Salmon van As was excecuted by the British for killing one of their officers. According to Van As it was self defence. He never had a fair trial as it appears from a letter that his father received years later from the British government. (Source: Uys, Ian. 1981. Heidelbergers of the Boer War).
Below is a poem written by CJ Langenhoven - it was kindly send to me by Louw van Deventer.
SALMON VAN AS
Teenoor die kerkhof-ringmuur,
Hier in die kleihard` sand,
Groei `n verlate doringboom
Dertien jaar t`rug geplant,
En waak oor `n leë grafplek
Onder die suikerbosrand
Op `n koppie wat kyk na die wes toe,
Lê `n voorpos te luister en wag.
Daar`s `n kraak in die kors van die wolke,
Waar die helder maan deurkyk en lag;
En die wind van die suikerbosrandjie
Maak kouer die koue van die nag.
Daar`s `n kêrel te perd met `n wit vlag-
`n Kêrel wat klatergoud sprei,
Wat elke aand kom en die voorpos
Met vleiende praatjies verlei.
Hy sanik gereeld: “Dis onmoontlik
Te win teen ons heerskappy”
`n Mouserskoot knal in die duister:
`n Ruiterloos` perd draf verby,
En die Kaffers hol t`rug na die kamp toe
Die nuus van die daad te versprei;
Die vleiend`, fynpraat`rige kêrel
Sal nooit weer `n voorpos verlei.
Daar`s `n droewige volksvergadering
Waar Vereeniging kyk oor die veld,
En dapperste vaderlandsliefde
Moet swig voor snode geweld,
En lewe lyk duurder as doodgaan
Vir hom wat op eer is gesteld.
Die oorlog is eind`lik geëindig
Net soos hy begin was,met moed;
Die smart en die lang reeks verliese
Moet stadig deur vlyt word vergoed,
En Vereenigings vrede bekragtig
Deur Salmon van As met sy bloed.
In die dagbreek se skemer se groute,
Eer die son oor die randjie verskyn,
Eer die oos nog sy oes van skarlaken
In die goud van die dag laat verkwyn,
Het hul Salmon van As teen die tronkmuur
Verlos van die wêreld-pyn.
Sy vaderveld lê daar voor hom
Half dof in skemergrou:
Hy sien die suikerbosrandjie,
Die kloof wat sy lyk sal hou,
Die ou Johannesburg-wapad,
Nog wit met die môredou.
Die skyn van die môreskemer
Was blink op sy gesig;
Die ou Johannesburg-wapad,
Half wit in die môrelig,
En `n tiental Metfordkoeëls
Was vlak op sy hart gerig.
Daar`s `n graf teenoor die kerkhof-
Dis `n leë grafplek nou;
Daar`s geen grafsteen met sy spreukwoord
Wat kan praat met my en jou-
Net `n dertien-jaar-ou doringboom
Wat die storie help onthou.
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