on of German Southwest Africa, General Botha
proclaimed martial law throughout the Union. The first act in
consequence of this proclamation was the arrest of a number of
conspirators who were planning sedition throughout the Union. The head
of this conspiracy was Lieutenant-Colonel S. G. Maritz. General Beyers
and General De Wet, both Boer officers of high standing, co-operated
with Maritz in an abortive rebellion. The situation was most trying for
the native Boers and, to their credit be it recorded, the great majority
of them stood out strongly against the Germans. Vigorous action by Botha
and Smuts smashed the rebellion in the fall of 1914. A force acting
under General Botha in person attacked the troops under General Beyers
at Rustemburg on October 27th, and on the next day General Beyers sought
refuge in flight. A smaller force acting under General Kemp was also
routed on November 5th.

General De Wet opened his campaign of rebellion on November 7th in an
action at Wimburg, where he defeated a smaller force of Loyalists under
General Cronje. The decisive battle at Marquard occurred on November
12th, Botha commanding the Loyalists forces in person and De Wet the
rebels. The victory of Botha in this fierce engagement was complete. De
Wet was routed and was captured on December 1st with a rear-guard of
fifty-two men. General Beyers was drowned on December 9th while
attempting to escape from the Vall into the Transvaal. This virtually
ended all opposition to General Botha. The invasion of German Southwest
Africa began on January 5, 1915, and was one uninterrupted chapter of
successes. Through jungle and swamp, swept by torrential rains and
encountering obstacles that would have disheartened any but the stoutest
heart, the little force of invasion swept forward. Most of the
engagements by the enemy were in the nature of guerrilla and rear-guard
actions. The backbone of the German command was broken and the remaining
forces capitulated in July, 1915.

With the capitulation came the story of the German mismanagement in
Southwest Africa, and particularly their horrible treatment of the
Hereros and Hottentots in the country misgoverned by them. An official
report fully authenticated was made and none of its essential details
were refuted.

The report told the story of how the German authorities exterminated the
native Hereros. When Germany annexed the country in 1890 they were
believed to possess well over 150,000 head o