Natal threatened--Armoured trains--Ladysmith bombarded--Assault on the town--The Boers at Chieveley--Armoured train wrecked near Chieveley--Endeavours to clear the obstruction--Capture of Mr. Winston Churchill--The Estcourt garrison in danger--Shelling of Mooi River Camp--Boer advance checked at Nottingham Road--The Willow Grange fight--Arrival of Lord Dundonald and General Buller--Comparison of the opposing armies--The forward movement begins--Boer position at Colenso--Buller determines to attack 70-89 CHAPTER VI.--THE FIRST BATTLE OF COLENSO. Dec. 15, 1899. The battle begins--Bombardment of Fort Wylie--Artillery pushed forward--The Boers open fire--The guns abandoned--General Hart's position--The Dublin Fusiliers attempt to ford the Tugela--Their retirement ordered--Failure to carry Hlangwane--Advance of Hildyard's Brigade--General withdrawal ordered--Death of Lieutenant Roberts--Guns and men captured by the Boers--Retirement effected in good order--Our losses--Scarcity of water--Bravery of the Army Medical Corps--Impressions of an eye-witness--Armistice--A day of blunders 90-109 CHAPTER VII.--THE BATTLE OF STORMBERG. Nov. 2-Dec. 10, 1899. Mistakes of the Boer Generals--British withdraw from Naauwpoort and Stormberg--General Gatacre takes command--Advance of the Boers--Omnibus Horses for the Artillery--Conditions of successful attack--Gatacre moves upon Stormberg--The forces detrain at Molteno--The wrong road taken--The column surprised--The fight--Fatigue of the British troops--A gun abandoned--Order to retreat given--The dead and wounded left--Narrow escape of the armoured train--The return to Molteno--British losses--Disastrous results--The Boers seize Colesberg--British re-occupy Naauwpoort--Arrival of General French 110-129 CHAPTER VIII.--LORD METHUEN'S ADVANCE. Nov. 10-23, 1899. Lord Methuen takes charge of the Western Campaign--Reconnaissance towards Belmont--Heavy loss of officers--Lord Methuen reinforced--Advance to Fincham's Farm--British victory at Belmont--Chaplain Hill's bravery--Contraventions of usages of war--Boers retreat--Frontal attack criticized--Lord Methuen congratulates the troops 130-144 CHAPTER IX.--LORD METHUEN'S ADVANCE--_continued_. Nov. 23-Dec. 2, 1899.