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Osprey Campaign #90
Vimeiro 1808: Wellesley's first victory in the Peninsular
Osprey's examination of the first of Sir Arthur Wellesley's string of victories in the Peninsular War (1807-1814). On 2 August 1808, a British army of 14,000 men began landing north of Lisbon under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. They were coming to assist the Portuguese, Britain's oldest ally, to liberate their country from its French occupiers. Within a month Wellesley was to win two victories over the French at the battles of Roliça and Vimeiro. General Andoche Junot, the French commander, was forced to surrender and evacuate Portugal.
96 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 11, 2009
One of the troubles with Osprey books, is that so often the book is centered around the illustrations of the uniforms. A resource for the diorama maker, and modeler, or wargamer who is painting a miniature army, not the historian.
Here we have a mixture of very useful information for the historian and as always, illustrations that the painter would find useful also.The painter may even find that this is not what they need as the pictures are actual pieces from the period so much truer to reality then often one finds in the Osprey series.
Where this books lacks is that the details are rather glossed over in broad strokes. Once we get into the actual battles of the campaign, we find the minutia missing. Though each of the two battles was not long, using big blocks on a map that doesn't show the closer level of movement detracts from the narration where such is discussed.
For instance we get an idea of the success that the British are first having when they attack at Rolica, and force the French back, but we don't truly see how terrain and the battlefield play a part in the success that the French now gain. The British may win this battle, they do, but the French wanted to slow them down, and we lose this as we do not see how that terrain worked to their advantage.
Then we have a few personnel tales, but perhaps that is not enough also. The battle is over a wide group of regiments and units. That few words are heard from the French and the Portugeese and on the English, mostly from our friend Rifleman Harris... Though not the definitive commentary, if from Osprey, but certainly one of the most readily available ones and a little more robust would have been appreciated. More is spent of the theater of combat, the generals and their background, then the two battles themselves.
If that was reversed this book would then receive a much higher rating.
Here we have a mixture of very useful information for the historian and as always, illustrations that the painter would find useful also.The painter may even find that this is not what they need as the pictures are actual pieces from the period so much truer to reality then often one finds in the Osprey series.
Where this books lacks is that the details are rather glossed over in broad strokes. Once we get into the actual battles of the campaign, we find the minutia missing. Though each of the two battles was not long, using big blocks on a map that doesn't show the closer level of movement detracts from the narration where such is discussed.
For instance we get an idea of the success that the British are first having when they attack at Rolica, and force the French back, but we don't truly see how terrain and the battlefield play a part in the success that the French now gain. The British may win this battle, they do, but the French wanted to slow them down, and we lose this as we do not see how that terrain worked to their advantage.
Then we have a few personnel tales, but perhaps that is not enough also. The battle is over a wide group of regiments and units. That few words are heard from the French and the Portugeese and on the English, mostly from our friend Rifleman Harris... Though not the definitive commentary, if from Osprey, but certainly one of the most readily available ones and a little more robust would have been appreciated. More is spent of the theater of combat, the generals and their background, then the two battles themselves.
If that was reversed this book would then receive a much higher rating.
May 8, 2012
This Osprey book is a welcome addition to anyone's Napoleonic Warfare bookshelf. Like all other titles in the Campaign Series it isn't meant to be a detailed analysis of all aspects of the battle, but is designed to be an excellent summation of the key points in the conflict.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews