What do you think?
Rate this book
Outnumbered: Incredible Stories of History's Most Surprising Battlefield Upsets
Outnumbered but not Outmatched.
How did Hannibal’s 55,000 Carthaginians turn the tables on an 80,000-strong force of the ancient world’s most efficient military machine, the Roman army? What allowed 6,000 Englishmen to overcome 30,000 French at Agincourt in 1415? Which errors in judgment doomed a Russian army twice as large as its opposing German force at the Battle of Tannenberg during World War I?
Author Cormac O’Brien’s powerful and vivid recreations of history’s most surprising military victories illuminate the cunning strategies, secret weapons, fateful decisions, and changes of fortune that turned the tide of battle in the most extraordinary and unanticipated ways: the risky Greek ruse that trapped the Persian Fleet at Salamis in 480 BCE; the snowstorm that helped a Swedish force destroy a Russian army four times its size at the Battle of Narva in 1700; the newly introduced firearm that enabled 150 British soldiers to hold off an attacking horde of 4,000 Zulus at Rorke’s Drift, Africa, in 1879.
Even a commander as fearless, self-assured, and battle-hardened as Alexander the Great, leading 40,000 Macedonian troops, must have quailed at the sight that met him as he neared the village of Issus, Asia Minor, in 333 BCE: an unexpectedly and unimaginably vast Persian force of some 100,000 men, spanning the Mediterranean coastal plain as far as the eye could see. For warfare had already demonstrated, and has confirmed ever since, that numerical superiority consistently carries the day. And yet, every once in a while, such lopsided engagements have had an unexpected outcome, and proved to be a crucible in which great leaders, and history, are forged.
Outnumbered chronicles fourteen momentous occasions on which a smaller, ostensibly weaker force prevailed in an epochal confrontation. Thus, Alexander, undaunted, devised a brilliant and daring plan that disoriented and destroyed the Persian force and, consequently, its empire. Likewise, during the U.S. Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee, despite being outpositioned and outnumbered more than two to one by Union forces at Chancellorsville, Virginia, hatched an audacious and surprise strategy that caught his enemy completely unawares. Other equally unexpected, era-defining victories are shown to have derived from the devastating deployment of unusual weaponry, sheer good fortune, or even the gullibility of an enemy, as when Yamashita Tomoyuki, commander of 35,000 ill-supplied Japanese troops, convinced the 85,000-strong British Commonwealth army to surrender Singapore in 1942.
Together these accounts constitute an enthralling survey that captures the excitement and terrors of battle, while highlighting the unpredictable nature of warfare and the courage and ingenuity of inspired, and inspiring, military leaders. A thrilling tour of the battlefields of history, replete with dramatic encounters, sudden twists of fate, and intriguing character studies, Outnumbered demonstrates that, even when the odds seem insurmountable, the path to glory can still be found.
How did Hannibal’s 55,000 Carthaginians turn the tables on an 80,000-strong force of the ancient world’s most efficient military machine, the Roman army? What allowed 6,000 Englishmen to overcome 30,000 French at Agincourt in 1415? Which errors in judgment doomed a Russian army twice as large as its opposing German force at the Battle of Tannenberg during World War I?
Author Cormac O’Brien’s powerful and vivid recreations of history’s most surprising military victories illuminate the cunning strategies, secret weapons, fateful decisions, and changes of fortune that turned the tide of battle in the most extraordinary and unanticipated ways: the risky Greek ruse that trapped the Persian Fleet at Salamis in 480 BCE; the snowstorm that helped a Swedish force destroy a Russian army four times its size at the Battle of Narva in 1700; the newly introduced firearm that enabled 150 British soldiers to hold off an attacking horde of 4,000 Zulus at Rorke’s Drift, Africa, in 1879.
Even a commander as fearless, self-assured, and battle-hardened as Alexander the Great, leading 40,000 Macedonian troops, must have quailed at the sight that met him as he neared the village of Issus, Asia Minor, in 333 BCE: an unexpectedly and unimaginably vast Persian force of some 100,000 men, spanning the Mediterranean coastal plain as far as the eye could see. For warfare had already demonstrated, and has confirmed ever since, that numerical superiority consistently carries the day. And yet, every once in a while, such lopsided engagements have had an unexpected outcome, and proved to be a crucible in which great leaders, and history, are forged.
Outnumbered chronicles fourteen momentous occasions on which a smaller, ostensibly weaker force prevailed in an epochal confrontation. Thus, Alexander, undaunted, devised a brilliant and daring plan that disoriented and destroyed the Persian force and, consequently, its empire. Likewise, during the U.S. Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee, despite being outpositioned and outnumbered more than two to one by Union forces at Chancellorsville, Virginia, hatched an audacious and surprise strategy that caught his enemy completely unawares. Other equally unexpected, era-defining victories are shown to have derived from the devastating deployment of unusual weaponry, sheer good fortune, or even the gullibility of an enemy, as when Yamashita Tomoyuki, commander of 35,000 ill-supplied Japanese troops, convinced the 85,000-strong British Commonwealth army to surrender Singapore in 1942.
Together these accounts constitute an enthralling survey that captures the excitement and terrors of battle, while highlighting the unpredictable nature of warfare and the courage and ingenuity of inspired, and inspiring, military leaders. A thrilling tour of the battlefields of history, replete with dramatic encounters, sudden twists of fate, and intriguing character studies, Outnumbered demonstrates that, even when the odds seem insurmountable, the path to glory can still be found.
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2010
44 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 17, 2011
Almost everyone loves a story where people prevail against all odds. Cormac O’Brien explores this question as he explains how a military force that is facing a superior force either in numbers or guns shocked the world by winning an upset victory. O'Brien goes beyond the generalship to look at the topography and weather conditions. He looks at the morale and sheer determination and will to win that makes the difference. Mr. O'Brien examines some of the best know battles in all of history as well as some that are lesser known. He examines 14 battles. They are viewed in chronological order dating from anywhere 480 B.C. up to 1942.
He gives us an excellent picture of each battle. It makes it all very clear and understandable. He shares the more interesting and sometimes quirky points of each battle. The book's layout is spectacular. A generous supply of wonderful color pictures, illustrations and maps both illustrate and help explain the battles. It is as well packaged book as I have seen. The presentation matches the content - spectacular. There is a good bibliography of recent research on the battles.
The battles covered are: Salamis (480 BCE), Issus (333 BCE), Cannae (216 BCE), Carrhae (53 BC), Alesia (52 BCE), Tricamarum (533), Agincourt (1415), Narva (1700), Leuthen (1757), Auerstadt (1806), Chancellorsville (1863), Tannenberg (1914), and Singapore (1942).
I am a US Civil War fan. The story of how Confederate General Robert E. Lee won a victory even though he was outnumbered more than two to one by Union forces at Chancellorsville, Virginia is one of my favorites. I was enlightened by how the 35,000 poorly supplied Japanese got the 85,000 British troops to surrender at Singapore in 1942.
I had to remind myself that the focus was on being outnumbered, not on what were the most important battles in history. Mr. O'Brien does an excellent job of giving an overview or survey of these battles. The writing is wonderful. Again, the presentation is as good as it gets. This would be an excellent resource for any military history buff. The quality of the work makes it an excellent resource for any public or school library. Well done!
He gives us an excellent picture of each battle. It makes it all very clear and understandable. He shares the more interesting and sometimes quirky points of each battle. The book's layout is spectacular. A generous supply of wonderful color pictures, illustrations and maps both illustrate and help explain the battles. It is as well packaged book as I have seen. The presentation matches the content - spectacular. There is a good bibliography of recent research on the battles.
The battles covered are: Salamis (480 BCE), Issus (333 BCE), Cannae (216 BCE), Carrhae (53 BC), Alesia (52 BCE), Tricamarum (533), Agincourt (1415), Narva (1700), Leuthen (1757), Auerstadt (1806), Chancellorsville (1863), Tannenberg (1914), and Singapore (1942).
I am a US Civil War fan. The story of how Confederate General Robert E. Lee won a victory even though he was outnumbered more than two to one by Union forces at Chancellorsville, Virginia is one of my favorites. I was enlightened by how the 35,000 poorly supplied Japanese got the 85,000 British troops to surrender at Singapore in 1942.
I had to remind myself that the focus was on being outnumbered, not on what were the most important battles in history. Mr. O'Brien does an excellent job of giving an overview or survey of these battles. The writing is wonderful. Again, the presentation is as good as it gets. This would be an excellent resource for any military history buff. The quality of the work makes it an excellent resource for any public or school library. Well done!
June 12, 2011
A nice work examining battles where one side was outnumbered but triumphed.
Examples? Issus: Alexander the Great versus the Persian horde. Badly outnumbered, but triumphant in the end. Or Chancellorsville: Robert E. Lee's seemingly foolish gambe dividing his force a couple different times--only to defeat Joe Hooker's Army of the Potomac. Cannae: Hannibal destroyed Roman forces. Other battles discussed: Agincourt, Carrhae, Rorke's Drift, Tannenberg.
Pretty well written and enough detail to give the reader a sense of the various battles.
Examples? Issus: Alexander the Great versus the Persian horde. Badly outnumbered, but triumphant in the end. Or Chancellorsville: Robert E. Lee's seemingly foolish gambe dividing his force a couple different times--only to defeat Joe Hooker's Army of the Potomac. Cannae: Hannibal destroyed Roman forces. Other battles discussed: Agincourt, Carrhae, Rorke's Drift, Tannenberg.
Pretty well written and enough detail to give the reader a sense of the various battles.
July 31, 2025
This book is a compilation of battles throughout out history when one side has been outnumbered by the the other side, and still managed to achieve victory. I was familiar with all of the battles, but I read it because it because of a few. One such battle is Tricamarium which was fought in the 6th century BC by an amazing general, Flavius Belisarius. I have been interested in him since I read John Julius Norwich's unparalleled trilogy about Byzantium. Alexander the Great's great victory at Issus in 333 BC is one of my favorites. Darius III should have won for Persia, but Issus and Alexander's later victory in 331 BC at Gaugamela sealed his fate.
One of the best known battles is Agincourt, in 1415, which proved the superiority of the English longbowmen against a mass of noble French cavalry. My favorite battle was part of the Napoleonic Wars on October 14, 1806. Napoleon won the battle at Jena that day, BUT he unknowingly didn't fight the main Prussian Army. That was left to one of his greatest marshals, Louis-Nicholas Davout, who along with his division commanders, Gudin, Friant, and Morand took on the Prussians, defeating them even though outnumbered. My final battle that I find of special interest is Rorke's Drift in Africa on January 22, 1879. A small amount of British troops defeated 4000 Zulus.
I read about all of these battles and others in the book. Ironically though, many of the battles included were temporary victories as the entire campaigns didn't always end well.
One of the best known battles is Agincourt, in 1415, which proved the superiority of the English longbowmen against a mass of noble French cavalry. My favorite battle was part of the Napoleonic Wars on October 14, 1806. Napoleon won the battle at Jena that day, BUT he unknowingly didn't fight the main Prussian Army. That was left to one of his greatest marshals, Louis-Nicholas Davout, who along with his division commanders, Gudin, Friant, and Morand took on the Prussians, defeating them even though outnumbered. My final battle that I find of special interest is Rorke's Drift in Africa on January 22, 1879. A small amount of British troops defeated 4000 Zulus.
I read about all of these battles and others in the book. Ironically though, many of the battles included were temporary victories as the entire campaigns didn't always end well.
September 26, 2018
An interesting look at battles throughout history where against all odds a vastly outnumbered army manages to defeat their enemy combatants. I like books about history and the look back at how things were through time. This book can be a bit dry, but the subject matter held my interest throughout the book.
September 10, 2017
The stories of history's most surprising battlefield upsets. A good selection of examples makes for an interesting read.
Read
January 24, 2020Read and re-read a couple times.
September 12, 2025
Decent read of lopsided battles won by the often much smaller force
August 10, 2025
This book was a slog. When I got it I thought it would be a quick read. 14 chapters about a battle each, with each chapter divided up into sections.
The author provides WAY too much context for each battle. I’m a historian. I like context. But each chapter is like 66% context, and 33% battle and impact. That cost it a star.
The next issue was the author’s vocab choice. Throughout the first 2/3 of the book, I noticed he used a lot of unnecessarily complex words to explain things. This, combined with the long context, cost this book another point.
The third point loss comes from the pictures. Some are huge, taking up a full page, and clearly there to pad the page count. Others are unnecessary or bad. For example, he has pictures of Middle Ages battles that the captions note are inaccurate. Why show an inaccurate picture and not even explain why it is inaccurate? Other pictures, particularly the maps, are largely useless. They do nothing to depict the features of the battle, don’t show troop movements or are hard to read. It’s like he just took the first google image result that popped up and used that, without any thought.
And then his text is overly complex. Yes, he is telling a correct story about each battle saying this unit under this commander moved to this place, but the maps are so useless that a reader has no idea what is going on.
I didn’t give this book one star because I did learn a few things, but that was largely because I looked up information elsewhere.
The author provides WAY too much context for each battle. I’m a historian. I like context. But each chapter is like 66% context, and 33% battle and impact. That cost it a star.
The next issue was the author’s vocab choice. Throughout the first 2/3 of the book, I noticed he used a lot of unnecessarily complex words to explain things. This, combined with the long context, cost this book another point.
The third point loss comes from the pictures. Some are huge, taking up a full page, and clearly there to pad the page count. Others are unnecessary or bad. For example, he has pictures of Middle Ages battles that the captions note are inaccurate. Why show an inaccurate picture and not even explain why it is inaccurate? Other pictures, particularly the maps, are largely useless. They do nothing to depict the features of the battle, don’t show troop movements or are hard to read. It’s like he just took the first google image result that popped up and used that, without any thought.
And then his text is overly complex. Yes, he is telling a correct story about each battle saying this unit under this commander moved to this place, but the maps are so useless that a reader has no idea what is going on.
I didn’t give this book one star because I did learn a few things, but that was largely because I looked up information elsewhere.
May 4, 2011
The copy I read belongs to my brother; in fact, I bought it for him after seeing it in the Bargain Books section of That Big Bookstore. He left it on the coffeetable, I picked it up one day to kill a little time while waiting to do something else, and I got pulled right in. This is not a book you have to read in order; you can pick and choose, skip around as much as you want. Each battle is handled separately, so you don't miss anything by starting in the middle.
I knew a little about almost all the battled dissected here, but only the abridged versions. Not being a big history buff, I was unaware of the odds stacked against the winners of some of the most famous celebrated victories.
I'm glad I was bored that day! I kidnapped the book and kept it until I read all of it.
I knew a little about almost all the battled dissected here, but only the abridged versions. Not being a big history buff, I was unaware of the odds stacked against the winners of some of the most famous celebrated victories.
I'm glad I was bored that day! I kidnapped the book and kept it until I read all of it.
September 7, 2014
Wow, a quarter of the book is given to references! I have noticed this right now that I was at 75% of the book! Boy, the indices are really long.
Besides that, though the book is interesting, if a little brief. It contains a series, about ten, of battles quite famous and less famous. You will find most of the famous ones such as Cannae, or the battle of Agincourt, or Rorke's drift where notoriously the winer was severely undermanned and outnumbered.
The descriptions are about 15-2o pages long for each battle, maybe in a simple view, not a very detailed view which could probably be very long and boring.
That is why I gave 4 stars and not five.
But it is entertaining enough.
Besides that, though the book is interesting, if a little brief. It contains a series, about ten, of battles quite famous and less famous. You will find most of the famous ones such as Cannae, or the battle of Agincourt, or Rorke's drift where notoriously the winer was severely undermanned and outnumbered.
The descriptions are about 15-2o pages long for each battle, maybe in a simple view, not a very detailed view which could probably be very long and boring.
That is why I gave 4 stars and not five.
But it is entertaining enough.
September 23, 2014
Thoroughly Enjoyable
A relatively quick read, like many books on history 30% is bibliography, notes, and an index, O'Brine does a nice job on these battles. Not only does he describe the conflicts, he identifies the main characters, the prevailing philosophies on war, and why the inferior army won. I found this a good page turner, with a comfortable writing style, and truly looked forward to reading it. Of course, it does help to be a fan of military history........
A relatively quick read, like many books on history 30% is bibliography, notes, and an index, O'Brine does a nice job on these battles. Not only does he describe the conflicts, he identifies the main characters, the prevailing philosophies on war, and why the inferior army won. I found this a good page turner, with a comfortable writing style, and truly looked forward to reading it. Of course, it does help to be a fan of military history........
January 5, 2014
In the past I have read many Military History books. Over the last couple of years I have moved away from this topic. Spotted this book in the clearance section of my local book store and picked it up. Was a good reintroduction to the topic. I understand it was meant to be a very general overview of the battles covered, but I wish a little more detail had been given.
October 1, 2014
Great introduction to some great battles in history. The author does a good job not picking sides (for example he doesn't talk bad about the WWI German army just because they lost in the end), but instead just shows the battles for what they were. The author also did a good job of showing the common elements of an upset. Very enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews