General Sir John Adye (1819-1900) served his country over a long and victorious career in the Royal artillery. A pillar of the Victorian military establishment, his first taste of action came during the Crimean War (1853-1856) and saw as much as any man could care to in the brutal battles of Alma, Balaklava, and Inkermann. He and his men were part of the bombardment of Sevastopol; his diaries are a brutal and frank reminder of the terrible conditions of the troops who fought there. He was appointed to the staff in India just before the Indian Mutiny (1857-1858), during which he was involved in the retaking of Cawnpore, and testifies to the savagery of the fighting of the entire conflict. His criticisms of the British administration that led to the revolt are very interesting and contrast with the more jingoist tone of other memoirs of the period. His final active service was as chief of staff and second in command to the successful expedition to Egypt (1881-1882) under Sir Garnet Wolseley, culminating in the battle of Tel-El-Kebir

Mode of access: World Wide Web