Letters from Kimberley: Eyewitness Accounts from the South African War Author: Edward M. Spiers (Editor)
Letters from Kimberley (Collectible First Edition Hardcover)
A Riveting Compendium of Rare Eyewitness Testimony, Unvarnished Siege Letters, and Frontline Combat Correspondence from the Anglo-Boer War
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Letters from Kimberley: Eyewitness Accounts from the South African War
- Author: Edward M. Spiers (Editor)
- Publisher: Frontline Books (An imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd), London
- Publication Date: 2013
- ISBN-10: 1848326572
- ISBN-13: 9781848326576
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Printing (Hardcover).
- Binding: Original publisher's premium cloth boards with a gilt-titled spine, complete with the original illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Royal Octavo (8vo), x + 198 pages. Enriched with historical maps, strategic illustrations, battlefield layout references, a select bibliography, and a thorough index.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus to Near Fine (VG+/NF)
o Exterior / Boards: The original publisher's cloth-bound boards are pristine, square, and structurally flawless. The corners are perfectly sharp and free from bumping, while the spine remains solid, uncreased, and undamaged.
o Interior: The internal text block is immaculate. The white pages, structural maps, and chapter sections are completely crisp, tight, and free of foxing, thumbing, or edge-wear. The volume contains no dealer stamps, library markings, dog-ears, or previous owner inscriptions.
o Provenance: An exceptionally clean, beautifully maintained copy that shows every indication of careful archival ownership. -
The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus to Near Fine (VG+/NF)
o Condition: The original illustrated paper dust jacket is visually stunning, retaining its full vibrant color, crisp edges, and smooth face surfaces. It is free from fading, structural creases, or edge tears. To permanently preserve its immaculate presentation, it has been freshly enclosed within a brand-new, archival-grade plastic protective sleeve.
Synopsis & Historical Value
The defense of Kimberley—and the dramatic military missions launched to relieve it—remains one of the most high-stakes sagas of the South African War. Trapped within the diamond capital, local citizens faced dwindling food stocks, constant Boer artillery shelling, and intense internal political fighting between the local military commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Kekewich, and Kimberley's most volatile, influential resident, Cecil Rhodes. In this highly regarded historical volume, expert military historian Edward M. Spiers brings together 260 carefully curated, raw firsthand accounts of the epic siege. Culled from 99 different British metropolitan and provincial newspapers, these letters capture the immediate experiences of junior officers, civilian residents, local town guards, and even a handful of Boer prisoners. The narrative tracks the bloody combat actions of the relief columns, the spectacular cavalry charges that finally broke the encirclement, and the subsequent pursuit of General Piet Cronjé to his crushing defeat at Paardeberg. Rich with raw human incident, drama, and pathos, this out-of-print first edition provides crucial insights into Victorian frontline warfare, making it an indispensable asset for any serious collector of rare military histories.
The defense of Kimberley—and the dramatic military missions launched to relieve it—remains one of the most high-stakes sagas of the South African War. Trapped within the diamond capital, local citizens faced dwindling food stocks, constant Boer artillery shelling, and intense internal political fighting between the local military commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Kekewich, and Kimberley's most volatile, influential resident, Cecil Rhodes. In this highly regarded historical volume, expert military historian Edward M. Spiers brings together 260 carefully curated, raw firsthand accounts of the epic siege. Culled from 99 different British metropolitan and provincial newspapers, these letters capture the immediate experiences of junior officers, civilian residents, local town guards, and even a handful of Boer prisoners. The narrative tracks the bloody combat actions of the relief columns, the spectacular cavalry charges that finally broke the encirclement, and the subsequent pursuit of General Piet Cronjé to his crushing defeat at Paardeberg. Rich with raw human incident, drama, and pathos, this out-of-print first edition provides crucial insights into Victorian frontline warfare, making it an indispensable asset for any serious collector of rare military histories.
Author Profile: Edward M. Spiers
Edward M. Spiers is a highly distinguished British military historian and the Professor Emeritus of Strategic Studies at the School of History, University of Leeds. Universally recognized as a foremost global academic authority on the Victorian military framework and chemical/biological warfare, Spiers has written extensively on the structural evolution of the British Army. His monumental publications regarding the Anglo-Boer War have been widely praised by academic societies, such as the Historical Association of South Africa, for combining rigorous primary archival extraction with a highly accessible narrative pace.
Edward M. Spiers is a highly distinguished British military historian and the Professor Emeritus of Strategic Studies at the School of History, University of Leeds. Universally recognized as a foremost global academic authority on the Victorian military framework and chemical/biological warfare, Spiers has written extensively on the structural evolution of the British Army. His monumental publications regarding the Anglo-Boer War have been widely praised by academic societies, such as the Historical Association of South Africa, for combining rigorous primary archival extraction with a highly accessible narrative pace.
boer war collectible book edward spiers frontline books pen and sword first edition military history south africa siege of kimberley cecil rhodes rare book anglo boer war eyewitness letters paardeberg cronje diamond fields 2013 used near fine copy