[Illustration: CROSSING THE KOMATI RIVER. Drawing by Donald E. M'Cracken.] SOUTH AFRICA AND THE TRANSVAAL WAR BY LOUIS CRESWICKE AUTHOR OF "ROXANE," ETC. WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS VOL. VII.--THE GUERILLA WAR. FROM FEBRUARY 1901 TO THE CONCLUSION OF HOSTILITIES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEACE NEGOTIATIONS FROM FEBRUARY 23, 1901, TO MAY 31, 1902 MANCHESTER: KENNETH MACLENNAN 75 PICCADILLY Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. At the Ballantyne Press CONTENTS--Vol. VII. PAGE CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE viii COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH OF COLUMNS xiv THE SITUATION--FEBRUARY 1901 1 CHAPTER I CONTINUATION OF THE DE WET CHASE, 1ST TO 10TH MARCH--ACROSS THE ORANGE RIVER 7 LYTTELTON'S SWEEPING MOVEMENT--10TH TO 20TH MARCH--THABANCHU LINE 9 CHAPTER II CAPE COLONY--PURSUIT OF RAIDERS--MARCH AND APRIL--CHASING KRUITZINGER 14 CHAPTER III THE OPERATIONS OF GENERAL FRENCH IN THE EASTERN TRANSVAAL, FROM 27TH JANUARY TO 16TH APRIL 1901 19 CHAPTER IV IN THE WESTERN TRANSVAAL--JANUARY TO MAY 31 APRIL, ORANGE RIVER COLONY--OPERATIONS OF GENERAL BRUCE-HAMILTON AND GENERAL RUNDLE 40 CHAPTER V COMBINED MOVEMENT FOR THE CLEARANCE OF THE NORTHERN TRANSVAAL--MARCH AND APRIL 43 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR BINDON BLOOD'S OPERATIONS NORTH OF THE LINE MIDDELBURG--BELFAST--LYDENBURG 45 COLONEL GRENFELL AT PIETERSBURG 48 CHAPTER VI GENERAL ELLIOT'S OPERATIONS FROM KROONSTAD 50 GENERAL ELLIOT'S OPERATIONS--SECOND PHASE 52 CHAPTER VII GENERAL BRUCE-HAMILTON'S OPERATIONS, ORANGE RIVER COLONY (SOUTH) 55 MAJOR-GENERAL C. KNOX, ORANGE RIVER COLONY (CENTRE)--MAY AND JUNE 57 CHAPTER VIII LORD METHUEN, TRANSVAAL (SOUTH-WEST)--MAY AND JUNE 59 CHAPTER IX OPERATIONS BETWEEN THE DELAGOA AND NATAL LINES--MAY AND JUNE 66 BRIGADIER-GENERAL PLUMER IN THE EASTERN TRANSVAAL 68 MAJOR-GENERAL BEATSON'S OPERATIONS 70 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR BINDON BLOOD, EASTERN TRANSVAAL 71 ACTIVITIES AROUND STANDERTON AND HEIDELBERG 73 CHAPTER X LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GRENFELL'S OPERATIONS, TRANSVAAL, N. 75 SITUATION AND SKIRMISHES IN CAPE COLONY--MAY AND JUNE 77 CHAPTER XI ORANGE RIVER COLONY, S.--MAJOR-GENERALS BRUCE-HAMILTON AND C. KNOX--JULY 82