I am often asked to recommend a good source for a particular orders of battle, for wargamers and those researching a particular action. There are many textbooks that give these details for specific conflicts. However, I have come across two sources that no serious researcher should ignore.

The first is by Anschluss Publishing ('Rivendell, Wathen Way, Marsham, Aylsham, Norfolk, NR10 5PZ), who produce a range of very reasonably priced booklets under the general heading of Great Battles of History Refought. There are eight titles covering the 1809 campaign, six on the 1813 campaign, two on the year 1814, and five books on the Peninsular conflict. I have copies of The Piave by P. Heath and Baylen by M. Oliver and R. Partridge. Both books are very detailed accounts of these actions and contain a number of useful maps plus detailed orders of battle. They are specifically designed with wargamers in mind, but any researcher interested in these battles will find them of use. The two books I have mentioned are priced at £ 2.95 and £ 3.95 respectively.

The most remarkable collection of orders of battle that I have come across is that available from Battle Honours (5 Moors Lane, Oreton, Nr. Kidderminster, Worcs., DY14 8RH. Tel. 074 632 627) * These have been collated by George Nafziger, the Napoleonic period being covered by four catalogues:

Catalogue 4. French Revolutionary Wars to 1799 (price 40p)
Catalogue 5. Napoleonic 1 1800-1810 (price 40p)
Catalogue 6. Napoleonic 2 1811-1815 (price 50p)
Catalogue 7. Napoleonic 3 The Peninsula plus miscellaneous British/French overseas (price 40p)

Each catalogue lists the orders of battle available for each year. Individual orders cost 25p per page and vary from one to four pages in length. There must be hundreds of orders of battle available from these lists, covering such forces as the Spanish Army on the French frontier, 8th May 1793; French Imperial Guard in Spain, 14th December 1808; the British invasion of Chile, 1806; to give but a few examples. Using these lists it should be possible to produce a detailed order of battle for any engagement that you are researching, be it for pure research or wargame. Battle Honours have published a unique and immensely useful information source, at a very cheap price.

Dusty Archive: Books