E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Christine P. Travers, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 25618-h.htm or 25618-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/6/1/25618/25618-h/25618-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/6/1/25618/25618-h.zip) 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. THE SECOND BATTALION ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR With a Description of the Operations in the Aden Hinterland by MAJORS C. F. ROMER & A. E. MAINWARING [Illustration: _W. & D. Downey._ H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, K.G., Commander-in-Chief of The Mediterranean Forces, and Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Dublin Fusiliers.] [Illustration: E Libris, The Royal Dublin Fusiliers.] London: A. L. Humphreys, 187 Piccadilly, W. 1908 PREFACE The 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers is one of the oldest regiments in the service. It was raised in February and March, 1661, to form the garrison of Bombay, which had been ceded to the Crown as part of the dowry of the Infanta of Portugal, on her marriage with King Charles II. It then consisted of four companies, the establishment of each being one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, two sergeants, three corporals, two drummers, and 100 privates, and arrived at Bombay on September 18th, 1662, under the command of Sir Abraham Shipman. Under various titles it took part in nearly all the continuous fighting of which the history of India of those days is principally composed, being generally known as the Bombay European Regiment, until in March, 1843, it was granted the title of 1st Bombay Fusiliers. In 1862 the regiment was transferred to the Crown, when the word 'Royal' was added to its title, and it became known as the 103rd Regiment, The Royal Bombay Fusiliers. In 1873 the regiment was linked to the Royal Madras Fusiliers, whose history up to that time had been very similar to its own. By General Order 41, of 1881, the titles of the two regiments underwent yet another change, when they became known by their present names, the 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal Dublin Fusiliers.