Customer Reviews

Gruelling Napoleonic soldiering from a Dorsetshire Sheppard. - By: Sean, 18 Aug 2008
Numerous editions of this classic memoir exist; mostly all abridged. The publishers have done an excellent job here by provided Recollections of Rifleman Harris completely unabridged & unedited. The only liberty taken with the text is the establishment of chapters for clarity & ease. Also included is a 1928 introduction by Sir John Fortescue which neatly summarises the history of the 95th Rifles.

Rifleman Harris was not longin the Peninsular War & most of his days of soldiering were occupiedin lengthy marching & sickness. He was present at only two set-piece battles (Rolica & Vimeiro) & was involvedin Moore's Retreat to Corunna & the disastrous Walcheren Expedition. In the final chapter Harris recounts how he ended up convalescingin a veteran's battalion being finally dischargedin 1814. Despite his absence from bouts of fighting he seems to have stayedin firm contact with the trials & tribulations of the 'Old 95'; anecdotes of certain solders at later battle are recounted for example.

Harris is indispensable for those wanting to understand the social-history of army-life: recruiting, sickness, desertion, regimental-women etc etc. He is also prone to the amusing battle anecdote. We find Harris, regimental-cobbler, with seemingly the entire 95th's shoes during the opening salvo at the Battle of Vimeiro! He is particularly famous for his eulogies of Robert Craufurd, the firm disciplinarian of the Rifle-Brigade, who maintained their discipline during the infamous retreat. The retreat is usually named after Corunna where Moore fought his fatal battle & allowed the army to disembark for England. In actual fact Craufurd's Brigade split from the main bodyin order to disembark at Vigo. Nevertheless, their plight was the same as their comrades heading for the former port & Harris is essential for discovering the horrors encountered their. Harrisin fact barely made it.

Recollections was first publishedin 1848, a whole thirty-nine years after Harris arrived back from Walcheren stricken with fever. He was illiterate; his account being transcribed to a half-pay officer, Captain Henry Curling of the 52nd Foot,in a rather un-chronological fashion. In a way this adds to the charm of the piece: his recollections have not turned into a literary masterpiece aka Kincaid & Leech. Despite its ominous birth this is the most honest & authenticated voice of the British Napoleonic foot-soldier. The only memoir which can possibly compete for that accolade is the Letters of Private Wheeler.