Over a long and varied career, Major-General William Beatson earned a fine reputation as a leader of irregular cavalry in the nineteenth century. He trained many future commanders of the Victorian army, saw action in Spain and British India, and rode with the Heavy Brigade at the Battle of Balaklava. But tasked with disciplining the Turkish Bashi-Bazouks during the Crimean War, his character flaws led him into conflict with politicians and diplomats running the war, who accused him of inciting mutiny. Parliament, newspapers and the law courts then became his chosen battlefields as he fought...