Chapter III: Preface: v

CHAPTER I EARLY DAYS

A Kentish Celt--A Rebellious Boy--Four Years in the
Navy--With the 19th Hussars--"Captain X Trees"--A
Studious Subaltern--Chafing at Home--The First
Opportunity 1

CHAPTER II WITH THE NILE EXPEDITION

A Forlorn Hope--Scouting in the Desert--The Battle of
Abu Klea--Metammeh--The Death of Gordon--A Dangerous
Retreat--"Major French and His Thirteen Troopers" 10

CHAPTER III YEARS OF WAITING

Second in Command--Maintaining the Barrow
tradition--The Persistent Student--Service in
India--Retires on Half-pay--Renewed
Activities--Rehearsing for South Africa 23

CHAPTER IV ELANDSLAAGTE AND RIETFONTEIN

The Unknown Commander of Cavalry--Who is General
French?--Advancing without Reinforcements--"This is
your Show, French"--The White Flag--The
Chess-Player--The Victor in Anecdote 32

CHAPTER V THE TIDE TURNS

White's Dash from Ladysmith--Nicholson's Nek--The
Reverse at Lombard's Kop--A Cavalry Exploit--French's
Dramatic Escape from Ladysmith 45

CHAPTER VI THE CAMPAIGN ROUND COLESBERG

The Fog of War--A Perilous Situation--Damming "The
Flowing Tide"--Shows His Genius as a Commander--A
Campaign in Miniature--Hoisting Guns on Hilltops--The
Fifty-mile Front--Saving the Situation 52

CHAPTER VII THE DASH TO KIMBERLEY

French's Pledge--The Task--The First Shell--"Hemmed
in"--"We must break through"--The Lancers' Charge--In
and Out of Kimberley--The Surrender of Cronje 67

CHAPTER VIII ROUNDING UP THE BOERS

French in the Modder--At Bloemfontein--French and the
Artist--An Ambush--Doing the Impossible Again--Short
Shrift with Barberton Snipers---Some French Stories 82

CHAPTER IX WORK AT HOME AND RESIGNATION

At Aldershot--Driving Training at High Pressure--
General French is "fairly well pleased"--Strenuous
Manoeuvres--Chief of the Imperial General
Staff--Ulster and Resignation 97

CHAPTER X HIS BELIEF IN CAVALRY

The Lessons of the Boer War--Cavalry _v_. Mounted
Infantry--A Plea for the Lance--The Cavalry
Spirit--Shock Tactics still Useful 106

CHAPTER XI THE MODERN MARLBOROUGH

Europe's Need--The Plight of France--A Delicate
Situation--The Man of "Grip"--A Magnificent Retreat 116

CHAPTER XII FRENCH, THE MAN

A Typical Englishman--Fighting at School--Napoleon
Worship--"A Great Reporter"--Halting Speeches and
Polished Prose. A South African Coincidence--Mrs.
Despard and the Newsboy--The Happy Warrior 121

Index 149

SIR JOHN FRENCH