Subtitled The Peninsular War Letters of William, George and Charles Napier, this book contains extracts from the original private letters and journals of the three Napier brothers and those of fellow officers, written while they were on campaign, without the distortion of hindsight that affects later writings.

All three bothers served with distinction in the Peninsular War and were wounded on active service.

Charles, the oldest, was commissioned an ensign in the 33rd Foot in January 1794 and became a lieutenant in the 89th Foot in May of the same year, aged eleven! In May 1806 he was promoted to a majority in the Cape Corps, from which he exchanged into the 50th Foot, which he commanded at Corunna, being wounded five times and taken prisoner. After being exchanged in January 1810, he served as a volunteer in the Light Brigade, was aide de camp to General Craufurd at the Coa and was then attached to Wellington’s staff. At Busaco he was shot in the face, his jaw broken and his eye injured. He was also engaged at Fuentes de Onoro and the second siege of Badajoz. Later he commanded a brigade in the American War of 1812.

George was appointed a cornet in the 24th Light Dragoons in January 1800, aged fifteen, and became a lieutenant in the 46th Foot in June of the same year. After a period on half pay. He transferred into the 52nd Foot in 1803 and became a captain in 1806. He served under Sir John Moore at Shornecliffe, Sicily and Sweden and was one of his aides de camp at Corunna. He continued to serve in the 52nd Foot in the campaigns of 1809 to 1811, was slightly wounded at Busaco and, then a major, lost his right arm whilst commanding the storming party of the Light Division at Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812. He rejoined the 52nd at Jean de Luz early in 1814 and was present at the battles of Orthez, Tarbes and Toulouse.

William received a commission as ensign in the Royal Irish Artillery in June 1800, but soon transferred to the 62nd Foot, being promoted lieutenant in April 1801. When the war resumed in 1803 Sir John Moore suggested he should join one of his light regiments, and after a series of transfers he became a captain in the 43rd Foot in August 1804. He served in the Corunna campaign and returned to Portugal in May 1809, was wounded in the left hip at the Coa, was in the actions of Pombal and Redinha, and was dangerously wounded by a bullet in the spine at Casal Nova in March 1811. He was appointed brigade-major to the First Brigade of the Light Division, took part in Fuentes de Onoro and the second siege of Badajoz. After recovering from fever in England, he rejoined the army in May 1812, taking command of the 43rd as a regimental major - the lieutenant colonel having been killed in the siege – at Salamanca, and again at the battle of the Nivelle when the colonel fell sick, where the 43rd stormed La Rhune. William was twice wounded at the battle of the Nive, was promoted brevet lieutenant colonel in November 1813 and was present at Orthez, but his wounds then compelled him to return to England.

The editors, both highly respected researchers of the Napoleonic Wars whose names will be familiar to many readers, have judiciously pruned the material, omitting discussion of purely family affairs, complaints about financial issues and remarks on the political situation in both Britain and Europe, to focus upon their military lives; their experiences on campaign and in battle; their views on the current military situation; and their comments on their commanders, fellow officers, men and allies.

The text ends with a very brief chapter giving details of the brothers’ later military careers, lives and deaths.

Thirteen pages of endnotes, a short bibliography listing the biographical works about his brothers by William Napier, Charles Napier’s autobiography, and later biographies of William and George, and an index conclude the book.

It is a great pity that the colour portraits of the three brothers in their regimental uniforms appear only on the dustjacket, rather than among the colour plates inside the book, and that there is no note thereon explaining clearly which brother is depicted in each portrait. The portraits are, from left to right, William, George and Charles, in the same order as their names on the cover, but readers making the brothers’ acquaintance for the first time might not realise that.

The book contains two sections of plates: the first, eight pages of monochrome reproductions of drawings of places in the Peninsula, Bermuda and North America, are presumably by Charles who served there, though this is not stated. A further eight pages of colour reproductions of Peninsular scenes and costumes, together with some Native Americans, would seem to be by the same hand; again, there is no attribution.

If like me, you enjoy reading the letters, diaries and memoirs of British officers who served in the Peninsula, you will definitely enjoy this book. The exploits of the Napiers also offer many ideas for recreating the battlefield behaviour and contemporary attitudes of British officers in tabletop skirmishes, using rules such as Sharp Practice, or in roleplaying games. May all your lead or plastic officers serve so well and so bravely in your miniature battles!

Arthur Harman, Miniature Wargames