Man of Wars: William Howard Russell of "The Times", 1820-1907

                    Published by Heinemann, 1982, hardcover, illustrated, index, 302 pages, condition: as new.

Through an interest in the wars of the 19th century, the name of William Howard Russell had frequently been noticed when reports on various conflicts were quoted. He made his first major mark when reporting from the Crimea when he earned a reputation for his honest and straight forward accounts. He had a knack of finding good vantage points to process the battlefield. His accounts of the lack of equipment, poor leadership and atrocious conditions of the men eventually caused the breakdown of Lord Aberdeens Government. At home, Russell lived beyond his means and was in debt for much of his life, enjoying life in the gentlemans clubs of the times dining with the Prince of Wales and visiting many of the stately homes of the British Isles and his native Ireland. Before the start of the American Civil War he had spent some time in India where he reported on the retaking of Lucknow. In the US he went to the first battle of Bull Run but missed the action finding only the retreating federal troops. His reports on this rout earned him the ill will of the north, his life was threatened and he eventually returned home. Later he would report on the Franco-Prussian war but by then the telegraphy was taking of and this did not suit his style of lengthy letters to the Times and eventually they found other reporters and his final journey was to South Africa with Sir Garnet Wolseys force sent to end the Zulu War, where Russell was engaged by the Daily Telegraph. Through his continually debt, troubles with his children and his wifes continuing ill heath he managed to write a number of well received books about his travels although forays into novel writing were less successful. Later in life he re-married to an Italian Countess, many years his junior but she was able to stabilise his life style and get him finally out of debt.
A wonderful account of the life of a pioneering reporter, the early days of the war correspondent, all at a time when there was a much more gentlemanly approach to the press, where he was on friendly terms with many of the influential people of his day and there was no censorship of his accounts. The book has a fast pace, appears well researched although many letters and some of his diaries are missing, following Russells life in chronological order All round this was an enjoyable account of the man whose work is a bye word of history having provided some of the definitive accounts of world events in his time.