The Men of Wellington's Light Division

Unpublished Memoirs from the 43rd Light Infantry in the Peninsular War

Gareth Glover, Robert Burnham

• Publisher: Frontline Books
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781399099080
• eBook ISBN: 9781399099097
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military Biographies
• Index: History

Some of the most famous memoirs of Britain's long war against Napoleon have come from the pens of members of Wellington's Light Division, but many wonderful accounts were never published and have sat in archives, libraries, museums, and private collections, forgotten for 200 years. The regiments of the Light Division, and its predecessor, the Light Brigade, were involved in almost every major battle and skirmish fought by Wellington and Sir John Moore in the Peninsular War. Unlike the line infantry, these men were encouraged to think and fight independently and were, often, of a higher educational standard, resulting in vivid descriptions of warfare and campaign life. However, these memoirs do not simply cover old ground. Many of these accounts were produced within hours, or at most days, after the incidents they describe, and they often portray a very different view of many famous events and cause us to question numerous claims made in those later published memoirs. Never intended to be published, the memoirs in this book were written only for the men themselves and their families, being penned without the dreaded influence of 'hindsight' to alter and temper their views. Consequently, they provide brutally honest assessments of their senior officers, how operations were handled and who made mistakes that have subsequently been quietly covered over. The Men of Wellington's Light Division is certain to be welcomed by historians and enthusiasts alike, providing a glimpse into the past that has not been seen before.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1 History of the 43rd Foot in the Peninsular and Waterloo
• Chapter 2 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Macleod – Letters
• Chapter 3 Lieutenant Colonel Edward Hull – Letter
• Chapter 4 Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Patrickson – Letter describing actions at the Côa and Sabugal
• Chapter 5 Captain Henry Booth – Letters
• Chapter 6 Captain John Paul Hopkins – Description of the action at Sabugal
• Chapter 7 Captain James Fergusson – 43rd Foot Memorial
• Chapter 8 Lieutenant George Brown – Letters
• Chapter 9 Lieutenant Samuel Pollock – Fraction of pocket diary
• Chapter 10 Lieutenant John Livesey Maclean – Description of the Battle of Nivelle
• Chapter 11 Lieutenant Richard Brunton – Services
• Chapter 12 Lieutenant John Meyricke – Letters
• Chapter 13 Lieutenant Wyndham Carlyon Madden – Letters
• Chapter 14 Ensign John Brumwell – Letters
• Chapter 15 Private John Timewell – Journal