From Aldershot to Pretoria

From Aldershot to Pretoria

The Project Gutenberg EBook of From Aldershot to Pretoria, by W. E.
Sellers This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and
with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: From Aldershot to Pretoria A Story of Christian Work among
Our Troops in South Africa
Author: W. E. Sellers
Commentator: R. W. Allen
Release Date: August 7, 2005 [EBook #16460]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM
ALDERSHOT TO PRETORIA ***

Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Taavi Kalju and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

[Illustration: HIS LAST LETTER.]
FROM ALDERSHOT TO PRETORIA
A Story of Christian Work among our Troops in South Africa

BY W.E. SELLERS
WITH AN INTRODUCTION
BY R.W. ALLEN
WITH FIFTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS
Second Impression
LONDON THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY 56 PATERNOSTER
ROW AND 65 ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD

Contents
PAGE
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION: THE EMPIRE AND ITS DEFENDERS 7
CHAPTER II
ALDERSHOT 19
CHAPTER III
OLD ENGLAND ON THE SEA 37
CHAPTER IV
TO THE FRONT 53
CHAPTER V
WITH LORD METHUEN 61

CHAPTER VI
MAGERSFONTEIN 77
CHAPTER VII
THOMAS ATKINS ON THE VELDT 96
CHAPTER VIII
WITH LORD ROBERTS 105
CHAPTER IX
KIMBERLEY 132
CHAPTER X
WITH GATACRE'S COLUMN 129
CHAPTER XI
BLOEMFONTEIN 145
CHAPTER XII
ON TO PRETORIA 161
CHAPTER XIII
HERE AND THERE IN CAPE COLONY 170
CHAPTER XIV
WITH SIR REDVERS BULLER 177
CHAPTER XV

LADYSMITH 193
CHAPTER XVI
'IN JESU'S KEEPING' 222

List of Illustrations
HIS LAST LETTER Frontispiece SOLDIERS' HOMES AT
ALDERSHOT _to face p. 17_
OFF TO SOUTH AFRICA _to face p. 34_
PARADE SERVICE ON THE TUGELA _to face p. 53_
REV. E.P. LOWRY _to face p. 84_
REV. JAMES ROBERTSON _to face p. 90_
BRINGING BACK THE WOUNDED _to face p. 118_
MORNING SERVICE ON THE VELDT _to face p. 133_
SOLDIERS' HOME ON THE FIELD _to face p. 138_
ARUNDEL _to face p. 173_
AMBULANCE WORK ON THE FIELD _to face p. 193_
REV. A.V.C. HORDERN _to face p. 195_
ONE OF THE LADYSMITH HOSPITALS _to face p. 199_
REV. THOMAS MURRAY _to face p. 203_
AMBULANCE WAGGONS ON THEIR WAY TO THE FIELD _to
face p. 210_

Preface
It would have been a grave omission had no attempt been made at the
earliest possible time to place on record some account of the Christian
steadfastness and heroism of the many godly men belonging to every
arm of the service engaged in the war in South Africa, and of the
strenuous work which they did for their comrades, resulting in many
being won for God, comforted when stricken on the battle-field or in
hospital, and even in death enabled to find the life that is eternal.
It would have been equally an omission had not some account been
given of the heroic devotion of the chaplains and the lay agents who
have accompanied the troops in the campaign, sharing their hardships
and ministering to them under all the trying conditions of their service.
When, therefore, I was approached by the secretaries of the Religious
Tract Society, through Rev. R.W. Allen, with a view to preparing some
such record, we both, Mr. Allen and myself, felt that the request must,
if possible, be complied with. And we felt this the more, seeing that the
whole British Force in South Africa has been placed under deep
obligation to them, and to the great Society they represent, for the large
and varied gifts of literature they have sent to our troops during the
progress of the campaign.
It was originally intended that the book should have been written
conjointly by Mr. Allen and myself; but pressure of other work has
made this impossible. I am, however, indebted to Mr. Allen for the
introductory chapter, and for the large stores of information in the way
of correspondence from the Front which he has placed at my disposal.
I am also indebted to the Rev. Dr. Theodore Marshall for information
as to the work of the Presbyterian chaplains. The Rev. E. Weaver, the
Wesleyan chaplain at Aldershot, has also rendered important help.
The book has necessarily been written somewhat hurriedly, and by no
means exhausts the history with which it deals. If, however, it has the

result of deepening the sympathy of all true lovers of their country for
our soldiers and sailors, and in increasing the interest they take in the
good work done on their behalf, and if at the same time it brings cheer
and encouragement to the men in the Army and Royal Navy who are
trying to live manly, Christian lives, the author of the book and the