A Quaint but valuable book. If you want an example of Regency topical publishing this is a gem! As the British Army assembled itself in Lisbon a British Officer, Robert Wilson also recruited a number of Portuguese soldiers, and began the rebirth of the native Portuguese army by putting these troops on the British payroll, and equipping them. This book which shows the tremendous haste with which it was assembled, tells the story of that brigade.
The Portuguese army, as it was retrained and equipped to a respectable force by William Beresford, benefited greatly from this pioneering effort.
There is material dealing with the Talavera campaign, Albuera, and Bussaco, as well as the Legion's independent battle with the French, at the bridge of Alcantara.
A bonus is a copy of the set of orders under which a general could be dispatched to an unclear military situation, in the age of sail, as well as the text of the infamous Convention of Cintra.
This book was originally rushed into print in 1812.
The Ken Trottman reprint was strictly that, with the clue words at the bottom of the page to assist in the binding of the work. I have since acquired a reprint from the Leonaur an imprint of Oakpast Ltd. , where some obvious editing by a modern has been applied but isn't credited. Some parts of the text are relegated to footnotes, changing the flow of the narrative and not for the best. The footnotes however, are all from the original text, and are fond below their original position so part of the original reading experience could be said to be preserved. The ISBN of the newest reprint is 978-1-78282-368-1. ( )