Soldiering in Sunshine and Storm
Private William Douglas
eBook
(, April 15, 2010)
This volume was published in 1896. From the book's Preface: Whether a preface be actually essential as an adjunct to a book, I leave more experienced persons than myself to determine. But as custom appears to make it a common accompaniment, and as it may be expected that an author should say something about his first effort, I feel bound to speak as I respectfully make my first salute to the public. In the following pages, I have endeavoured to give a true, though it may be a rather rambling description of the travels and experiences of my regiment on its march "From India to the Crimea and Home", via the desert, the Nile, and the Euxine, and our sojourneyings at Cairo by the way. The reminiscences of this "Soldiering in the Sunshine and Storm" have been recalled, and written amid the noise and turmoil of a barrack room, which will account for many imperfections; I therefore trust that my countrymen will kindly make allowance for defects which may be attributed to this cause, by bearing in mind that a soldier has no retreat, no home, no castle of his own, (where none dare enter if he forbid it) like any other British workman, and so if he writes at all it must be in the midst of busy comrades, and at intervals snatched from many distracting duties. I take this opportunity of mentioning that "Lost in the Jungle" appeared in All the Year Hound, as likewise "Three Days at Woolmer" and a portion of the "First Anniversary of Balaklava" in the United Service Magazine. For permission to reprint these articles I am under obligation to the Conductors and Editors of these periodicals. Cahir Barracks, December 1864