The officers knew well that the
Boer is more easily led than driven.

Corps such as the Johannesburg and Swaziland Police and the Staats
Artillery of the Transvaal and Orange Free State, which had the benefit
of military training and discipline, proved their superiority over the
rest of the burgher forces, and greatly distinguished themselves in the
South African campaign. If all the burghers had had the same training as
these corps, greater successes might have crowned their efforts during
the early part of the war. The soldier, on the contrary, is no
volunteer. His wishes are never consulted; when instructed to march on,
he has to obey, though it may mean certain death to him, as was so often
the case.

Another point of great disadvantage to the Boers is the lamentable fact
that thousands of the surrendered and captured burghers enlisted in the
British ranks as "National Scouts." This, viewed from the Boer
standpoint, is the darkest spot in the South African campaign. Gladly
would we dismiss this matter without any further comment, for it merits
silent contempt, but we cannot help noting at what a terrible
disadvantage we were placed by the action of these "National Scouts." As
they made common cause with the enemy they furnished the latter from
time to time with full particulars of our tactics, and divulged all our
military secrets to the British. Moreover, they served the British
forces as guides and led them forth at dead of night to surprise their
countrymen in their secret, and otherwise unknown, retreats, where they
were often captured or shot down by the enemy. Before these enlisted,
night assaults by the English were out of the question. It was perfectly
safe to bivouac some six miles from the enemy. For when the British did
make a move during the night, they usually lost their way, as was the
case when Gatacre undertook a night march on the Stormberg positions.
With Boers as guides it was possible for the English forces to assume
tactics hitherto untried by them.

Ah! brother, national scout, who may be reading this, do you not regret
and lament the unhappy part of traitor? Are your hands not stained with
the blood of your countrymen? And your conscience, is that not tarnished
with the blood of men, women and children, who fell in Freedom'