Osprey: Wellington (Peninsula)
Book Review
by Paul Chamberlain
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Wellington’s Army in the Peninsula, 1809-14
Osprey has a reputation of publishing very concise and detailed studies of military subjects, at a very reasonable price. Wellington’s Army in the Peninsula is another example of this. Stuart Reid has produced a thorough study of the subject, with a clear account of how the British Army was organised at Divisional and Brigade level, including the integration of Portuguese troops into these formations. Battalion organisation is examined, including a discussion of the formation of provisional battalions of light companies, which were semi-permanent formations to provide the army with larger bodies of light troops for skirmishing. Organisation of the formations is usefully illustrated with unit tree diagrams, which will be of interest to Wargamers. A section examines the command and control of these formations, and how this was put into action. Short biographies of the principal officers accompany this text. The author examines infantry tactical doctrine and practice, and for a clear and concise account of how the British infantry marched, manoeuvred and fought; this book is a valuable addition to the subject. The text is accompanied by numerous illustrations of the soldiers and their equipment, plus plans of Divisional and Brigade formations used in action during the campaign. A sequence of maps shows the British Army in action during the various stages of the battle of Albuera in 1811 as but one example. Each infantry formation, from the 1st to the 7th Divisions, is examined in detail, along with the Light Division and brief sections on the Portuguese and Spanish infantry. Similar sections cover the cavalry and artillery. The sections show the evolution of the formations during the Peninsula campaign, with notes to explain the changes made to each force. Biographical notes on the commanders are included. Wellington’s Army in the Peninsula is a highly detailed and concise study of the subject, and will be of great use to anyone with an interest in the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars. As such, it is highly recommended. Wellington’s Peninsula Regiments (2): The Light Infantry
Mike Chappell is well-known to collectors of Osprey titles, as he has written and illustrated many of them. Here is another well-written and illustrated title in the Napoleonic range published by this company. It is a description of the Light Infantry regiments that fought in Wellington’s Army during the Peninsula Campaign, and begins with an examination of the evolution of light infantry in the armies of the 18th century. This is followed by a look at Light Infantry in the British Army, and the formation and training of such units at Shorncliffe. The author includes the training of the officers and men, and what was expected of them in battle. Using contemporary accounts, we learn what it was like to fight in a skirmish line. The book examines the history of the Light Infantry regiments in the Peninsula, and details the actions in which they fought. The superb colour plates include new research regarding the detail of the uniforms. A very interesting and useful account of the Light Infantry regiments that fought in Wellington’s Army. Book Review
Osprey Vanguard Books The Emperor’s Last Victory Letters from the Battle of Waterloo March of Death (Corunna 1809) Osprey: Wellington (Peninsula) Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire # 80 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |