But there was one man who knew his French.  General Sir Redvers Buller had found his worth on the Nile Expedition, in repeated autumn manoeuvres at home, and in many a long discussion on military topics.  His casting vote, therefore, made French Commander of Cavalry in Natal.

Major Arthur Griffiths has supplied an admirable little sketch of French’s appearance at this time.  “He is short and thick, and of rather ungainly figure.  Although he can stick on a horse as well as anyone, rides with a strong seat, and is indefatigable in the saddle, he is not at all a pretty horseman.  His mind is more set on essentials, on effective leadership with all it means, rather than what soldiers call ‘Spit and polish’:  he is sound in judgment, clear-headed, patient, taking everything quietly, the rough with the smooth; but he is always on the spot, willing to wait, and still more ready to act, when the opportunity comes, with tremendous effect.”

That description is true in general, if not in detail.  For patience is certainly not one of French’s personal, if it be one of his military virtues.  A close friend of his agreed to the word “tempestuous,” as most nicely describing his temperament.  Like every good soldier, in fact, French has a temper, for which he is none the worse.  If apt to flame out suddenly, it quickly burns itself out, leaving no touch of resentment in the scorched.

[Page Heading:  RECALLED TO LADYSMITH]

Ten days after the Boer ultimatum had been delivered to the British agent at Pretoria, French was in Ladysmith.  He arrived there, to be pedantically accurate, on October 20, 1899, at 5 a.m.  At 11 a.m. he was in the saddle, leading a column out to recapture the railway station at Elandslaagte, which, with a newly-arrived train of troops, the Boers had seized overnight.  No sooner had his men begun to locate the enemy, than French was recalled to Ladysmith.  Reluctantly the men turned back to reinforce Sir George White’s small garrison, for what he feared might prove a night attack.  Soon afterwards, however, news of General Symons’ victory at Talana came in to cheer the men after their fruitless sortie.

At once Sir George White saw his opportunity.  It was the Boers, and not the British, who now stood in peril of a sudden attack.  There was little sleep for French’s men that night.  At 4 a.m. next morning they were again on the march for Elandslaagte.

About eight o’clock on one of those perfect mist-steeped summer mornings that presage a day of burning heat, French’s force came in sight of the Boer laagers.  As the mist cleared the enemy could be spied in large numbers about the station and the colliery buildings and over the yellow veldt.  French ordered the Natal Battery to turn its little seven-pounder on the station.  One of the first shots told; and the Boers came tumbling out of their shelter, leaving the trainload of British soldiers, captured the previous night, free to join their comrades.  Soon afterwards the station was in the hands of the British, as the result of a dashing cavalry charge.