At the Point of the Bayonet : A Tale Of The Mahratta War

by G. A. Henty

Overview

The story of the war in which the power of the great Mahratta confederacy was broken is one of the most stirring pages of the campaigns which, begun by Clive, ended in the firm establishment of our great empire in the Indian Peninsula. When the struggle began, the Mahrattas were masters of no small portion of India; their territory comprising the whole country between Bombay and Delhi, and stretching down from Rajputana to Allahabad; while in the south they were lords of the district of Cuttack, thereby separating Madras from Calcutta. The jealousies of the great Mahratta leaders, Holkar and Scindia, who were constantly at war with each other, or with the Peishwa at Poona, greatly facilitated our operations; and enabled us, although at the cost of much blood, to free a large portion of India from a race that was a scourge--faithless, intriguing and crafty; cruel, and reckless of life. The Mahrattas, conquering race as they were, yet failed in the one virtue of courage. They could sweep the land with hordes of wild horsemen, could harry peaceful districts and tyrannize over the towns they conquered; but they were unable to make an effective stand against British bayonets and British sabres. They were a race of freebooters; and even the most sentimental humanitarian can feel no regret at the overthrow of a power that possessed no single claim to our admiration, and weighed like an incubus upon the peoples it oppressed. The history of the Mahrattas, as written by Grant Duff, whose account I have, throughout, followed, is one long record of perfidy, murder, and crime of all sorts.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940161246214
Publisher:	Freeday Shop
Publication date:	08/08/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

George Alfred Henty was born on 8 December, 1832, at Trumpington, near Cambridge, the second son of the four children of coal mine manager James Henty (1799-1872) and Mary Bovill (1808-1887). Whilst attending the Westminster School he took to physical pursuits such as rowing and boxing, activities he would continue at Caius College, Cambridge, where he studied the classics. Later in life yachting became one his many passions. At the outbreak of the Crimean War Henty and his brother Frederick were commissioned for service and the Morning Advertiser published his letters home. Frederick died after contracting cholera, and Henty was invalided home. Upon arrival home he continued his writing whilst rehabilitating. The now-promoted captain and Elizabeth Finucane (1836–1865) married on 1 July, 1857, with whom he'd have four children. In 1865 Elizabeth died of tuberculosis. His two daughters Maud Elizabeth (d.1879) at the age of eighteen, and Ethel Mary (d.1882) at the age of nineteen, also died of tuberculosis. Overcome with grief that lasted for many years, Henty resigned his position as captain because it wasn't sufficient to support his family. He then launched into his career as war correspondent for The Standard. He endured many adventures of derring-do whilst in the company of Garibaldi in Italy and Sir Robert Napier in Abyssinia. The March to Magdala and All but Lost, collections of his reports were published in 1868. During the Franco-Prussian War he spent time with both the German and French sides. He then found himself reporting on campaign events in Russia and Africa. The Illustrated London News as well as The Standard were publishing his reports. After writing of the Spanish Civil War, Henty accompanied the Prince of Wales on a royal tour of India. After many years of service, Henty was starting to weary of the travails of war and conflict, physically and spiritually, and finally resigned.