At them with the Bayonet

At them with the Bayonet The First Anglo-Sikh War 1845-1846
by Donald Featherstone

At them with the Bayonet is a popular history by Donald Featherstone written about that most fascinating of conflicts - the First Sikh War. I received the book in the post as a thank you from Peeler for some 1/32 chaps I had cluttering up the place. I'd read the companion volume, a strange sort of creature, half history book, half novel - called "All for a Shilling a day" which is about the 16th Lancers in the first Sikh War.

I haven't had time to read much of it yet, but I've found it interesting. I was surprised to find Featherstone giving credence to the Martial Races theory - but apparently the Pakistani military are still inclined to it. I've always been of the opinion that "one man is much like another and best is he raised in a hard school." Xenophon, I think, but I'm quoting from memory.

Both of these books are available from Leonaur Books, which has a truly astonishing array of title available. I'm become quite addicted to their reprints as they are cheap at just under a tenner and cover a wide variety of subjects, particularly memoirs, where else are you going to find the reminiscences of officers of the Bengal Artillery? I've picked up a few titles on the Mutiny and the Sikh Wars, though I've also noticed that they also reprint old crime, historical and science fiction.

Also, order them from Book Depository and postage is free.

No news on the house as of yet, but it will have a dedicated wargames room.

The "Dissertation Death March" continues on - slow, but steady.