The Relief of Mafeking. How it was Accomplished by Mahon\'s Flying Column; With an Account of Some Earlier Episodes in the Boer War of 1899-1900

8vo; original red cloth, lettered in gilt on spine and upper cover; pp. x + (ii) + 293 + (iii) + 47; frontis. portrait and a further 6 plates, incl. 2 maps. Spine slightly sunned; bumps to bottom fore-corners; earlier owner\'s name pencilled on title page; some light browning. Very good condition. (Hackett, p. 203; Mendelssohn II, p. 644) \'The first three chapters deal with the scenes witnessed during the embarkation of the troops for South Africa from Liverpool and Southampton, and a point is made of the contrast between the enthusiasm of the send-off of the troops and the apathy with which the returned wounded were received on their arrival home. The author asserts that an English officer made the following remark to him, \"I love the Boers even though I am fighting them. ... I have been in houses here (Wynberg) where I knew there were guns stored for the enemy,\" &c. Mr. Young arrived at Modder River on February 17th, and states that the battle of Magersfontein was \"sentimentally magnified out of all proportion to its military importance.\" He afterwards proceeded to Kimberley, from which town he sent a cable to his paper euologising the De Beers Company for their assistance to the town during the siege; but in this volume he withdraws the compliment, stating that it was suggested to him \"by this good friend the Censor,\" who, he insinuates, was under the influence of the Company, which in his opinion merely did its duty. There are some severe strictures respecting the looting and burning of farms, and it is maintained that these practices had a bad effect on the colonial soldiers, gratifying their feelings of revenge and hatred. There is an account of Lord Methuen\'s expedition to Boshof and the surrounding country, which resulted in the defeat and death of Villebois, and throughout the volume much praise and admiration are expressed for the former General. The author accompanied General Bryan Mahon on the Mafeking Relief Expedition, and was present at the engagements culminating in the relief of the town.\' - Mendelssohn.