The Redcoat History Podcast

Disaster!:The worst British defeats of the Victorian era...

The British Army - those famous redcoats, cavalrymen and green clad riflemen - became surprisingly adept at fighting small wars of empire during the Victorian Era.

We won war after war and battled enemies from across the globe.

But it wasn’t all one way traffic.

Yes, I know it’s painful but there were quite a few defeats for the British army.

Today we are looking at five times the British army were defeated during the Victorian era.

You might be able to guess some of them in advance but stay tuned till the end to discover which defeat we consider to be the worst and why they were all worse than you think.

Thanks to Chris Brice for co-writing this episode. His books can be found via this link - https://amzn.to/49y094U 

Redcoats versus Samurais: The story of British troops in Japan during the 1860s

Samurai vs Redcoat. In this episode we examine the multiple times that bayonet and Katana battled during the 1860s. It includes the bombardment of Kagoshima and also the Shimonoseki campaign.

This is the story behind James Clavell’s Gaijin: a tale of samurai, imperialism, politics, war and gunboat diplomacy in the Wild East.

This podcast also sees the first American earn the Victoria Cross and the ancient rule of the Japanese Shoguns come to an end.

Thanks to Joshua Provan for researching and writing the script. His YouTube channel can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresinhistoryland5501

His book Wild East is available via this link - https://amzn.to/3un24KU

Sign up my mailing list to receive your free eBook about the Battle of Isandlwana: 

http://bit.ly/redcoathistory 

The Jameson Raid: Prelude to the 2nd Anglo-Boer War (walking the battlefield)

1895-95.

In the latest Redcoat History Battlefield tour episode, we walk in the footsteps of Leander Starr Jameson and his troops as they try and enter Johannesburg and overthrow the Afrikaner government.

It's a fascinating tale - with a number of interesting and hard to find sites that are well worth a visit.

Please join the Patreon page for early access to content and no ads. https://www.patreon.com/RedcoatHistory 

Purchase: The Fascinating Story of How British Officers Bought and Sold Commissions

Imagine being a senior officer who has never seen service or completed any training. In fact your only qualification is a fat wallet.

To our modern sensibilities and belief in meritocracy it sounds mental. But was it? Today we are looking at the British army’s purchase system - what was it? How did it work and did it lead to an army commanded by rich nit-wits?

Thanks to Dr Chris Brice for researching and co-writing today's episode. His books can be found here: https://amzn.to/3HmTi2d

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

 

The Mini Rorke's Drift You've Never Heard of: Forgotten Sieges of the Basotho Gun War (1880-81)

An important and brutal war that you’ve probably never heard of…

A tribe of well-armed mounted warriors as tough as any in Africa.

A handful of surrounded colonial officials - massively outnumbered and outgunned.

Now if that hasn’t caught your attention then I don’t know what will.

Today we are talking about two sieges and the battles to relieve them during the Basotho Gun War of 1880-81.

Thanks to Cam Simpson. His books can be found via this link - https://amzn.to/47P5yDo

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

 

The First Anglo-Boer War: A full documentary (1880-81)

This episode is a long one - a full and in-depth look at the First Boer War aka the Transvaal Rebellion. It combines a number of my previous episodes into one comprehensive examination of the fighting.

Here are my key sources: Majuba 1881: Ian Castle

A Rain of Lead: Ian Bennet - https://amzn.to/3HbbtaZ

With the Boers in the Transvaal and Orange Free State: C L Norris Newman - https://amzn.to/3Hcaszv

The Transvaal Rebellion: John Laband - https://amzn.to/3NWnox0

The Transvaal War, 1880-81: Lady Bellairs - https://archive.org/details/transvaalwar00belliala/page/n5/mode/2up

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/ If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

The Forgotten Revolutionary War Campaign: The Siege of Pensacola 1781 (w/ Josh Provan)

The American revolutionary war. 

Britain versus the 13 colonies. 

The fledgling United States was backed by the French…but did you know that the Spanish also weighed in against the Brits? 

In fact, beginning in 1779, they fought a successful campaign against the redcoats in the area of Louisiana, Missipissi and Florida. 

Today I’m joined by the one and only Joshua Provan who has just written a book about the campaign and the Spanish Siege of Pensacola. 

The book can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3vc9uQV 

It’s a fascinating story and one I know literally nothing about. 

Sign up for my mailing list via this link:  https://redcoathistory.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=bbf2e8d48ae31c86209421a47&id=7846ca3476 

From the Zulu War to the Somme: The incredible career of Tim Lukin

How’s this for a career? - A gentleman ranker who fought in the Zulu war, later chased Boer Commandos across South Africa, commanded the South African Brigade on the Somme and as if that wasn’t enough, the old war horse went on to take charge of an elite division on the western front.

So who was he? Henry Timson “Tim” Lukin - arguably South Africa's greatest ever General.

Special thanks to Cam Simpson for researching and co-writing this episode. His books can be found here: https://amzn.to/3TDsjab 

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory 

Fit to Command? British Regimental Leadership in the Peninsular War w/ Steve Brown

The Napoleonic wars - the first Great War. An era that saw the British army come of age.

But how much do you know about the officers at the forefront of the war?

Were they all aristocratic buffoons like Henry Simmerson? Were most commissions and promotions paid for? What sort of training did they receive? And were battalion commanders actually younger and more dynamic than their counterparts in other armies?

Historian Steve Brown joins me on the show today and we are going to busting plenty of myths today…The answers to these questions really surprised me and I think you may be shocked.

Steve's fantastic book "Fit to command" can be purchased on the Helion website or via this Amazon link - https://amzn.to/46kuIJq

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

 

The Mazoe Patrol: A daring rescue in the Rhodesian bush (1896)

A forgotten battle deep in the Rhodesian Bush…

 

A handful of Mounted Police battling over a thousand Shona rebels in a running battle. 

 

Its an epic fight that deserves to be remembered. 

 

Today we are talking about the Mazoe Patrol in what is now known as Zimbabwe. 

 

A special thanks to Cam Simpson who researched and wrote this episode. His books on military history are excellent and can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/3QEWtX9 

 

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/

 

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory