Book Description

Major-General Lord Andrew Thomas Blayney although previously a successful commander of his own regiment the 89th Regiment of Foot of the British through-out the early stages of the Peninsular war, he is best known for his narrative of events after his capture by Polish forces fighting under the flag of Napoleonic France. Blayney was the leader of an ill-fated Anglo-Spanish force which was assigned the task of attacking from Cadiz toward Malaga, culminating the battle of Fuengirola on 15th October 1810. Outnumbering his Polish foes by a huge margin, a series of unfortunate accidents on the allied side and brave and heroic resistance on the Polish side led to a debacle and his capture. It should be noted that this was far from the only amphibious disaster led by the British in the Peninsular Wars that should throw further perspective on the victories of the main British army under Wellington. Blayney’s narrative along with some idiosyncratic spelling recounts his journey from Andulusia to Verdun in the north-east of France. During his journey from one outpost to another as a paroled prisoner he meets a number of famed French generals, as befitted his rank, such as Sébastiani, Kellermann, Belliard and even Marshal Bessiéres who treat him on the whole well. He winds his way through the countryside, and he tells many tales of the people and surroundings that he finds himself somewhat forcibly journeying through. The main strength of the narrative is the author’s eye to detail and his flair for recounting a tale, along with the real rarity of accounts from the point of view of an English prisoner of war. Published in two volumes this is the first volume.