W. H. G. Kingston

Blow the Bugle, Draw the Sword: The Wars, Campaigns, Regiments and Soldiers of the British & Indian Armies During the Victorian Era, 1839-1898 W. H. G. Kingston

The men and events that turned the map 'red' for the Queen Empress This is an excellent and readable account of the British and Imperial Armies at war during the great years of Empire. Accessible and entertaining it will satisfy the casual reader and the more serious student of military history alike. The author presents a comprehensive overview of the conflicts of the era, but has also imaginatively complimented these with anecdotes of the participants. These illuminate the history with vignettes of action and courage which bring the regiments and their men, their various exotic enemies and the battlefields of many lands vividly to life. These include the final battles for the British dominance of the Indian sub-continent including the First Afghan War 1839-42, the conquest of Scinde 1843, the Gwalior War 1843 and the First and Second Sikh Wars 1845-49. The 1850's brought conflict with Russia in the Crimea, a mutiny in the Indian Army, a campaign in Persia and collision with the ancient empire of China. Ferocious battles with the Maoris as New Zealand was settled by Europeans followed in 1863 before the race to claim Africa pitted British troops against an unbalanced Emperor in Abyssinia, a despot in West Africa, the mighty martial tribe of the Zulus and pitched battles in the sands of the north against the Mahdi and his army of religious zealots. In Afghanistan the tribes of the burning Northwest Frontier remained in turmoil as the Great Game was played out. The book concludes-as the 19th century itself drew to a close-with the epic account of how a British Army marched along the banks of the Nile to revenge the death of Gordon and re-conquer the Sudan.