The Private Journal of Judge-Advocate Larpent

Attached to the Head-Quarters of Lord Wellington During the Penninsular War, from 1812 to Its Close

By: Sir George Larpent

Narrated by: Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot

During the Peninsular campaign of the Napoleonic wars, the author of this book travelled with Wellington's headquarters. His position as Judge-Advocate kept him busy prosecuting the wrongdoers of the army. In this narrative you'll get to hear first-hand accounts of the various battles and sieges of the campaign including Vitoria. Other highlights include anecdotes of Wellington, murders, skirmishes, the narrator being captured by the enemy, the fall of Pamplona, deserters, rocket fire, and the marvellous bridge of boats.

©Sir George Larpent (P)2012 FNH

very interesting, but....

This is an incredibly interesting account of everyday life for a high ranking noncombat officer on Wellington's staff during the later days of the peninsular war. If you are considering purchasing this book, be aware that you will not find descriptions of combat here. What you will find is a well detailed account of the general worldview of senior officers at the time, accounts and personal comments of military law and punishments, and whey they should be, a fair accounting of Wellington's personal life at the time, the struggles of "gentlemen" while enduring wartime camp life, interesting accounts of some logistical issues during the campaign, and generally the sort of background detail which most military histories would not cover in any detail. Readers will gain little terms of tactics, maneuvers, order of battle, or even a general understanding of the military situation. What they will gain is a better understanding of society at the time, a better appreciation of "fog of war" at the supreme command level, and how the war was seen by British Gentry.