VOLUME I
LONDON, HURST AND BLACKETT LIMITED, 1906PREFACE
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.
I.--Preparation for War
II.--The Outbreak of the War
III.--The Theatre of War
IV.--The Boer Army
V.--The British Army
VI.--The Navy in the Boer War
VII.--Talana Hill
VIII.--The Retreat from Dundee, and the action of Rietfontein
IX.--Elandslaagte
X.--Lombards Kop
XI.--The Arrival of Sir Redvers Buller
XII.--Advance from the Orange River
XIII.--Belmont
XIV.--Graspan
XV.--The Battle of the Modder River
XVI.--The Raid on Southern Natal
XVII.--Operations round Colesberg up to the 16th December
XVIII.--Stormberg
XIX.--Halt on the Modder River before Magersfontein
XX.--The Battle of Magersfontein
XXI.--Sir Redvers Buller in Face of Colenso
XXII.--Colenso, December 15th, 1899
XXIII.--Lord Roberts' Appointment to the Command in South Africa
XXIV.--Operations Round Colesberg--December 16th, 1899, to February 6th, 1900
XXV.--Lord Roberts at Capetown; reorganises
XXVI.--The Army Moves Forward
APPENDICES.
1. Reinforcements sanctioned on 8th September, 1899
2. Distribution of British Forces on 11th October, 1899, in Cape Colony
3. Distribution of British Forces on 11th October, 1899, in Natal
4. Strengths of the Forces of the Transvaal and Orange Free State
5. List of H.M. Ships and Vessels serving on the Cape Station, October 11th, 1899, to June 1st, 1902
6. Approximate Strength and Casualties at Various Engagements described in Volume I
7. The Expeditionary Force as originally organised and sent to South Africa
8. The Composition and Distribution of British Troops in Southern Natal, 23rd November, 1899
9. Reinforcements Landed in South Africa up to the 13th February, 1900, other than those given in Appendices 1 and 7
10. Distribution of Troops in South Africa on 11th February, 1900, when the March from Ramdam began
Glossary
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS IN THE TEXT
A.A.G. Assistant Adjutant-General.
A.D.C. Aide-de-Camp.
A.S.C. Army Service Corps.
B.L. Breech-loading.
Battn. Battalion.
Brig. divn. Brigade division=2 batteries of horse, or 3 of field artillery, commanded by a Lieut.-Colonel. (The term has since been changed to "brigade.")
Captn. Captain.
C.B. Companion of the Order of the Bath.
C.I.F. Cost, Insurance, Freight: i.e., under the contract so designated the price paid included the cost of the article, its insurance while on the voyage, and freight.
C.M.G. Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.
Col. Colonel.
C.O. Commanding Officer.
Comder. Commander.
Cos. Companies.
Coy. Company.
C.R.A. Commanding Royal Artillery.
C.R.E. Commanding Royal Engineers.
C.S.O. Chief Staff Officer.
Cwt. Hundred-weight.
D.A.A.G. Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General.
D.A.A.G.I. Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General for Intelligence.
Det. Detachment.
D.C.L.I. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
D.G.O. Director General of Ordnance.
G.O.C. General Officer Commanding.
Govt. Government.
H.L.I. Highland Light Infantry.
H.M.S. His (or Her) Majesty's Ship.
I.L.H. Imperial Light Horse.
in. inch .
I.S.C. Indian Staff Corps.
K.C.B. Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
K.C.M.G. Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.
K.O.Y.L.I. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
K.R.R. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Lieut. or Lt. Lieutenant.
Lt.-Col. Lieutenant-Colonel.
L. of C. Lines of communication.
L.I. Light Infantry.
Maritzburg Pietermaritzburg.
M.B. Mountain battery.
m/m millimetre.
M.I. Mounted Infantry.
M.L. Muzzle-loading.
N.N.V. Natal Naval Volunteers.
N.S.W. New South Wales.
N.S.W.L. New South Wales Lancers.
N.Z. New Zealand.
N.C.O. Non-commissioned officer.
O.F.S. Orange Free State.
pr. pounder.
P.T.O. Principal Transport Officer.
Q.F. Quick-firing.
Q.M.G. Quartermaster-general.
Regt. Regiment.
R.M.L. Rifle-muzzle-loading.
R.A.M.C. Royal Army Medical Corps.
R.A. Royal Artillery.
R.B. Rifle Brigade.
Royal Commission. Royal Commission on the War in South Africa (1903).
R.E. Royal Engineers.
R.F.A. Royal Field Artillery.
R.G.A. Royal Garrison Artillery
R.H.A. Royal Horse Artillery
R.M.A. Royal Marine Artillery
R.M.L.I. Royal Marine Light Infantry.
R.N. Royal Navy.
R. S. Fusiliers Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Sec. Section.
S.A. South Africa.
S.A.R. South African Republic.
Scots Greys 2nd Dragoons.
Sqdn. or Squadn. Squadron.
Tel. Telegram.
T.B. Telegraph battalion.
V.C. Victoria Cross.
W.O. War Office.
