Buy this book on-line Elliott, Major W. J : The Victoria Cross in Zululand and South Africa. Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift(Pietermaritzburg: Africana Book Collectors, 1990) 0620146257 ISBN 0620146257
Africana Book Collectors Pamphlet Series, No. 7. Grant Christison's copy, with his pencilled note on the title page: "Wrote the Intro., saw it through the press." Copy number two of an edition limited to 300 copies, signed on the copyright page by the publisher, Dennis Slotow. A facsimile reprint of the Dean & Son "Deeds of Daring Library" edition of the late 1880s. 190 x 130 mm; pictorial card wrappers; pp. (iv) + 112; contemporary line illustrations, map and plan. Small section of spine and upper cover slightly scratched. Very good condition. 'The original from which this facsimile has been made is in the possession of the publishers. Every effort has been made to reproduce the original appearance, to the extent of retaining the decorative three-colour cover of the original. The cover was of green cloth; hence the green wraps of this facsimile. After an introductory chapter describing the scene on the eve of the British invasion, chapters II and III cover some background material including the Seventh (Cape) Frontier War and the British treatment of Sekhukhune and Cetshwayo. Already the reader has a taste of Elliott's didactic approach which persists through chapters IV to VI dealing with events leading up to the war. Chapters VII to XV set out the progress of the war from invasion to Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, chapter XV treating the Victoria Cross awards. Chapter XVI looks at Pearson's coastal column and XVII wraps up. A striking characteristic of Elliott's handling of his material is his empathy for the Zulu people. He was not alone in the belief that the Anglo-Zulu War had been "one of the most unjust, one of the most aggressive wars" in which Britain had been involved (p35); this view was shared by many Britons at the time and had been popularized by such public figures as the Colenso family who were ardent pro-Zulu campaigners. Elliott is scathing in his criticism of the High Commissioner, Sir Bartle Frere and of commander Chelmsford (pp 36, 37), accusing the latter of violating time-honoured principles of military strategy (pp 111, 112).' - From the Introduction to the Reprint Edition. Click here for full details of this book, to ask a question or to buy it on-line. Bibliophile Bookbase probably offers multiple copies of Elliott, Major W. J : The Victoria Cross in Zululand and South Africa. Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift. Click here to select from a complete list of available copies of this book. Bibliophile Bookbase lists over 5 million books, maps and prints including livres illustrées, livres rares, used books, atlases and libri antichi. Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints. |