This is a much sought-after three-volume set - the first two are devoted entirely to the British Army, with the third to India and the Colonies, from their first establishment to the 'present time', c.1888. The author's main aim was to describe the organisation and condition of each unit as it was in the 1880s.Consisting of written sketches of the various regiments, they contain much useful information on their battles, campaigns and prior fighting achievements, complemented with 41 excellent, full-page chromolithographic uniform plates.The plates in the first two volumes are by G.D. Giles who saw service with the British Army in India, Afghanistan and Egypt; those of the Indian and Colonial forces volume are by H. Bunnett. This work was originally published c.1888 by J.S. Virtue & Co Ltd, a London publishing business, the main feature of which was the production of illustrated works.