Marching with Sharpe - B. J Bluth

Based on original accounts taken from the diaries, journals, and letters of veterans of the British Army from 1808-1815, this is a fascinating reconstruction of what life was really like for a British soldier during the wars against Napoleon.

Created from first-hand written accounts and contemporary military manuals of the time, this remarkable text presents a fascinating insight into the nitty-gritty of everyday life for the British soldier during the Peninsular war and leading up to the Battle of Waterloo.

With photographs of original items of equipment and of modern day re-enactment groups, Marching with Sharpe reveals what it was really like for ordinary soldiers and their camp followers.

Find out how the rifle developed from the musket; what kit the soldiers carried; how they kept dry in the mountains of Spain; what they ate; how the infantry faced charging cavalry and what the battlefield was like after 'victory'.

Re-enactment is a growing 'family' activity, so there were plenty of troops and 'camp followers' to help the author illustrate the lives of the men and indeed the women and children who accompanied the regiments on campaign.