Tales of the Rifle Brigade: Adventures in the Rifle Brigade, and Random Shots From a Rifleman

by John Kincaid

To Napoleon's troops, the sharp shooters of the 95th (Rifle) Regiment were 'the rascals in green', famed throughout Europe for their bravery, skill, and dash. Kincaid's Adventures in the Rifle Brigade was the first book to be published by a veteran, recounting the amazing escapades of this legendary unit in the war against French armies in Portugal and Spain. His second volume, Random Shots From a Rifleman, is just as vivid and memorable as the first, and finishes with a remarkable first-hand description of the Waterloo campaign from the ordinary soldier's point of view. The two volumes, here bound together in abridged form, add up to one of the most enthralling eyewitness records of regimental soldiering ever written. Although other Rifles memoirs quickly followed, none achieved the commercial or critical success of Kincaid's collection of unforgettable anecdotes.

Genres: History, Military Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Sir John Kincaid of the rifle brigade was born at Dalheath in January 1787. He was educated at Polmont school, and served for a time as lieutenant in the North York militia. On the formation of the old 3rd battalion (afterwards disbanded) of the 95th rifles, now the rifle brigade, at Hythe, Kent, in 1809, Kincaid joined with a draft of militia volunteers from the North York, and received a second lieutenancy in the 95th, with which corps he served through the Peninsular campaigns of 1811–14 and at Waterloo. He led the forlorn hope at one of the assaults of Ciudad Rodrigo; was severely wounded, and had a horse shot under him as acting adjutant at Waterloo. He attained the rank of captain in the rifle brigade in 1826, and retired by sale of his commissions 21 June 1831. For his Peninsular services he afterwards received the medal with clasps for Fuentes d'Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, and Toulouse. Kincaid was appointed exon of the royal bodyguard of yeomen of the guard on 25 Oct. 1844, and, on becoming senior exon in 1852, was knighted according to custom. In 1847 he was appointed government inspector of prisons for Scotland, and in 1850 Sir George Grey [q. v.] conferred on him the appointment of inspector of factories and prisons for Scotland, which he resigned through ill-health shortly before his death. He died at Hastings, unmarried, on 22 April 1862, aged 75.

Kincaid was author of ‘Adventures in the Rifle Brigade’ (London, 1830; 2nd edition, London, 1838) and ‘Random Shots of a Rifleman’ (London, 1835). Cope, the historian of the rifle brigade, says that, although written with too much levity, they contain many facts of interest, and the dates and statements are confirmed by more formal authorities.

Reviews

[ECL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and very amusing memoirs of captain john Kincaid. The first vol is much better than the second. This is an abridged version of the original memoirs published by Kincaid. Georgette Heyer drew heavily on this and other memoirs for her books 'the Spanish bride' and 'an infamous army'.

[Ian Kennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading

The language takes some getting used to but gives a ring of truth to it all. You are there in the midst of the smoke and noise the stress and sorrow

[Lee]

Tales of the Rifle Brigade by John Kincaid (2005)