Wellington’s Peninsular War: Battles and Battlefields by Julian Paget lands on the shelves of my shop, where it will be found in my Military History section.
London: Leo Cooper, 1996, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Contains: Black & white photographs; Chronological tables [1]; Maps; Tables; Maps to the endpapers and blanks; Appendices [7]; Plans;
From the cover: It is true to say that enough books have been written about the Peninsular War to fill a large library so why the need for another? The answer is simple. All previous books on the subject have been written for the benefit of the armchair historian, sitting at home and weighing up the tactical decisions of Soult, Massena or Wellington with little more evidence than whatever maps the book supplies him with. Until quite recently the idea of actually going to look at the battlefields was one that occurred only to the professional historian or the most dedicated student of military history.
But the Iberian Peninsula is now visited by millions of British holidaymakers every year, some of whom are probably aware that their ancestors fought a long and bloody campaign there against Napoleons armies at the beginning of the nineteenth century, but very few of whom probably realize that many of the battlefields on which the campaign was fought, and finally won, are not hard to find or reach and are fascinating to explore.
With this in mind, Sir Julian Paget, an established authority on the Peninsular War, has produced this invaluable guide to all the major battlefields. He starts with a short but comprehensive survey of the war itself, so that the reader has an idea of the overall background and then gives a more detailed account of each battle. Thus equipped, the reader will be able to see exactly what took place, where and when. Detailed maps accompany each battlepiece, as well as clear instructions on how to reach the site.
Anyone going to Spain who wants a little relief from the usual routine of sun, sea and sand will find in this book a stimulating antidote.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.
Red boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. [XVII] 284 pages. Index. 9½” x 6¼”.
