The Punjab

The Punjab Being a Brief Account of the Country of the Sikhs. Its Extent, History, Commerce, Productions, Government, Manufactures, Laws, Religion by Henry Steinbach was first published in 1845. It is more of a compilation than an original contribution. It is mostly based on the accounts of Malcolm, Murray, Prinsep, Baron Charles Hegel, Moorcroft and Trebeck and Thorton. The entire 8th chapter, except for two pages, is from Captain Murray. The 10th chapter is mostly based on Malcolm's Sketch of the Sikhs. McLeod is right in saying that Steinbach's narrative includes errors due to Malcolm's guidance. Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Steinbach was a Prussian who was employed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji's Khalsa Darbar in 1836 as a battalion commander on a salary of 600 RS and increased to 800 RS by 1841. In 1841 he commanded a Sikh battalion and according to his own testimony he apparently escaped with his life during the mutiny of the Sikh army in 1843.

Amongst a whole lot more. Getting back to the book - the entire aim of him producing this work was in order to make a plea for the annexation of the Punjab by the British. His own embittered and prejudiced mind is clearly expressed in the preface. Yet something that does set him apart from his contemporaries - they all preferred to focus on the Sikh rule and the Anglo-Sikh relations. Steinbach includes an entire chapter devoted to the religion of the Sikhs.

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