Battle Story Talavera 1809 (Paperback, UK ed.)

At Talavera an Anglo-Spanish army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish army in operations against French-occupied Madrid. After fierce fighting the French army's attacks were repulsed several times before withdrawing from the field. Wellesley was ennobled as 'Viscount Wellington of Talavera' for the action. Napoleonic expert Digby Smith covers the uniforms, colours and standards, organization and tactics of the three armies involved, their orders of battle and losses. The strategic background to the battle, including Napoleon's disastrous 'management by puppet' policy, which was to bedevil the efforts of all French commanders in Spain and Portugal for the rest of the war. The artillery systems used are examined, including ballistic performance. The progress of the battle is analysed in detail, interspersed with personal accounts of participants at critical points. There will be a complete display of the losses involved as well as an account of the aftermath of the action and its effects on Wellesley's subsequent performance.