Koos de la Rey was a warrior of the highest order. A reluctant combatant in the Second Anglo-Boer War, he proved one of the Boers’ most successful generals. Digging in along the Modder River, he delivered a devastating defeat to attacking British troops, a foretaste of trench warfare on the Western Front 15 years down the line. He lost a son in the battle. When the war devolved into a guerilla conflict, de la Rey operated in the Western Transvaal. Elusive, slashing attacks on British columns earned him the sobriquet Lion of the West.
General Koos de la Rey.
Traveling with the great general was a strange figure, a small, long-bearded fellow with haunted eyes, who carried a Mauser but never fired a shot. This was Nicolaas Van Rensburg. A dreamer. A Christian mystic. A Seer.
Long after the war, on July 11, 1914, van Rensburg visited his beloved General de la Rey at his farm. He called him Oom — an Afrikaner term of respect meaning “Uncle.”
De la Rey’s daughter Polly recounted the uncanny moment, and her reminiscence was published in Adriaan Snyman ‘s influential book Nicolaas van Rensburg: Voice of a Prophet.
“Oom’ Koos,” the Seer began: “this is a serious matter. Something is going to happen to you. Every time I see you, you are bareheaded and you know this is serious…” (Editor’s note: In the symbology of van Rensburg’s visions, a bareheaded man was dead or would soon die).
I still remember how sorrowful Van Rensburg was. There were tears in his eyes — he always loved my father. However, I could not understand what was going on. He spoke again: “I see a white piece of paper with two black letters written on it — a one and a five (15). This white paper with the black letters is hanging over Lichtenburg. Then I see you and you are bareheaded. Then I see it becoming late at night. A black piece of mourning crepe is hanging over the town…”
Suddenly Nicolaas van Rensburg stared into the distance as though he was seeing something else: “I see a large expanse of blue water on which cork stoppers (ships) are floating — large ones. Now I see something very small under the water (something like a small vehicle) and when this surfaces, the large cork sinks…” Father turned to me and hastily whispered in English: “Torpedoes.”
Nicolaas van Rensburg.
I do not think Van Rensburg even heard him, because he continued: “When I looked across the blue water again, all the corks had disappeared. I see a large man on the opposite side; he does not live there, he lives here in our country. He is beautifully dressed, with gold buttons on his jacket and gold braid on his hat. He carries a long sword at his side. When he returns to our country, I see the white paper with the black 15 again, then I see you and once again you are bareheaded. The man who returned removes his fancy clothes, removes his sword and says he will not wear them any longer…”
Father turned to me again and whispered: “It must be General Beyers, as he is overseas.” Van Rensburg did not even look up: “I see coming from the north…” ’Probably Pretoria,’ Father wondered aloud, “…a long wagon running on steam…” ’Must be a train,’ Father explained again as though I did not understand. “I do not really see many people in the wagon; I see only a few. Old ‘tante’ (De la Rey’s wife, Nonnie) is also there with the children — you too, Polly. There are beautiful flowers, flowers wherever you look. There is also ample food in the wagon, but nobody is eating, and ‘Oom’ Koos is also there, but ‘Oom’ is bareheaded, and this is not good…” Van Rensburg became so sorrowful that he could not continue immediately.
General C.F. Beyers — the man in the beautiful clothes.
“The man with the beautiful clothes is also in the wagon. It stops at many places, and then many people assemble. They are very sad. It has something to do with you, ‘Oom’ Koos — ‘Oom’ must take care…”
Van Rensburg looked through the window and continued: “I see the wagon coming to Lichtenburg. It is becoming dark and the mourning crepe is once again hanging over the town. I see flags hanging on short poles…” Father whispered in English: “Half- mast.”
And then I understood for the first time what it all meant, and I sat fear-stricken, listening to Van Rensburg: “I see a large horse commando approaching from Schweizer-Reneke. They are sleeping in an open area under trees. It is not war — it has something to do with ‘Oom’.” (The open area was the market square where the statue of General de la Rey stands today). I see numerous steam wagons approaching. They are all coming to ‘Oom’…” Another long silence followed when Father and I stared at him. He spoke again: “’Oom’ must take care…”
Van Rensburg left for home on Monday, 13th July. The only thing Father had to say was: “Well, Polla, you heard everything. We shall see what happens on the 15th.”
*
In August 1914, war broke out in Europe. In South Africa, the Afrikaner population was split between the government forces, who sought to ally the union with Great Britain, and hardliners who saw the war as an opportunity to rebel and restore their independence. De la Rey was not a hardliner or a rebel, but he believed that South Africa should stay out of the war.
On September 15, his old wartime comrade General C.F. Beyers, who had been overseas, resigned as Commandant the South African armed forces rather than serving with the British. He and de la Rey took a car to Potchefstroom military camp to consult with another old Boer general. They never made it. The notorious bank-robbing Foster Gang had been on a tear in the area and the police had set roadblocks to interdict them. Approaching one of the roadblocks, Beyers, assuming the police were under orders to apprehend him and de la Rey, ordered his driver to accelerate. A policeman fired at a rear tire. A ricochet struck General de la Rey and he expired almost immediately. His hat had blown away and was never retrieved.
Uncanny, eh?
Matthew says
That is one spooky story.
deuce says
Van Rensberg was a fascinating man.
john roberts says
How does a Boer have a Spanish name like De La Rey?
JimC says
Excellent question. I shall investigate.
JimC says
French origin. Family of Huguenots.
john roberts says
I guess it was the “Rey” spelling that threw me. Actually, the Spanish version would be “Del Rey.” Upon examination, the French “rey” derives from “roi,” but de la Rey means “regal,” or “of royal bearing.” The family originated in Burgundy. Still like to know how one of them ended up a Boer.
deuce says
The Fondas (as in, Henry, Peter and Jane) are descended from Dutch who settled in Italy, picked up an Italian surname, moved back to the Netherlands and then settled in New Netherlands in the 1600s. Protestants from many countries ended up in Holland.
https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/dutch_americans/jane-seymour-jane-fonda/
john roberts says
Holland really made out from those persecutions. My wife’s maiden name is Van Over, but her family were Scots of Clan Chattan who fled to Holland and acquired the name of Van Hoefen (many spellings). The patriarch of the family took his clan to New York. At one time old Cornelius Van Hoefen owned most of the land between the Battery and Wall Street in Manhattan (I sort of wish they’d hung on to that real estate. By the time the family made it to SW Virginia a few generations later, the name had become Van Over, sometimes spelled Vanover.
felonious monk says
The Dutch were at war (religion!) with the Spanish for 80 years, plenty of time for some offspring.
I have a large Roberts clan in my neck of the woods, they’re all Koori.
And on another note: I consider handing out blankets infected with smallpox, like
the English did, chemical warfare. Of course The Mandan and other Natives also
died of measles, TB, the flu, etc, but then we palefaces got Syph. in return.
Black Tyrone says
How does an Irish nationalist and president have a Spanish name? deValera? People marry
Black Tyrone says
One thought. could also be french. Boers or Afrikaners are not all of Dutch background but also French Huguenot.
Guillaumé says
If one looks through the telephone directory and separates the non Huguenot names from other names (Dutch or English (Afrikaans)), you will find that there are many more Huguenot names than non Huguenot names. This is in the Cape not sure of High-veld. Of course one does need to know the difference between them for this to show up.
JimC says
Welcome to the campfire Guillaumé.
felonious monk says
Oom Koos was said to be possessed of a dry humor with a serious undertone. One night in camp
a meteor was observed, its tail the shape of the letter v. The prophet Rensberg explained
vrede (peace) was near, when a voice spoke up and said it meant vlug (retreat).
Good to see a return to form (partly “imported” and writ in blood/red) Jim. I was discombobulating
over the slow death of FP. what with all the recent directions, distractions and infractions. He’s something
else de la Rey, French or Spanish descent, a Dutchman true and true. I put up a quote in a different
language recently to see if I would get any “bites” which would then allow me to be a post-modernist for
a bit. You know the one that talks about the language you speak determines how you perceive reality.
Because boer means farmer, and I suppose that is the real question Mr. Roberts is asking and I have been
pondering: how does a farmer from the low-lands, a religious outcast, become an ace guerrilla warrior?
Looking forward to part 2 and hope your research into Cecil John’s polo tournament is going well.
JimC says
Good stuff Monk.
Breaker Morant says
Re: Monk’s comment on how does a Boer from the lowlands become an ace guerilla warrior.
The Boer Commando system might deserve a close look and a series of posts here. Weren’t all the men from one community in a Commando that trained and rode together. Thus when the 2nd Boer War broke out-the various Commandos mobilized and were ready for action quickly.
I believe that the Commando system was still in force into the 90’s and that the ANC government banned it. Part of me wonders if the commandos aren’t secretly preparing to ride again, given the recent land appropriation orders by the ANC government. Hey, the ANC declared War on the Boers by that order and they have every right to treat it as such.
Of course, the downside to that mobilization and training method is described by Shelby Foote in his discussions on the Civil War. When companies were recruited from the same area, it was common for most of the young men from that town to get wiped out in one battle if they got in a tough spot.
Memo to Lane: Work is keeping me away from “The Smoke of the Sioux” but I think you mentioned Red Cloud’s War. One neat thing in Sioux history that fascinates me is that Sitting Bull had his own (lesser-known) version of Red Cloud’s War that ran concurrent with it. He hated Fort Buford with a passion and waged a hard war against-It has its own version of the hayfield fight and so forth.
I hope to visit Fort Buford as I visit Sioux sites. I saw Fort Buford when we visited Fort Union which is close. However, Fort Union is more of a Fur Trade post and I associate Fort Buford more with the Sioux.
There are a lot of Minnesota Sioux sites that I want to visit this spring and summer, but my heart is at Whitestone Hill (even more than the Little Bighorn), that one calls to me for some reason. Maybe, in an alternate Corb Lund “Horse Soldier” world I was riding there with with my Yanktonai brothers. I really hope so.
I have been to Whitestone Hill with my daughter and my youngest son. When the time comes, I want half my ashes at Whitestone Hill and half where my daughter and I found those wonderful plums that I have talked about before.
JimC says
More coming on that…
felonious monk says
Yep curve ball from the Breaker. Of course my question is flawed for its the forebears who
are the farmers from the Lowlands. And even though they and theirs would have fought off
The Romans and The Spanish and “hung” with The Norse, the Boers, we are looking at would
have called the African lands home for about 200+ years before taking on The English.
Like Breaker Morant and his ilk or Teddy R’s Rough Riders a man that knows how to handle
a horse and a rifle is bound to get a fair ways on the veldt/bush/prairie. Especially after clashing
with enemies like the Zulu.
I find your observation very useful though, Bossenbroek starts and ends his book on the Boer War
with remarks about the ANC. I am fustrated buy the lack of “deep” history in what I think is a rather
meager supply of BW. writing.
I would like to know whats in your TBR. pile re-Nawlins, don’t tell me its the Accidental City.
I think you should have a look at: On Trails_Robert Moor…>>>>>>ancient pathways!
Twas Mrs.P done spoke about Red Cloud.
Over and out.
Breaker Morant says
I don’t remember the name of the New Orleans book. However, “On-Trails” will be added soon to the electronic TBR pile.
I am working on “War of a Thousand Deserts” plus a few other books. “The Food Explorer” is good and some might like it.
For geostrategic background, I like Robert Kaplan and his book “The Return of Marco Polo’s World” will soon enter the reading pile.
Guillaumé says
Felonious Monk:
“Over and out” only exists in Hollywood movies. ‘Over’ means I will stop talking now and I am handing over to the person being spoken to give him radio transmission space to speak. ‘Out’ means I switch off the transmission entirely as I am finished speaking and listening. This is correct radio communication etiquette. So you can see that Over and out is an oxymoron as all Hollywood movies are, moronic.