WAR SKETCHES IN COLOUR

London: Adam & Charles Black, 1903. First Edition and printing. With 66 fine and handsomely reproduced colour plates from the author's sketches and drawings. Large 8vo, in the publisher's original navy blue cloth, the upper cover and spine gilt lettered and decorated in red and orange, t.e.g. xiii, 274 pp. A very good and handsome copy, the plates are all very fine, the text with only a little mellowing, the binding is strong and sturdy and attractive with a little edge wear and minor bumping and a few spots on the blue cloth. A FASCINATING ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE BOER WARS. The author, Captain Stratford Edward St Leger, commanded the Cork Company MI of the Royal Irish Regiment. Although his family was of French/Irish origin he was born in the Cape Colony in 1867 the son of the Anglican Rector of Queenstown. He was educated in England, at Tonbridge school and completed his education at Diocesan College in Rondebosch. He entered the Royal Irish Regiment in 1890 and was an accomplished cricketer and rugby player. In the Boer War he led his company bravely through many battles. He made pencil sketches while on the march and worked them up into coloured paintings when he had time.
The collection is in no sense intended to be a complete history of the Boer War. It is more an attempt to depict a few of the more interesting, and sometimes lesser known, episodes along the advance to Pretoria. Chapters include; The Relief of Kimberly, Some Anecdotes, Siege of Kimberley, After the Siege, Sanna's Post, Crossing the Vaal, Klipriversberg, Life on Commando, the Field Post, Brave Women, Some Leaves from the Sketch Book, and Encouraging the Enemy.