Customer Reviews

Bloody Albuera: The 1811 Campaign in the Peninsular

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Ian Fletcher's "Bloody Albuera" combines solid narrative on the 1811 Anglo-Portuguese campaign in the Peninsular War with a lavish variety of illustrations and remarkably clear battle diagrams. The introduction quickly places the reader in the context of the 1808-1814 Peninsular War to liberate Portugal and Spain from the Imperial French Army. Following are chapters on each of the key battles of the 1811 campaign.

Most of the emphasis is on "Bloody Albuera", a hard-fought encounter in which the clumsy tactical handling of the battle by British General Beresford was redeemed by the initiative of subordinates and the sheer stubborn valor of the British and Portuguese infantry. The description of the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro and particularly of the role played by Craufurd's celebrated Light Division is almost heartbreakingly vivid. The Light Division went forward of Wellington's line to cover the retreat of another division, badly mauled by French cavalry. Although soon surrounded themselves, the "light bobs" maneuvered so adroitly in and out of square that they denied the French horse any real chance to charge and overrun the otherwise vulnerable infantry.

Fletcher nicely mixes battle narrative with short portraits of key leaders and explanations of battle tactics. The narrative is closely supported by illustrations and sketches of the battle action and color plates of uniforms. This book should especially appeal to the student of the history of the British Army and of the Napoleonic Wars. The interpretation of events is standard and British-centric; those seeking a broader perspective should consult Oman's seven volume "History of the Peninsular War" or David Gates' single volume "The Spanish Ulcer." The casual reader may find the density of detail to be daunting.

Ian Fletcher's book has great text and is supported by clear maps and great illustrations. This is a detailed look at the events surronding a specific battle Albuera fought between the British and the French in the Spanish Peninsular during the Napoleonic Wars. Beautiful book - it just deserves 5 stars.