Considering the importance of Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of
Hastings and 2nd Earl of Moira, it is surprising that no full-length
biography has been written about him. The only significant studies of
his career have been analysis of his role as governor-general of India
in the early nineteenth century. Paul David Nelson's study rectifies
this situation by providing a well-crafted scholarly analysis of the
life of Lord Hastings. He covers in depth all aspects of the man's
multifaceted career as a professional soldier, peer in the House of
Lords, and governor-general of India. He also provides a character study
of this intelligent, affable man, pointing out his strengths as a
father, husband, and friend. In the process, Nelson does not lose sight
of Hastings's personal ineptitude. He shows how the marquess ran up
debts of nearly 1,000,000 by the time of his death and left his family
almost penniless. 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. Hastings's
second most important role was as an administrator in India. Although
supported by able civilian subordinates, he sometimes made poor choices
in his own appointments and became mired in the cloudy dealings of the
Palmer Company. He was not guilty of any chicanery, but his reputation
was marred by his defense of some questionable company activities.
Hastings's third role was as a politician in the House of Lords. Here he
was least successful, partly because he was not ruthless enough to rise
to the
