To write an engaging book about wars fought two hundred years ago is no easy task, but Mark Urban is up to the challenge. Using primary sources, he brings, along with the information, the personalities of the officers and men of the 95th, their virtues and vices, quirks and kindnesses into focus, and even sometimes, into one's heart. Urban brings the time and the place and even this 'new' method of fighting (learned, ahem, from fighting in North America) to life also. It helps that I had first read the less well organized book on the history of the founding of the 95th which begins in Pennsylvania with George Washington and his youthful battles, fighting alongside the British during the French and Indian Wars. He and many other Americans tried to convince the British officers to fight differently but they wouldn't. . . . and were, of course, slaughtered. Decades later new ideas have filtered in and become a reality. The military is allowing an experimental unit to prove itself. In this new regiment the men are treated with a little more respect, taught to aim (long story, wasn't worth it with muskets) and given freedom when in battle to make their own decisions about what to do. The 95th even encouraged the common soldiers to learn to read. This was revolutionary! Anyway, the focus here is on the Peninsular Wars and Waterloo and the role the 95th played in both. If you read Georgette Heyer you may know that Napoleon extended himself in many directions including trying to conquer all of the Iberian peninsula, which likely he would have done if he hadn't ALSO tried to conquer Russia. (So so crazy). Many of her male characters have been in the army and therefore were either on the Peninsula and/or at Waterloo. The project I am now focussed on made me want to actually know more so there is a foundation even to a few casual or maybe not so casual references I might make. I have some further reading to do -- some primary sources, memoirs by soldiers who survived (and about whom I already know quite a lot from this book) and I am looking forward to reading them. I felt surges of emotion here and there as I read about these men and their doings. As always mystified and unsettled by this aspect of human beings, but also in awe of acts of courage and determination. This period, one to which we are still closely connected, was one of immense changes, new ideas, new inventions and the military, while often very resistant (disastrously so, once again, in 1914) to change, did change as this regiment proved their value. ****1/2 ( )

The origins of the modern day infantryman as one who aims as well as utilizes cover. Excellent research, illustrations and personal vignettes make this a very readable history book. The perfect companion to the outstanding Sharp Series by Bernard Cornwell. ( )

Bueno, se lee como una novela. ( )

The drawback of the book is that it is centred far too much on the first battalion of the 95th foot, and many interesting anecdotes are missing. I'm sure more about the light battalions of the King's German Legion would have drawn sales just as well. ( )

This one was enjoyable giving you a gritty realistic view of what life was like for men of the legendary 95th Rifle Regiment during the Peninsula campaign and Waterloo. The reading was engaging and made you forget that you were reading a history book. I was especially interested at the similarities I found between the average soldier in the 1800's and ones I read about in other memoirs, such as E.B. Sledges With the Old Breed. Even though they were a century apart, you find these soldiers had the same problems of being supplied, dealing with abrasive officers, and the bloody business of fighting. You also become engrossed with the main people who are mentioned in the book; I found myself up late into the night wanting to find out what happened next to 2nd Lieutenant Simmons, or Privet Ned Costello. I also found it interesting how at this time you start to see the emergence of the modern soldier who was proficient in marksmanship, selected his target, and used cover to fire from instead of forming a line and firing in volley. If there was one problem it was that I wish there were a few more maps to make it easier to see were the names of towns and battles were located. In all a very good, even if you do not usually read history books I would say give this one a read. ( )