to French chalked on the wall.  Thus:  “We are not fighting the English—­they don’t count—­we are only fighting the ‘French.’” Quite early in the campaign this inscription was found on the wall of a Boer farm house:  “Why are we bound to win?  Because although we have only 90,000 burghers, that means 90,000 generals—­but the English, though they have 200,000 soldiers, have only one General—­and he is French.”  That was in the days before Roberts and Kitchener were on the scene.

But the Boers were not alone in their appreciation of French.  One of the authorities of the German General Staff wrote of him “His (French’s) name was one of those most dreaded by the enemy,” and “he impressed his personality on the troops.”  Perhaps the best description of the man ever penned, however, came from the brilliant American journalist, Julian Ralph.  “As to his personality, the phrase ’The square little General’ would serve to describe him in army circles without a mention of his name.

“He is quiet, undemonstrative, easy, and gentle.  When you are under his command you don’t notice him, you don’t think about him—­unless you are a soldier, and then you are glad you are there."[10]

FOOTNOTES: 

 [8] The correspondent referred to is Mr. George Lynch.

 [9] “A.D.C.” The Regiment.

[10] In the Daily Mail.

CHAPTER V

THE TIDE TURNS

    White’s Dash from Ladysmith—­Nicholson’s Nek—­The Reverse at
    Lombard’s Kop—­A Cavalry Exploit—­French’s Dramatic Escape
    from Ladysmith.

So far the tide of battle had flowed fairly equally between the two armies.  Thanks to French, White had won the two engagements which he had to undertake in order to save Yule’s column.  In Ladysmith he had now an admirably proportioned force of 10,000 men, quite adequate for the town’s defence.  Across the Atlantic an Army Corps was hastening to his succour.  He had only to sit still and wait in Ladysmith, fortifying it with all the ingenuity that time would permit.

Unfortunately he was not content to sit still and wait behind his entrenchments.  He determined not to be hemmed in without a struggle.  Be it remembered that at that time the British commanders had not fully realised the numbers, the equipment and the intrepidity of their opponents.  The traditional chastening of experience was still wanting.  As Napier has it, “In the beginning of each war England has to seek in blood the knowledge necessary to ensure success; and, like the fiend’s progress towards Eden, her conquering course is through chaos followed by death.”

It was a very beautiful if a rather optimistic plan of attack that White arranged for the morning of October 30.  He divided his forces into three columns.  During the night of the 29th Colonel Carleton, with the Irish Fusiliers and the Gloucesters, was to advance upon and seize a long ridge called Nicholson’s Nek, some six miles north of Ladysmith.  This would protect his left wing.  On the right flank the infantry were to advance under cover of French’s cavalry and mounted infantry, while the artillery was to advance in the centre.