Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp, late a lieutenant in His Majesty's 87th regiment.
London: Hurst, Chance, and Co, 1830.
Price: $300.00
About the item
Second edition. Frontispiece of Shipp. xv, [I], 332; 336; 364pp. 3 vols. 8vo. Late 19th-century half black calf, brown leather labels, over marbled boards. Very Good.
Item #317970
"John Shipp was a remarkable soldier, who began his military career as a drummer boy at the age of ten. He rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant in the 87th Regiment in India. He sold his first commission to pay off debts. After a miserable time in London, Shipp once again enlisted in the service in India, where he again attained the rank of Lieutenant. During his commission, Shipp was somehow inveigled into a series of disastrous bets on horse racing, and was then foolish enough to reflect (in writing) upon the behaviour of a superior officer in regard to these transactions, and was swiftly discharged from the service by a court-martial in July 1823. In reviewing the third edition of Shipp's memoir in 1890, 'The Times' newspaper stated that "for a man of little more than 30 to have twice won his commission from the ranks was an achievement unique in the annals of the British army". Shipp's memoirs tell his life story from his youth, through his entire military career, and include extensive reflection as well as narrative.This account is mainly about Shipp's service in India; under Lord Lake fighting against the Mahrattas. He was "one of the stormers at the capture of Deig in 1804 and led the forlorn hope of the storming column in three out of four desperate, but unsuccessful, assaults on Bhurtpore in 1805. He later served with the 87th in the second campaign of the Ghoorkha War, and served at the siege of Hattrass and was involved in the Mahratta and Pinaree War of 1817-18. Shipp was later court martialled over what appears to be an unpaid debt. Shipp also travelled in South Africa."
