The first respectable spy: The life and times of Colquhoun Grant, Wellington's Head of Intelligence,

by Jock Haswell

Hardcover; Very Good; Dust Jacket - Very Good; Book is clean and sound with minor foxing on edges. Dust Jacket is rubbed and price clipped. The extraordinary historical spy story of this brave, resourceful Highlander is set against the background of Britain's long wars against the French. Illustrated with black & white drawings and maps.

Genres: History, Biography

294 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Lucy Andrews-Cummin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, the ending of Colquhoun Grant's life was a hard read. I'm starting with the end however, because such a glorious man's life deserved a better ending. Grant achieved so much in the Peninsular Wars and can be credited with, by his own example, creating and implementing Britain's first intelligence network. Unfortunately, he could not think of a safer alternative to a military career even after he was at half-pay and had married his true love -- and with whom even though she was in her early forties had a child--instead he re-enlisted and then died, horribly ill, from disease caught while in what was then called Burma (now Myanmar) on the stupidest military campaign ever. His wife and child travelled with him and she became ill, died on St. Helena ,of all places, on her way back to Scotland. The child aged six or so was orphaned.

But let's back up now we know the worst. Grant was part of a large Scottish family, gentry, the sort that had to field doctors, lawyers, soldiers and clergymen. He enlisted at sixteen. He was on the Peninsula fairly early on and came to the attention of Wellington after he volunteered to find food for the troops during Massena's siege of the Lines of Torres Vedras. Grant was the sort to talk to everyone, to pick up languages, including variants, to inspire trust -- and so he legged it up into the mountains where he knew the peasants were hiding and convinced them to supply the British, with ingenious routes and uses of moonless nights etcetera. It would help their cause and they would make some money while helping get the French out of Portugal. After that he became one of Wellington's treasured assets. Wellington was part of the new type of military man who understood, among other things, the value of good, reliable information.

At Waterloo it was information that Grant had collected and sent with a courier--stating exactly where Napoleon planned to break out of France and into Belgium-- that was delayed, disgracefully, by an arrogant Austrian officer, that almost cost the Allies the war against Napoleon and this hurt Grant, in every way, even though he did exactly as he was supposed to. Only he, probably, could have stood up to that, um, delete word, but he trusted the system.

Haswell is a terrific writer and described several battles on the Peninsula as well as at Waterloo more understandably than anything else I've read of late, which is a lot.

However much I was engrossed in Grant's story, it really is only for the true afficionados of the Napoleonic wars and those interested in the restlessness and innovative aspects of the regency era. ****1/2

[Rob Markley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing biography. The idea and topic is good but the execution only average

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biography of one of the characters of the Peninsular War, Colquhoun Grant. He was one of Wellington's 'Exploring Officers' who used to scout far ahead of the British Army, and relied on the fact that their horses were better and better fed than the French ones, to get back to the lines and report. Fascinating to read.

[Duzzlebrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a much better written book than the terribly boring cover would suggest.