Robert Durie Osborn Lieutenant - Colonel Robert Durie Osborn ( 1835 – 1889 ) was a British army officer . Osborn was born at Agra , India , on 6 Aug . 1835 . His father , Henry Roche Osborn , entered the British East India Company ' s service in May 1819 , and served most of his time in the 54th Native Infantry , but later was lieutenant - colonel of the 13th Native Infantry ; he died at Ferozepore in 1849 . Military career . Robert was educated as a cadet at Dr . Greig ' s school at Walthamstow , and was appointed ensign of the 26th Bengal Native Infantry 16 Aug . 1854 , becoming lieutenant on 31 July 1857 . He served throughout the Indian Mutiny campaign of 1857 – 1859 , and was present in the actions of Boolundshuhur on 27 Sept . , and of Allyghur on 5 Oct . 1857 . He commanded a detachment of the 4th Punjab infantry at the actions of Gungeree and Puttiallee , was present in various operations against the rebels in the Agra district , served with Colonel Troup ' s column in Oude in November 1858 , and took part in the action at Biswah . From January to May 1859 , he was with the Saugor field force under General Whitelock ; then he commanded a field detachment in the Ooraie district , and later defeated a party of rebels at Tudhoorkee . In 1859 – 60 he was with the Bundelcund field force under Brigadier Wheeler , and for his services received a medal . He was made lieutenant in the Bengal Staff Corps 30 July 1857 and captain 20 Dec . 1865 . On 25 Aug . 1859 , he became adjutant of the 2nd regiment of Sikh irregular cavalry , a regiment converted into the 12th regiment of Bengal cavalry in 1861 , in which Osborn was third squad officer from 4 Nov . 1865 to 17 May 1866 . He was captain in his regiment 8 June 1868 to 1872 . In the latter year he was appointed tutor to the Paikharah wards , became major 20 Dec . 1873 , and retired with the honorary rank of lieutenant - colonel on 1 May 1879 . He served through the Afghan campaign of that year , but retired after the signing of the Treaty of Gandamak . Writings . Osborn was a serious thinker on both religious and political topics . As a young man he enjoyed the friendship of F . D . Maurice and of Charles Kingsley , and occasionally wrote papers in the magazines on Maurice ' s religious position and influence . While in India , he was a conscientious student of Eastern religion s , and spent fourteen years in studying materials for his two works , " Islam under the Arabs " , 1876 , and " Islam under the Khalifs of Baghdad " , 1877 ; 2nd ed . 1880 . These books are highly valued by serious students . They are considered models of lucid and graceful treatment of a perplexing subject . At the same time , Osborn was always a zealous advocate of the rights of the native Indians , and his retirement from the army was largely due to his dissatisfaction with the policy of Lord Lytton , which , in his opinion , outraged native sentiment and needlessly provoked the Afghan war of 1879 . Upon his return from India , he settled at Hampstead , and mainly devoted himself to journalistic and literary work . He became London correspondent of the " Calcutta Statesman " , and took a leading part in the conduct of the London office of the " Statesman " , which was published for a few months in 1879 and 1880 with a view to resisting Benjamin Disraeli ' s policy in India . In " The Scotsman " , " The Nation " , and " The Contemporary Review " , he also wrote much on India and on native claims to popular government . Personal life . Osborn was an indefatigable lawn tennis player . He died of syncope on Good Friday , 19 April 1889 , while engaged playing a match with Ernest Renshaw , the champion of all England , at the Hyde Park , London tennis court in England . He married at Trinity Church , Bayswater , 12 Nov . 1864 , to Edith , daughter of the Rev . Gregory Rhodes , by whom he had two daughters . An oil portrait of Osborn was painted by Mr . J . R . Hodgson , R . A . , in 1877 , and was exhibited in the Royal Academy . It was presented to Osborn by the artist , and it passed on to his family .