A NARRATIVE EXPOSING A VARIETY OF IRREGULAR TRANSACTIONS IN ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF FOREIGN CORPS, DURING THE LATE WAR..

London: Printed by J. Whiting, et al., 1804. First Edition. Hardcover. Together with: Gardiner, [Richard]. AN ANSWER TO A PAMPHLET OF MR. JAMES POOLE, ENTITLED 'A NARRATIVE, EXPOSING A VARIETY OF IRREGULAR TRANSACTIONS...' London: Printed for R.H. Evans, 1804.

Octavo, two volumes in one: vii, [1], 64 pp. + viii, 129, [2], [1, ads] pp. Nineteenth century tree calf binding, decoratively ruled in gilt with a gilt-stamped coat-of-arms in the center and a gilt-stamped burgundy morocco spine label. In the first work, there are a number of early ink corrections that appear to have been made by the author, editor, or someone intimately involved in (truncated) the situation. The boards are lightly bowed, with some rubbing along the joints and a small nick to the spine label. Scarce.

James Poole reports that in looking over records in the War Office in 1794, he came across evidence of false accounting in the French emigrant regiments of Roll and Dillon while they were serving with the British army in Holland. He became convinced that his superior, Richard Gardiner, was aware of the situation and reported him to the Secretary of War. Poole's account is a detailed summary of everything that occurred between 1794 and the publication of this book. The second work is Gardiner's answer, made in an equally methodical way, answering Poole point by point, with references to page numbers. (Inventory #: 78477)