"The Jameson Raid of 1895-1896 was a pivotal moment in the history of South Africa ... For over a century, the failed revolution has been interpreted through the lens of British imperialism, with responsibility laid at the feet of Cecil John Rhodes. ... [Charles van Onselen] identifies Californian mining engineer John Hays Hammond ... as the principal architect of the attempted coup in Paul Kruger's Boer republic. In so doing, he uncovers the hidden history of the American West on the South African Highveld, situating Hammond's career against the backdrop of the global expansion of the United States during the Gilded Age."--Dust jacket.