The Afghan War of 1879-80, being a Complete Narrative of the Capture of Cabul, the Siege of Sherpur, the Battle of Ahmed Khel, the brilliant March to Candahar, and the Defeat of Ayub Khan, with the Operations on the Helmund, and the Settlement with Abdur Rahman Khan.

HENSMAN, Howard.

Edité par London: W. H. Allen & Co., Publishers to the India Office, 1882

A propos de cet article

Second edition, published a year after the first (this copy has advertisements dated December 1884). Hensman's narrative is widely recognized as offering perhaps the most authoritative contemporary account. Hensman (1854-1916) was the embedded correspondent with Roberts's forces for the Allahabad Pioneer, India's newspaper of record, for which Churchill was later to report on the campaigns of the Malakand Field Force. Writing to him later about his despatches from the campaign, Roberts himself remarked, "Allow me to congratulate you most cordially on the admirable manner in which you have placed before the public the account of the march from Kabul, and the operations of 31 August and 1 September around Kandahar. Nothing could be more graphic. I thought your description of the fight at Charasia was one that any soldier might have been proud of writing; but your recent letters are, if possible, even better". The only correspondent on the expedition, Hensman was awarded the Afghanistan 1878-80 medal with clasps for Charasia, Kabul and Kandahar, and the Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880. Hensman is a fascinating character, surely deserving, but sadly lacking, a full-dress biography; a quick-witted, extremely well-connected and clubbable individual, he was liked, admired and trusted by those who encountered him. Kipling, who took over the Simla office of the Pioneer from Hensman and was somewhat in awe of him, describes the correspondent "playing whist with Great Ones, who gave him special news" (p.35). Sir Frederick Sykes, who was attached to the Intelligence Department in India in the early 1900s and was later governor of Bombay, remembered "a newspaperman who had immense knowledge of affairs in India and was a most delightful companion. he knew many secrets and was absolutely trusted. Needless to say, this confidence was never abused" (Sykes, p.55). Churchill's military mentor, Sir Ian Hamilton, fondly recalled "one of the kindest and the best. a very fine card-player, keen on sweepstakes and wiser than most on most matters", of whom "it was whispered that several Members of the Supreme Council that they dropped into his large ears some of their most deadly secrets, trusting to his discretion" (Hamilton, pp. 49-51). Bruce 4506. Ian Hamilton, Listening for the Drums, 1944; Rudyard Kipling, Something of Myself and other autobiographical writings, 1991; Spink Sale 21002, Orders, Decorations and Medals, 29-30 July 2021, lot 76; Frederick Sykes, From Many Angles, 1942. Octavo. With 10 folding maps and plans. With publisher's 48-page catalogue, dated December 1884. Original dark purple-red cloth, spine lettered in gilt, panels in blind to covers, black surface-paper endpapers. Binding a little rubbed and spotted, spine sunned to light greyish red, mildly damp whitened at fore-edges of boards, inner hinges tight, contents lightly toned but sound: a very good, unusually well-preserved copy, partially unopened.

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Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The Afghan War of 1879-80, being a Complete Narrative of the Capture of Cabul, the Siege of Sherpur, the Battle of Ahmed Khel, the brilliant March to Candahar, and the Defeat of Ayub Khan, with the Operations on the Helmund, and the Settlement with Abdur Rahman Khan.
• Éditeur: London: W. H. Allen & Co., Publishers to the India Office, 1882