Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of Hastings

Book excerpt: "The most important role that Hastings played was as a soldier in the British army. He was a young officer during the American war, fighting at Bunker Hill in 1775 as a lieutenant in the grenadier company of the 5th Regiment. Distinguishing himself, he was promoted captain and appointed aide-de-camp to General Henry Clinton. He went on to lead the Volunteers of Ireland, serve as adjutant general under Clinton, and to command an independent army in South Carolina in 1780-81. As governor-general of India from 1813 to 1823, he successfully led campaigns against the Nepalese, Pindaris, and Marathas. Nelson's biography of Hastings is based upon extensive research in the Hastings Collection of the Huntington Library, San Marino, California; the Oriental and India Office Collections of the British Library; the Public Record Office; and a large array of other archives. It also utilizes many published primary and secondary sources."--BOOK JACKET.