The Natal Campaign

 Bennet Burleigh's The Natal Campaign delivers a riveting, eyewitness account of the early stages of the Second Boer War, focusing on the key military engagements that unfolded in the British colony of Natal. As a war correspondent embedded with British forces, Burleigh offers vivid battlefield reporting from Colenso, Spion Kop, and Ladysmith — battles that defined the brutal and often bungled imperial strategy. His writing captures not only the ferocity of combat but also the political tensions, logistical failures, and morale issues that plagued the British Army. Through detailed observation and sharp critique, Burleigh exposes the hubris and miscalculations of military leadership while honoring the grit of the soldiers on the ground. The Natal Campaign stands as both a gripping war chronicle and a sobering reflection on colonial warfare at the turn of the century.