THREE YEARS WAR & DE STRIJD TUSSCEN BOER EN BRIT

Publisher's blue cloth binding with gilt titles on front board and spine. 520 pages and a large folding map at rear. Name of a previous owner in ink on front page oposite title page. A clean copy in a solid binding.

Three binding variants of De Wet's book were originally published. The Domestic issue appeared in either olive green or blue cloth bindings, and the Colonial issue was bound in red cloth. Of the three the blue cloth binding is the least available.

'Right to the last, speaking at Vereeniging, De Wet remarked, in a speech of considerable vigour, "We must fight on, no matter how long, until our independence is absolutely secure," and there appears no reason to doubt that he was fully prepared to continue the conflict, although he subsequently acquiesced with the views of the majority of the delegates. Severe reprobation is accorded to the "National Scouts," to whose action is attributed the final downfall of the Boer cause, and heavy censure is bestowed on General Prinsloo, Vilonel, and others, who surrendered to the British forces. De Wet expresses contempt for the blockhouse system, but he asserts that the "drives" were a very different matter; he gives a flat denial to the widespread statement that he escaped through the blockhouse cordon by driving a herd of cattle through the barbed wire fencing, but he admits that the night marches tended greatly to the demoralisation of the Burgher forces. Attention is repeatedly drawn to the overwhelming strength of the British, but, from the information afforded, it does not appear clear that there was any great disparity in numbers, on either side, in the majority of actual engagements. There can be little doubt that in some of the actions the Boers were struck by panic, and had to be forced - not always successfully - to continue fighting, and there is ample evidence that the courage and resourcefulness of De Wet were counteracted by the difficulties which he had to contend with owing to the insubordination of his men.' - Mendelssohn Vol.I, page 460.

This is a copy of the original Dutch version written during the voyage to Europe at the end of the War. As De Wet writes in his preface, this was the only version for which he took responsibility, not being familiar with the other languages into which his work was translated.

Cream cloth-boards, with design and lettering to the upper panel and spine embossed in brown and black (see first image), plain endpapers, sepia painting and facsimile signature of De Wet as frontispiece, 512 pages of prelims and text, with many full-page and smaller illustrations in and paginated with the text.

This copy is in very good condition.