Autobiographies of soldiers who fought in the campaigns of the period make for very interesting reading, more so as they relate the life and adventures of the man in the ranks. A Dorset Soldier - The Autobioraphy of William Lawrence 1790-1869 is a fascinating account of a soldier of the 40th Foot who fought in South America, the Peninsula, New Orleans and Waterloo. It has been edited by Eileen Hathaway and published by Spellmount price £ 16.95.

This book is not as detailed as other autobiographies such as The Letters of Private Wheeler). The campaigns are detailed very briefly, and the story is more of life as a soldier in the ranks, and how they survived on a day-to-day basis. However, Eileen Hathaway has added numerous footnotes to the text and detailed explanatory notes about the campaigns. Maps, illustrations and photographs explain the story still further.

Lawrence wrote his memoirs some forty years after the events happened, so they are rather selective. His story begins in Briantspuddle, Dorset, from where he ran away to join the 40th Foot in 1805. He rose to the rank of Sergeant and was discharged in 1819. The story includes details of the plundering committe by British soldiers (even Lawrence admits that the British were as bad as the French in this respect), and delightful anecdotes about Tom his pet cockerel on campaign in the Peninsula (This animal was sold to the servant of the Colonel of the 40th, who informed Lawrence that it would be taken care of and sent home to England to reside in a farmyard. However, it ended up on the Colonel's dinner table, much to the disgust and sorrow of Lawrence!).

This book is a very entertaining and enjoyable read. If you like first-hand accounts of the life of a Napoleonic soldier, then include this one in your collection.

Greenhill have added to their Napoleonic Library with Napoleon at Bay 1813 by F.Loraine Petre, price 19.50. This is a classic work by an author who made a very detailed study of Napoleon's campaigns. The book looks at the last and one of the most skilful campaigns of Napoleon's career, which involved actions at Brienne, La Rothiere, ontmirail and Vauchamps. This volume includes a detailed account of the campaign and these actions, complete with foldout maps.

Conway Maritime Press continue to add to their list of books covering just about every aspect of naval history. The Heavy Frigate-Eighteen-Pounder Frigates: Volume 1, 1778-1800, by Robert Gardiner price 25, loos at the large singledecked cruising ships armed with 18pdr guns first introduced during the American Revolution. These vessels grew in size, number and importance over the following decades until they became the typical frigate of the Napoleonic era.

This first volume looks at the design and evolution of this type of ship, with explanations of how the design was influenced by captured vessels. The text is based upon the huge plans collection at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, and represents a large amount of information condensed into this, the first of two volumes. The hook contains many plans and tables of data, and should appeal to those with an interest in the naval history of the period.

Film Review

Dave Hollins has sent this review of a recent television showing of The Battle of Austerlitz (1960), French/Italian/Yugoslav colour production, two hours in duration. It was shown recently on BBC2, but it may very well be available on video as well.

This film is a later offering by Abel Gance (who made the famous Napoleon) covering the 1802 Treaty of Amiens through the Coronation to the great battle. Napoleon is unsurprisingly cast as the victim of British plots together with the incompetence of his officials (the excuse for the murder of the Duc D'Enghien), and death threats 'force' Bonaparte to proclaim himself Emperor. Other than Kutuzov and Pitt, all the Emperor's enemies are portrayed as buffoons (Jack Palance is way over the top as Weyrother), whilst the Marshals cannot measure up in any way to their chief. Orson Welles features as the nominal American, Fulton, trying to get money for his projects to defeat the Royal Navy, and Claudia Cardinale does best as the temperamental Pauline.

Although there is quite a lot of silly explanatory dialogue and many uniforms are too elaborate/late/clean, some uniforms are very good (notably Austrian Kurassiers!).

The final half hour of battle scenes are well-presented, albeit inaccurate, with the Imperial Guard and Russian Grenadiers apparently everywhere. Judicious use of smoke and mist covers the lack of extras, but perhaps represents the battle much more like it was for the ordinary soldier, than say the aerial footage of Waterloo. Enjoyable, colourful yarn, including a number of Napoleon's well-known sayings and much myth.

The Dusty Archive

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The Salon (Re-enactment)
Royal Armouries Museum of Artillery
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