I recently finished reading the seventh novel in the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser – Flashman and the Redskins. MacDonald Fraser’s takes the character of Flashman from Thomas Brown’s “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” in which Flashman is the bully who torments Tom Brown at Rugby School. In the Flashman novels, Flashie has grown up to be a high ranking soldier, knight of the realm, womaniser, cad, scoundrel and coward who works his way around the globe in a series of sdventures that bring him into contact with many famous characters and situations from real history. The novels are very cleverly done, being lightly edited versions of Flashman’s memoirs, backed up by footnotes to various types of corroborating historical evidence.
In Flashman and the Redskins, Flashie returns to the United States of America, first escaping from a tight spot by joining the wagon trains to the Californian goldrush and then, later in life, fetching up by a fairly convoluted route as a witness to General Custer’s last stand with the 7th Cavalry at the Little Bighorn. The two sections of Flashman’s life are cleverly tied together and the level of historical detail is so great that it almost spoils the flow of the story. Of course there is never any doubt that Flashman will come through unscathed with a few more female conquests along the way but the story gives another very readable dose of Flashman magic in another unusual setting.
Tim O'Hare 
The Flashy books are great. I’ve read them all and was saddened when GMcDF died last year because there will be no more.
If you liked Flashman then you will love The Pyrates (which has strong Plymothian links) and Mr American (in which Flashy makes a brief cameo appearance).
Wonderful stories, wonderfully written and as you say packed with historical detail.
I once heard a poem on Radio One based on the life and, more explicitly, the death of Rani Lakshmibai (featured Flashman and the Mountain Of Light (?)) which was brilliant. I’d love to get hold of that poem if anybody knows what it is called or who wrote it..