necessity of obeying orders promptly and
implicitly. When he attacked or charged the enemy's stronghold or
positions he did so, as a rule, of his own accord, not under any
compulsion, but spontaneously and voluntarily. The British soldier, on
the other hand, had all the advantages and sometimes disadvantages of
military discipline. He had been taught to obey orders, whether it meant
death to him or not. Besides, the soldier was backed up by thousands and
tens of thousands of comrades on every side, while batteries of naval
guns and Armstrongs were at his rear, under cover of which he could
charge or retreat. No beating of drums, or symphonies of martial music,
or great numbers inspired and urged the Boer on to the performance of
heroic deeds. With rifle in hand and limited supply of cartridges he
often had to face overwhelming odds. And when these odds threatened to
outflank him, he was called by some a coward for retreating and not
allowing himself to be captured. Instinctively he knew it was better to
retreat--

"For he who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day."

Some maintain that the Boers are only brave when lying behind huge
boulders, or entrenched in strong fortifications, from whence,
concealed, they can pour a deadly fusillade on the approaching enemy.
There may be an element of truth in this charge, but as a generalization
it is utterly false. To stamp the Boers as cowards in general is to rob
the British Army of much of its honour and so discredit their work in
South Africa. The best answer to and the most persuasive argument
against this assertion is to be found in the construction of the
multitudinous forts, trenches, sangars, blockhouses, etc., by the
British in South Africa. What is their significance? The most
inobservant traveller in South Africa must be struck by the network of
fortifications erected almost throughout the length and breadth of the
country. Could the English have given the Boers a better testimonial of
gallant behaviour than these? Surely blockhouses and bulwarks are not
required for cowards, for they would never approach them.

It is hardly necessary to say that all Boers were not brave; there were
many timorous ones among them. No army in the world is composed entirely
of brave and fearless characters. We often sustained losses and
sometimes disasters because the burghers retreated when they should have
stood or charged. The victory would have often been the