The Recollections of Rifleman Harris (1848)

by Christopher Hibbert (Editor), Benjamin Harris (Author)

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'Describing narrow squeaks and terrible deprivations, Harris's unflowery account of fortitude and resilience in Spain still bristles with a freshness and an invigorating spikiness' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY 'A most vivid record of the war in Spain and Portugal against Napoleon' MAIL ON SUNDAY Benjamin Harris was a young shepherd from Dorset who joined the army in 1802 and later joined the dashing 95th Rifles. His battalion was ordered to Portugal, where he marched under the burning sun, weighed down by his kit and great-coat, plus all the tools and leather he had to carry as the battalion's cobbler - 'the lapstone I took the liberty of flinging to the Devil'. Rifleman Harris was a natural story-teller with a remarkable tale to unfold, and his Recollections have become one of the most popular military books of all time.… (more)

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A remarkable memoir, recounted by an ordinary rifleman, about his service during the Peninsula war against Napoleon's armies. The description of close quarters fighting, sudden death and great suffering are extremely vivid. However, it is the description of the extreme conditions: weather, lack of supplies and constant movement with a heavy pack that are most impactful. It sounds awful, it was awful and Rifleman Harris was fortunate to survive; it was a close run thing' to coin the Iron Duke's phrase. (

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DramMan | Apr 17, 2023 |

We have very few memoirs by Napoleonic Private Soldiers and Harris is a very important source. Though it was written in 1848, or at least, published that year, and was dictated to an officer, and thus may have passed through a level of censorship, I find this an interesting read.
His name was Benjamin Harris, not John, as is given in some editions. (

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DinadansFriend | Jan 10, 2014 |

http://susanswilbanks.blogspot.com/2009/03/recollections-of-rifleman-harris.html

susanna.fraser | Mar 13, 2009 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Hibbert, Christopher	Editor	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Harris, Benjamin	Author	main author	all editions	confirmed

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The Century Lives & Letters

Is a retelling of

A Dorset Rifleman: The Recollections of Benjamin Harris by Benjamin Harris

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Canonical title

The Recollections of Rifleman Harris

Original title

The Recollections of Rifleman Harris

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Important places

Blandford Forum, Dorset, England, UK

Important events

Bombardment of Copenhagen (1807)

Battle of Rolica

Battle of Vimeiro

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Epigraph

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My father was a shepherd, and I was a sheep-boy from my earliest youth.

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English UK

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'Describing narrow squeaks and terrible deprivations, Harris's unflowery account of fortitude and resilience in Spain still bristles with a freshness and an invigorating spikiness' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY 'A most vivid record of the war in Spain and Portugal against Napoleon' MAIL ON SUNDAY Benjamin Harris was a young shepherd from Dorset who joined the army in 1802 and later joined the dashing 95th Rifles. His battalion was ordered to Portugal, where he marched under the burning sun, weighed down by his kit and great-coat, plus all the tools and leather he had to carry as the battalion's cobbler - 'the lapstone I took the liberty of flinging to the Devil'. Rifleman Harris was a natural story-teller with a remarkable tale to unfold, and his Recollections have become one of the most popular military books of all time.

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