A Narrative of the Siege of Delhi, Charles John Griffiths
It can be downloaded from PG here.
Comprising mostly of a journal entries of around four months by a high-rank official of British Army of Ferozepore regiment during the times of “Mutiny/First War of Independence” in 1857, it gives a general perspective of the attitude of a British of that time; important insight towards the disregard of natives, expectedly racist, biased, overtly-bragging account of the capture of Delhi. The first chapter describes the flippant attitude of the British during the first few days of the rebellion. The blowing-off of rebels with cannons describes how British used religion as a strategy (blowing off the body unfits both Hindus' and Muslims' religious requisite for the proper last rites). The book drags over the next three chapters accounting the days at war-field and loss of men on both sides. The last two chapters describe the occupation, loot, and riches of the city. The writer admittedly smitten by the grandeur of the city, rebuts the plan to blow off Jama Masjid merely as a rumor (it has been at times theorized that the British had prepared to detonate the masjid unless they were compensated by the Muslim populace for their losses at war); decent book which should be read with skepticism.
It can be downloaded from PG here.
©Rakesh 2011
