SCENE OF FIGHTING AT MONTE CRISTO 125 BALLOON MAP--BATTLE OF PIETERS AND RELIEF OF LADYSMITH 135 SIGNAL APPARATUS OF H.M.S. "FORTE" 146 KING'S POST, LADYSMITH 151 MAP OF OPERATIONS ON ORANGE RIVER 165 SIGNAL STATION AT BLOEMFONTEIN 182 NATIVE CHURCH, MAFEKING 199 MAP SHOWING ADVANCE TO MAFEKING 205 LOBATSI RAILWAY STATION 212 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE----VOL. IV. FEBRUARY 1900. 12-13.--General French, following up Hannay's movement, crossed Riet River, and next day with a strong force marched twenty-five miles into the Free State, seized Klip Drift on the Modder River, occupied the hills to the north, and captured three of the enemy's laagers, with supplies. 13-14.--6th (Kelly-Kenny's) Division on north bank of the Riet River at Waterfall Drift. 14.--Lord Roberts advanced to Dekiel's Drift. 15.--General French reached and relieved Kimberley, captured Boer laager and supplies, and forced the enemy to withdraw. The Boers evacuated Majersfontein and Spyfontein, retreating to Koodoosrand Drift. 16.--General Kelly-Kenny, in pursuit of Cronje retiring east with 10,000 men on Bloemfontein, captured 78 waggons with stores, 2 waggons with Mauser rifles, and 8 waggons with shell belonging to Cronje's column. Capture of Cingolo Hill by Sir Redvers Buller's force. Lord Roberts occupied Jacobsdal. Flight of Cronje's force and occupation of Majersfontein by the Guards. 17.--Cronje's force overtaken and surrounded at Paardeberg. General Brabant engaged the enemy near Dordrecht. Successful reconnaissance by Colonel Henderson from Arundel. 18.--Severe fighting at Paardeberg, where Cronje was being gradually surrounded. Capture of Monte Cristo. General Lyttelton's Division, by a brilliant converging movement, drove the Boers across the river. 19.--Capture of Hlangwane by the Fusilier Brigade. The Boers evacuated the hill, and left a large camp behind them. Bombardment of Cronje's position began. Boer reinforcements driven back. Cronje asked for armistice, but Lord Kitchener demanded his surrender; Cronje refused, and was then bombarded heavily. Reoccupation of Dordrecht. General Brabant entered the town in the morning, the Boers taking to flight. 20.--General Hart occupied Colenso. Lord Roberts defeated Boer reinforcements at Paardeberg. 21.--5th Division crossed the Tugela at Colenso. 23.--Advance on Ladysmith continued. The Boers' position at Grobler's Kloof attacked. The cordon round Cronje began to close in. Captain Hon. R. H. L. J. de Montmorency, V.C. (21st Hussars), killed while doing magnificent work with his Scouts near Stormberg.