Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Hu Rhu on January 20, 2018, 03:09:37 PM
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I am looking for some good reading material on the Indian Mutiny. Is there one 'go to' book that anyone can recommend?
One with good maps would be very useful as I am finding it a little difficult to understand the geography.
Many thanks.
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My favourite is The Great Mutiny by Christopher Hibbert,lots of plates but only one map but clearly marked for all the major areas of conflict.There's also the novel Flashman in the Great Game for period flavour and I can't recommend highly enough a visit to Iron Duke's site for lots of info on all aspects of the campaign.
Cheers
Keith
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I'm interested to see the responses here as it's something I know very little about and wouldn't mind giving it some reading.
Another great novel set in this period is The Siege of Krishnapur by JG Farrell which is outstanding.
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Definitely go to the Iron Duke website for a huge amount of relevant information on the campaigns, battles etc.
I’d also start with Hibbert as a first introductory over view of the Mutiny. And Flashman is a ‘must read’.
Then there’s various accounts of the different stages of the war; ‘The Last Mughal’ (Dalrymple) for Delhi, ‘Our Bones are Scattered’ for Cawnpore, ‘A Season in Hell’ (Edwardes) for Lucknow, for starters.
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Another vote for Hibbert's book. Great, great read.
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Thanks for the recommendation. Just bought a paperback copy off Ebay.
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I’ll also recommend “The Last Mughal”. It’s one of the best sources for the Indian side of the conflict.
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A Season in Hell by Michael Edwardes about the Siege of Lucknow is an excellent source for inspiration. Don't recall how many maps but I've always liked it better than Hibbert's broad coverage, though Hibbert is good, too - and if memory serves it covers Cawnpore rather well. It has been many, many years since I read it but I believe there were quite a few illustrations in the version I read, hard bound, and some maps.
I'd love to see a good Orders of Battle source for the period.
Will have to check out Iron Duke it seems. (though 15s for me per my standard one-scale-only rule, just keeps it so much easier)
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I’ll also recommend “The Last Mughal”. It’s one of the best sources for the Indian side of the conflict.
I agree - it's a good read, not easy to put down.
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I personally found Saul Davids Indian Mutiny a really good read.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Indian-Mutiny-1857-Saul-David-ebook/dp/B002RI9KKO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1516558196&sr=8-9&keywords=saul+david
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The History of the Royal and Indian Artillery in the Mutiny of 1857 is definitely worth a read. Lots of information and seems to cover most actions.
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Here are a couple of C19th works, but I can't remember the authors' names:
'Hodgson of Hodgson's Horse' -good for nitty-gritty detail of actions around Delhi
'A Year Amongst the Pandies' -suitably jingoistic/racist
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BB is on the mark with Jocelyn’s history of the Royal Artillery. Save buying Kaye’s six volume set, it’s the best pure military account with lots of OBS and maps.
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Another vote with Bindon (or ‘Timothy’ to those who know him!) for the history of the RA, which covers much more than you might expect.
And add Rowbotham’s book on “The Naval Brigades in the Indian Mutiny” and Gubbins’ “Besieged in Lucknow” while you’re at it.
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Thanks gentlemen (that includes you Simon! :) )
And here is a link.....
http://www.naval-military-press.com/history-of-the-royal-and-indian-artillery-in-the-mutiny-of-1857.html
Simon, if only you hadn't left civilisation for the untamed north.
You always put on a good game.. :)