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General Works
 Armies of the Irish Rebellion 1798, Stuart Reid. A study of the British, French and Irish rebel armies involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and the brief French intervention that came after the defeat of the main rebel armies. Demonstrates the variety of troops involved on the British side, the tiny size of the French expeditionary force and the limited organisation of the Irish rebels. [read full review] |
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 Prussian Napoleonic Tactics 1792-1815, Peter Hofschröer. An examination of the organisation, tactics and battlefield effectiveness of the Prussian Army, from the early reasonably successful involvement in the Revolutionary Wars, through the crushing defeats at Jena and Auerstadt and on to the brief involvement in Russia in 1812, the War of Liberation and the final defeat of Napoleon. [read full review] |
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 Armies of the Napoleonic Wars, ed. Gregory Fremont-Barnes. A collection of ten articles by nine different authors looking at the main armies of the Napoleonic Wars, from 1803 to 1815. The chapters vary in tone, with some only having the space to trace the evolving structure of an army, while others, for the smaller participants, also provide details on the army's performance. A very useful reference work. [read full review] |
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 The British Army Against Napoleon - Facts, Lists and Trivia 1805-1815, Robert Burnham and Ron McGuigan. A useful collection of lists, statistics, regimental details, seniority charts, and endless bits and pieces of information about the British army during the wars against Napoleon - a very useful reference work, and an entertaining volume to dip into as well! [read full review]
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 Dragon Rampant: The Royal Welch Fusiliers at War, 1793-1815, Donald E. Graves. A superb regimental history tracing the role played by the 23rd Regiment of Foot, The Royal Welch Fusiliers during the long years of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, a period that saw the regiment fight in northern Europe, Spain and Portugal and at Waterloo. [read full review]
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Wellington's Highland Warriors, From the Black Watch Mutiny to the Battle of Waterloo, Stuart Reid. Starts with a detailed examination of the raising of the Highland regiments which sheds a valuable light on the changing status of the Highland aristocrats after the '45, before moving on to look at the role the regiments playing in India, Spain and at Waterloo [read full review]
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 The Art of War: Restored Edition, Baron Antoine Henri de Jomini.
Jomini's Art of War was one of the most important works of military theory to come out of the Napoleonic Wars, and for many years dominated military thinking on both sides of the Atlantic. This edition uses the standard translation of 1862, but with the addition of Jomini's introduction which includes some fascinating insights into his rivalry with Clausewitz. No longer an essential book for every budding military commander, the Art of War is still invaluable for anyone with a serious interest in the Napoleonic Wars. [see more] |
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The Line upon a Wind, Noel Mostert. This is an excellent account of the greatest naval war of the age of sail. Mostert covers a wider range of topics than most books on this subject, while always remaining readable. There is a good section on the rise of American naval power and the War of 1812 [see more] |
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A well written, detailed account of the events that led up to the French Revolution, the events of 1789 that sent shockwaves throughout Europe, the descent into chaos and terror and the various attempts that were made to form a stable republican government, ending with the coup that brought Napoleon Bonaparte to power [SEE MORE] |
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 Imperial Guardsman 1799-1815 , Richard hook, A beautifully illustrated book with some excellent colour plates and illustrations of equipment and men in action. A must for any figure collector or wargamer with a good deal of historical info on the French Elite formation of the Napoleonic wars |
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 British Cavalrymen: 1792-1815 , Philip Haythornthwaite, Richard hook, A well illustrated book with excellent information on cavalry training and tactics and engagements. The illustrations of formations are particularly useful to wargamers. [see more] |
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Austrian Grenadiers and Infantry 1788-1816 , David Hollins, Jeffrey Burn., A fascinating and highly detailed book on a neglected army of the Napoleonic wars. The book is full of colourful illustrations and historical detail and gives a fascinating insight into the Austrian Army of the period. [see more] |
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 The Cossacks 1799-1815, Laurence Spring. This detailed book looks at the famous Russian Cossacks during the period of the Napoleonic wars. History has given the Cossacks a very mixed reputation and this book helps dispel some of the myths. [see more] |
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Napoleon's Guard Cavalry, Emir Bukhari This 48 page Osprey scratches the surface of a fascinating subject, that of the elite of Napoleons Cavalry. The book is full of some superb black and white plates and 9 pages of full colour plates of some fantastically colourful and diverse uniforms. [see more] |
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 Dutch-Belgian Troops of the Napoleonic Wars, Otto Von Pivka, A colourful Osprey book looking at the uniforms and organisation of the Dutch-Belgium troops in the Napoleonic wars. The book feature nine pages of full colour plates which are of great use to modellers and war-game figure painters. [see more] |
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Brunswick Troops, 1809-15, Otto Von Pivka.
An interesting and well illustrated Osprey which deals with a small but very distinctively dressed force from the Napoleonic wars. If you are interested in the Brunswickers then this is a must have introduction not only for the colour illustrations and descriptions of uniform but also of the history with sections dealing with the 1809 campaign, their actions in the Peninsular war and good detail on the 1815 campaign and their role in the battle of Waterloo |
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Biographies and Memoirs
 The Very Thing: The Memoirs of Drummer Richard Bentinck, Royal Welch Fusiliers 1807-1823, Jonathan Crook. Based on a series of interviews conducted with Bentinck in 1873 and a narrative that he dictated in his old age, and supported by a historical narrative that fills the gaps and explains the context of the memoirs, this is a fascinating view of the life of the British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars. [read full review] |
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Peninsular War
 Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles, A Biographical and Historical Dictionary, T. A. Heathcote. A useful reference work with biographies of forty one of Wellington's subordinates, mostly his divisional commanders, but also including staff officers and men from the support services. The biographies are supported by thirty-five articles looking at every campaign or battle that involved at least five of the men covered in the biographies. [read full review]
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Guthrie's War: A surgeon of the Peninsula and Waterloo, Michael Crumplin. A biography of George Guthrie, one of the most distinguished British military surgeons of the Napoleonic Wars, looking at both the outline of his career and the details of many of his surgical cases during the Peninsular War, complete with extracts from his own post-war publications. [read full review]
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A Soldier of the Seventy-first, From De la Plata to Waterloo 1806-1815, Joseph Sinclair. The memoir of an educated private soldier who enlisted in the British after a family argument, and who went on to serve in South American, Walcheren and the Peninsular War, producing a thoughtful and literate account of the life of a private soldier in a period when very few of his fellow private soldiers left any record of their experiences [read full review]
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 Napoleon's Cursed War, Popular Resistance in the Spanish Peninsular War. Ronald Fraser. A fascinating look at the Peninsular War from the Spanish point of view, tracing the development of the war from the early provincial revolts, through the years of military defeat and the succesful guerilla campaigns. Frasers's work brings to life the people who were willing to risk everything to free their country from Napoleon. [see more] |
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 The Spanish Ulcer, A History of the Peninsular War, David Gates. An excellent single volume history of the Peninsular War, which when it was published was the first really good English language history of the entire war since Oman. This is a well balanced work with detailed coverage of those campaigns conducted entirely by Spanish armies, as well as the better known British intervention in Portugal and Spain. |
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A Commanding Presence: Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814. Ian Robertson. A well written account of the British involvement in the Peninsular War that focuses on the day-to-day experiences of the British soldier, and in particular the struggle against the Spanish and Portuguese climate and landscape. As a result the book should be of interest to both new and more knowledgeable readers. [see more] |
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The Peninsular War: A Battlefield Guide, Andrew Rawson. A very useful guide book for anyone wanting to visit the British battlefields of the Peninsular War, from Portugal to the French border, with accounts of each major battle followed by a tour of the modern battlefield, each supported by photographs of key features and sketch maps to illustrate the battles. [read full review] |
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 History of the Peninsular War vol.1: 1807-1809 - From the Treaty of Fontainebleau to the Battle of Corunna, Sir Charles Oman. The first volume of Oman's classic seven volume history of the Peninsular War, this is one of the classic works of military history and provides an invaluable detailed narrative of the fighting in Spain and Portugal. This first volume covers the initial French intervention, the start of the Spanish uprising, the early British involvement in Spain and Portugal and Napoleon's own brief visit to Spain. |
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 A History of the Peninsular War vol.2: Jan.-Sept. 1809 - From the Battle of Corunna to the end of the Talavera Campaign, Sir Charles Oman. Part two of Oman's classic history falls into two broad sections. The first half of the book looks at the period between the British evacuation from Corunna and the arrival of Wellesley in Portugal for the second time, five months when the Spanish fought alone, while the second half looks at Wellesley's campaign in the north of Portugal and his first campaign in Spain. One of the classic works of military history. |
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A History of the Peninsular War vol.3: September 1809-December 1810 - Ocana, Cadiz, Bussaco, Torres Vedras, Sir Charles Oman. Part three of Oman's classic history begins with the series of disasters that befell the Spanish in the autumn of 1809 and spring of 1810, starting with the crushing defeat at Ocana and ending with the French conquest of Andalusia and capture of Seville, then moves on to look at the third French invasion of Portugal, most famous for Wellington's defence of the Lines of Torres Vedras. |
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A History of the Peninsular War vol.4: December 1810-December 1811 - Massena's Retreat, Fuentos de Onoro, Albuera, Tarragona, Sir Charles Oman. The main focus of this fourth volume in Oman's history of the Peninsular War is the year long duel between Wellington and the French on the borders of Portugal, which saw the British make a series of attacks across the border, most of which were repulsed by strong concentrations of French troops. Despite the apparent lack of progress, this was the period that saw the French lose the initiative to Wellington. |
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A History of the Peninsular War vol.5: October 1811-August 31, 1812 - Valencia, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Madrid, Sir Charles Oman Part Five of Oman's classic history of the Peninsular War starting with a look at the French invasion of Valencia in the winter of 1811-12, before concentrating on Wellington's victorious summer campaign of 1812, culminating with the battle of Salamanca and Wellington's first liberation of Madrid. |
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Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars: 1808-12 v. 2, Rene Chartrand. The second of three volumes dealing with the often overlooked Spanish forces during the Napoleonic wars. This is the period of Guerrilla warfare vs the French invaders and the sieges of Zaragoza and Gerona. As well as detailing Regular Spanish forces and illustrating their uniforms it also looks briefly at the Guerrillas and resistance forces but as always with Osprey books it short length means it serves as an introductionary text. Contains various maps and 8 colour plates |
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Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars: 1812-15 v. 3. Rene Chartrand. The final volume in the Osprey 3 part series dealing with the Spanish Army in the Napoleonic wars, this one deals with the final years where aided by the British the Spanish finally won their freedom from French rule and drove Napoleon's armies back over the Pyrenees. It is a brief but well researched volume which used both British and Spanish archives to give a more balanced view. Its main focus as with many osprey books is that of uniform and organisation and it is well illustrated with 8 full colour plates but all that said it covers the history of this period very briefly and if you are looking for more information on the final battles and campaign then look elsewhere |
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Aspern, Wagram and the War of 1809
1809 Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs, Volume II: Aspern, John H. Gill. The second volume in this high quality series looks at the fall of Vienna and Napoleon's first defeat at Aspern-Essling, as well as widening the picture to look at events in Italy and Dalmatia. Brilliantly researched and yet thoroughly readable, this is an essential book for anyone interested in the period. [read full review]
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1809 Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs, Volume I: Abensberg, John H. Gill. The first volume in a monumental account of the 1809 war between France and the Habsburg Empire, Napoleon's last victorious war, looking at the reasons behind the Austrian declaration of war and the early battles that ended the Austrian invasion of Bavaria and paved the war for Napoleon's campaign around Vienna. [read full review]
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 1809 Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs, Volume III: Wagram and Znaim, John H. Gill. The third part of a very impressive narrative history of the War of the Fifth Coalition, looking at the final battles at Wagram and Znaim and the subsidiary campaigns in Poland, Hungary, Dalmatia, Styria and the Tyrol. Manages to be both very detailed and readable and coherent, a very impressive achievement. [read full review] |
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Aspern and Wagram, 1809, Ian Castle. An interesting Osprey campaign book covering some of the largest but often forgotten battles of the Napoleonic wars, including Aspern, Napoleon's first defeat on the battlefield. It is clearly written and of great use to those interested in the Austrian Army of the period [see more] |
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Austerlitz
Austerlitz 1805, Ian Castle An excellent introduction to one of the most famous battles in History and a classic of military deception and manoeuvring. Austerlitz was the battle which truly establishes Napoleons reputation. [see more] |
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 Austerlitz 1805 , David G.Chandler, A detailed and colourful book written by one of the accepted experts on the Napoleonic period. This book contains excellent 2D and 3D maps and a guide to wargaming the battle. |
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Badajoz
 Badajoz, 1812: Wellingtons Bloodiest Siege, Ian Fletcher. The town of Badajoz was much fought over during the Peninsular war and this detailed and lengthy osprey covers the siege of 1812 which was the hardiest fought and bloodiest of the war, in whose aftermath the British army displayed savagery and wanton destruction rarely seen as the British troops brutally sacked the town. [see more] |
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The Berezina
 The Battle of the Berezina, Napoleon's Great Escape, Alexander Mikaberidze. A very detailed account of the battles on the Berezina River that marked the end of the real fighting during Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign of 1812 and saw Napoleon and his Marshals escape from between three Russian armies, although at a heavy cost. [read full review]
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Borodino
 The Battle of Borodino, Napoleon against Kutuzov, Alexander Mikaberidze. A valuable new study of the bloody battle of Borodino, looking at the course of the battle and examining the many historical controversies that have grown up since the fighting ended, both at the time and in later historical debates. [read full review] |
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Corunna
Corunna 1809, Philip J. Haythornthwaite. A 96 page Osprey campaign book written by one of the leading authors on the Peninsular war. It is packed full of 3 D maps, colour artist plates and black and white images and some contemporary photographs of the battle area. It is better organised and laid out than many Ospreys which makes for better reading and includes orders of battle for the forces involved [see more] |
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EggMuhl
 EggMuhl 1809, Ian Castle.
A very detailed account of this complex campaign with the usual high standard of 3 d battle maps, black and white and colour pictures and impressive battle scenes. Includes sections on war gaming the campaign and the battlefields today. Very useful for anyone looking at the Austrian army of the time and sheds light on events in Europe that are often over looked due to the Peninsular war. [SEE MORE] |
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Jena
Jena, 1806, David Chandler. A 96 page osprey campaign book with the usual winning combination of orders of battle, 3D and 2D colour maps, black and white plates and colour plates. This book covers the campaign which many feel was Napoleon's best and which the German high command took inspiration from when planning the Blitzkrieg of World War Two. [see more] |
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Leipzig
Leipzig 1813: The Battle of the Nations, Peter Hofschroer, Osprey, 1993, 96 pages. A very well regarded entry in the Osprey catalogue, covering not just the battle of Leipzig but the entire German campaign of 1813 that led to the final collapse of Napoleon's empire. [see more] |
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Marengo
 Marengo 1800 , David Hollins, A well illustrated and colour book containing a vast amount of detail on this important early Napoleonic battle. Contains an extensive guide to wargamming the campaign |
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Salamanca
 Salamanca, 1812, Ian Fletcher. A comprehensive and easy to read study of what many consider the key battle in the Peninsular War. Once Wellington crushed the French at Salamanca, the British and their allies would have the upper hand in the long drawn out struggle to come. [see more] |
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Vittoria
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Waterloo
 Waterloo Collection 1: Ligny and Quatre Bras (DVD). The first of four DVDs looking at the Waterloo campaign, this DVD looks at the background to the campaign and the battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny, the first serious fighting of the short campaign. An informative DVD, filmed on the battlefield and presented by a group of historians and expert battlefield guides [read full review] |
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Waterloo: Hanoverian Correspondence One, John Franklin. The first of two volumes of primary sources relating to the Hanoverian contingent in the Allied army at Waterloo. This volume focuses on handwritten sources, many contained in the archives at Hanover. A very useful research tool for anyone studying the battle of Waterloo. [read full review]
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 Wellington at Waterloo, Jac Weller. Takes a different approach to the Battle of Waterloo, looking from the fighting from Wellington's point of view, seeing how he responded to the information at his disposal rather than taking the more usual overview approach. This approach gives us a clearer picture of Wellington's handling of the battle, and helps us see why he made the decisions he did. [read full review]
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Waterloo: Netherlands Correspondence, ed John Franklin. A valuable collection of previously unprinted documents relating to the Netherlands army during the Waterloo campaign, shedding light on this often neglected part of the Allied army - the second biggest contingent after the British, and effectively a separate army under the command of the Prince of Orange. [read full review]
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Waterloo 1815 , Geoffrey Wooten,
A good introduction to one of the most important battles of European history. Well illustrated but lacking the depth of some of the studies on the market, a starting point for those interested. Lacks a section on wargamming the battle.
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Biographies
A Waterloo Hero: The Reminiscences of Friedrich Lindau, ed. James Bogle and Andrew Uffindell. A rare example of a memoir written by a private soldier in Wellington's army, in this case a skirmisher in the King's German Legion who fought in the last few years of the Peninsular War and at Waterloo, where he was involved in the fighting at La Haye Sainte. A valuable insight into the daily life and preoccupations of one of Wellington's men. [read full review] |
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 Napoleon's Commanders: Vol 2, Philip Haythornthwaite. The second volume of this set covers the last six years of the Napoleoninc Wars, from 1809 until the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo and focuses on those commanders who became famous during this period. [SEE MORE] |
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 Napoleon's Commanders: Vol 1, Philip Haythornthwaite. Despite the emphasis on Napoleon, the scale of the Napoleonic Wars meant that his Marshals played a significant role in the early French successes. This volume covers the careers of the most important French commanders up till the Austrian campaign of 1809. [SEE MORE] |
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Wellington's Generals, Michael Barthorp.
This is a typical short Osprey at 48 pages which serves as an excellent introduction to some of the characters who served as generals to Wellington during the Peninsular War and the brief campaign in France. It covers (briefly) eleven of the British officers including Picton and ‘Daddy’ Hill with a brief section on Wellington’s staff system. As usual it is well illustrated with 8 full colour plates each one showing a famous general and some staff. |
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Napoleon's Marshals, Emir Bukhari. A good book but starting to look a bit dated now although the information is accurate and it is nicely illustrated with colour pictures of all the famous marshals in uniform. Includes a brief service record of all of the main Marshals but is lacking on any great detail [SEE MORE] |
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Sgt. William Laurence
 A Dorset Rifleman: The Autobiography of Sgt. Williams Lawrence 1790-1869 , edited by Eileen Hathaway forward by Bernard Cornwell. An excellent book with updated information from the Hardback edition gives a real flavour of the Napoleonic Wars |
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Napoleon
 Fallen Eagle: How the Royal Navy Captured Napoleon, Norman MacKenzie. A fascinating book that looks at the crucial period between the battle of Waterloo and Napoleon going into exile on St. Helena, giving an insight into the political manoeuvring in Paris that led to Napoleon's second fall from power and the concerns of the British naval officers to whom he surrendered. [read full review] |
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| The Rise and Fall of Napoleon: Rise , Robert Asprey, Abacus, 2001, 608 pages. The first of a two volumn biography, this book takes Napoleon from his birth on Corsica, through the turbulant years of the revolution and to the brink of his great victory at Austerlitz. | |
| The Rise and Fall of Napoleon: Fall (UK)/ The Reign of Napoleon (US & Canada), Robert Asprey, Abacus, 2002, 512 pages. Continues the story of Napoleon from his great victory at Austerlitz through to eventual defeat and exile. Asprey's great strength is his study of Napoleon as a general. These two books give a great overview of the life of one of the most important men in history. | |
Wellington
 Wellington: A Military Life, Gordon Corrigan. This in an excellent military biography of the Duke of Wellington. It focuses very heavily on Wellington the general, allows Corrigan to describe the wider campaigns in some detail, giving a good idea not only of what Wellington did, but also why he did it. [see more] |
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Films and Television
| Sharpe - The Complete Series , the definative collection of this excellent series which if not always totally historically accurate does give a great feel of the atmosphere of the Napoleonic wars in Spain. The series follows the rising career of Richard Sharpe and his trusty men as Sharpe is promoted from the ranks to rise to high position making friends and enemies and fighting battles along the way. | |
