Manle Botha's Career.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10653, 26 May 1902, Page 2

Manle Botha's Career.

Concerning Mania Botha, who .was, at' first reported, killed in the encounter V ith our {Seventh at Bothasbcrg, but who afterwards!- fell into our hands at prisoner, it appears that he is only twenty-three- years of age. He come* of a good family, so far ns birth is concerned, and is far above the average wung Boer both in education and accomplishments. Hi* father was the late Commandant Philip .Botha, seoond to General Prisloo in command of the free State forces, and General Louis Botha is his uncle. There seems to have been some fatality . about jthe Free State 'Bbthas, as of the whole family .only one remains alive, and it is believed he is now a prisoner. . Philip Sotha the elder was killed early in the vf ar, and of ' his three sons one wa* killed by De Lisle's brigade last July, Manic ha* just become our prisoner, and the other, Louis, has been wounded over and over again, and if not now a prisoner will probably meet his death aa his father and brother have 'done fighting to the last. Of this famous martial family Manic is perhaps the most brilliant fighter, and many • .success Has his dashing leadership, earned for his countrymen. It was* he. who in December last.«ttacked Major Damaufs guides at Tafel Kop, and" inflicted, such heavy loss upon, them ; and t .was he who was selected by the Boers, to lead them in the mad charge which resulted in his capture. When De lisle'a brigade were working, .-alone through j the Vrede -district in October, Commandant Botha showed a sample of his dash and -bravery by charging with only eighteen men right between the flank of the. column and the Waggons. On this occasion he wounded two men and captured one, and then escaped with his burghers unhurt, though nis hone fell dead through a wound just as be regained the main force of his men. In speaking to a prisoner whom he captured as we were going to Standcrton from Harrismith he said-: "Tell your colonel that he was very lucky to go through my district alone and not meet with disaster, but it won't) be well for him to attempt it again." At this time we were only 600 strong, and the way the Botha's commando hung to us from daylight to dark proved that though his warning* might appear boastful k£s daring tactics had to be carefully mtt to avoid heavy casualties. Among the Boers he was regarded as a second De Wet, -and .-hi»~jaarvel!ou*, escapes -from' death led Jus follower* to imagine him invulnerable to British bullets.