The Warrior of the West
£7.95
The Warrior of the West
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This is the story of Major-General Sir Richard Hussey Vivian, who fought in the British army as a cavalry soldier during battles in Spain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and also covers the significant part he played in the battle of Waterloo.
In this complex and detailed history of one significant military career, David Farmer’s writing enhances the story, weaving its way in and out of the battles that Vivian fought. He gives very well structured and concisely written accounts, where not only are we presented with the military movements but also the conditions at the time, which often hindered such complex battles. The book has illustrations with interesting original artwork to supply an idea of what the uniforms were like, the stance of the soldiers and battle assessments. There are also various maps and quotes from letters from the battlefield – when writing to his wife he describes the men as being ‘in rags’ and ‘most of the infantry are without shoes. Their sufferings are dreadful’.
As well as the detail of the battles themselves, Farmer describes the social structures of the time well, including Vivian’s romantic relations and the sad rejection of ‘the prettiest girl I have ever seen in my life’ because she had no dowry – a common attitude of the time. He later married someone else.
Vivian’s first journey into battle is a depressing event where the shortages of food, medicine and appropriate clothing were the immediate problems he faced. This attention to the facts gives the whole book a realistic air – it is not a glamorized account. The notes and references are clear and accessible, there is a substantial chapter on Waterloo and in the final chapter he offers an alternative viewpoint with quotes from other sources.
As described on the cover, local Parkinson’s Disease support groups will benefit from the sale of this book. This should be a popular history book for local area interest as well. The prose style is eloquent and engaging.
Local Parkinson's Disease support group will benefit from the sale of this book
ISBN: 1-904323-10-3
Format: Paperback
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