Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814

Wellington at... #2

by Jac Weller

This text demonstrates how a great commander finally achieved victory after six years of battle against Napoleon's army. The author covers all the battles against the French that Wellington was involved in.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Spain, British Literature, War

396 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2012

Reviews

[Chas Bayfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - what a book! This was a real page turner. I came at it knowing absolutely nothing about Wellington except that he beat Napoleon at Waterloo, and even less about any wars on the Peninsular. But having read plenty of books on the early settlement of Tasmania, I kept hearing about men - convicts and the soldiers who guarded them - who had 'fought with Wellington in the Peninsular'. So in effect, this was the war that built Australia.

Weller's book underlines Wellington's brilliance without idolising him - he seems a cool and impersonable man in charge of massed ranks of ruffians and drunks. Somehow, Wellington was able to be in several places at once, read the way a battle would go and pre-empt anything the French could throw at him. The Peninsular was a glorious victory for Britain and its Iberian allies and Weller's book puts you there, battle by bloody battle. There was a comprehensive bibliography so I can jump into some other books written by soldiers who were actually there, squaring up to muskets, lances, artillery and cannon and seeing their triumphant CinC galloping along the crest of a Spanish hill to reorganise his battle lines. Awesome.

[Droocoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated book very Eurocentric and almost sycophantic - ironically written by an American! The political views read as though it was written in the 1800s. Derogatory towards India and Indians largely. Good detail at the end of the book regarding ordnance, tactics, units etc. “Bullocks, Grain and Good Madeira” by Joshua Provan is a far better book which reads more easily too. I read it because I felt I had to, to master the Maratha Wars. I regret it

[George Polansky · Rating 5 out of 5]

War in the Iberian Peninsula.

[David Abernethy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weller tells the history of the Peninsular War based solely on Wellington's knowledge at the time of the events described. Weller had personally fired the firearms used, and had walked the battlefields. Weller is a master storyteller and a shrewd editor, passing lightly over periods of inaction but at all times describing the strategic situation faced by Wellington and engaging the reader in the excitement of battle. Weller is polite to a fault in treating the blunders of British officers; if an officer is truly incompetent, he is described as "unfortunate". This history is consistent with his analysis of Wellington in "Wellington at Waterloo": that Wellington is one of history's greatest military commanders, who never made an important error or lost a battle.

[Bill V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. It is very detailed and covers Wellington's various campaigns in the Iberian peninsula. I don't have any other point of reference in assessing the accuracy of figures or details of the various battles and sieges conducted during this time. The book has several photos of battlefields and drawings of multiple maps.

[Ian Willey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a little dated but still a valuable read. Far more honest regarding allied help i.e. Spanish and Portuguese then many others including some more recent that should know better.

However the Waterloo one is of far less value.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone even vaguely interested in the Napoleonic wars, should read this!