The Red Soldier - Letters from the Zulu War, 1879 by Frank Emery

The Red Soldier: Letters from the Zulu War, 1879 by Frank Emery is regarded as one of the most engaging and insightful personal accounts of the Anglo-Zulu War ever published. Rather than presenting a traditional military analysis, Emery reconstructs the conflict through the letters, diaries and correspondence of the ordinary British soldiers who experienced the campaign firsthand. The result is an intimate and often gripping portrait of one of the most dramatic conflicts in nineteenth-century Southern African history.

Covering pivotal events such as the disastrous Battle of Isandlwana and the heroic defence of Rorke's Drift, The Red Soldier captures the emotions, fears and observations of the men who marched into Zululand during the 1879 campaign. Through these contemporary writings, readers gain a vivid understanding of battlefield conditions, camp life, military discipline and the shock experienced by British troops confronting the Zulu impis in combat.

Frank Emery's careful editing and historical context transform these surviving letters into a powerful social and military history resource. The Red Soldier remains highly regarded among collectors of Anglo-Zulu War material, South African military historians and readers interested in Victorian imperial campaigns. This Jonathan Ball Paperbacks edition is especially desirable locally due to its South African publication and accessibility to collectors of regional military history.

The Red Soldier is an important and highly readable addition to any collection focusing on the Anglo-Zulu War, British military history, colonial Southern Africa or nineteenth-century warfare.

Condition - Near Fine 

Near fine 1983 paperback edition. Covers remain clean and well preserved with light shelf wear only. Internally clean and tightly bound. Pages are slightly discolored with age. Overall an attractive collector's copy.