Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/316

 3o6 A British Officer African War with active service experience won in the Soudan and Uganda, both of which campaigns had been portrayed by his own pen. During Lord Methuen's advance from the Orange River Colvile was brigadier of the Guards Brigade, a situation which he filled so satisfactorily at Belmont, Graspan, the Modder, and un- lucky Magersfontein that on the eve of Lord Roberts's march he was promoted to the command of the new Ninth Division, made up of the Highland and Smith-Dorrien brigades. In that capacity he figured at the battle of Paardeberg, although but little scope was then given by Lord Kitchener's overmastering personality for the exercise of the responsibilities usually attached to a divisional com- mander. Moreover, ia common with his colleague Kelly-Kenny, the other divisional general present, Colvile differed from the chief of the stafif's conception that one determined effort would suffice to break down the resistance of Cronje's burghers and rush the laager. Events proved the divisional commanders to be right in their fore- cast ; but from that time Colvile seems to have lost ground at head- quarters. Two months later he was despatched in hot haste from Bloemfontein with his division to disentangle Broadwood's column from the trap of Sanna's Post. He arrived to find the fight over, and his infantry soldiers, already weary by a forced march, were easily evaded by De Wet's mounted commando, retiring hastily with its booty of captured guns and wagons. No direct censure was conveyed to Colvile for this failure, but his command was slowly cut down to a brigade and a couple of guns. Accompanied by this force, he was on the march from Lindley to Heilbron in June, 1900, when he received a request for help from the officer commanding a newly raised Irish Yeomanry regiment which had been cut off at Lindley in his rear. Colvile conceived his orders from headquarters to preclude his retracing his steps. Xhe Yeomanry surrendered, and the lieutenant-general was deprived of his command and sent home. Sir Henry's book deals with these events naturally from his point of view, and is in substance an apologia. Much can no doubt be said on both sides. There are some who still think that the superseded general had somewhat hard measure dealt to him. Others will rightly lay stress on the magnitude of a commander- in-chief's responsibility to the nation and the army, and on the necessity laid upon him for subordinating all personal considerations to the need of securing leaders in whom he can place absolute con- fidence. Be that as it may, Colvile's book is written fairly and with little bitterness. It throws instructive light on the staff ar- rangements existing at Lord Roberts's headquarters, and may be accepted on questions of fact as on the whulc trustworthy.