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What book are you reading ...

Stuffy

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Wellington was always seen as a defensive General but Assaye, Salamanca and Vitoria showed different. Salamanca was a lesson in opportunism.
Sorry for my late response to Billy and yourself but Thursday and Friday saw me at Warwick Castle and then at Thorpe Park where a soaking cost me £20 for a cheapo tea shirt.

I cannot speak for Assaye, however, Wellington was certainly a defensive General but in many cases during his time in Portugal and Spain the circumstances demanded it. While the British Army at it's height was about 250,000 there was nothing like that number for Wellington to call upon whereas the French had something like 310,000 spread across the country under Marshals Suchet, Marmont and Soult. Wellington was constantly worried that harassing one Marshal could have them borrow a division or two from another and so make life difficult.

Leading up to Salamanca, Wellington heard that Marmont's army although widely dispersed was larger than his but once again were so short of rations that the Marshal dare not concentrate his divisions too closely until he was certain where Wellington would strike. Marmont then made the mistake that cost him the battle when he mistook the cloud of dust from the Duke's supply wagons for a British retreat and sent three divisions spread out across Wellington's front. On seeing this the Duke who was eating a chicken leg, threw it over his shoulder and turned to his Spanish liaison officer remarked, "Mon cher Alava, Marmont est perdu."

Vitoria was not a particularly large or bloody Battle. The French lost 8,000 men , the allies 5,000. However, the effects of the battle was felt far beyond Spain as Austria immediately declared war on France. A Count Nugent took a copy of Wellington's dispatched to the Austrian Emperor who sent a message to Wellington offering him command of his armies.

Beethoven had been an ardent admirer of Bonaparte to the extent of dedicating his Symphony No 3 (Eroica) to him. However, on making himself Emperor of France the dedication was scribbled out. As for Vitoria, Beethoven wrote, Wellington's Victory, O91 which contains some themes you may recognise ;)


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Stuffy

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I don't know if you are familiar with "A Dorset Rifleman" - Benjamin Harris but he had precious little food, ammo or uniform during the retreat to Corunna. The book is an amazing account of the Peninsula War from an ordinary foot soldier's point of view. The same is true of Edward Costello's account of the same and if any of you chaps with an interest in the subject haven't read these you are in for a real treat.

I'm told there's another by an Ensign Bell but I haven't managed to track this down yet.
Thanks for the info Billy, I had no idea the 2 books you mentioned existed. I often prowl around the book section in Swindon's charity shops so I'll keep you posted should I strike gold.

I think you might find this of interest about another Dorset soldier who served at Waterloo and during the Peninsular battles with Wellington.

 

Billy The Fish

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Delighted to have brought these fantastic books to your notice Stuffy you may also like to look out for 25 Years a Rifleman by William Surtees. I have this as a freebie on Playbooks but cannot recommend as I haven't yet read it.
 

Billy The Fish

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Thanks for the info Billy, I had no idea the 2 books you mentioned existed. I often prowl around the book section in Swindon's charity shops so I'll keep you posted should I strike gold.

I think you might find this of interest about another Dorset soldier who served at Waterloo and during the Peninsular battles with Wellington.

I've downloaded this book and started it. It's right up my street so thank you.
 

iscalad

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Far away across the field
Just finished reading War of the Wolf. I should imagine that he can only get two more books out for this series before the natural conclusion happens or it could be that it will be the last.

Of interest https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en_US&mid=158P6XvVBFFXChEdPZqdyX8IWppc&ll=49.33414371540914,0.25702461782179853&z=7
 
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Stuffy

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Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. A novel By Tom Franklin.

In rural Mississippi Larry was the child of a lower middle class white family, while Silas his only friend was the son of single black mother. But when a teenage girl disappears after a date with Larry their friendship is broken.

Silas is now the town's only cop while Larry has never be able to rise above the suspicion that he was the girl's abductor. Their paths had no reason to cross again until another woman disappears.
 

Banksy

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Crostwight Norfolk
The Whale Road. Robert Low. First in a series telling the adventures of Orm the bear slayer and his band the Oathsworn. All about Vikings and written in a similar fashion to Bernard Cornwall. I came upon this series late and found this , the first one of five written about ten years ago , in a charity shop for 50p.
Excellent , I’ll be looking for the remaining ones.
 

Stuffy

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Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life: An autobiography by Eric Idle.

A interesting and funny read that irks a little what with Idle persistently mentioning his "bright side" song throughout the books length.
 

Rosencrantz

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Tiverton
Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life: An autobiography by Eric Idle.

A interesting and funny read that irks a little what with Idle persistently mentioning his "bright side" song throughout the books length.
He makes repeated mention of a lot of his songs throughout the book. Guess bright side is the one most will remember though. Also a lot of name dropping going on, but I guess that is the circles he is in although you almost get the feeling he doesn't know anyone who isn't famous!

Otherwise entertaining and funny read though.

Currently just started Six Minutes in May, subtitled "How Churchill unexpectedly became Prime Minister" by Nicholas Shakespeare. Self explanatory really but with a lot of background around the ill fated and conceived Norway campaign (Winston's project) but how he then ended up in charge within days. As I said I have only just started but seems like it will be interesting as most of what we generally know tends to come from Churchill himself. Shakespeare's great uncle Geoffrey was private secretary to the admiralty at the time and an MP involved in cabinet.
 

feverpitch

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Hippie. Paulo Coehlo.

Just finished The Colour of Football, Steve Stacey's autobiography. And Fade Away, Harlan Coben.
 
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