ILLUSTRATIONS

Sir George Stewart White, V.C., G.C.S.I. (from a photograph by Window & Grove) Frontispiece

The Royal Hotel, Ladysmith (showing the ruins of
Mr. Pearse’s bedroom wrecked by a shell from “Long
Tom,” 3rd Nov. 1899) Face page 26

A shell-proof resort (a culvert under a road used as a living place by day for civilians, who returned to their houses when the shelling ceased after sunset) 50

The British position at Ladysmith (looking north towards
Rietfontein and the Newcastle Road) 96

The British position at Ladysmith (looking nearly due south) 128

The British position at Ladysmith (looking south-east) 162

The British position at Ladysmith (looking eastward) 202

PLANS

Sketch-map of positions round Ladysmith, Nov. 1899 Face page 60

Siege of Ladysmith, after two months of bombardment 175

The environs of Ladysmith 180

Military map of Ladysmith End of vol.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY

The declaration of war—­Sir George White and the defence of Natal—­The force at Glencoe—­Battle of Talana Hill—­General Yule’s retirement—­Battle of Elandslaagte—­Useless victories—­Enemy’s continued advance.

Before taking up the history of the siege proper it will be well here to pass briefly in review the events which led up to the isolation and investment of Ladysmith.  When war was declared by the Government of the Transvaal in its despatch of the 9th October 1899, it found Her Majesty’s Government in very great measure unprepared.  A month earlier, however, reinforcements of 10,000 troops had been ordered to Natal from India and elsewhere, and the major part of these were already in the Colony.  General Sir George White, who had arrived at Durban on 7th October, had strongly advocated the abandonment of the northern district of Natal, but allowed himself to be overborne by the urgent representations of Sir W.F.  Hely-Hutchinson, who believed the withdrawal would involve grave political results.  Sir William Penn Symons believed that the districts in question could be defended by a comparatively small force, and he was allowed to make the experiment.  At that time there were with him at Glencoe three battalions of infantry, a brigade division of the Royal Artillery, the 18th Hussars, and a small body of mounted infantry.  The enemy crossed the borders immediately upon the expiry of the term stipulated in the ultimatum, and on the 20th October was fought the battle of Talana Hill.