Stuart Reid was born in Aberdeen in 1954 and is married with one son. He has worked as a librarian and a professional soldier and his main focus of interest lies in the 18th and 19th centuries. His interest stems from having ancestors who served in the British Army and the East India Company and who fought at Culloden, Bunker Hill and even in the Texas Revolution. His previous works for Osprey include highly acclaimed titles on King George's Army 1740-93 (Men-at-Arms 285, 289 and 292) and the British Redcoat 1740-1815 (Warrior 19 and 20).

Gerry Embleton has been a leading illustrator and researcher of historical costume since the 1970s, and has illustrated and written Osprey titles on a wide range of subjects over more than 20 years. He is an internationally respected authority on 15th and 18th century costumes in particular. He lives in Switzerland, where since 1988 he has also become well known for designing and creating life-size historical figures for museums.

Contrary to popular belief, the capture of India was not accomplished by the British Army, but by the private armies of the East India Company, which grew in size to become larger than that of any European sovereign state. This is the history of its army, examining the many conflicts they fought, their equipment and training, with its regiments of horse, foot and guns, which rivalled those of most European powers. The development of their uniforms, which combined traditional Indian and British dress, is illustrated in detail in this colourful account of the private band of adventurers that successfully captured the jewel of the British Empire.

Table of contents

• Origins – defence companies raised for trading stations
• The reforms of Stringer Lawrence and Robert Clive 1740s–50s
• Campaigns: Against Dupleix 1751–54 – Suraja Dowla and the 'Black Hole of Calcutta' 1756 – battle of Plassey, 1757
• The Mysore Wars 1766–69, 1780–83, 1789–92
• First Maratha War 1779–82
• Fourth Mysore War, 1799 – Tippoo Shaib and Arthur Wellesley at Seringapatum
• Second Maratha War 1803–05
• Hindustan & Gurkha Wars 1804–16
• Third Maratha War 1817–18
• Burma War 1823–26
• First Afghan War 1839–42
• Sind 1843
• First and Second Sikh Wars 1848–49
• Evolution of uniforms and equipment