From July 1866 to November 1871 he was at North Camp at Aldershot, first as brigade major then as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General. Having just written to propose to his future wife, he read in 1867 that "General Napier" was to lead an expedition to Abyssinia; he packed his bags and went to London to volunteer, but then learnt that this was not to be William Napier, but General Robert Napier, whom he did not know and who was unlikely to grant him a staff position. With a young family to support but not hopeful of getting a staff position, Wood also studied law, enrolling at the Middle Temple on 30 April 1870.