Reason to Revolution #: At the Point of the Bayonet

- Blurb -

Arroyomolinos and Almaraz showed that Rowland Hill was a general of considerable skill and daring. This is the first detailed study of two small but important actions of the Peninsular War. Rowland Hill was one of the Duke of Wellington' s most trusted subordinates, known for caring deeply for the welfare of his men, but the battles of Arroyomolinos (1811) and Almaraz (1812) show that he was far more than just ' Daddy Hill' and a safe pair of hands. He was also a general of considerable skill and daring. At Arroyomolinos he led his troops for days through appalling weather to out-manoeuvre and then decimate an entire French division in a perfectly conceived surprise attack. At Almaraz he advanced far from allied lines to capture and then destroy a vital French bridge, overcoming considerable logistical challenges and substantial defences, and paving the way for Wellington' s victory at Salamanca. For both actions Hill used the same two British infantry brigades, as well as Portuguese and Spanish units. The relatively small numbers of units involved has enabled the author to give greater focus on the individual regiments and the men who served in them than is often the case with larger battles. He uses memoirs, previously unpublished letters, and official returns and reports to paint a very detailed picture of two small but important battles of the Peninsular War and the men that fought them. AUTHOR: The author of the acclaimed Riflemen - The History of the 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment - 1797-1818, Robert Griffith has been passionately interested in the Napoleonic period ever since he picked up the first of Bernard Cornwell' s Sharpe books as a teenager. As the author of several historical novels set during the long wars against the French, and an ardent Napoleonic re-enactor, he has long striven to bring alive the stories of the men who fought for Britain against the armies of Napoleon. Having now turned to writing history he exhaustively researches his subjects to draw out previously overlooked details of both the campaigns and the everyday life of Napoleonic soldiers. 58 photographs and illustrations, 8pp colour plates, 9 maps