In the Web of a War

Red cloth with titles in gilt to front and spine. Frontispiece portrait of the author. Three map illustrations. 297 pages. 46 more pages of a catalogue list of books by Methuen & Co. (page 39 has some paper loss, see picture. Page edges uncut. A very neat copy.

A sketch of the South African War (1899-1902), from the departure of Lord Roberts from England to the capture of Pretoria. The author is by no means an optimist, and is often a severe critic, even General French not escaping. At times Mr. Battersby has grave censure for the Boer whom he describes as "a creature of talk, a thing of pretenses," but he relates many touching episodes about them, and is evidently quite unbiased. The book ends with several chapters on "The Remaking of an Army," and among the appendices is a note on the climate of the veld. - (Mendelssohn volume 1 page 96)

"An account of the advance to Bloemfontein and Pretoria by a correspondent of the Morning Post. The narrative is followed by chapters on 'The remaking of an army'. Appendices include - The march of the 6th Division from Modder River to Bloemfontein, statistics in reference to killed and wounded, notes on climate, etc." - (Hackett: South African War Books, page 10)