Salamanca was the most decisive battle of the entire Peninsular War. Wellington smashed Marmont's French Army and his pursuit of its shattered remnants led to the famous cavalry charge of the King's German Legion at Garcia Hernandez. There would be two more years of sieges and hard fighting before the Iron Duke crossed the Pyrenees into France but from Salamanca the British and their Portuguese and Spanish allies always had the upper hand. Ian Fletcher examines this important battle and the campaign leading up to it. Each ...
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Salamanca was the most decisive battle of the entire Peninsular War. Wellington smashed Marmont's French Army and his pursuit of its shattered remnants led to the famous cavalry charge of the King's German Legion at Garcia Hernandez. There would be two more years of sieges and hard fighting before the Iron Duke crossed the Pyrenees into France but from Salamanca the British and their Portuguese and Spanish allies always had the upper hand. Ian Fletcher examines this important battle and the campaign leading up to it. Each stage of the battle is studied, and its result explained: Fletcher shows how Thomieres failed to support Maucune, instead marching west under the impression that Wellington's forces had also moved off. This left a considerable gap in the French lines which Wellington, having recognised his opponents' mistake, exploited with great success. An excellent book, crucial to all those who want to understand one of Wellington's greatest victories.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. An acceptable and readable copy. All pages are intact, and the spine and cover are also intact. This item may have light highlighting, writing or underlining through out the book, curled corners, missing dust jacket and or stickers.
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Seller's Description:
Near Fine. Book. 4to-over 9¾-12" tall. Near Fine Copy Previous Owner's Name And Date Neatly On Top Of Half-Title Page. Despite Wellington's Success Against Marmont's Army At Salamanca In July, The Year Of 1812 Ended In Bitter Disappointment For The British. However, A Year Later Wellington's Series Of Brilliant Maneuvers Threw The French Onto The Defensive On All Fronts, Culminating In The Final Victory At Vittoria: 90, 000 Men And 90 Guns Attacking In Four Mutually Supporting Columns. The French Center Gave Way And Both Flanks Were Turned, Their Army Finally Breaking In Flight Towards Pamplona. Any French Hopes Of Maintaining Their Position In Iberian Peninsula Were Crushed Forever. On October 7, The British Set Foot On The Sacred Soil Of Napoleon's France. Despite Wellington's Success Against Marmont's Army At Salamanca In July, The Year Of 1812 Ended In Bitter Disappointment For The British. After Occupying Madrid Wellington's Troops Were Repulsed At Burgos. The Subsequent Retreat In October And November 1812 Was Accompanied By All The Miseries That Had Characterised Sir John Moore's Famous Retreat To Corunna In The Winter Of 1808-09. Those Soldiers Who Endured Both Declared That The Retreat From Burgos Was By Far The Worse. Discipline Collapsed And The Starving Soldiers Looted What They Could. With The Army Once Again Concentrated Around Ciudad Rodrigo, Wellington Issued His Infamous Memorandum Concerning The Conduct Of His Officers. By The Spring Of 1813 The Army Had Recovered And Been Reinforced From England. In A Series Of Brilliant Manoeuvres Wellington Threw The French Onto The Defensive On All Fronts. His Troops Converged At Vittoria, 90, 000 Men And 90 Guns Attacking In 4 Mutually Supporting Columns. The French Lost 7, 000 Men And 143 Guns, And Any Hopes The French Had Of Maintaining Their Position In The Iberian Peninsula Were Crushed Forever.