At the Point of the Bayonet

Name: At the Point of the Bayonet
Rating: 2.5 (5 reviews)

by G. A. Henty

First published 1902

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2.5(5)

Harry Lindsay is orphaned as an infant during fighting in India and saved by his Maratha nurse, Soyera, who raises him within her own community and tells him of his British parentage. His command of local languages and customs later allows him to move between societies in a way few British officers can.

After entering military service, Harry’s abilities make him valuable during the conflicts that culminate in the Second Anglo-Maratha War. He undertakes reconnaissance, diplomatic and combat duties while armies led by commanders including Arthur Wellesley challenge major Maratha powers. The novel uses Harry’s divided upbringing to connect battlefield events with the political complexity of western and central India.