South African War: Herbert Plumer.

COLONEL HERBERT PLUMER.

AT a very early stage in the South African imbroglio, some considerable time before war was declared—as a matter of fact it was in July, 1899—the Government took the important and very sensible step of sending out to the Cape a few Special Service Officers with peculiar qualifications and experience such as rendered their services at this juncture of extraordinary value. One of these was Colonel Baden-Powell of Mafeking renown, another, "B-P's" old comrade in arms, Plumer, a regimental Major in the York and Lancaster, but a brevet Lieutenant-Colonel by reason of splendid service in the Matabele Rising of 1896. Since the beginning of the war we have heard much of both of these fine officers, and not far short of "B-P's" spirited defence of "Gallant Little Mafeking" must be reckoned Plumer's repeated and strenuous efforts, in the teeth of obstacles which have been imperfectly realised at home, to bring relief to the sorely-pressed garrison.

Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer is still in the prime of life, having been born in 1857, and gazetted to the old 65th Foot, now the 1st Battalion York and Lancaster, in 1876. From 1879 to 1886, an unusually long period, he was Adjutant of his battalion, and in that capacity accompanied it to the Soudan in 1884 in the expedition under Sir Gerald Graham. Captain Plumer was present at the battles of El Teb and Tamai, and was mentioned in Despatches. In 1887 he passed through the Staff College, and from 1890 to 1893 was Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General in Jersey. In 1896 he served in the operations in South Africa under Sir Frederick Carrington, when he organized and commanded a corps of Mounted Rifles, subsequently obtaining another mention in Despatches and a brevet Lieutenant-Colonelcy. Colonel Plumer's experiences in this arduous campaign are described in a very interesting manner in his book "With an Irregular Corps in Matabeleland."

On his return to England, Colonel Plumer was appointed a Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General and Instructor at Aldershot, from which he was called away to South Africa last year. On arrival at the Cape he at once. went up country to Rhodesia, where he set about raising and organizing the Rhodesian Regiment of which he has since been in command. There is little doubt that if he had not kept watch and ward at Tuli during the earlier stages of the campaign there might have been a dangerous incursion of the enemy into Rhodesia, and, even as it was, a Boer commando appeared on the banks of the Crocodile River and exchanged shots with Plumer's patrols. Subsequently Plumer moved his camp to Gaberones which led to his coming in still closer touch with the Boers, and on several occasions he was sharply engaged. Latterly he made more than one gallant attempt to get through to Mafeking, but was sadly handicapped at first by drought and, later on, by the superior strength of the Boer cordon.

Colonel Plumer is the very man to uphold the honour of the Army, and to conserve the interests of the Empire in a tight corner like this. Level-headed, full of pluck and "go," self-reliant, resourceful, and everlastingly alert, he is, moreover, an ideal leader of Mounted Infantry, that comparatively new power in war of which we are only now beginning to learn the true significance.

		A short biography of Sir Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer (Baron Plumer of Messines and Bilton) is found in The British Army in the Great War. He served with B-P in the Matabele Campaign and had an important part in the relief of Mafeking in the South African War.
		In 1902, Commander Charles N. Robinson, R.N., edited and published Celebrities of the Army, a collection of portraits and short biographies of senior offices and major heroes of the South African War. These include Baden-Powell and several officers with whom he served in India and Africa both before and during the war. The portraits are quite elegant and are presented along with biographical information.
		It was at the Siege and Defense of Mafeking during the South African (Anglo-Boer) War that Baden-Powell made his name and first gained public recognition. 1999-1902 marks the Centennial of the War. Developed as part of that observance, Perspectives on the South African War provides a collection of links to original and contemporary sources on the South African War.
		Robert Baden-Powell, Founder of the World Scout Movement, Chief Scout of the World. A Home Page for the Founder. Links Relating to Baden-Powell on the Pine Tree Web and elsewhere.

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