Wellington's Brigade Commanders

A collection of brief biographies of the over sixty men who served as brigade commanders under Wellington during the Peninsula War & the Waterloo campaign.

Recent research into the Duke of Wellington's armies during the Peninsular War and the Waterloo campaign has enhanced our understanding of the men he led, and this new biographical guide to his brigade commanders is a valuable contribution to this growing field. Ron McGuigan and Robert Burnham have investigated the lives and careers of a group of men who performed a vital role in Wellington's chain of command.


These officers were the brigadiers and major generals who, for a variety of reasons, never made the jump to become permanent division commanders. Their characters, experience and level of competence were key factors in the successes and failures of the army as a whole. Their biographies give us a fascinating insight into their individual backgrounds, their strengths and weaknesses, and the makeup of the society they came from.


Each biography features a table covering essential information on the individual, his birth and death dates, the dates of his promotions and details of his major commands. This is followed by a concise account of his life and service.

Praise for Wellington's Brigade Commanders
"Each entry is well written and researched, and the authors paint interesting portraits of these men, attempting to give some idea of their personalities and how they were seen by their men, as well as their military achievements. This is an excellent piece of work, and I expect to find it very useful!" —History of War