brief 1808 campaign 1
Craufurd lobbies for more exciting mis
sions 1, 2 3
Combat of the Coa 1
chooses to keep Craufurd 1
and skulkers 1, 2
Busaco 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
retires to Torres Vedras 1
treatment of Portuguese people and
property 1, 2
his lines of fortifications in the Peninsula 1
warns Craufurd 1
and Craufurd’s return to England 1
and Erskine 1, 2 3
supervision of the Light Division 1
at Foz de Arouce 1
Sabugal 1, 2, 3
Fuentes d’Onoro 1, 2, 3, 4
and gentleman volunteers 1, 2
clashes with Craufurd 1, 2
announces winter quarters (1811) 1
and desertion 1, 2, 3
supply shortages 1
Ciudad Rodrigo 1, 2, 3
Crawfurd’s funeral 1
Badajoz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
General Orders 1, 2, 3, 4
Salamanca 1
emergence as an offensive commander 1
evacuates Madrid 1
watches The Rivals 1
reviews the Light Division 1
his caution 1
Vitoria 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
changing size of his forces 1
angry letter to the Light Division 1
and the Bidassoa line 1, 2
ready to enter France 1
Tarbes 1, 2
strict orders against pillaging the French 1
Quatre Bras 1, 2
Waterloo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Mitchell on his tactics 1
view of the British recruit 1
Wensley Dale (packet boat) 1, 2
West Indian Rangers 1
Yanzi 1
yeomen 1
Zadorra River 1
RIFLES
Mark Urban is the Diplomatic Editor of the BBC’s Newsnight and wasformerly defence correspondent for the Independent. He has coveredmany wars as a journalist and is the author of Big Boys’ Rules: TheSAS and the Secret Struggle against the IRA, UK Eyes Alpha: InsideBritish Intelligence and, most recently, the bestselling The Man WhoBroke Napoleon’s Codes. He lives in London with his wife and threechildren.
Further praise for Rifles:
‘A superb study of the unit that effectively created the modern BritishArmy’s infantry tactics.’ Nicholas Fearn, Independent on Sunday
‘Fans of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series have a real treat here. In adeeply researched, beautifully crafted and captivating volume, MarkUrban recounts the story of the 95th Rifles – the elite regiment whoprovided the Duke of Wellington with his crack troops and helped towin the Peninsular War against Napoleon’s marshals … After his previouswork on codebreaking in the Peninsular War, Urban must nowbe accounted one of the leading scholars of the period but the ordinaryreader will find this a riveting slab of derring-do and high adventure.’Frank McLynn, Daily Express
‘A delight, wise in its judgements and clear-headed in its approach tothe painful field of battle.’ Trevor Royle, Sunday Herald
‘As though Mark Urban, the diplomatic editor of BBC2’s Newsnight,did not have enough to do in his day job, he is fast carving out a secondcareer for himself as a first-class military historian of the Napoleonicwars. His recent biography [The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes]was critically acclaimed, and now he has followed it up with a historyof the 95th Rifle Regiment that is as dashing and unconventional as thelegendary unit itself.’ Andrew Roberts, Literary Review
‘A colourful history of that daredevil corps, the Royal Greenjackets …A must for Sharpe fans.’ John Crossland, Sunday Times
‘Urban’s book is war unplugged – vicious, immediate, chaotic and raw.Well known as a Newsnight reporter, he brings to his subject the journalist’ssense of drama. But the book is not just a lurid story; he hasspent the requisite time in the archives, among neglected diaries andcorrespondence. The evidence he has collected enables him to tell thestory of the 95th through six soldiers: two officers and four lowly privates.This gives the battles a humanity usually lacking in studies ofwar.’ Gerard DeGroot, Scotland on Sunday
‘Should be read by everyone who has an interest in soldiering and warfare.’Gary Sheffield, Living History
‘[The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes] was very good. This is evenbetter. How he finds the time, with his broadcasting commitments, toresearch and write quality history in under two years is a mystery.Somehow he does – and it won’t only be Sharpe fans who are gratefulfor this brilliant warts-and-all depiction of Wellington’s famous riflemen.’Saul David, Daily Telegraph
by the same author
THE MAN WHO BROKE NAPOLEON’S CODES
BIG BOYS’ RULES
SOVIET LAND POWER
WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
Author biography
Mark Urban is the Diplomatic Editor of the BBC’s Newsnight and was formerly defence correspondent for the Independent. His most recent book is Fusiliers: How the British Army Lost America but Learned to Fight, described as ‘superb … an inspiring account’ by Bernard Cornwell, and by Simon Sebag Montefiore as ‘a vivid, gritty, poignant and well-researched charge-by-charge, barrage-by-barrage march of one regiment of Redcoats through the battles of the American War of Independence.’
Copyright
First published in 2003
by Faber and Faber Limited
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
This ebook edition first published in 2008
All rights reserved
Mark Urban, 2003
The right of Mark Urban to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
ISBN 978—0—571—24691—5
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
List Of Illustrations
Preface
Chapter One: Departures
Chapter Two: Talavera
Chapter Three: Guadiana
Chapter Four: Barba Del Puerco
Chapter Five: The Coa
Chapter Six: Wounded
Chapter Seven: Busaco
Chapter Eight: The Corporal’s Stripes
Chapter Nine: Pombal
Chapter Ten: Sabugal
Chapter Eleven: Fuentes d’Onoro
Chapter Twelve: The Gentleman Volunteer
Chapter Thirteen: Deserters
Chapter Fourteen: The Storm Of Ciudad Rodrigo
Chapter Fifteen: The Reckoning
Chapter Sixteen: Badajoz
Chapter Seventeen: The Disgrace
Chapter Eighteen: The Salamanca Campaign
Chapter Nineteen: The Regimental Mess
Chapter Twenty: Vitoria
Chapter Twenty-One: The Nivelle
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Nive
Chapter Twenty-Three: Tarbes
Chapter Twenty-Four: Castel Sarrazin
Chapter Twenty-Five: Quatre Bras
Chapter Twenty-Six: Waterloo
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Legend Is Born
Inserts
Notes On Sources
Bibliography
Index
Praise
By the Same Author
About the Author
Copyright
Mark Urban, Rifles: Six Years With Wellington's Legendary Sharpshooters