NonfictionLarge Print EditionA lively popular history . . . his vivid rendering of the tough decisions faced by men at the front of innovation makes the greatest impression. Publishers Weekly On March 9; 1862; an epic battle was fought. It was one that not only affected the course of the Civil War but one that changed the face of naval warfare forever. It was on that fateful day that two ironclads met for the first time the Monitor and the Merrimac. And here is the fascinating saga of the events that led up to the battle and the people who made it happen.
#1402277 in Books 2015-02-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .40 x 6.00l; 1.61 #File Name: 0752462113440 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Day of Destiny...By HMS WarspiteThe bicentennial of the Battle of Waterloo has prompted a small avalanche of books on the subject. "Waterloo 1815"; by experienced historian Gregory Fremont-Barnes; turns out to be a very worthwhile read. The author went back to the source material; his narrative is meticulously built around a variety of first-person accounts of the battle. His point of view is decidedly British; the subtitle is "The British Army's Day of Destiny" and the story is very much about the British Army and its German Legion cohorts.For a battle that has been so thoroughly studied; Fremont-Barnes manages to find plenty to offer both the general reader and the student of the Waterloo Campaign. The book walks the reader through the major actions of the battle; including the defense of Hougoumont; D'Erlon's attack; the massed French cavalry assaults; the fall of La Haye Sainte and the attack of the Imperial Guard. Throughout; the author offers incisive commentary of the actions of Wellington and his opponent Napoleon; and just how narrow was the margin of victory or defeat.The author's close review of first person sources does offer some very interesting perspectives. This reviewer was very interested to learn that the extended French artillery bombardment of the Mount St Jean ridge was the biggest single source of casualties among the British units. This reviewer was also fascinated by the key role played by the surviving British light cavalry units in the general advance at the end of the battle. They appear to have been instrumental in keeping the French Army from rallying after the repulse of the Imperial Guard. The narrative is nicely supported by an interesting collection of maps and period illustrations. Well recommended as a worthwhile read on an historic battle.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Best ever account of the Battle of WaterlooBy C. David BridgesThis is the best account of Waterloo that I have read. It is detailed; accurately annotated and liberally scattered with graphic first-person accounts of the battle. These really brought home the horrors of 19th century warfare. I particularly liked the description of the political events preceding and following the battle; as well as detailed chapters on weaponry; strategy; supply and medical services (such as they were). I found my understanding of this critically important battle was enormously enhanced. My only criticism was that although there were maps; they were rather unhelpful because they were not very legible and did not always feature places mentioned in the text.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Harold M. BabinOne of the best books on the battle.
