author
Christiaan Rudolf De Wet
1854–1922
A bold and controversial figure in South African history, this Boer general became famous for his fast-moving guerrilla campaigns during the Second Boer War. He later moved from the battlefield into politics, leaving behind a legacy that has been debated ever since.
1 Audiobook
Three Years' War
by Christiaan Rudolf De Wet
About the author
Born on October 7, 1854, in the Smithfield district of the Orange Free State, Christiaan Rudolf de Wet was a soldier, political leader, and one of the best-known Boer commanders of his time. He first served in the First Boer War and later became a member of the Volksraad before rising to wider fame during the Second Boer War.
De Wet earned his reputation through mobile guerrilla tactics that frustrated British forces and made him a hero to many Afrikaners. Sources such as Britannica describe him as commander in chief of the Orange Free State forces, while Wikipedia notes that he also took part in the peace negotiations at the end of the war.
After the war, he remained active in public life and was later involved in the 1914 Afrikaner rebellion. He died on February 3, 1922. Remembered as both a military strategist and a deeply divisive historical figure, he continues to occupy an important place in the history of South Africa and the Boer republics.