by Captain W. Siborne, published by Greenhill (1995) ISBN 1-85367-069-3, 584 pages, 28 engravings, 2 maps, Price £ 25.00

The publishing campaign of June 1995 also resulted in the republication by Greenhill of this classic work by William Siborne (they first published it in 1990). It is THE work on the campaign of 1815, and should be on every enthusiast's bookshelf, as it is an important reference work.

When Siborne was planning his famous model of Waterloo (now on display in the National Army Museum) he wrote to as many surviving eye- witnesses as possible to glean information about the parts played by the different units and officers on that famous day. He contacted Generals down to subalterns in the Anglo-Allied and Prussian armies, and using the information thus obtained he constructed his famous diorama.

The information obtained from the surviving officers was later collated into a book entitled History of the War in France and Belgium in 1815, published in 1848. Greenhill first made the work available in 1990 on the 1 75th Anniversary of the great battle.

This book is essential reading for any student of the Waterloo campaign. It covers the period from the landing of Napoleon in the south of France in February to the St.Cloud convention on 3 July 1815. It is a work that contains an immense amount of information within its covers which includes: details of the forces opposing France; composition of the armies of Wellington and Blucher; dispositions of the troops at the start of the campaign; accounts of all the engagements of the campaign i.e. Quatre Bras, Ligny, Waterloo and Wavre, through to the investment of Paris.

While other accounts of the campaign are useful in the study of this period, I believe that the History of the Waterloo Campaign by Siborne is one of the most descriptive and useful accounts of the campaign ever written. For example, the section on Quatre Bras is particularly interesting as there are details of the action involving individual regiments, giving their positions on the field and the role that they played. Even the position of individual batteries is described. There are tables showing the build-up of the opposing forces.

While more modern accounts may question Siborne's accuracy as part of the modern trend for revisionist history, his account must remain the starting point for any study of the Waterloo campaign. Highly recommended and worth the expenditure of £ 25.00.

More Book Reviews

Napoleon's Children
Napoleon and Waterloo: The Emperor's Campaign with the Armee du Nord 1815
History of the Waterloo Campaign
Napoleon and Waterloo
The Fall of Napoleon