The Good Canadian Nationalist First Must Be a Good Imperialist”: Sam Hughes and the South African War, 1899-1900
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
“The Good Canadian Nationalist First Must Be A Good Imperialist”: Sam Hughes and the South African War, 1899-1900 Jordan Alexander Arthur Crosby SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN HISTORY NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES NORTH BAY, ONTARIO © Jordan Alexander Arthur Crosby Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this Major Research Paper. I authorize Nipissing University to lend this Major Research Paper to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. Jordan Crosby I further authorize Nipissing University to reproduce this MRP by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. Jordan Crosby Crosby i Abstract Sir Sam Hughes is a name that has either been forgotten in Canadian history, or has been remembered in mostly negative terms. “The Madman”, as he was referred to, was a controversial character in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, whose demeanour, opinions, and acts performed as Member of Parliament and Minister of Militia and Defence found him a great number of supporters and as many, if not more, enemies. Hughes was an imperial nationalist, one who believed in imperial union with Britain to both maintain the dominance of the Empire and as a way to build upon a nascent sense of Canadian identity. In the late nineteenth century, Canada was a young Dominion belonging to the British Empire, and imperialists such as Hughes believed that if Canada were to gain more autonomy, influence, and international recognition, Canadians would have to take part in imperial conflicts alongside Britain. The alternative was reciprocity with the United States, which would lead, Canadian imperialists believed, to Canada being swallowed up by their expansionist neighbours to the south. The South African War (1899-1902) gave Sam Hughes the ultimate chance to demonstrate his imperial nationalism and help maintain the British Empire’s dominance globally, while simultaneously earning Canada and Canadians recognition abroad. Hughes believed that nations were defined by their military, and he was a major propagator of the “militia-myth” which argued that Canadian citizen-soldiers defeated the Americans in the War of 1812. As a result, Hughes believed that citizen-soldiers would be the ones who would achieve Canada autonomy as well as a reputation as a strong and great nation. In fighting in the war in South Africa, Hughes’ imperial nationalist and militaristic views would be tested. Crosby ii The title of my MRP is taken from Historian and Poet Charles G.D. Roberts, who stated the phrase in 1895. As quoted in Pierre Berton’s Marching as to War: Canada’s Turbulent Years, 1899-1953 (Toronto: Anchor Canada, 2002) page 24. Crosby iii Acknowledgements First and foremost I give thanks to my family. It is often claimed that you can choose your friends, but you cannot choose family, but in many regards I am the luckiest man in the world. To start, I give many thanks to my beautiful fiancée Kacey. You are not only my world, but you are the main influence in my life and deserve major credit for where I am today. When we met, I was a failing Undergraduate student, but you have brought stability and meaning to my life, and give me a reason to reach and exceed my potential. I want to thank you this year for proofreading all my papers, listening to my ramblings about postmodernism, Gregory of Tours, the Atlantic paradigm, and of course Sam Hughes. And I thank you for always being there for me. I now emerge from the Master’s program victorious, and I am indebted to you. This is only the beginning, and we will encounter many victories throughout life together. To my father Kevin, what can I really say except for the fact that I am lucky to have the greatest father one could hope for. Even though you cheer for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, you have been a major inspiration in my life. The qualities you possess, namely hard work, perseverance, dedication, and above all, a relaxed, cool under pressure, and laid back personality (a la Joe Montana), have all moulded me into the person I am today. You were also instrumental in allowing me a place in Ottawa to visit on the occasional weekend to forget the letters MRP existed in the alphabet, and to relax, have a beer with, and discuss other issues such as who is truly the better quarterback: Brady or Manning. Obviously Brady is. But in all seriousness, as a person I look up to you, and as a father I strive to be like you. Secondly and equally important are my advisors who assisted me throughout the year, as well as other professors. To my primary advisor Dr. James Murton (whom I Crosby iv had the pleasure of seeing perform in a choir) I want to thank you for all your assistance over the course of the year. Your knowledge of theories of nationalism, your patience in correcting my plethora of grammar mistakes, suggestions for correction, and our weekly Friday afternoon meetings all allowed me to submit the best MRP possible. To my secondary advisor, Dr. Robin Gendron, your guidance in narrowing my focus towards Sam Hughes’ world view and militarism, and always being available for a discussion of my MRP greatly helped me throughout the year, and I thank you for that. Although not an official advisor, Dr. Mark Crane is also deserving of credit. Your methods class this year greatly influenced me into thinking about what kind of historian I am/want to be, and the fact that you were always available to offer any guidance to me, or just lend an ear to my constant rambling, was greatly appreciated. I would also like to extend a thank you to Dr. Tim Cook, whose Madman and the Butcher was a major source of guidance, and Dr. Susanne Klausen, my former Carleton professors who wrote my letters of recommendation to get into Graduate School. I would not be here if it was not for the both of you. Crosby v Table of Contents Abstract/ i Acknowledgements/ iii Table of Contents/ v Introduction - Who Was Sam Hughes? And What Have Historians Said About Him?/ 1 - The Concept of Imperial Nationalism/ 5 - The Historiography on Canadian Imperialism and Canadian Participation in the South African War, 1899-1902/ 7 - MRP Additions and Chapter Breakdown/ 15 Chapter 1: Hughes and Canadian Participation - Sam Hughes: 1853-1897 – From Childhood to Member of Parliament – Hughes’ Militarism Prior to the Outbreak of the South African War/ 19 - A Conflict in South Africa and a Divided Canada/ 25 - How Hughes Received the South African War and His Feud With Edward Hutton /27 - An “Advertisement For Canada” and the Outbreak of the South African War/ 39 Chapter 2: Hughes in South Africa, 1900 - Hughes’ Exploits in South Africa and How They Played Into His Militaristic World View/ 46 - Map of Faber’s Put, A Battle Where Hughes Believed He Deserved a Victoria Cross. Courtesy of the Canadian War Museum/ 57 - Hughes’ Controversial Departure From South Africa/ 59 - The Outcome Of Hughes’ Time in South Africa/ 68 Conclusion - Recap/75 - Bibliography/ 77 Crosby 1 In turn-of-the 20th century Canada, Sam Hughes was a dominant figure in Canadian politics and in daily life. Athlete, teacher, newspaper editor, Member of Parliament and, above all, proud militiaman, Hughes’ relentless energy, fiery temperament, and dedication to matters which deeply interested him made him a central figure in the fierce debate over Canada’s relationship to Britain and the Empire. According to Charles F. Winter, Hughes was a “bonnie fighter”, whether out on the playing field, in the halls of Parliament, in the editorial columns of his paper, or more amazingly, during his employment in the South African War (1899-1902).1 My MRP will examine the role played by Sam Hughes in the South African War, from mid-1899 when he began to raise a Canadian contingent for service abroad, to 1900 when Hughes travelled to South Africa to fight the Boers. I will focus on the way in which Hughes’ imperial nationalist beliefs shaped, and were in turn shaped by, his experience of the South African War. Hughes was one of those who, in the words of historian Carl Berger, “called their cause imperial unity, their movement imperial federation, and themselves imperialists”.2 A “staunch British imperialist”3, according to an authorless 1900 memorandum detailing his feud with the British General Officer Commanding in Canada, Edward Hutton, Hughes also advocated for Canadian identity and autonomy while rebelling against claims of Canadian inferiority. My MRP will study his personal form of imperial nationalism and how the South African War shaped and changed it. For Hughes, nationalism and militarism could not be separated. The worth of a nation was defined 1 Brigadier‐General Charles F. Winter, Lieutenant‐General The Hon. Sir Sam Hughes K.C.B., M.P. Canada’s War Minister, 1911‐1916 (Toronto: The Macmillan Company of Canada, Ltd., 1931), xv. 2 Carl Berger, The Sense of Power: Studies in the Ideas of Canadian Nationalism 1867‐1914 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1970), 3. 3 Library and Archives Canada, Sir Sam Hughes Papers MG 27 II D 23, vol.2, file 6, Memorandum: Re friction between Colonel Hughes and General Hutton, culminating in 1900‐,7. Crosby 2 by its military exploits, and military exploits were best carried out by the Canadian citizen-soldiers that Hughes revered, as opposed to the British professional soldiers of which he was suspicious.