The Napoleon Series Basic Recommended Reading
List: The Peninsular War
Compiled by Robert Mosher
The following recommended works on the Peninsular War reflect the
suggestions of Forum members and are intended to offer the reader
the basic knowledge and understanding of the conflict in the Iberian
Peninsula (1807-1814). It is not meant to be exhaustive nor
does the Napoleon Series claim that the collected readings present
the definitive picture of this conflict. The readings are grouped
according to specific themes or subjects relating to the combatant
nations, their forces, the campaigns, important individuals, and individual
engagements. It goes without saying that the pre-eminent study
of the Peninsular War and a rewarding, informative read would be:
Oman, Charles. A History of the Peninsular War. 7 vols. Oxford:
Clarenden Press (1902-30) & Greenhill Books (1995-7; in paperback,
2006).
The Peninsular War
Esdaile, Charles J. The Peninsular War. New York:
MacMillan (2003).
Gates, David. The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular
War.
New York: DaCapo Press (2001).
An informative, concise one-volume history of the conflict that
includes examination of the Spanish contribution to the war – but
one must excuse the poorly executed maps.
Glover, Michael. The Peninsular War 1807-1814 A Concise
Military History. Newton Abbot: David & Charles (1974).
431 pages with maps and illustrations. A concise look at
the war in Portugal and Spain from the British perspective. Includes
chapters on Napoleon’s Europe, arms and the men, and operations
at Cadiz and on the East Coast of Spain. Useful appendices include
biographical notes, list of British cavalry and infantry regiments,
staff of the army, and orders of battle.
Haythornwaite, Philip J. The Peninsular War: The Complete
Companion to the Iberian Campaigns 1807-14. London: Brassey’s
(2005).
A good handbook where you can look up individual topics.
Parkinson, Roger. The Peninsular War. Ware: Wordsworth
Editions (2000).
Of the many histories of the Peninsular War Parkinson's is short
and very readable - one would then graduate on to Esdaile or Glover
and ultimately Oman.
Weller, Jac. Wellington in the Peninsula. Mechanicsburg:
Stackpole Books, (1999).
Very useful and readable basic work with important insights into
the army in general and the Peninsular Army in particular.
Campaigns and Battles
Chambers, Lt-Col. G.L. Bussaco. Sean Sonnenschein & Co.,
Ltd. (1910) & Worley Publications, England (1994).
One of the best, most thorough, and concise battle-studies of the
Peninsular engagements ever published. A model of its kind.
Dempsey, Albuera 1811: The Bloodiest Battle of the Peninsular
War.
Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books, Ltd (2008).
Glover, Michael. Wellington's Peninsular Victories.
B. T. Batsford Ltd. (1963); (British Battle Series) Pan Books (1971) & reissued
by (Great Battles) Windrush Press Ltd. (1997).
Covers Busaco-Salamanca-Vitoria-Nivelle. Maps and illustrations.
Orders of battle for Wellington's Army. "A quick and easy read
about four battles where Wellinton defeated the French Marshals sent
against him. The battles are set against the background of the war
in the Peninsula. Wherever possible the author includes the actual
words of participants."
If you cannot access some of the other books this is a good one
volume substitute.
Hibbert, Christopher. Corunna. London: Pan Books,
Ltd (1967).
223 pages, maps, 15 photographs/illustrations. An early
work by this British military historian, this was a volume
in the publisher's British Battle Series that also include
Trafalgar. This well-written book on the 1808-1809
campaign in the Iberian Peninsula also looks at the impact that
British commander Sir John Moore had upon this campaign but also
on the British
army that would return to the Peninsula after his death under a
new commander. The two appendices provide the composition
of the British army with losses suffered in this campaign, as well
as a table that shows the changes in regimental titles
subsequent to 1809. The author also provides an essay
on his sources and a several page long bibliography.
Horward, Donald D. Napoleon and Iberia, The Twin Sieges
of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, 1810. London: Greenhill
Books (1984).
Muir, Rory. Salamanca 1812. Princeton:
Yale University Press (2001).
322 pages. A fine marriage of narrative and analysis that
also helps the reader grasp what can be and simply cannot
be known about a battle.
Commanders
Glover, Michael; Wellington as Military Commander;
2001. Penguin Books (Classic Military History) (2001)
276 pages maps and illustrations. Paperback. Originally published
hard cover by B. T. Batsford Ltd. 1968 and paperback by Sphere Books
1973. Twelve chapters and three appendices. Covers Wellington’s
military career from Ensign to Waterloo. Also looks at King George’s
Army and covers Wellington’s artillery, cavalry and generals.
Good companion to the same author’s Wellington’s
Army.
Humble, Richard. Napoleon’s Peninsular Marshals. New
York: Taplinger Publishing Co. (1973).
An “exciting reappraisal of [the Marshals] victories and
defeats in the Peninsular Campaign, written with an unusually profound
grasp of both French history and military strategy, relates the
performance of the Marshals to one another and to their previous
and subsequent careers."
Parkinson, Roger; Moore of Corunna; 1976, Hart-Davis
MacGibbon.
The Armies
Esdaile, Charles J. The Spanish Army in the Peninsular War. New
York: St. Martin’s Press (1988).
Glover, Michael. Wellington’s Army in the Peninsula
1808-1914.
New York: Hippocrene Books (1977).
192 pages with map and illustrations. Hardcover. A
short concise look at the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars with
an emphasis on Wellington’s Peninsular Army. Fifteen chapters
with a good overview of purchase of commissions, recruiting the
army and touches on the Ordnance Corps, Medical Services, Commissariat,
Transport & Supply, Headquarters and General Officers.
Muir, Rory; Robert Burnham, Howie Muir, and Ron McGuigan. Inside
Wellington’s Army. Barnsley: Pen and Sword
Books (2006).
The strength of this book is that its subject is more narrow in
scope -- the British army of the Peninsula -- and that the contributors
have worked in their specialized fields to produce something new
and original on their respective specialties. The contributors have
gone boldly where nobody in the right mind would dare to tread and
have spread light into some important but, hitherto, dark corners
of the Peninsular army.
Oman, Charles. Wellington's Army 1809-1814. Longmans,
Green & Co. (1913) & Greenhill Books (1993).
A marvelous one-volume survey of the many facets of the army, its
commanders, commands, and organization that Wellington led to war
in the Peninsula, a side-product of the author's great seven-volume
exploration of the Peninsular War.
Reference and other Works of Possible Interest
Windrow, Martin and Gerry Embleton. Military Dress of the
Peninsular War, 1808-1814. New York: Hippocrene
Books (1974).
200 pages with numerous black and white illustrations and maps. The
authors present both a history of the Peninsular War but also an
extensive collection of full color illustrations that show all of
the armies from this war as they would have looked in the field
rather than on the parade ground.
The appendices include further information on the regiments and
their uniform details.
The following recommended works on the Peninsular War reflect the
suggestions of Forum members and are intended to offer the reader
the basic knowledge and understanding of the conflict in the Iberian
Peninsula (1807-1814). It is not meant to be exhaustive nor
does the Napoleon Series claim that the collected readings present
the definitive picture of this conflict. The readings are grouped
according to specific themes or subjects relating to the combatant
nations, their forces, the campaigns, important individuals, and individual
engagements. It goes without saying that the pre-eminent study
of the Peninsular War and a rewarding, informative read would be:
Oman, Charles. A History of the Peninsular War. 7 vols. Oxford:
Clarenden Press (1902-30) & Greenhill Books (1995-7; in paperback,
2006).
Placed on the Napoleon Series: July 2008
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