The Retreat to Corunna

The Retreat to Corunna was a spectacular defeat for the British Army, yet it managed to save its reputation by carrying out one of the great fighting retreats of military history.

In 1808 a British army under Sir John Moore advanced from its base at Lisbon into Spain to aid Spanish armies fighting against a French invasion led by the Emperor Napoleon himself. As the British approached Madrid they learned that the main Spanish army had been destroyed by Napoleon and Madrid captured by the French. Hundreds of miles from base, cut off by marauding French cavalry, the British had to fight their way out or risk utter destruction.

What followed was an epic march over the mountains in winter to reach the port of Corunna where the Royal Navy waited to rescue the outnumbered British army. But who would get to Corunna first - Moore or Napoleon.

Written by a military author of great experience, this book explains the way battles were fought two centuries ago and explains the course of the action in an accessible but authoritative style.

This lavishly illustrated ebook is a must for anyone interested in the Peninsular War. This book forms part of the Bretwalda Battles series on The Peninsular War.

Contents
Chapter 1 - The Peninsular War
Chapter 2 - The Commanders at Corunna
Chapter 3 - Weapons, Soldiers and Tactics
Chapter 4 - The French Army
Chapter 5 - The British Army
Chapter 6 - The Retreat to Corunna
Chapter 7 - After Corunna

About the Author
Oliver Hayes is a military historian who has written extensively for books and magazines on different aspects of the military. He is now writing a series of books on the Peninsular War for Bretwalda Books.