Canada's Little War: Fighting for the British Empire in Southern Africa, 1899-1902 (review)

As suggested by the bibliography in Canada's Little War, interest in this country's contribution to the Boer War was not great from 1914 to the 1970s. As the twentieth century entered its final decades, surprisingly few studies had been added to the first books, mostly personal experiences, published immediately following the outbreak of war in 1899. During the past thirty years more works have been produced, and Carman Miller has led the charge. In addition to his many excellent articles on the Boer War, his 'admirable volume' Painting the Map Red, reviewed by Richard Clippingdale in the Canadian Historical Review of December 1994, served 'to rescue that first major Canadian overseas military venture from obscurity in a careful and colourful account.'

Canada's Little War is even more 'colourful,' as Miller's summary of Painting the Map Red is complemented by excellent photographs and drawings from the period and photographs of some artifacts from the Canadian War Museum collection. The text provides a concise account of Canada's role in the war by concentrating, as the author informs readers, 'more on the home front than one might expect, especially the relationship between the home front and the war front. It recounts in detail only three battles, Paardeberg, Liliefontein and Harts River' (6). Those seeking fuller discussion of military aspects are directed to Painting the Map Red. While this approach is certainly defendable, it could have been more accurately reflected in a subtitle with less emphasis on fighting and on events in Southern Africa; Canada and the South African War, the subtitle of Painting the Map Red, would seem more appropriate, as over half the book deals with events, discussions, and attitudes in Canada.

Canada's Little War begins with a description of the underlying causes of the conflict and how they were interpreted in Canada. Looking at the press, politicians, and public opinion, Miller skilfully presents differences between anglophones and francophones, nationalists and imperialists, urban and rural dwellers to show which questions involving Canadian participation divided Canadians, which questions united them, and how this unity evolved over time. The author's ability to meaningfully describe Anglo-Franco relations without oversimplifying is particularly apparent in the chapter on the Montreal flag riot.

Carman Miller illustrates his deep understanding of the subject with his description of the social composition of the 7368 volunteers. Not representative of the male population, as contemporaries claimed, the volunteers were largely young, single, anglophone, urban workers. The presentation of public farewells, welcome-home activities, and memorials provides concrete examples to support his affirmations of how Canadians saw the war and their soldiers and his conclusion that 'the memory of Canada's Boer War has bequeathed a mixed, ambiguous legacy, one that fuelled the cause of nation building, though not always the same nation' (90).

The description of fighting the war overseas highlights successes and failures. Canadian participation in the battles of Paardeberg, Liliefontein, and Harts River reinforced a growing faith in citizen soldiers and desire for Canadian military autonomy from the British regulars. However, Miller points out, the Canadian failures (notably the flight of four companies at Paardeberg) were also part of the legacy, and some readers will wish that he had more space to develop his comment that 'military thinkers and reformers sought lessons to support changes in strategy, tactics, organization and materiel' (92).

Indeed, many interesting themes and events deserve greater development, and the main weakness of this short book is that it is short. There is one very minor error: a reference to seven Queen's scarves crocheted by Queen Victoria instead of eight (four were sent to Lord Roberts, one for each of the colonial contingents, and four to her grandson to be awarded to British units). Of course, the problem of this book being too brief is lessened by the existence of the many other outstanding works that have earned Carman Miller his rightful...