The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars (3)

This remarkable three-part study will transform the research material available to the English-speaking student of the Peninsular War. Most know that Wellington's Portuguese troops were praised as the 'fighting cocks' of his army; fewer appreciate that they represented between half and one-third of his entire forces. Similarly, most uniform historians have been limited to a few half-understood paintings by Dighton, and brief notes from secondary sources. René Chartrand's recent primary research in Portuguese and British archives now offers a wealth of new material. This third volume covers the artillery, militia, Ordenanza, volunteers, troops in the off-shore colonies, navy, and decorations.

Rene Chartrand examines the background to the ancient alliances of Britain and Portugal in this, the concluding volume of a three part Men-at-Arms mini-series. He investigates the formative events of the War of the Oranges, the army reforms of 1806, and the French invasion of Portugal in 1807 that resulted in massive aid and equipment being given to the Portuguese by the British. 'The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars 'concludes with a detailed description of the service, battle record and uniform of each regular regiment in the Pennisular War from 1808 to 1814.