Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Christine P. Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, all other inconsistencies are as in the original. The author's spelling has been maintained. Page 453: The sentence "which [missing word] consider it as still improper to disclose." has been changed to "which I consider as still improper to disclose." Bolded text is marked with =.] [Illustration: General Ben Viljoen and his Secretary (Mr. J. Visser).] MY REMINISCENCES OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR BY GENERAL BEN VILJOEN (ASSISTANT COMMANDANT-GENERAL OF THE TRANSVAAL BURGHER FORCES AND MEMBER FOR JOHANNESBURG IN THE TRANSVAAL VOLKSRAAD) Maps from Drawings by P. Van Breda LONDON: HOOD, DOUGLAS, & HOWARD, 11, CLIFFORD'S INN, E.C. 1902. PREFACE. General Ben Viljoen, while engaged on this work, requested me to write a short introduction to it. This request I gladly comply with. General Viljoen was a prisoner-of-war at Broadbottom Camp, St. Helena, where, after two years' service in South Africa, I was stationed with my regiment. It was at the General's further request that I conveyed this work to Europe for publication. The qualities which particularly endeared this brave and justly-famous Boer officer to us were his straightforwardness and unostentatious manner, his truthfulness, and the utter absence of affectation that distinguishes him. I am certain that he has written his simple narrative with candour and impartiality, and I feel equally certain, from what I know of him, that this most popular of our late opponents has reviewed the exciting episodes of the War with an honesty, an intelligence, and a humour which many previous publications on the War have lacked. During his stay at St. Helena I became deeply attached to General Viljoen; and in conclusion I trust that this work, which entailed many hours of labour, will yield him a handsome recompense. THEODORE BRINCKMAN, C.B. _Colonel Commanding_, _3rd, The Buffs (East Kent Regt.)_ Tarbert, Loch Fyne, Scotland. _September, 1902_ INDEX TO CONTENTS. Page PREFACE BY COL. THEODORE BRINCKMAN, C.B. 5 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER 9 CHAPTER I. THE WAR CLOUDS GATHER 19 II. AND THE WAR STORM BREAKS 24 III. THE INVASION OF NATAL 30 IV. DEFEATED AT ELANDSLAAGTE 40