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Audiobook edition · 15 h 20 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
How does a small army defeat larger forces—and what keeps it from falling apart?
In Wellington's Army, 1809–1814, Charles Oman looks beyond campaigns to the force Britain sends to Portugal and Spain against Napoleon's marshals. He asks how this army is raised, led, fed and fought. Infantry, cavalry, guns, engineers and supply services all have a place in his study.
Wellington stands at the centre, carrying much of the burden of command with a thin staff. Around him are officers who buy their commissions, common soldiers and Portuguese allies. Oman explores how tactics, patience and supplies help a small force face larger French armies—and where its weaknesses lie.
What you’ll discover
- An army of volunteers See how Britain builds a small land force without conscription on the French model.
- The burden of command Explore how much rests on Wellington when the staff offers only limited support.
- Line against column Follow Oman's close examination of British infantry tactics against the deep French attacking column.
- Courage and its limits Meet cavalry with good horses and brave men, but a troubling reputation for rashness.
- Patience, people and supplies Look beyond battlefield movement to the soldiers, allies and supplies on which strategy depends.
Who will love it
Readers who enjoy military history, the Napoleonic wars and the daily life behind the battles will find a rich store of detail here, from Wellington's character to mules and rations.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Soldiers wrote, and their memories need checking
- Wellington won trust but never won affection
- Careful foresight beat the French before battle began
- The two-deep line defeated the French column
- Cavalry and guns played supporting parts
- Five lieutenants showed what character could do
- Divisions grew out of trial and sound organization
- Officers and recruits came from every corner
- Foreign troops filled out the allied army
- Discipline, supply and the march held it together
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L’esercito di Wellington, 1809–1814
by Charles Oman · 1912
Wellington runs an army on mules, drill and the lash, and it marches from Lisbon to France.
Challenging5–10 hours to readItaliano
Excellent
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In short
What does it take to keep an army alive in a land that cannot feed it? Charles Oman, an Oxford historian, asks that question about Wellington's Peninsular Army, the force that fought the French in Portugal, Spain and southern France from 1809 to 1814.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Soldiers wrote, and their memories need checking
Oman begins with a surprise. British soldiers wrote diaries and memoirs in huge numbers from about 1805, and more was set down in those ten years than in the whole eighteenth century. Sergeants and privates wrote almost as many books as officers did.
He sorts the sources with a plain rule. The sooner a book was written, the better it serves as evidence, so journals kept at the time, such as Tomkinson's cavalry diary, come first. Memoirs from memory alone come last, because memory plays tricks. Marbot claimed feats that cannot be true.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 12 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1912
- Language
- Italiano
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Oman, Charles. Wellington's Army, 1809–1814. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/wellingtons-army-1809-1814.
Oman, C. (2026). Wellington's army, 1809–1814. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/wellingtons-army-1809-1814 (Original work published 1912)
Oman, Charles. Wellington's Army, 1809–1814. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/wellingtons-army-1809-1814.
@book{oman2026wellingtons,
author = {Oman, Charles},
title = {Wellington's Army, 1809–1814},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/wellingtons-army-1809-1814},
note = {First published 1912}
}
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What is Wellington's Army 1809-1814 about?
It describes the British army Wellington led in the Peninsular War, covering its commander, tactics, lieutenants, organization, officers, soldiers, allies, discipline, supply and daily life, drawing on diaries, letters and official records.
Who were Wellington's main lieutenants?
Oman discusses Hill, Beresford, Graham, Picton and Craufurd in detail. Hill was the kindest and most trusted, Beresford rebuilt the Portuguese army, Graham won at Barrosa, Picton led the 3rd Division and Craufurd led the Light Division.
Who was Rifleman Harris?
Rifleman Harris served in the 95th Rifles, and Oman values his little book as one of the liveliest soldiers' memoirs. Its stories flow with the order of events often lost, so Oman treats it as a picture of the rank and file.
The author
Charles Oman
1860–1946 · British military historian
Charles Oman was a British military historian born in British India in 1860. He lived in England and taught history at Oxford University. He wrote A History of the Peninsular War, published between 1902 and 1930, and Wellington’s Army, 1809–1814, published in 1912. He died in Oxford in 1946.
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