Salamanca, 1812 [Hardcover]

Dr. Rory Muir (Author), Rory Muir (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2001

July 22, 1812. Salamanca, Spain. Frustrated at their first advance, British forces under Wellington's command have spent the last four days manoeuvering and retreating from the French army. Patient and cautious, Wellington is determined not to make a fatal mistake. He glimpses a moment of opportunity and grasps it, committing all of his troops to a sudden devastating attack. At the end of the day, the French army is broken, panic-stricken and reeling; Wellington has achieved the finest victory of his brilliant military career. This book examines in unprecedented detail the battle of Salamanca, the critical British victory that proved crushing to French pride and morale during the Peninsular War (1808-1814). Focusing on the day of the battle, Rory Muir skilfully conveys the experience of ordinary soldiers on both sides, dissects each phase of the fighting, and explores the crucial decisions made by each commander. He employs wide-ranging British and French sources, many unpublished or deeply obscure, to reconstruct every aspect of the battle. Having walked the battlefield itself, a site which remains today much as it was in 1812, Muir relates the ebb and flow of the battle with particular vividness. In separate commentary sections he evaluates the sources and indicates the inevitable contradictions and gaps in evidence that have emerged during his research. Complete with maps, battleground plans and other illustrations, this compelling book focuses acute analysis on a single day in Salamanca that changed European history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[A] detailed history. . . rigorous research, obscure eyewitness accounts, and personal insight. . . [for] students and enthusiasts of Napoleonic warfare. . . -- Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Rory Muir is visiting research fellow in the department of history, University of Adelaide. His previous books include Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon (0 300 08270 3, pb. 11.95) and Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon, 1807-1815 (0 300 06443 8, 35.00), both published by Yale University Press.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; First edition (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300087195
• ISBN-13: 978-0300087192
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,092,469 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > History > Military > War of 1812

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Account of a Peninsular Battle, January 7, 2002

By 

Aussie Reader ""Rick"" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Salamanca, 1812 (Hardcover)

Rory Muir's new title in the field of Napoleonic history, `Salamanca 1812', is another one of his brilliant efforts. After his previous two books, `Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon' (which won the best book of the year award of the International Napoleonic Society) and `Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon' its good to see that he has returned with another great Napoleonic title.

This account, which covers one of the great battles of the Peninsular War, provides the reader with an excellent narrative of the events leading up to the battle of Salamanca in 1812, the battle itself and the aftermath. The author has taken a novel approach in this book by splitting each chapter (thirteen in all) into two sections. The main section of each chapter tells the story of the battle and events related to it. The author uses numerous first-hand accounts, from both sides of the fighting, to give the reader a feel for the fighting as experienced by the participants.

The second section of each chapter takes a more in-depth look at the numerous sources available on the battle in question, many well know and a few lesser-known authors as well. The rational behind this is the author's attempt to answer many of the controversies that have arisen over time in relation to the battle. He uses numerous sources to flesh out the questions and problems and offers answers based on a logical appreciation of the known facts.

This format (two sections per chapter) does not detract from your reading pleasure; in fact if you do not wish to read the `commentary section' you will not lose anything. If you wish to delve further into the conflict or try to find answers to certain questions then you can do so without fear that the narrative is going to get confusing.

The book is 322 pages in length with numerous maps which were of a decent standard and easy to follow. There are a number of Appendixes (5 in total) covering Allied and French strength and losses along with a mini tour guide of the battlefield as it is today. The book also has a number of black and white photographs; many take of the battlefield by the author.

Overall this is a decent account of an interesting and significant Peninsular War battle written by one of the leading authors on the subject of the Napoleonic Wars. I am sure that many Napoleonic buffs will enjoy this account.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First-Rate Account, November 17, 2004

By 

Roger Kennedy (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Salamanca, 1812 (Hardcover)

Rory Muir provides a first-rate account of the battle of Salamanca. The format he employs is unique as well. A standard narrative of events is provided, and then a discussion of the sources used follows in each chatper. In this way the author shows us the thought process involved in evaluating primary and secondary works from this period. This process of histography greatly enhances the reader to understand what is involved in reconstructing events from the past. Even an event such as this, well known and rich with sources, still has many questions when subjected to a closer look.

The author provides an excellent break-down of events comprising the battle itself. We see how close the actual battle itself was in terms of whether and how it would take place. Wellington was patiently awaiting his opportunity, and Marmont finally provided it. Against a lesser quality opponet Marmont's generalship might well have prevailed, but against the Iron Duke he could not afford to make any mistakes.

The author provides a close-up look at the fighting itself, quoting numerous first-hand sources to provide a deeper understanding, but also showing the reader that many primary sources are not without their contradictions. These the author attempts to take apart in order for the reader to better understand the sequence of events, and how these were described by the primary sources. The work is greatly enhanced by mixing in lesser known French primary accounts with their better known English counterparts. We see that the British most often prevailed in their firefights not by a prolonged series of platoon vollies as many previous works on this subject have indicated. Instead the red-coats fired a solid volley and then quickly followed up with a loud cheer and a steady bayonet charge to disorder the French. We see at Salamanca that this tactic worked offensively as well. Also we see that Clusel's famous counter- attack could have done a lot more damage to the British if it had been pressed with more vigor. The description of Le Merchant's cavalry charge on the French left was certainly the decisive moment of the battle. Here Rory Muir provides a detailed break-down of events showing the reader how this charge unfolded from beginning to end. One emerges with a greater understanding of how infantry and cavalry fought against each other in this period.

I note that Mr. Muir is an Aussie which seems interesting that he would have such a passion for events so far removed from his homeland. Here he has shown us how battles should be reconstructed in order to emerge with a greater understanding of both the sources used and the period of warfare which they describe. As a devotee of the Peninsular War, and having visited the battlefied of Salamanca itself recently, I cannot recommed this book highly enough for the serious student of Napoleanic Warfare.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The last word on the Battle of Salamanca., December 19, 2004

By 

D. S. Thurlow (Alaska) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Salamanca, 1812 (Hardcover)

Rory Muir's "Salamanca 1812" is a detailed, even blow-by-blow description of the encounter in western Spain between Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army and Marmot's Imperial French Army, ending in a decisive battlefield victory for the Allies. After a brief synopsis of events in the Peninsular War leading up to the battle, Muir guides the reader through each phase of manuever by both sides. He provides special focus on the key attack by the Anglo-Portuguese forces that broke the French forces. Muir intermingles commentary on various points of scholarly controversy with the battlefield narrative. Muir's writing style is easy to follow, especially in the details of the encounters between units. The diagrams illustrating maneuver look stylized and could have been a little clearer. At book's end, he might have have devoted an additional couple of pages to his rather cursory summary of the mixed strategic results of the battle. This is a book meant for serious scholars and devoted fans of the Peninsular War. Readers with an interest in the operational level of war will find the commentary on Wellington's remarkable display of patience in waiting for his opportunity to fight to be very worthwhile. However, the average reader may find the mixture of narrative and commentary to be distracting, and the level of detail to be somewhat overwhelming. Muir is clearly a master of his topic and has produced a very worthwhile read.