Frederick S Roberts / John H Lewis
Fred Roberts’ arduous and thrilling first campaign in his own words and lettersLong before Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts ( 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar) reach the highest rank in the British Army, he typically began his military career as a subaltern and it is this action filled period of his life that forms the content of this book. Roberts’ letters home, originally published separately, have been threaded into this narrative in their chronological place. Born in 1832, the son of a general, in Cawnpore, India, Roberts was sent to England to complete his education. He attended Eton College, followed by the military academies at Sandhurst and Addiscombe. 1851 saw him return to India as a Second- Lieutenant in the prestigious Bengal Horse Artillery, ’The Red Men’. When the rebellion erupted in May 1857, Roberts was a staff officer serving with the Peshawar- based Punjab Movable Column. By July he was engaged at the siege, assault and fall of Delhi where he was wounded. He joined the column to relieve the besieged British residency at Lucknow under Sir Colin Campbell, taking part in fierce street fighting. In early 1858 ,at the Battle of Khodagunge, he won the Victoria Cross. In March, he took part in his final action of this period, at Kursi, during the pursuit of retreating mutineers. Two months later, ill and exhausted he boarded ship to sail back to England to recuperate. In later life, Roberts wrote his successful autobiography, and it is from this expansive account of his long career which led to his becoming Commander in Chief, that this Leonaur edition is drawn. A riveting read-highly recommended. Contains illustrations some of which did not feature in the original publications.Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
