A Biographical Sketch of Sir Henry Havelock. Copyright Ed

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 edition. Excerpt: ...to do so. At no period of his history was this prominent attribute of his character more clearly seen than in his last campaign. And now that the shadows are gathering in the horizon, and a few short months will see this man of God lay himself down to die, we will, without anticipating the labour of an abler pen, narrate as briefly as we can, and mainly from materials already patent to the world, or soon to be so, the incidents of Havelock's last campaign. The Kingdom of Oude had long given successive Governors-General cause for much anxiety and apprehension. Situated in the very heart of our possessions, peopled by three millions of the most military race in India, and governed by Princes whose ferocious licentiousness made the Court of Lucknow a bye-word and a shame, its annexation had for some time been considered by those who had watched the progress of our rule in India only a question of time. That time arrived at last, and, in 1856, Oude became a part of British India. The appointment of Chief Commissioner was necessarily a subject of much solicitude. The annexation had been violently assailed, and though deemed capable of effective vindication it involved responsibilities to which few men were equal. Sir Henry Lawrence, was a man whose judgment, cool determination, and thorough knowledge of the Asiatic character, seemed to render his appointment to that difficult post almost imperative. In the spring of 1857 the offer of the post was made." With Sir Henry, as with Havelock, to recognize his duty was to do it, and, though on leave of absence, he at once returned and became Chief Commissioner of Oude. Lucknow pre-eminently needed such a man. Sagacious, wise, and determined, bold or conciliatory, as the occasion needed, his...