Napoleonic Archive 17 – Memoirs of Lord Hill’s 2nd Division
Published by Ken Trotman Publishing November 2024
For this volume, I have collected a number of both short and some longer memoirs and collections of letters from soldiers in regiments connected to the Second Division in the Peninsular War. Some of these accounts cover periods before the Peninsular War and some travel on beyond, but I believe it is important to produce them in their entirety.
Of particular interest are Captain Joseph Barrallier’s (45th/71st Foot) account of his service in South America, Walcheren and the Peninsula; Private Matthew Orr’s (92nd Foot) letters, mostly from home service, which shows a very surprisingly erudite young man and introduces some interesting information. Lieutenant Charles Stewart’s (28th Foot) diary of the 1793 campaign forms a rare record of this early campaign and Captain James Crummer’s (28th Foot) letters spanning his service from 1807 to 1815, form a very important record of the services of the regiment, particularly at Albuera; he is also a very interesting eyewitness to the devastation left after the actions of Roncesvalles and Maya.
Overall, this forms an interesting selection of eyewitness accounts from these regiments and certainly enhances our understanding of a number of aspects of the campaigns they served in.
Book 1:
Recollections of Captain Joseph Barrallier, 45th, 71st Foot & 23rd Portuguese Line
Book 2:
Private John Macfarlane of the 71st Foot
Book 3:
Letters of Lt John Vandeleur, 71st Foot
Book 4:
Letters of Private Matthew Orr, 92nd Foot
Book 5:
Lt Charles Stewart of the 28th Foot
Book 6:
Captain James Henry Crummer, 28th Foot
Book 7:
Private Richard Smith, 3rd Foot
Book 8:
Lt William Woods, the 48th Foot at Albuera
Book 9:
Lt George Crompton of 66th Foot, Albuera