Letters from Ladysmith: Eyewitness Accounts from the South African War by Edward M Spiers

Letters from Ladysmith: Eyewitness Accounts from the South African War by Edward M Spiers

Edward Spiers, a leading authority on the Victorian British army, presents here a select edition of letters from the siege of Ladysmith (1899-1900) that have not been seen since their original publication in metropolitan and provincial newspapers. The 250 letters were published in different British newspapers and provide crucial insights into contemporary perceptions of the battles that preceded the siege, the onset of the siege itself, and the desperate and bloody attempts to relieve the town. Subsequent efforts to defend Ladysmith - and to march to its relief - became the great dramatic saga of the early phase of the Anglo-Boer War, providing the context for a series of dramatic battles that embarrassed the Empire and destroyed established reputations. Much has been written about the failings of the British commanders but it is clear that in no other theatre in the war were the practical difficulties so real - or the stakes so high. These letters reflect vividly the feelings of junior officers and other ranks as they struggled to cope with the demands of modern warfare, These eyewitness testimonies provide first-hand commentary upon the events in Natal that shattered the pre-war confidence in Britain.

Spiers, Edward: - EDWARD M. SPIERS is the Professor of Strategic Studies at the School of History, University of Leeds. He is the author of several books and articles on military history, including _Letters from Ladysmith_ and _The Late Victorian Army_, and co-editor of _A Military History of Scotland_ which won the Saltire Prize for the best book on Scottish history in 2012.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781848325944
ISBN 10	1848325940
Title	Letters from Ladysmith: Eyewitness Accounts from the South African War
Author	Edward M Spiers
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2011-02-20
Number of pages	206
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.