
A candid memoir from a rank‑and‑file soldier who saw combat across three of Britain’s 19th‑century campaigns, this account brings the grim reality of war straight to the listener’s ear. From the icy heights of Alma and the brutal fighting at Inkermann to the fever‑driven heat of India’s mutiny, the narrator describes the sights, sounds, and personal hardships of front‑line service, enriched by letters home that capture the raw emotions of a young man far from comfort.
Beyond battlefield drama, the work offers a sobering look at the toll taken on men and units, with detailed casualty lists and vivid scenes from the siege of Sebastopol and the Afghan expeditions. Interwoven with observations of local customs and the everyday life of a soldier’s camp, the narrative provides both historical insight and a humanizing glimpse into the courage and suffering of those who served.
Full title
A Soldier's Experience; or, A Voice from the Ranks Showing the Cost of War in Blood and Treasure. A Personal Narrative of the Crimean Campaign, from the Standpoint of the Ranks; the Indian Mutiny, and Some of its Atrocities; the Afghan Campaigns of 1863
Language
en
Duration
~20 hours (1162K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Brian Coe and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2014-09-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1834–1908
A battle-tested British soldier turned his memories into a vivid firsthand account of the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, and later campaigns. His writing is valued for its direct, unpolished voice and for showing war from the ranks rather than from the officers' tents.
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by active 1835-1883 Thomas Faughnan