Story of the War in South Africa 1899-1900   By: A. T. Mahan (1840-1914)

[Illustration: CAPTAIN ALFRED T. MAHAN, U.S.N.; D.C.L.]

STORY OF THE WAR

IN

SOUTH AFRICA

1899 1900

By

Captain A. T. Mahan, U.S.N.

With Map and Portrait of the Author

CONTENTS

PAGE CHAPTER I

The Theatre of the War 1

CHAPTER II

The Opening Campaign in Natal to the Investment of Ladysmith (October 11 November 2) 28

CHAPTER III

The Colonies and the Transports 71

CHAPTER IV

The Western Frontier to Magersfontein and Stormberg. Operations of General French about Colesberg 102

CHAPTER V

The Natal Campaign from the Investment of Ladysmith through the Battle of Colenso 177

CHAPTER VI

The Natal Campaign. British Prepare for a Flanking Attack upon the Boers' Right at the Tugela. The Boer Assault on Ladysmith, January 6th 233

CHAPTER VII

Natal Campaign. The Unsuccessful British Attempts to Turn the Boers' Right Flank at Spion Kop and at Vaal Krantz 249

CHAPTER VIII

The Relief of Kimberley and of Ladysmith, and the Surrender of Cronje 266

THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR {p.001}

CHAPTER I

THE THEATRE OF THE WAR

The war in South Africa has been no exception to the general rule that the origin of current events is to be sought in the history of the past, and their present course to be understood by an appreciation of existing conditions, which decisively control it. This is especially true of the matter here before us; because the southern extreme of Africa, like to that of the American continent, has heretofore lain far outside of the common interest, and therefore of the accurate knowledge, of mankind at large. The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, in themselves remote, tempestuous, and comparatively unproductive regions, for centuries derived importance merely {p.002} from the fact that by those ways alone the European world found access to the shores of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The application of steam to ocean navigation, and the opening of the Suez Canal, have greatly modified conditions, by diverting travel from the two Capes to the Canal and to the Straits of Magellan. It is only within a very few years that South Africa, thus diminished in consequence as a station upon a leading commercial highway, has received compensation by the discovery of great mineral wealth.

Thus separated from the rest of the world, by lack of intrinsic value as a region producing materials necessary to the common good, the isolation of South Africa was further increased by physical conditions, which not only retarded colonisation and development, but powerfully affected the character and the mutual relations of the European settlers. Portuguese mariners, after more than half a century of painful groping downward along the West African coast in search of a sea route to India that vague tradition asserted could there be found, in 1486 rounded the Cape of Good Hope, which then received the despondent name of {p.003} the Cape of Storms from its first discoverer, Bartholomew Diaz.