Michael Barthorp

Osprey books are sometimes chalk full of information, and other times skimpy on what you need. They are always full of pictures, which seems to be the reason for existence. Painting guides for miniature enthusiasts.

Here we have a small sampling of the Generals that served in the Peninsula campaign and at Waterloo. We find that just a few details are related where we don't expect full chapters devoted to the biographies of these men as we would get in Delderfield's Napoleon's Marshalls. Something is truly lacking in the descriptions.

I can only think of one, Paget (senior), where his personal life was described only in that he ran off with Wellington's sister-in-law and therefore did not serve on the Peninsula despite being more able than many another from when Wellington took over command after Moore's death until Waterloo. Graham of course is discussed since his wife's casket's ill treatment at the hands of the Republicans turn him into a warrior.

Otherwise we have the date the men were born, when they entered service, some brief, a sentence or two, of exposition on what they did before the Peninsula and serving Wellington. Then we have a great deal more, some paragraphs on the role they played, the units they led, the battles they fought in during the war. And one short paragraph of their life after the war (Many seemed to die in the year 1842...)

Thus where this book is at fault is that a man is more than what regiment and battle he served in and fought at. The book finishes at 40 pages and several pages describe the plates that are drawn. It leads you back to believe that the book is just for painters of miniatures. If it was twice its length, then perhaps we might have something worthwhile.… (more)