FOUR MONTHS BESIEGED

First edition: 244 pages, frontispiece, folding colour map, 3 plans, 6 plates, original blue blind stamped titled gilt on the upper cover and spine - which is starting to fray at the top and bottom, bookplate on the front pastedown endpaper, a good copy.

MacMillan's Colonial Library

Mendelssohn (Sidney) South African Bibliography vol 2 page147: The volume consists of the letters and diaries of the author, who was in Natal "when the war broke out," and remained in Ladysmith throughout the siege. It is stated that Sir George White strongly advocated the abandonment of the northern district of Natal, but "allowed himself to be overborne by the urgent representations of Sir W.F. Hely-Hutchinson, the Governor." It is observed that in the early days of the investment, twenty Boers were allowed to come through the lines into the town to demand an exchange of wounded, and these men, it is believed, gave valuable information to the enemy's gunners on their return, ....' All the main events of the siege are related and 'there is an interesting description of the great assault by the Burghers on Caesar's Camp and Waggon Hill, resulting in a brilliant victory for the British, which was celebrated by a "Te Deum" at the English Church...