author
John G. Gollan
A former Scottish soldier, he turned hard experience into a vivid memoir of army life in the mid-19th century. His writing is valued for its plain voice and firsthand view of campaigning, barracks life, and the realities behind military pageantry.
1 Audiobook
Twelve years in the army : or, The incidents of a soldier's life
by John G. Gollan
About the author
Little is firmly documented about John G. Gollan beyond what can be confirmed from his surviving work, but he is known today as the author of Twelve Years in the Army; or, The Incidents of a Soldier's Life. The book was originally published in the 19th century and has remained of interest as a personal account of service in the British Army.
In that memoir, he writes from the perspective of a Scottish Highland soldier and describes life with the 79th Cameron Highlanders. His account follows the long, uneven rhythm of military life—recruiting, drilling, travel, hardship, boredom, danger, and combat—and gives readers a grounded sense of what service could feel like for an ordinary soldier rather than a famous commander.
What makes Gollan memorable is the directness of his voice. He does not write like a polished historian; instead, he sounds close to the life he lived, which gives the memoir much of its force and charm for modern readers interested in military history and lived experience.