In the shadow of death

In the shadow of death

   (For the Afrikaans version, see here.)

In the shadow of death is General Pieter Hendrik Kritzinger’s vivid, first-hand account of the Anglo-Boer War, told amidst the danger of a conflict that reshaped South Africa. Rather than a day-by-day diary, the narrative is carefully shaped—events and reflections are grouped to help the reader grasp the bigger movement of the war, the decisions that had to be made, and what those decisions cost. This combination gives the book much of its power.

The title proves painfully apt as the story moves through hard campaigning and close-quarter fighting, and then into the author’s own wounding and a dramatic court-martial that placed his life in the balance. Spanning antecedents, major engagements, operations into the Cape Colony, the circumstances of surrender, and broader reflections on the war and the Boer fighter, the book offers both gripping narrative and thoughtful interpretation.

The book is comprised of the following chapters:

• Preface;
• Antecedents;
• Dark days;
• Engagements (incl. Stormberg, Sanna's Post and Mostertshoek);
• In tight corners;
• To the Cape Colony;
• Wounded;
• Court-martialled;
• Why we surrendered;
• The Boer as seen in the light of the war;
• The rising in the Cape Colony; and
• War incidents.

Illustrated with portraits and diagrams, this searchable electronic edition also includes a full index for ease of reference.

Language:   English
Pages:   198
Format:  Downloadable PDF (±2.5mb)