When Lord Roberts was sent to South Africa at the end of 1899 to take over as
Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the region, it was decided that Lord
Kitchener had to go along as his Chief of Staff. These two renowned British
soldiers had radically different personalities, and Kitchener - fresh from his
success in the Sudan - was reputed to be 'difficult', but they did not clash,
and as a matter of fact their abilities complemented each other to a remarkable
degree.
At midnight on 28-29 November 1900 Roberts handed over the command in South
Africa to Kitchener, convinced that only some 'police work' still remained to be
done. However, within a fortnight, the was escalated geographically as well as
in intensity, and the new Commander-in-Chief had to ask for more troops. After
the Middelburg peace talks failed the war became even more bitter. In a
desperate effort to end the conflict (and hopefully be sent to India as
Commander-in-Chief_, Kitchener expanded the blockhouse system, intensified the
scorched-earth policy (which necessitated the establishment of more internment
camps for white and black civilians where thousands of them died), and became
more dependant on an increasing number of blacks and coloureds who served in the
British Army in South Africa - in either a combatant or non-combatant capacity.
In this book, 115 mostly unpublished letters written by or to Kitchener, and
a number of other relevant documents, have been reproduced in full. They include
correspondence between Kitchener and Queen Victoria, Lord Roberts and Mr St John
Brodrick.
Contents:
Editorial Acknowledgments
Introduction
Sources and Editorial Method
Abbreviations (Military, General, Archives and Publications)
Glossary
Prologue. 11 October 1899 to 10 January 1900 From the Commencement of
Hostilities to Kitchener's Arrival in South Africa
Part 1. 11 January to 28 November 1900 Kitchener as Roberts' Chief of Staff in
South Africa
Part 2. December 1900 to March 1901 From the Escalation of the Guerrilla
War to the End of the Middelburg Peace Negotiations
Part 3. April to December 1901 Methods of Barbarism? The Guerrilla War Drags On
Part 4. January to April 1902 The New Model Drives
Part 5. April and May 1902 The Peace Negotiations
Epilogue. 31 May 1902 and Beyond Peace and Aftermath
Notes
Biographical Notes
Bibliography
Index
