Three years ago, Lieutent-General Sir George Chesney, K.C.B., at that time Military Member of Council, requested me to examine and systematically arrange, with a view to [publication, all the state papers relating to the revolt of the Bengal native Army in 1857 deposited in the different military offices of the Government of India. A mass of papers were placed in my hands, and, as they belonged to different offices, different modes of arrangement had been adopted. My first step was to arrange the papers in the following main groups. 1st All papers relating to the first outbreak of disaffection at Barrackpore and berhampre and the revolt of the native troops at meerut: all documents relating to the capture of delhi by the English troops. 2nd All papers relating to the mutiny at Lucknow and the defence of the residency by the garrison: General Havelock’s march from Allahabad and the first relief of Lucknow: general Outram’s defence of Lucknow: Sir Colin Campbell’s relief of Lucknow in Novemeber 1857: Outram’s defence of the Alambagh: general Windham’s defence of Cawnpore: Sir Colin Campbell’s Storming of Lucknow. All documents relating to the outbreak at Cawnpore and the defence of the intrenchment. 3rd All Papers relating to Sir Hugh Rose’s Campiagn of central India: general Whitlock’s Campaign: Sir Colin Camphell’s operations in Oude. All miscellaneous papers relating to the different outbreaks and operation of war in different parts of India. When the whole mass emerged from confusion, the papers belonging to the first group were arranged in uniform chronological order, and the volume now published comprises all the military records from the first outbreak of disaffection to the siege and storming of Delhi by the English in the annals of England, is told by the letters and dispatches of the chief actors, and their plain narrative of facts, reflecting the spirit which produces great deeds, must always be read Englishmen with interest, pride and sympathy.
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