A Commanding Presence: Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814

 
From the publishers
The many battles fought by Wellington have always excited interest and controversy. What is not always remembered is that almost all of the fighting on land between British and French troops during the Napoleonic period took place in Portugal and Spain. Thus the extended struggle became known as the Peninsular War. What sets this book apart from the many studies of those campaigns available is the author's individual approach. Few are aware that Wellington's armies were only actually engaged with the enemy less than 10 per cent of the time. Much of the rest of the time was spent finding food and drink for man and beast and enduring the severe physical conditions encountered in the Peninsula; indeed these aspects of the conflict that have never been adequately addressed. The unforgiving climate and mountainous terrain materially affected Wellington's strategy, and it was his commanding presence that enabled the many logistical problems to be overcome. In this new study, Ian Robertson draws on many […] first-hand accounts of campaigning life and at the same time places the […] actions in their proper context. […]

About the Author:
Ian Robertson is the author of “Wellington at War in the Peninsula” and is a respected writer on Spain, Portugal, and France.