Zululand at War 1879. The Conduct of the Anglo-Zulu War

Sepia-illustrated turquoise dustjacket with reversed white lettering, green cloth-boards, illustrated endpapers, frontispiece, preface and introduction plus 299 pp of text, appendixes and index with 69 inserted plates and an inserted map

• This is one of the first Brenthurst series of 10 volumes, based on manuscript material in the Brenthurst Library, by various authors and editors and under the general editorship of Eric Axelson
• The copy is complete, unmarked and undiscoloured and in near-fine throughout, with the only shortcoming being a few very small chips to the dustjacket (see image)

From the introduction:

"For over a hundred years the Anglo-Zulu War has remained a source of great interest and controversy. On 22 January 1879 Queen Victoria's proud redcoats were soundly defeated by King Cetshwayo's well-trained and courageous soldiers at Isandlwana.

"Some hours later the tide was partly turned with the heroic British defence by the tiny garrison of Rorke's Drift. However, British prestige and honour was again shattered when the young Prince Imperial of France, Louis Napoleon, was killed whilst out on a mapping expedition in Zululand.

"Lord Chelmsford, commander of the British forces in southern Africa, was superseded by the ambitious general Sir Garnet Wolseley, but not before Chelmsford had led his men to victory at Ulundi. It was left to Wolseley to Capture Cetshwayo and to end hostilities.

"Inadequacies of the British army had been revealed in the Crimean War and reforms had supposedly been introduced to remedy the defects, but the Anglo-Zulu War showed clearly that many shortcomings still remained, especially in the sphere of transport and supply. 

"The letters in this volume, all previously unpublished, reveal the struggle for change and the opposing conservative and reforming elements within the army. [The letters were] written mostly by officers serving in Zululand [and] the texts are freely expressed, without fear of censorship."