HISTORY
OF THE
WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA
1899-1902

COMPILED BY DIRECTION OF HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
BY

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR FREDERICK MAURICE, K.C.B

WITH A STAFF OF OFFICERS

VOLUME I

LONDON
HURST AND BLACKETT LIMITED
1906

All rights reserved

PREFACE.

The decision of His Majesty's late Government, mentioned on the first page of this history, was not finally given till November, 1905. It was, therefore, not till December 12th, 1905, that I was able to obtain approval for the form in which the political facts connected with the war are mentioned in the first chapter. Since then the whole volume has necessarily been recast, and it was not possible to go to page proof till the first chapter had been approved. Hence the delay in the appearance of the volume. I took over the work from Colonel Henderson in July, 1903. He had not then written either narrative of, or comments on, the military operations.

F. Maurice.

May 22nd, 1906, London.

CONTENTS.

VOLUME I.

• chap. page

• Preparation for War 1
• The Outbreak of the War 35
• The Theatre of War 54
• The Boer Army 68
• The British Army 87
• The Navy in the Boer War 96
• Talana Hill 123
• The Retreat from Dundee, and the action of Rietfontein 142
• Elandslaagte 157
• Lombards Kop 172
• The Arrival of Sir Redvers Buller 196
• Advance from the Orange River 211
• Belmont 218
• Graspan 229
• The Battle of the Modder River 243
• The Raid on Southern Natal 261
• Operations round Colesberg up to the 16th December 275
• Stormberg 285
• Halt on the Modder River before Magersfontein 304
• The Battle of Magersfontein 316
• Sir Redvers Buller in Face of Colenso 332
• Colenso, December 15th, 1899 351
• Lord Roberts' Appointment to the Command in South Africa 376
• Operations Round Colesberg—December 16th, 1899, to February 6th, 1900 389
• Lord Roberts at Capetown; reorganises 408
• The Army Moves Forward