Salamanca 1812 - Peter Edwards

- 1812 was the year in which the Peninsular War swung in the favour of the Allies. This was the result of a series of victories gained by the Allied armies under Wellington. The year began with Wellington launching a series of raids in Estramadura to distract French attention from preparations for an assault on Ciudad Rodrigo, which was taken in late-January. There followed the capture of Badajoz and the advance on Salamanca, which was captured after a 10-day siege. The Battle of Salamanca, on 22 July, saw some 50,000 French troops arrayed against a number of Allied. Using ground astutely, Wellington gained a crushing victory, with over 14,000 French casualties. Although there was a rebuff at Burgos later in the year, Wellingtons forces were firmly on the march to victory in the Iberian Peninsula. The author uses an excellent range of sources to bring to life this pivotal year in the Peninsula. -