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GENERAL GATACRE

THE STORY OF THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF SIR WILLIAM FORBES GATACRE, K.C.B., D.S.O. 1843-1906


  BY BEATRIX GATACRE

  WITH PORTRAITS, MAPS, AND ILLUSTRATIONS

  What I aspired to be
  And was not, comforts me.
                  R. B.

LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.  1910

PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY.

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO
TWO FRIENDS
WITHOUT WHOSE SYMPATHY AND ASSISTANCE
IT WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN WRITTEN

  Assured of worthiness, we do not dread
  Competitors; we rather give them hail
  And greeting in the lists where we may fail:
  Must, if we bear an aim beyond the head!
  My betters are my masters; purely fed
  By their sustainment I likewise shall scale
  Some rocky steps between the mount and vale;
  Meanwhile the mark I have, and I will wed.
  So that I draw the breath of finer air,
  Station is naught, nor footways laurel-strewn,
  Nor rivals tightly belted for the race.
  God-speed to them!  My place is here or there;
  My pride is that among them I have place:
  And thus I keep the instrument in tune.

  GEORGE MEREDITH.


PREFACE

The main object in laying this book before the public is to provide an
authentic narrative of Sir William Gatacre's work in South Africa.  At
the time of his recall no despatch giving the reason for this step was
published, but a letter dealing with this matter has since appeared as
an Appendix in the _Official History_ of the war; it is with reluctance
that I have been persuaded to reprint this letter at the end of this
volume.  It seemed, however, that Sir William's previous career was
such a large factor in determining any opinion regarding his later work
that some account of the man and his surroundings from the beginning
would not be without interest.

In preparing the first half of this story I have been entirely
dependent on the recollections of others, and have studiously avoided
any attempt to eke out the material with an imaginary amplification; in
the latter half my own personal knowledge of himself and his affairs
has enabled {x} me to seek my information from numerous sources, and to
draw the portrait in richer colours on a more suggestive background.

I wish to acknowledge in full the loyal assistance afforded me by my
husband's friends.  In every case I have received the most cordial
response and co-operation.  I am sincerely grateful both to those who
have asked me to refrain from naming them and to those who have given
me the support of their names.  Through the courtesy of these officers
and others, I am able to say that every word has been read by one who
has personal knowledge of the incidents recorded.  In this way I trust
that this narrative will have acquired an unimpeachable accuracy.

I am also deeply indebted to the Official History of the War in South
Africa.  Indeed, before the publication of this authoritative
statement my task would have been impossible.

To the facts therein recorded I have added extracts from officers'
reports, and from Sir William's own letters, and also the words of
certain important telegrams which I had found amongst his papers, and
for the reproduction of which official permission has been graciously
accorded.

I beg the indulgence of the reader for faults of literary inexperience,
and trust that he will recognise my honest endeavour to handle the
facts fairly and dispassionately.

BEATRIX GATACRE.

April 8, 1910.

[Note that only those chapters relevant to his service in South Africa have been included]
Parent Category: Books
Category: Gatacre: General Gatacre
Hits: 1933