Edward Charles Cocks (1786–1812)

This is a good job of editing the diaries, reports and military musings of an interesting character in Wellington's army. The weak point is the maps, which are lacking in any depiction of the terrain, being only the locations of the towns and their names, with no idea of the surrounding country, mountain ranges or roads. There are a few little etchings but they don't impart much of the feel of the time. There is a good batch of photos of some prominent characters and places.
The life of show more Edward Cocks was a fair amount of fun, and there is valuable information on the mechanics of purchasing commissions. He was learning from his own experience, educating himself and might well have produced a good analysis of the Peninsular War had he been spared. He might have made Brigadier by Waterloo, and been a valuable resource for the army of the 1820's and 30's. Along with his friends, the historian regrets his bad luck. show less