Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp, late
a Lieu'. in H.M. 87th Regiment. Written by Himself. Introduction by H. Manners Chichester. (T. Fisher Unwin.)—A reprint of this singular autobiography is well worthy of a place in the " Adventure Series." No more graphic description of soldiering in the early years of the century is anywhere to be found. Starting life in a parish poorhouse, John Shipp, the writer, and his own hero, twice rose from the ranks for distinguished valour in the field, and twice proved unequal to keeping the position he had so hardly won. At the beginning of the " Great War," there was a dearth of recruits, and for the purpose of training up soldiers and at the same time relieving the parishes, it was decided to allow pauper children between the ages of ten and sixteen to enlist for life. Shipp was thirteen when he joined the service in this way in 1797. One of his first experiences, he tells us, was going through the regular operation of having his hair " tied." His head was first smeared with tallow and soap ; a largo pad filled with sand was then "poked into the back of his head," his hair was gathered about it, and the whole bound round with a leather thong. In this condition the skin was drawn so tight that he was unable to shut his eyes, and to add to his comfort, an enormous stock was fastened under his chin, which made his jaws refuse to act, and when he tried to eat, the pad behind went up and down like a sledge-hammer. India was Shipp's sphere of service, and he distinguished himself in Lake's Mahratta campaign, and later in the Mahratta and Pindaree War under Hastings. An unfortunate racing partnership led to his retire- ment from the service, and to the writing of these "Memoirs," which appeared in 1829. Shipp ended his days peacefully as master of the Liverpool workhouse.
Previous page
