History of the War in the Peninsula and in the South of France
From the Year 1807 to the Year 1814

This classic history of the Peninsular War was first published by a participant, Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, between 1828 and 1840.

William Francis Patrick Napier (Author)

9781108024211, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 February 2011

628 pages, 9 maps
21.6 x 3.5 x 14 cm, 0.79 kg

Published between 1828 and 1840, Napier's History of the War in the Peninsula was a tremendously influential, if controversial, work. Napier had been actively involved in the campaigns, turning to history in peacetime, in part to refute Southey's account of Sir John Moore. The first volume had a mixed reception, getting both high praise and bitter criticism from participants in the wars. He published several works rebutting his critics while producing the later volumes. Because of his obvious lack of impartiality, modern military historians treat the work with caution, but it remains widely read in the many editions and abridgements subsequently produced. Volume 4 covers the period from 1810 to the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo and the siege of Badajoz in 1812. Napier believed that Badajoz marked a turning point, and while greatly admiring Wellington, attributes the Allied victory in part to Napoleon's involvement in Russia.

Book XIII: 1. Lord Wellington's sieges vindicated
2. O'Donnel withdraws his troops from Falcet and surrounds the seventh corp
3. Tortoza
4. Suchet prepares to besiege Taragona
5. Suchet's skilful conduct
6. Suchet against Campo Verde
Book XIV: 1. State of political affairs
2. Political state of England with reference to the war
3. Political state of Spain
4. Political state of Portugal
5. Second English siege of Badajos
6. General Spencer's operations in Beira
7. State of the war in Spain
8. The garrison of Ciudad Rodrigo make some successful excursions
Book XV: 1. State of the war in Spain
2. Conquest of Valencia
3. Suchet resolves to invest the city of Valencia
4. Operations in Andalusia and Estremadura
5. Soult resolves to besiege Tarifa
Book XVI: 1. Political situation of King Joseph
2. Review of the different changes of the war
3. Means collected for the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo
4. Execution of the French partizans and English deserters found in Ciudad Rodrigo
5. The allies cross the Guadiana
6. The state of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida obliges Lord Wellington to relinquish his design of invading Andalusia
7. General observations
Appendix.

Subject Areas: Military history [HBW]