Narrative of the Peninsular War

At war against Napoleon's army with the famous duke



This is an invaluable first hand account of a British officer who served under both Moore and Wellington against Napoleon's invading French forces in the Iberian peninsula. A Scot, he joined the army as an ensign in the 72nd Foot and but went to the peninsula as an aide-de-camp to his uncle, General Sir James Leith. He also spent a considerable period gathering intelligence and communicating with other commanders in the British, Portuguese and Spanish armies. As he travelled Leith Hay made sketches of the terrain through which he passed and these were incorporated into the two volume account of his Peninsular War experiences which have been gathered together in this special single volume Leonaur edition. In 1808, he joined the 29th Regiment of Foot and as a lieutenant in he saw much action at the sharpest end of war. An exceptional observer he combined this with the talent to communicate well in both images and words. In this respect his activities as a gatherer of military intelligence would have made him an asset. Fortunately for modern readers he brought those same talents to his literary endeavours and all manner of detail is more finely and intimately described here than might be expected in memoirs of this kind. Leith Hay's descriptions of the engagements in which he took part-particularly as a regimental officer-are particularly finely crafted. His depiction of the Battle of Talavera is particularly noteworthy as are his observations on the storming of San Sebastian. Leith Hay served with Charles Leslie in the 29th Foot and Leslie's book, 'With the 29th Regiment in the Peninsula,' is also published by Leonaur-the two volumes are ideal companions for historical researchers.

Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.