Ballads of the War (London, 1902)
The book records events during the Second Boer War, 1899-1902. It was first published in 1900. A second edition followed in 1902 that included over 40 additional poems plus many photographs.
In his Preface, Hardwicke wrote that the book:
Aims at nothing more than being a record in simple verse, of some of the golden deeds and pathetic incidents of the South African War.
The poems have been arranged, as far as possible, in chronological order; the volume therefore becomes a kind of diary, not only of the battles fought, but also of the state of feeling here in Great Britain at various crises in the campaign.
A short Prefatory Note was written by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Contents
†To Lord Roberts: A Welcome Home (p. 3)
†In the War School: A Recall to the Colours (p. 5)
The Wounded Piper of Elandslaagte (p. 6)
After the Battle (p. 10)
In a Camp Hospital, Elandslaagte (p. 12
Trooper Who Carried the Colonel In (p. 16)
How the Naval Guns Came to Ladysmith (p. 19)
†In Honour of Frederick Greville Egerton, Gunnery-Lieutenant, H.M.S. “Powerful”: Ladysmith, November 2, 1899 (p. 22)
The Leonids and Ladysmith: November 14, 1899 (p. 26)
Death Aboard our Transports: To All Whom It May Concern (p. 27)
To Winston Churchill: Estcourt, November 15, 1899 (p. 28)
An Estcourt Hero (p. 32)
A Hero of Belmont (p. 33)
A Gallant Midshipman: Graspan, November 25, 1899 (p. 37)
Bible v Bullet (p. 39)
At the Grave of Major Scott Turner: Kimberley, November 29, 1899 (p. 43)
Sail Away “Tantallon” (p. 44)
The Black Watch (p. 46)
Carbineers to the Rescue: Arundel, December 11, 1899 (p. 47)
At the Burial of General Wauchope: Modder River, December 13, 1899 (p. 53)
A Timely Confession (p. 57)
A Gunner’s Story: The Battle of Colenso, December 15, 1899 (p. 58)
Another Philip Sydney: Colenso (p. 60)
Resolute (p. 63)
The Sailing of the “Maine” (p. 64)
A Generous Life-Guardsman (p. 66)
An Arm-Chair Critic (p. 68)
A Man of Straw at Ladysmith (p. 69)
Old Mortality: A Sketch at Ladysmith (p. 70)
Home from the Front for Christmas Day (p. 72)
War and the Old Folks’ Creed (p. 75)
To Lord Roberts: On His Departure from England as Commander-In-Chief in South Africa (p. 77)
†The Queen to Lady Roberts (p. 78)
The New Year, 1900 (p. 79)
Britain’s New Year: January 1, 1900 (p. 80)
The Last Question (p. 81)
To the Men of the Border Regiment, Cumberland Sends Thanks and Greetings for 1900 (p. 82)
In Memory of the Late Earl of Ava (p. 85)
†In Memory of Lieutenant Cecil Arbuthnot White (p. 86)
†Gallant Manchester: Cæsar’s Camp, January 6, 1900 (p. 91)
†At Cæsar’s Camp: Ladysmith, Jan. 6 (p. 93)
†To Captain George Kemp, M. P. (p. 94)
A Graveside Memory at Colesberg (p. 97)
The Dead Boy and the Dying Boer (p. 99)
The Day of Intercession: A Village Hymn (p. 102)
The City Imperial Volunteers at St. Paul’s (p. 103)
Mistaken Kindness (p. 106)
†A Hero of Spion Kop (p. 108)
To the High Court of Parliament (p. 113)
A Cry from Cape Town to Westminster (p. 114)
The Bugler’s Wish (p. 116)
†The Relief of Kimberley (p. 119)
To the Hero of Kimberley (p. 122)
Pat O’Leary’s Grave (p. 125)
Love, the Conqueror (p. 127)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning: A Contrast, February 24-25, 1900 (p. 129)
The Queen at Netley (p. 131)
To Kronje on Majuba Day (p. 132)
The Relief of Ladysmith: To General Sir Redvers Buller, February 28, 1900 (p. 135)
In the Burial-Ground at Ladysmith (p. 139)
To General Sir George White (p. 140)
†Balliol to George Steevens: War Correspondent of the “Daily Mail”; He Died at Ladysmith of Enteric Fever (p. 143)
†Starved to Death: At Ladysmith (p. 147)
†The Horrors of War (p. 149)
†The Star of Chivalry (p. 150)
†A Warlike Spring (p. 152)
†To Rimington, King of the Scouts (p. 154)
†How They Saved the Wagon Bridge at Bethulie (p. 161)
†A Brave Postmistress (p. 165)
†Piet Joubert Dead (p. 166)
†To Major E. J. Phipps-Hornby, V.C., of Battery “Q” (p. 169)
†The Spring that Cannot Cheer (p. 170)
†Wounded on Good Friday, April 13, 1900 (p. 172)
†Light in the Darkness: In Honour of Captain E. B. Towse (p. 174)
†A Border Lament (p. 178)
To Colonel, now General Baden-Powell (p. 181)
†In the Grave-Yard ay Mafeking, May 18, 1900 (p. 183)
†The Dying Charger (p. 184)
†The Gallant Earl of Airlie (p. 186)
†Dead for Joy (p. 188)
†To the C.I.V.—Greeting! (p. 191)
†A City’s Welcome to Her Volunteers, Oct. 27, 1900 (p. 192)
†A Brave Trumpeter (p. 194)
†A Gallant Engine Driver (p. 196)
†At a Soldier-Prince’s Funeral (p. 201)
†To Sir Redvers Buller: A Welcome Home (p. 202)
†The Son Who Lives To-Day (p. 204)
†To Lord Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief of H. M. Forces in South Africa (p. 206)
†To De Wet (p. 209)
†To Paul Kruger: At Marseilles (p. 211)
†To Sir Alfred Milner (p. 212)
†The Choir Invisible: Christmas Day, 1900 (p. 215)
Retrospect (p. 216)
†To the Queen, Jan. 22, 1901 (p. 219)
(† indicates poems added to the 1902 edition)