Book Review | Wellington’s Engineers by Mark S. Thompson (2015)
Title: Wellington’s Engineers: Military Engineering in the Peninsular War, 1808-1814
Author: Mark S. Thompson
Publication Date: 2015
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
ISBN: 978-1-78346-363-3
A number of good titles regarding the Peninsular War of 1808 – 1814 have been published over the years, but few – if any – have examined the role of the military engineers during the conflict. Yet, as any military expert will know, the presence of ‘scientific’ soldiers is essential to a successful campaign, whether it was one fought on the Napoleonic battlefields of over 200 years ago or those of today. With that in mind, this title from Mark S. Thompson is a particularly welcome addition to the current literature.
The author considers the work of the Allied engineers under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, in a chronological order. That is, he begins in 1808 and examines each year in turn until the conflict’s end in 1814. As one might expect, all the British sieges of the Peninsular War are included, as are the issues of bridge building (and demolition) etc., but perhaps the main gem of this work is the chapter examining the Lines of Torres Vedras. The majority of books on the war mention this amazing feat of engineering, but few go into the depth that Thompson’s does. At the end of the title the reader is presented with a number of fascinating appendices that go into greater detail regarding certain aspects of military engineering, including: reconnaissance, surveying, bridging and education, amongst others.
Overall, Thompson has produced an excellent, scholarly piece of work that offers the reader a thorough analysis of Wellington’s engineers throughout the Peninsular War. The book is well-written and, despite its academic nature, easy to read. The only caveat the reviewer would place on this work is to recommend that the potential reader reads a general history of the war before this title, since Thompson focusses on the role of the engineers rather than the campaign itself, and prior knowledge of the conflict is beneficial. For those already familiar with the war, Wellington’s Engineers is a must-read. The book deserves a five out of five star rating.
