SIEGE

ONE: 'The Trenches'. Handbill printed in two columns of small print on one side of a piece of 4to paper. Drophead title to first column. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tear along central vertical fold line unobtrusively repaired with archival tape. The article begins: 'WHAT was service in the trenches before Sebastopol like?

Wrench was the son of a clergyman, and well educated and well connected (being presented to the Prince of Wales and staying at Chatsworth in his old age). His obituary in the British Medical Journal (27 April 1912), describes how, after service in the Crimea, 'he was transferred to the 4th Lancers, went to Madras with that regiment in the following month, and served with it during the whole of the Indian Mutiny. For his services in India he received the Indian medal and clasp for Central India. He returned to England in 1860, and married in 1861 his cousin, the daughter of Mr.

Wrench was the son of a clergyman, and well connected, being presented to the Prince of Wales and staying at Chatsworth in his old age. His obituary in the British Medical Journal (27 April 1812), describes how he went out to the Crimea in 1854. 'He had been gazetted Assistant Surgeon to the 34th Regiment in November, and joined it on its arrival in the Crimea. He served during the terrible winter of that year, and was present at the capture of the quarries, the successful assault on the Redan of June 18th, and the final capture of Sebastopol on September 8th, 1855.

[1] + 36pp., 8vo. The diary is in good condition internally, in worn and aged covers. The author is 'Frank' and 'FRW', a Radley old boy, belonging to what he calls 'more or less an Anglo-Indian & City set'. (The family's surname is not given, but family members include 'Sybil and Ella'.) An officer in a militia regiment, he sails out from England on the RMS Goorkha (Capt. Williams), and returns to Tilbury on the Oratava (Capt. Morgan). Preceding the diary is a list of 24 'Unpacked' items, from 'Hair brushes' to '2 Pr Pants'.

An extraordinarily-detailed account of 'The Siege of Bhurtpoor', from a series titled 'Operations of the Bengal Army in India and on Foreign Service', utilising a wide variety of sources, both published and unpublished, each quotation meticulously cited in footnotes. On 39 sheets, almost all of them in two columns of small print, mostly roughly 50 x 16 cm, but a few longer, and one sheet of three columns (46 x 28.5 cm, being part of a description of the 'Formation of the Army: and the General &c., Staff.'). Numbered in manuscript 346-385, with 374 not present.

Printed on one side of a 37.5 x 28 cm piece of aged newsprint. A frail historical survival, archivally preserved, but with slight later loss leaving some holes in the leaf, affecting some of the text. Small oval stamp with unreadable text in purple ink on reverse. In four columns, with first item Panzera's 'General Orders', dated 16 December 1899, with sections headed 'Good Service by Snipers', 'Visiting Justice', 'Board of Officers', 'Settlement of Forage Accounts' and 'Packing Cases for Local Defence'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on aged paper, with slight wear to one edge. Regarding their previous correspondence, Calvert has 'directions to request' Ridge to inform him, 'if you are aware of any Steps having been taken, for conveying back the Clothing for M: General Wattevelle's [sic] Regiment, from Sicily to Cadiz - where that Corps is now stationed'. From Cadiz the Watteville's Regiment would be transferred to Upper Canada, where it would take part in the War of 1812.

15pp., 12mo, with six plates on art paper. In grey printed wraps with title on front cover. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The plates include engravings by H. C. Pigeon of illustrations by S. Holden and a plan by T. B. Ryder.

In portrait on piece of 50 x 35 cm. paper, folded twice. Coloured in blue, brown, green and pink. Image 42.5 x 30.5 cm. Printed beneath image: 'Weekly Dispatch 139, Fleet Str. Day & Son, Lithors. to the Queen. Engraved by Edwd. Weller.' In good condition, lightly-aged with slight creasing to edges and a little wear along fold lines. The plan of the environs of Lucknow is 13.5 x 12.5 cm., in the top right-hand corner.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. One minor manuscript emendation (see below). Dated at the head 'March 3rd. 1921' and addressed to 'Madam'.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Captain Begg had died at the Siege of Kut Al Amara, Mesopotamia (now Iraq), and Urquhart begins by informing the Rev. Begg that the inventory which he sent of his brother's effects has 'gone astray'. 'In order to save any further delay I am forwarding you a complete list including some things recently recovered from Kirkee Arsenal. Would you kindly point out what you wish returned to you. The remaining items will be sold by auction here.' He continues with 'a summary of what has been done up to date'.

31pp., 12mo. Stitched and unbound. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Comprising a series of transcriptions in a contemporary hand - from the annotations and emendations clearly that of the original author, an anonymous middleclass Englishman with Radical and Communist sympathies. Neatly and closely written at around 34 lines to a page - from thirteen letters, dated (with interrogation marks as given in the text): '? May, 1869', 'Paris, June 1869', 'Monastery of La Grande Chartreuse, Alps Dauphiny, Feast of S.

A fine plan, so neatly and delicately drawn that it could easily pass for an engraving. The title concludes: '[...] its Defence under the Command of SIR SIDNEY SMITH. Kt. &ca. &ca. &ca. - on the 2nd: day of May 1799.' In landscape on one side of a piece of laid paper, 29 x 42cm, with the plan itself within a 19.5 x 32.5cm border. The drawing and the precise and detailed lettering are in ink, the whole coloured in grey, brown, pink and blue watercolour. On aged and lightly-creased paper, with a couple of small unobtrusive holes. On a scale of one and a half inches to half a mile.

LETTER: 4to, 4 pp. 81 lines of closely-written text. Written on the spot, and posted in England, with redirection address from Dublin to Gedling Lodge, Nottingham in another hand. Two penny red stamps, and four English postmarks, with Russell's small seal in red wax. PLAN: Folio (42.5 x 27.5 cm), 1 p. Clearly drawn and keyed to the letter, showing Comorn and environs, the rivers Danube and Waag, and the positions of the various parties. Captions include 'hills strongly entrenched by Rebels' and 'High Ground old French Entrenchments where the Troops are now posted in Tents & Huts'.

4to, 6 pp. Unbound. Text clear and complete. On aged paper, with slight wear to extremities. The full drop-head title reads: 'H. M. 32nd Regiment. Return of Casualties of the above Corps from 30th June to 22nd November, 1857, being the day on which the Garrison of Lucknow was released by the Head Quarters Army under the immediate Command of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief. | Cawnpore, 29th January, 1858.' Signed in type at end: 'John Giddings, Paymaster, H.M's, 32nd Foot.' Comprising lists, in several columns, giving ranks and names of officers and men, dates and causes of death.

[Title continued] "Published with No.1, New Series, of Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper". Sheet, folded, recto comprising four pages, sm. folio, small tear, good condition, giving an "Indian Chronology" from 1593 to 1857 (The Mutiny) and "Statistics of British India" (from population to British Possessions to Means of Communication. More than on ethird of the chronolgy is devoted to the events of the Mutiny, concluding that "The capture of Delhi and the relief of Lucknow crushed the head of the revolt . . .

An important contemporary engraving, apparently unrecorded, with no record of the engraver S. Pearse, or of the Comus Press (probably connected with 'The Comus', a periodical launched in Bengal in 1857). On one side of a piece of wove paper, roughly 22.5 x 28 cm. On lightly-spotted and aged paper. Discreet repair to tear which had split the item in two. A crude but accurate representation of the well and environs, with the following text beneath: 'THE WELL AT CAWNPORE. S. Pearse.| Into which the bodies of the Women and Children were thrown after the Massacre.