Description
HERBERT BENJAMIN EDWARDES "THE HERO OF MULTAN" Autograph Signature.
British soldier and colonial administrator. Won fame as "the Hero of Multan" during the Second Sikh War.
Autograph presentation signature "Herbert B. Edwardes. March 4th, 1867 [or 1857]".
A signature, purely for the purposes of presentation, written horizontally on a sheet of writing paper. Approx 18 x 11.5 cms. The blank leaf of the bifolium excised to a stub for the purposes of mounting. Fine.
Edwardes, finding himself near the fortified town of Multan in 1848 when disturbances broke out that would lead to the 2nd Sikh War, acted on his own initiative to quell the rebellion and stop the spread of the insurrection. Raising a body of Pathan irregular troops, he led two attacks on the rebel forces, being victorious on both occasions but being wounded in the course of the action. He forced a rebel retreat to the fortress of Multan and laid siege until the arrival of General Whish. Edwardes then negotiated the rebel surrender. Edwardes had no formal military training and had no senior army officer to consult but demonstrated a surprisingly astute and bold tactical brain. Sir Henry Lawrence said of Edwardes "since the days of Clive, no man has done as Edwardes has done". Herbert Edwardes became a celebrated, popular hero. His AUTOGRAPH, however, is uncommon as he died of pleurisy at the relatively young age of 49.
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