Stuart Reid is quite correct in stating that Anthony Brett-James was wrong in attributing the author of journal of a Soldier of the 71st to Captain Thomas Pococke. First of all, a look at the Army Lists for the period of the Napoleonic Wars reveals that no Thomas Pococke ever served with the 71st.

There was, however, a Captain Samuel Pococke. Even so, whatever his christian name, he could not possibly have been the author as a simple piece of detective work shows. In journal of a Soldier of the 71st, the author describes the capture of Montevideo in February 1807 and Whitelocke's illfated attack on Buenos Aires in July 1807.

Therefore, our Captain Pococke cannot possibly be the author of the bcok as he was a prisoner of war at the time having been taken, along with about 800 other men of the 71st, in August 1806 following the 'Reconquista' when Liniers' Spaniards overthrew Beresford's force which had taken Buenos Aires in June of that year. Pococke remained a prisoner throughout this penod and so cannot have taken part in any of these events. In fact, his own journal was published in the Highland Light Infantry Chronicle in the 1890s.

So who was the real author of journal of a Soldier of the 71st? Halket and Lang's Dictionary of Anonymous Titles ascribes the book to Captain Pococke. Well, as we have seen, we can rule that one out for a start. Donald Horward's Napoleonic Bibliography gives the author as Thomas Howell, and indeed, a note in the journal of the Royal Highland Fusiliers (VOI.XIV, No.4) also suggests that his christian name was indeed, "Thomas", and as Stuart Reid points out, the author does refer to himself as "Tom" or "Thomas". However, Stuart points out that the Royal Highland Fusiliers have acquired a copy of the book with the inscription that a man named "John Howell" wrote the book, or 'ghosted' it for another man named James Todd and there is, in fact, evidence to support John Howell's authorship.

In 1830, a book was published called The Life of Alexander Alexander, who was a British mercenary who fought for Bolivar in South America, and there, clearly on the title page, is the author's name, John Howell, and underneath it states, "author of journal of a Soldier."

Personally, I would suggest that it was indeed John Howell who was the author of the book. One final note, however, concerns James Todd, for whom it is claimed the book was 'ghosted'. The General Service Medal Roll for the 71 st Regiment lists James Todd as having received a clasp for Talavera. However, in journal of a Soldier the author departs for Walcheren on July 28th 1809, the very day of Talavera and unless there was more than one James Todd we must rule him out of the picture.

Also, Todd does not appear to have been present at Corunna (he did not get the Corunna clasp at any*rate) whereas the author of journal of a Soldier certainly was present. If anybody else has any views on the mystery I'd also like to hear from them.