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Wellington's Eastern Front: The Campaigns on the East Coast of Spain, 1810–1814
by Nick LipscombeAt last, in this absorbing and authoritative study, the story of the epic struggle on Spains eastern front during the Peninsular War has been told. Often overlooked as not integral to the Duke of Wellingtons main army and their campaigns in Portugal and western Spain, they were, in point of fact, intrinsically linked. Nick Lipscombe, a leading historian of the Napoleonic Wars and an expert on the fighting in the Iberian peninsula, describes in graphic detail the battles fought by the French army of General Suchet against the Spanish regulars and guerrillas and subsequently the Anglo-Sicilian force sent by the British government to stabilize the region. Despite Suchet's initial successes and repeated setbacks for the allied armies, by late 1813 the east coast of Spain held a key to Wellington's invasion of France and the ultimate defeat of Napoleon's armies in the Peninsula. At a tactical level the allies were undeniably successful and made an important contribution to the eventual French defeat.
Wellington's Engineers: Military Engineering in the Peninsular War, 1808–1814
by Mark S. ThompsonThe role of the Royal Engineers in the Peninsular War has long been neglected and often misunderstood, and Mark Thompson's history is the first full account of their work and of the contribution they made throughout the conflict. He draws on his unrivalled collection of the engineers' letters and diaries in order to tell, in vivid detail, the story of the war as they experienced it. His narrative describes their role in all the major operations between 1808 and 1814, and it demonstrates the extraordinary range of tasks they undertook, from surveys and reconnaissance to the building of roads and bridges, siege works and field fortifications. His deeply researched study will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in the history of military engineering and a vital text for readers who are keen to broaden their understanding of the Peninsular War.
Wellington's Foot Guards
by Ian Fletcher Bill YounghusbandThe Guards fought in every major British campaign on the continent during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815). They carved their place in history under commanders such as Sir John Moore and Wellington from Corunna and Talavera during the Peninsular War (1807-1814) to their legendary defence of the Chateau of Hougoumont throughout the battle of Waterloo. Ian Fletcher examines the uniforms and insignia of the Guards as worn both on campaign and on ceremonial duties in this worthy addition to the Elite series, which features a wealth of accompanying illustrations including 12 full page colour plates by Bill Younghusband.
Wellington's Foot Guards at Waterloo: The Men Who Saved the Day Against Napoleon
by Robert Burnham Ron McGuiganDuring the Waterloo Campaign, Wellington had only one division that was composed entirely of British infantry, the 1st Division. This consisted of two brigades of the most famous regiments of the British Army the three regiments of Guards.The exploits of the Guards at Waterloo have passed into legend. On that day, Wellington entrusted the most crucial part of his line to the men he knew would hold their position at all cost. That vital position was the Chteau d'Hougoumont, and those men were the Guards.As the great battle unfolded, the French threw more and more troops at the walls of Hougoumont, setting some of the Chteaus buildings on fire and almost forcing their way in through its northern gateway. Though almost an entire French corps was engaged in the struggle for Hougoumont, the detachment of the Guards valiantly resisted every attack.Then, as the battle reached its climax, Napoleon launched his Imperial Guard at the centre of Wellingtons line. Just as the French believed that victory was in their grasp, up stood the 1st Guards Brigade to deliver a devastating volley, followed by a ferocious bayonet charge from which the French never recovered.The experienced duo of Robert Burnham and Ron McGuigan have compiled the first comprehensive study of the Guards Division throughout the entire Waterloo campaign, from the initial deployment in Belgium to the Occupation of Paris. The book also includes an explanation of the organisation and composition of the two brigades and personal details of many of the Guards officers the men who saved the day at Waterloo.
Wellington's Hidden Heroes: The Dutch and the Belgians at Waterloo
by Veronica Baker-Smith&“An excellent account of the contribution of the newly formed (and short-lived) United Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Allied victory&” (HistoryOfWar.org). The Dutch-Belgians have been variously described as inexperienced, incompetent, and cowardly, a rogue element in the otherwise disciplined Allied Army. It is only now being tentatively acknowledged that they alone saved Wellington from disaster at Quatre Bras. He had committed a strategic error in that, as Napoleon advanced, his own troops were scattered over a hundred kilometers of southern Belgium. Outnumbered three to one, the Netherlanders gave him time to concentrate his forces and save Brussels from French occupation. At Waterloo itself, on at least three occasions when the fate of the battle &“hung upon the cusp,&” their engagement with the enemy aided British recovery. Their commander—the Prince of Orange—has been viciously described as an arrogant fool, &“a disaster waiting to happen,&” and even a dangerous lunatic. According to the assessment of Wellington himself, he was a reliable and courageous subordinate. This book reveals a new dimension of the famous campaign and includes many unseen illustrations. For the first time, a full assessment is made of the challenge which Willem I faced as king of a country hastily cobbled together by the Congress of Vienna, and of his achievement in assembling, equipping, and training 30,000 men from scratch in eighteen months. &“An extraordinary and impressively researched, written, organized and presented history that sheds considerable new light on one of the most influential battles of 19th century Europe.&” —Midwest Book Review &“A fascinating read.&” —Military Heritage
Wellington's History of the Peninsular War: Battling Napoleon in Iberia 1808–1814
by Stuart ReidAn historic account of the Peninsula War written by the man leading forces against the French, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Though pressed many times to write about his battles and campaigns, the Duke of Wellington always replied that people should refer to his published dispatches. Yet Wellington did, in effect, write a history of the Peninsular War in the form of four lengthy memoranda, summarizing the conduct of the war in 1809, 1810, and 1811 respectively. These lengthy accounts demonstrate Wellington&’s unmatched appreciation of the nature of the war in Spain and Portugal, and relate to the operations of the French and Spanish forces as well as the Anglo-Portuguese army under his command. Unlike personal diaries or journals written by individual soldiers, with their inevitably limited knowledge, Wellington was in an unparalleled position to provide a comprehensive overview of the war. Equally, the memoranda were written as the war unfolded, not tainted with the knowledge of hindsight, providing a unique contemporaneous commentary. Brought together by renowned historian Stuart Reid with reports and key dispatches from the other years of the campaign, the result is the story of the Peninsular War told through the writings of the man who knew and understood the conflict in Iberia better than any other. These memoranda and dispatches have never been published before in a single connected narrative. Therefore, Wellington&’s History of the Peninsular War 1808-1814 offers a uniquely accessible perspective on the conflict in the own words of Britain&’s greatest general.
Wellington's Infantry: British Foot Regiments, 1800–1815
by Gabriele EspositoThis illustrated history presents a detailed overview of the British infantry’s organization, uniforms, and equipment during the Napoleonic Period.The years from 1800 to 1815 were one of the most glorious periods for the British Army—and the infantry was its backbone. Lavishly illustrated with color artwork, this book examines how the foot regiments evolved to absorb the lessons of defeat in America, transforming them into the efficient and dependable bedrock of victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Historian Gabriel Esposito details the uniforms, equipment, and weapons of the infantry, along with their organization and tactics. Chapters are devoted to the Guards, the line regiments of foot, the Light Infantry and Rifles, as well as Highland and Lowland Scots regiments.Esposito considers not only those units serving with Wellington in the Peninsular War and the Waterloo Campaign, but all British infantry units, including those in Canada, the West Indies, India and elsewhere—including the home defense Fencibles. Foreign units serving with the British army, most notably the King's German Legion, are also included.
Wellington's Lieutenant Napoleon's Gaoler: The Peninsula Letters & St Helena Diaries of Sir George Rideout Bingham
by Gareth GloverThe Author wrote numerous letters home from the campaigns that he fought with Wellington in the Peninsular when he was commanding his Regiment. He was therefore in a senior position and privy to secrets of the war. He is often caustic regarding his superiors including The Iron Duke himself. He packs his letters with interesting descriptions of the life and his surroundings.Once Waterloo was won and Napoleon defeated and captive, Bingham was selected to accompany him on his journey on HMS Northumberland to final exile at St Helena.. There he remained with his captive until relieved by another officer(Sir Pine-Coffin) in 1818. The diary for this period is full of fascinating descriptions of the deposed Emperor and the habits of him and his staff.
Wellington’s Lieutenants [Illustrated Edition]
by Alexander Innes ShandIncludes over 100 maps of the actions, engagements and battles of the entire Peninsular War."The men who stood beside the Great DukeThe Duke of Wellington was indisputably one of the most able military commanders in British history. He was not only a powerful intellect, but also a man of substantial character...To Wellington, delegation failed to come easily...He insisted on a knowledge of all things that might concern him and was prepared to issue directives on all matters. It is then, unsurprising that he eclipsed his immediate subordinates, senior figures and highly respected commanders in their own right, who were often given little latitude, and were regularly not fully briefed as to Wellington's strategy and grand tactics; for example, at Waterloo, amid flying shot, the duke terrified his staff by appearing to be the only person in possession of the plan of battle. All this, however, does nothing to diminish the clear contribution many of those closest to the Great Duke made towards the success of his campaigns. While having lessons to learn from Wellington they were more than capable military men-if not actually possessed of quite the same degree of military 'genius' as their commander in chief. This book chronicles eight of Wellington's lieutenants as they fought for him in the Peninsula and at Waterloo. Lord 'Daddy' Hill earned his nickname because of his extraordinary concern for the well-being of his soldiers; he was Wellington's most trusted general and was, unusually, given independent command by Wellington. The fiery Craufurd, leader of the Light Division, could always be depended upon to take the fight to the enemy-sometimes whether it was prudent to do so or not. Picton, the hard swearing Welshman...Accounts of the campaigns and actions of these notable soldiers are joined in this riveting book by those of Beresford, Lynedoch, Hopetoun, Anglesey and Combermere."-Print ed.
Wellington's Light Division in the Peninsular War: The Formation, Campaigns & Battles of Wellington’s Famous Fighting Force, 1810
by Robert Burnham“A detailed and riveting account of the Light Division and its three regiments, 43rd and 52nd Light Infantry and the 95th Rifles . . . An important book.” —FiretrenchIn February 1810, Wellington formed what became the most famous unit in the Peninsular War: the Light Division. Formed around the 43rd and 52nd Light Infantry and the 95th Rifles, the exploits of these three regiments is legendary. Over the next 50 months, the division would fight and win glory in almost every battle and siege of the Peninsular War.How the division achieved its fame began on the border of Spain and Portugal where it served as a screen between Wellington’s Army and the French. When it came time pull back from the border, the division endured a harrowing retreat with a relentless enemy at their heels. It was during this eventful year it developed an esprit-de-corps and a belief in its leaders and itself that was unrivaled in Wellington’s Army.Wellington’s Light Division in the Peninsular War uses over 100 primary sources—many never published before—to recount the numerous skirmishes, combats, and battles, as well as the hardships of a year of duty on the front lines. Others are from long-forgotten books published over 150 years ago. It is through the words of the officers and men who served with it that this major, and long-anticipated study of the first critical year of the Light Division is told.“Given the limited scope of the book, covering only one year of the Peninsular campaign, the depth of the study is truly remarkable . . . An excellent history of the Light Division ‘Warts and All.’”—The Napoleon Series
Wellington's Masterpiece: The Battle and Campaign of Salamanca (Routledge Library Editions: Military and Naval History #17)
by Peter Young J. P. LawfordThe Peninsular war was not only one of the great periods in British military history, it was also a war in which guerillas exerted a major influence, and as such, has continued relevance today. Salamanca established Wellington as one of the great military commanders of any age and it is one of the battles which produced significant results. As well as the battle the campaign contains two of the most memorable sieges ever under-taken by British arms, those of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. This book, originally published in 1972, uses eye-witness accounts with the result that the reader can hear the principal characters explain their actions and see the battlefield through the eyes of the men who were there.
Wellington’s Men in Australia
by Christine WrightAn exploration of the little-known yet historically important emigration of British army officers to the Australian colonies in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. The book looks at the significant impact they made at a time of great colonial expansion, particularly in new south Wales with its transition from a convict colony to a free society.
Wellington's Men Remembered Volume 2: A Register of Memorials to Soldiers Who Fought in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo: M to Z
by Janet Bromley David BromleyWellington's Men Remembered is a reference work which has been compiled on behalf of the Association of Friends of the Waterloo Committee and contains over 3,000 memorials to soldiers who fought in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo between 1808 and 1815, together with 150 battlefield and regimental memorials in 24 countries worldwide.
Wellington’s Peninsular Victories: Busaco, Salamanca, Vitoria, Nivelle (Great Battles Ser.)
by Michael GloverFirst published in 1963, this book concentrates on four great military victories of the Peninsular War (1807-1814): the Battle of Busaco of September 27, 1810; the Battle of Salamanca of July 22, 1812; the Battle of Vitoria of June 21, 1913; and the Battle of Nivelle of November 10, 1913.Richly illustrates throughout with photos, maps and plans.“You have sent me...the staff of a French Marshal, and I send you in return that of England.”—HRH The Prince Regent to Viscount Wellington after Vitoria“A lucid and absorbing account of the five years of arduous campaigning that brought the Allies to Toulouse in April, 1814...quotes freely from many fascinating eyewitness descriptions”—The Soldier“Concentrates attention on four of Wellington’s greatest triumphs—Busaco, Salamanca, Vitoria, and the Nivelle...which routed the finest soldiery in Europe and sent four of its most famous Marshals cringing back to Napoleon in disgrace”—The Daily Telegraph“Michael Glover’s book is a brilliant success, like the campaign which inspired it”—The Times Literary Supplement
Wellington's Peninsular War: Battles and Battlefields
by Julian PagetThis history and battlefield guide is an essential reference for anyone visiting the sites of Wellington&’s war with Napoleon in Spain and Portugal.Wellington's Peninsular War provides a concise and comprehensive account of the battlefields as they exist today, with historic context and practical details to help readers find and explore them. The Peninsular War of 1808 to 1841 was a major part of the twenty-year struggle against Napoleon Bonaparte&’s imperial ambitions. Military historian Julian Paget presents a balanced picture of the conflict, covering the Duke of Wellington&’s campaigns as well as the crucially important efforts of the Spanish and Portuguese. Paget begins with an overview of the war and its background, followed by a complete year-by-year account. He then presents a chapter on each of the major battles, includes maps and photographs of the battlefields, orders of battle, and helpful information about the battlefield today. The maps show the ground as it was at the time but also include modern features for easier identification.
Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles: A Biographical and Historical Dictionary
by T. A. HeathcoteWellington's achievements in the Peninsular War cannot be overestimated. At the outset in 1808 Napoleon and his Marshals appeared unstoppable. By the close Wellington and his Army had convincingly defeated the French and taken the war across the Pyrenees into France itself. He and his Generals had waged a hugely successful campaign both by conventional means and guerrilla warfare.This book contains the pithy biographies of some forty senior officers who served Wellington, in the majority of cases, so ably during this six year war. Many had experience of battle prior to the Peninsular and went on to greater heights thereafter. There is a section summarizing the major engagements that this 'band of brothers' took part in. The book is arranged in alphabetical order and each thoroughly researched entry places its subject's life in his historical and political context. The result is a highly entertaining, informative and authoritative book.
Wellington's Redjackets: The 45h (Nottinghamshire) Regiment on Campaign in South America and the Peninsula, 1805–14
by Steve BrownThe assault was failing. Wellington's men had stormed the walls of the great frontier fortress of Badajoz only to be beaten back with terrible losses. Then on the keep of the old castle the French flag was torn down and a British officer's red jacket was hauled up the flagpole. It was the signal the British were inside Badajoz!This was one of the most famous incidents during the Peninsular War and marked not only the turning point in the capture of Badajoz but of the entire conflict. The jacket belonged to Lieutenant James MacPherson of the 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment. The 45th had landed with Wellington at Mondego Bay in 1808 and fought with him throughout the entire Peninsular War gaining more battle honours than any other line regiment.Wellington's Redjackets, The 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment on Campaign in South America and the Peninsular War is one of the most detailed unit histories ever published of a regiment during the Napoleonic era. As the first, and only, study of this regiment, Wellington's Redjackets will undoubtedly be an essential purchase for those interested in Napoleonic warfare.
Wellington's Rifles
by Mark UrbanHistory of the Napoleonic War as it effected six of Wellington's soldiers. History becomes personalized as the author draws upon letters and diaries to weave his story.
Wellington's Scapegoat: The Tragedy of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan
by Archie HunterLieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan was the key figure in an extraordinary, controversial and ultimately tragic episode during the Peninsula War. He was the commanding officer held responsible for the dramatic night escape of the French garrison from Almeida over a vital bridge. For this disaster he incurred the extreme wrath of the Duke of Wellington but whether this was fair remains highly debatable.
Wellington's Specialist Troops
by Bryan Fosten Philip HaythornthwaiteThe specialist troops of Wellington's army played a crucial role in the success of the British Army. Though often understaffed and ineptly managed, the artillery, engineers, transport and commissariat, and medical services contributed to Wellington's ultimate victory in 1815. The Royal Artillery and Corps of Royal Engineers comprised a small number of highly trained officers, while the commissariat was composed of untrained civilians outside military discipline, and the medical services suffered from a shortage of trained surgeons. This richly illustrated book examines the organization, uniforms and equipment of each of these specialist departments.
Wellington's Spies
by Mary McGrigorIntelligence was just as important in the Napoleonic Wars as it is today. Then there was only one way of obtaining it by spies and informers. The Author uses first hand accounts of three of Wellingtons most daring and successful Intelligence Officers. The three men, all of Scottish descent, were very different in character. One was killed in action and another taken prisoner and after narrowly avoiding summary execution made a dramatic escape. There is a romantic angle too.Their stories skillfully interwoven against the backdrop of the brutal Peninsula War where atrocities were common place. This book gives a fresh insight into Wellingtons remarkable triumph over Napoleons armies.
Wellington's Wars: The Making of a Military Genius
by Huw J. DaviesArthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, lives on in popular memory as the "Invincible General," loved by his men, admired by his peers, formidable to his opponents. This incisive book revises such a portrait, offering an accurate—and controversial—new analysis of Wellington's remarkable military career. Unlike his nemesis Napoleon, Wellington was by no means a man of innate military talent, Huw J. Davies argues. Instead, the key to Wellington's military success was an exceptionally keen understanding of the relationship between politics and war. Drawing on extensive primary research, Davies discusses Wellington's military apprenticeship in India, where he learned through mistakes as well as successes how to plan campaigns, organize and use intelligence, and negotiate with allies. In India Wellington encountered the constant political machinations of indigenous powers, and it was there that he apprenticed in the crucial skill of balancing conflicting political priorities. In later campaigns and battles, including the Peninsular War and Waterloo, Wellington's genius for strategy, operations, and tactics emerged. For his success in the art of war, he came to rely on his art as a politician and tactician. This strikingly original book shows how Wellington made even unlikely victories possible—with a well-honed political brilliance that underpinned all of his military achievements.
Wellington's Worst Scrape: The Burgos Campaign 1812
by Carole DivallThe disastrous retreat and near disintegration of Sir John Moores army on the road to Corunna in 1809 is traditionally regarded as the low point in the history of the British intervention in the Peninsular War. Yet under the Duke of Wellington, the British and their allies suffered defeats and retreats that tend to be overshadowed by the series of victories that eventually drove the French from Portugal and Spain. None of these setbacks was graver than the retreat that followed the disastrous failure of the siege of Burgos in 1812. It is this, less than glorious, phase of the Peninsular campaign that is the subject of Carole Divalls latest study of the British army of the Napoleonic Wars.By reconstructing events in close detail, and by bringing together [many] primary sources, she gives a vivid account of what happened and why. Wellington himself recognized the mistakes and miscalculations that led to the potentially catastrophic situation in which he placed his men. He described it as his worst scrape. Yet most of the letters, journals and memoirs that have survived praise the skill with which he saved Britain's only army from disaster. Carole Divall weaves together Wellingtons dispatches with the eyewitness testimony left by British and Portuguese officers and men, by civilians, and by the French. A fascinating, multi-layered impression emerges of the siege of Burgos itself and the sequence of maneuvers that preceded it. She describes in authentic detail the tense decision-making and the misjudgments that were made on the allied side and the headlong retreat that followed as the British fled from two French armies that threatened to trap and destroy them.Carole Divalls in-depth study of a pivotal and neglected episode in the Peninsular War gives a fascinating insight into the character of the fighting, at every level, and into the strengths and weaknesses of Wellingtons command.
The Welsh at War: The Somme and Arras
by Steven JohnThe Welsh at War trilogy is the culmination of over twelve years of painstaking research by the author into the Welsh men and infantry units who fought in the Great War.These units included the four regular regiments the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers Welsh Regiment and Welsh Guards as well as the Territorial Monmouthshire Regiment, the Yeomanry regiments: the Denbighshire Hussars, Pembroke Yeomanry, Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, Glamorgan Yeomanry and Welsh Horse Yeomanry and their amalgamation into service battalions for the regular regiments during 1917.Welsh troops fought with great courage in every theater of the war the Western Front, Aden, China, Gallipoli, Egypt, India, Italy, Salonika and in Palestine and in addition to the casualties suffered during these campaigns, many men gained recognition for acts of gallantry.The three volumes, split chronologically, cover all of the major actions and incidents in which each of the Welsh infantry regiments took part, as well as stories of Welsh airmen, Welshmen shot at dawn, Welsh rugby players who fell, Welsh gallantry winners and the Welshmen who died in non-Welsh units, such as the Dominion forces and other units of the British armed forces.The Welsh at War records the gallant work of Welsh units and servicemen during the period between the arrival of the 38th (Welsh) Division in France during December 1915 until the aftermath of the Battle of Arras in the summer of 1917, covering: the campaigns in Mesopotamia, Salonika, Egypt and Palestine; the Battle of Jutland; the Somme offensive; the German Withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line; the Battle of Arras; the Battle of Messines Ridge; and the build up to the Third Battle of Ypres.
The Welsh at War: The Somme And Arras
by Steven JohnWelsh at War From Mons to Loos and the Gallipoli Tragedy is the culmination of twelve years of painstaking research by the author into the the Welsh men and infantry units who fought in the Great War.These units included the four regular regiments the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers Welsh Regiment and Welsh Guards as well as the Territorial Monmouthshire Regiment, the Yeomanry regiments, the Denbighshire Hussars, Pembroke Yeomanry, Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, Glamorgan Yeomanry and Welsh Horse Yeomanry and their amalgamation into service battalions for the regular regiments during 1917.Welsh troops fought with great courage in every theater of the war the Western Front, Aden, China, Gallipoli, Egypt, India, Italy, Salonika and in Palestine and as well as the casualties who were suffered during these campaigns, many men gained recognition for acts of gallantry.The book covers all of the major actions and incidents in which each of the Welsh infantry regiments took part from the opening of the war in 1914 until the end of 1915, as well as stories of Welsh airmen, Welshmen shot at dawn, Welsh rugby players who fell, Welsh gallantry winners and the Welshmen who died in non-Welsh units, such as the Dominion forces and other units of the British Armed Forces.While chronicling a history of the war through the events and battles that Welshmen took part in, the stories of individual casualties are included throughout, together with many compelling photographs of the men and their last resting places.