Published as part of the Osprey Men-At-Arms Series (1996), price £7.99 ISBN 1-85532-600-0
48 pages, 8 colour plates, 40 black and white illustrations.

This is a book on a subject that has not been covered in such detail for some time, certainly not in this country. Modern works tend to mention in passing the units that garrisoned and fought in the West Indies during the period 1793-1815, and so this latest offering from Osprey is a welcome publication.

The West Indies was an important theatre for the British, as there was much trade between these islands and Britain. A heavy military committment there was necessary to not only protect British commercial interests, but also to deny trade to France, Spain and Holland by attacking their possessions there. This book by Rene Chartrand, with some very good colour plates by Paul Chappell, begins with a brief introduction to the story of British involvement in this theatre, followed by a chronology of the military activity in the region from the capture of Tobago from the French in April 1793 to the capture of Guadeloupe in August 1815. This useful section includes a list of the regiments involved in these actions.

There were units of the British Army stationed in the West Indies, and many succumbed to disease. These units are covered briefly in this book,as more information about their dress etc. can be found in other Osprey titles. The bulk of the text is on the locally raised troops and the Emigré Corps, many of the latter being first raised in Europe. Each unit is described, along with a brief history of its activities. Many black soldiers were recruited as this method of raising troops was more economical. They did not have to be transported from Europe and were less prone to sickness and desertion. All aspects of the military on the islands are described, from the West India Regiments, European Colonial troops (eg. Dutch troops in British service) and the militias on each island. The interesting colour plates complement the text, and there is a useful bibliography.

This book contains much information on a subject not generally covered elsewhere, and is a welcome addition to the Napoleonic range published by Osprey.

Other Book Reviews:

Imperial Bayonets
Wellington's Peninsula Victories
Recollections of Rifleman Harris
Nelson's Battles
Origins of the French Revolutionary Wars
Anatomy of Glory

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