Notes

redcoat soldiers in New Zealand and across the British Empire
Charlotte Macdonald
Redcoat soldiers in New Zealand and across the British Empire
495 pages
illustrations, maps, portraits
New Zealand author
Summary: This book explores the lives of soldiers, sailors and their families stationed in Aotearoa New Zealand and across the British empire in the nineteenth century, spanning the decades from 1840 to 1870. It shows how conflict and resistance throughout the empire, from rebellion in India to the Morant Bay uprising in Jamaica, were connected to the colonial project in New Zealand. At the centre of this history are the thousands who served in the British military, from rank-and-file soldiers and bluejackets drawn from working-class Britain and Ireland, to officers from elite backgrounds who purchased their commissions. Through rich archival detail and personal accounts, the book traces the structures, experiences and legacies of military occupation. Acknowledging the impact on Māori communities and whenua, the book offers a critical and unflinching account of how imperial authority was imposed -- and often violently asserted. (Publisher)