A History of the Peninsular War Volume IV: December 1810-December 1811 Massena’s Retreat,Fuentes de Onoro,Albuera
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Product Description
The 1807-1814 war in the Iberian Peninsula was one of the most significant and influential campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Sir Charles Oman’s extensive use and analysis of French, Spanish, Portuguese, and British participants’ accounts and archival material, together with his own inspection of the battlefields, provides a comprehensive and balanced account of this most important episode in Napoleonic military history. Volume IV of A History of the Peninsular War covers the period during which Portugal was finally secured from the danger of French conquest. French successes in Spain continued, but the army under Mass_na was forced finally to retreat from Portugal. Beresford’s campaign on the southern frontier of Portugal included one of the hardest-fought actions of the era, the Battle of Albuera, and Graham’s victory at Barrosa aided the long-running defense of Cadiz against the French siege.
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January 23rd, 2010 at 12:36 am
To the end of almost hundred years, the work of Sir Charles Oman keeps on being essential to the study of the Peninsular War 1807-1814. Few campaigns were analysed by such clarity. It is right that some more modern works are essential for a deep study of this subject but, with difficulty, these works will be used well without the prior knowledge of the work of Sir Charles Oman.
Rating: 5 / 5
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:18 am
Sir Charles Oman’s comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.
Rating: 5 / 5
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:44 am
Sir Charles Oman’s comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.
Rating: 5 / 5
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:56 am
Sir Charles Oman’s comprehensive seven volume history of the Peninsular War is the yardstick by which any other history of this theatre must be measured. It is exhaustive in detail and in breadth of coverage. If it happened, it is in one of these volumes. Napoleon may have considered Spain a side show, but as results turned out it was a bleeding ulcer. French losses here, combined with the 1812 campaign, placed a strain on the Empire which could not be overcome by even the best generalship. Any true student of the Napoleonic Wars should find these books and read them. They are essential to a complete understanding of the conflict.
Rating: 5 / 5
January 23rd, 2010 at 4:20 am
This is the first of a seven volume history of the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal between the forces of Napoleonic France and Great Britain, Portugal, and Spain. Oman’s account, although dated, is still the definitive account of this long conflict. This first volume recounts the background to the French invasion, the French conquest of Portugal and Spain, and the results, which included insurrection in Spain and British intervention in Portugal. Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington, makes his initial appearance in the war at the head of a small British expeditionary force which ultimately displaces the French from Portugal. A larger figure in this first volume is Sir John Moore, who took over leadership of the British expeditionary force and led the ill-fated campaign in Spain. Oman does a superb job capturing the complexities of the conflict at the strategic and operational levels of war. In particular, Oman does an excellent job laying out the conflicts within Spanish ranks which seriously hamstrung their resistance to French occupation. His tactical narrative is adequate; those fascinated by the cut and thrust of battle narratives will do better with other authors. This first volume provides much necessary but sometimes tedious background to the War; although Oman’s interest in the British intervention is obvious, he is evenhanded in covering events in Spain. Those undertaking the whole series will find that Oman’s writing quality improves with each succeeding volume. This volume is highly recommended to the serious student of the Napoleonic Wars and of the history of the British Army. Possession of a good map of the Iberian Peninsula will supplement the smaller maps included in the text.
Rating: 4 / 5