The Boer War: London to Ladysmith via Pretoria and Ian Hamilton's March(Bloomsbury Revelations)

On October 11th, 1899 long-simmering tensions between Britain and the Boer Republics - the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic - finally erupted into the conflict that would become known as the Second Boer War. Two days after the first shots were fired, a young writer by the name of Winston Churchill set out for South Africa to cover the conflict for the Morning Post. The Boer War brings together the two collections of despatches that Churchill published on the conflict. London to Ladysmith recounts the future Prime Minister's arrival in South Africa and his subsequent capture by and dramatic escape from the Boers, the adventure that first brought the name of Winston Churchill to public attention. Ian Hamilton's March collects Churchill's later despatches as he marched alongside a column of the main British army from Bloemfontein to Pretoria. Published together, these books are a vivid eye-witness account of a landmark period in British Imperial History and an insightful chronicle of a formative experience by Britain's greatest war-time leader.

Table of Contents:
London to Ladysmith Foreword I. Steaming South II.The State of the Game III. Along the Southern Frontier IV.In Nata IV. A Cruise in the Armoured Train VI. Distant Guns VII. The Fate of the Armoured Train VIII. Prisoners of War IX. Through the Dutch Camps X. In Afrikander Bonds XI. I Escape from the Boers XII. Back to the British Lines XIII. Christmas and New Year XIV. A Military Demonstration and Some Good News XV. The Dash for Potgieter's Ferry XVI. Trichardt's Drift and the Affair of Acton Homes XVII. The Battle of Spion Kop XVIII. Through the Five Days' Action XIX. A Fresh Effort and an Army Chaplain XX. The Combat of Vall Krantz XXI. Hussar Hill XXII. The Engagement of Monte Cristo XXIII. The Passage of Tugela XXIV. The Battle of Pieters: The Third Day XXV. Upon Majuba Day XXVI. The Relief of Ladysmith XXVII. After the Siege Ian Hamilton's March I. A Roving Commission II. Exit General Gatacre III. At Half-Way House IV. Two Days with Brabazon V. Two Days with Brabazon - continued VI. The Dewetsdorp Episode VII. Ian Hamilton's March VIII. Ian Hamilton IX. The Action of Houtnek X. The Army of the Right Flank XI. Lindley XII. Concerning a Boer Convoy XIII. Action of Johannesburg XIV. The Fall of Johannesburg XV. The Capture of Pretoria XVI. "Held by the Enemy" XVII. Action of Diamond Hill Appendix: Composition of Lieut.-General Ian Hamilton's Force Index

About the Author :
Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on two occasions, from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951-1955. Celebrated as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th Century, he was also a gifted orator, statesman and historian. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953.