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Following encouragement from others on this site (Thank you @The Judge and @Gonk the Insane ), I’m going to give details of a book that I’ve just published through Createspace. Please note that it is not science fiction/fantasy but is Victorian Military History. My father wrote it in the 1980s and I thought it would be a nice gesture to get it published now that it is relatively easy to do this.
The title:
“A Bad Nile
Sir Garnet Wolseley and the Sudan Campaigns1884-1885”
The cover blurb:
A Bad Nile is an account of the British campaigns in the Sudan of 1884-1885, with a particular focus on the Desert and River Columns of Sir Garnet Wolseley’s unsuccessful Nile Expedition to relieve General Gordon and Khartoum. It describes the remarkable achievement of the River Column in transporting a fighting force up a low-water Nile, and analyses in detail the Battles of El Teb, Tamai, Abu Klea, Abu Kru, Kirbekan, Hasheen and Tofrek.
Leigh Maxwell is the author of “My God - Maiwand!” and “The Ashanti Ring”
It can be found at:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/197659149X/?tag=brite-21
https://www.amazon.com/dp/197659149X/?tag=id2100-20
My father had previously written two books, both of which were well received:
“My God - Maiwand!” about the 1880 British defeat at Maiwand in the Second Afghan War
“The Ashanti Ring” concerning the campaigns 1870 – 1882 of Sir Garnet Wolseley and the group of officers around him, on the Gold Coast, and in South Africa and Egypt.
This book is very much a continuation from “The Ashanti Ring” as it involves the same commander and many of the same officers in their attempt to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum, eventually arriving in sight of the city just two days after it had fallen, and Gordon had been killed.
I know very little of military history, so can make no comment on the accuracy of the contents, but I know that my father was thorough in his research for his books. I have edited minimally, mainly changing punctuation or re-arranging the occasional sentence. I appreciate that while the manuscript was his final draft, there would inevitably have been some rewriting before publication by a professional publisher and the quality of the maps would have been significantly improved.
Despite my lack of knowledge, I found the book surprisingly interesting, particularly as there are obvious uncomfortable similarities with modern day wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The hardship and desperate bravery on both sides were remarkable. The British forces got themselves into all kinds of difficulties. For instance, there’s one incident, the “Battle of Abu Kru”, where a British column is bogged down a mile from the Nile, desperately thirsty and knowing that they will not survive in any fighting capacity into the next day without water. They know that their only hope is for the Sudanese to attack, but this does not happen as the Sudanese are happy to let them get weaker and weaker. It seems inevitable that total disaster will ensue. Then to British amazement, in the evening the attack starts, giving rise to a great cheer from the ranks. The enemy force are driven back with great loss, and the column is able to reach the Nile and quench their thirst. The important thing in these battles seemed to be for the British troops to keep their discipline and square formation, and take advantage of their organised firepower: if one section of any of the sides got breached, they were in major trouble as the attackers could flood in and attack the other sides from the rear.
Here are some pictures from the National Army Museum:
Battle of Abu Klea, 17 January 1885 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London
'Bird's-Eye view of the Battle of Abu-Klea', 17 January 1885 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London
I intend to do relatively little to network concerning this book. It is enough for me that it is published. I appreciate that it appeals to a relatively small group of enthusiasts, and I think that they will find their way to it eventually.
The title:
“A Bad Nile
Sir Garnet Wolseley and the Sudan Campaigns1884-1885”
The cover blurb:
A Bad Nile is an account of the British campaigns in the Sudan of 1884-1885, with a particular focus on the Desert and River Columns of Sir Garnet Wolseley’s unsuccessful Nile Expedition to relieve General Gordon and Khartoum. It describes the remarkable achievement of the River Column in transporting a fighting force up a low-water Nile, and analyses in detail the Battles of El Teb, Tamai, Abu Klea, Abu Kru, Kirbekan, Hasheen and Tofrek.
Leigh Maxwell is the author of “My God - Maiwand!” and “The Ashanti Ring”
It can be found at:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/197659149X/?tag=brite-21
https://www.amazon.com/dp/197659149X/?tag=id2100-20
My father had previously written two books, both of which were well received:
“My God - Maiwand!” about the 1880 British defeat at Maiwand in the Second Afghan War
“The Ashanti Ring” concerning the campaigns 1870 – 1882 of Sir Garnet Wolseley and the group of officers around him, on the Gold Coast, and in South Africa and Egypt.
This book is very much a continuation from “The Ashanti Ring” as it involves the same commander and many of the same officers in their attempt to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum, eventually arriving in sight of the city just two days after it had fallen, and Gordon had been killed.
I know very little of military history, so can make no comment on the accuracy of the contents, but I know that my father was thorough in his research for his books. I have edited minimally, mainly changing punctuation or re-arranging the occasional sentence. I appreciate that while the manuscript was his final draft, there would inevitably have been some rewriting before publication by a professional publisher and the quality of the maps would have been significantly improved.
Despite my lack of knowledge, I found the book surprisingly interesting, particularly as there are obvious uncomfortable similarities with modern day wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The hardship and desperate bravery on both sides were remarkable. The British forces got themselves into all kinds of difficulties. For instance, there’s one incident, the “Battle of Abu Kru”, where a British column is bogged down a mile from the Nile, desperately thirsty and knowing that they will not survive in any fighting capacity into the next day without water. They know that their only hope is for the Sudanese to attack, but this does not happen as the Sudanese are happy to let them get weaker and weaker. It seems inevitable that total disaster will ensue. Then to British amazement, in the evening the attack starts, giving rise to a great cheer from the ranks. The enemy force are driven back with great loss, and the column is able to reach the Nile and quench their thirst. The important thing in these battles seemed to be for the British troops to keep their discipline and square formation, and take advantage of their organised firepower: if one section of any of the sides got breached, they were in major trouble as the attackers could flood in and attack the other sides from the rear.
Here are some pictures from the National Army Museum:
Battle of Abu Klea, 17 January 1885 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London
'Bird's-Eye view of the Battle of Abu-Klea', 17 January 1885 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London
I intend to do relatively little to network concerning this book. It is enough for me that it is published. I appreciate that it appeals to a relatively small group of enthusiasts, and I think that they will find their way to it eventually.
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