Home
Up
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27

London to Ladysmith via Pretoria

By Winston Spenser Churchill

Longmans, Green & Co, 39 Paternoster Row, London.  New York and Bombay, 1900.

Contents

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

CHAPTER I. STEAMING SOUTH
R.M.S. 'Dunottar Castle,' October 26 and October 29, 1899

CHAPTER II. THE STATE OF THE GAME
Capetown; November 1, 1899

CHAPTER III. ALONG THE SOUTHERN FRONTIER
East London: November 5, 1899

CHAPTER IV. IN NATAL
Estcourt: November 6, 1899

CHAPTER V. A CRUISE IN THE ARMOURED TRAIN
Estcourt: November 9, 1899

CHAPTER VI. DISTANT GUNS
Estcourt: November 10, 1899

CHAPTER VII. THE FATE OF THE ARMOURED TRAIN
Pretoria: November 20, 1899

CHAPTER VIII. PRISONERS OF WAR
Pretoria: November 24, 1899

CHAPTER IX. THROUGH THE DUTCH CAMPS
Pretoria: November 30, 1899

CHAPTER X. IN AFRIKANDER BONDS
Pretoria: December 3, 1899

CHAPTER XI. I ESCAPE FROM THE BOERS
Lourenço Marques: December 22, 1899

CHAPTER XII. BACK TO THE BRITISH LINES
Frere: December 24, 1899

CHAPTER XIII. CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
Frere: January 4, 1900

CHAPTER XIV. A MILITARY DEMONSTRATION AND SOME GOOD NEWS
Chieveley: January 8, 1900

CHAPTER XV. THE DASH FOR POTGIETER'S FERRY
Spearman's Hill: January 13, 1900

CHAPTER XVI. TRICHARDT'S DRIFT AND THE AFFAIR OF ACTON HOMES
Venter's Spruit: January 22, 1900

CHAPTER XVII. THE BATTLE OF SPION KOP
Venter's Spruit: January 25, 1900

CHAPTER XVIII. THROUGH THE FIVE DAYS' ACTION
Venter's Spruit: January 25, 1900

CHAPTER XIX. A FRESH-EFFORT AND AN ARMY CHAPLAIN
Spearman's Hill: February 4, 1900

CHAPTER XX. THE COMBAT OF VAAL KRANTZ
General Buller's Headquarters: February 9, 1900

CHAPTER XXI. HUSSAR HILL
General Buller's Headquarters: February 15, 1900

CHAPTER XXII. THE ENGAGEMENT OF MONTE CRISTO
Cingolo Neck: February 19, 1900

CHAPTER XXIII. THE PASSAGE OF THE TUGELA
Hospital-ship 'Maine': March 4, 1900

CHAPTER XXIV. THE BATTLE OF PIETERS: THE THIRD DAY
Hospital-ship 'Maine': March 5, 1900

CHAPTER XXV. UPON MAJUBA DAY
Commandant's Office, Durban: March 6, 1900

CHAPTER XXVI. THE RELIEF OF LADYSMITH
Commandant's Office, Durban: March 9, 1900

CHAPTER XXVII. AFTER THE SIEGE
Durban: March 10, 1900

Maps and plans

THE STATES MODEL SCHOOLS THE THEATRE OF THE OPERATIONS IN NATAL
 

POTGIETER'S FERRY

MAP OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE NATAL FIELD ARMY
FROM JANUARY 11 TO FEBRUARY 9, INCLUDING:
THE CAPTURE OF POTGIETER'S FERRY, JANUARY 11 THE PASSAGE OF THE TUGELA AT TRICHARDT'S DRIFT, JANUARY 17 THE AFFAIR OF ACTON HOMES, JANUARY 18 THE ACTION OF VENTER'S SPRUIT, JANUARY 20 AND 21 THE BATTLE OF SPION KOP, JANUARY 24; AND THE COMBAT OF VAAL KRANTZ, FEBRUARY 6, 7, AND 8
 
POSITION AT MONTE CRISTO THE COLENSO POSITION MAP OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE NATAL FIELD ARMY FROM FEBRUARY 14 TO 28, INCLUDING:
THE RECONNAISSANCE AND CAPTURE OF HUSSAR HILL, FEBRUARY 14 THE CAPTURE OF CINGOLO, FEBRUARY 17
THE ENGAGEMENT OF MONTE CRISTO, FEBRUARY I8 OCCUPATION OF THE HLANGWANI PLATEAU, FEBRUARY 19 AND 20; AND THE BATTLE OF PIETERS FEBRUARY 21 TO 27		 MAP OF MR. CHURCHILL'S ROUTE

 Dedication

THIS COLLECTION OF LETTERS IS INSCRIBED TO

THE STAFF OF THE NATAL GOVERNMENT RAILWAY

WHOSE CAREFUL AND COURAGEOUS DISCHARGE OF THEIR
EVERY-DAY DUTIES AMID THE PERILS OF WAR
HAS MADE THEM HONOURABLY CONSPICUOUS
EVEN AMONG THEIR FELLOW COLONISTS

Introductory Note

This small book is mainly a personal record of my adventures and impressions during the first five months of the African War. It may also be found to give a tolerably coherent account of the operations conducted by Sir Redvers Buller for the Relief of Ladysmith. The correspondence of which it is mainly composed appeared in the columns of the Morning Post newspaper, and I propose, if I am not interrupted by the accidents of war, to continue the series of letters. The stir and tumult of a camp do not favour calm or sustained thought, and whatever is written herein must be regarded simply as the immediate effect produced by men powerfully moved, and scenes swiftly changing upon what I hope is a truth-seeking mind.

The fact that a man's life depends upon my discretion compels me to omit an essential part of the story of my escape from the Boers; but if the book and its author survive the war, and when the British flag is firmly planted at Bloemfontein and Pretoria, I shall hasten to fill the gap in the narrative.

WINSTON S. CHURCHILL.
March 10, 1900.