Featured battle : Danzig

Part of The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

Date : 16 January 1813 - 29 November 1813

This important city port had been blockaded for almost a year. The Prusso-Russian figures refer to those present at the final capitulation; during the course of the siege their numbers had been as low as 15,000. An Anglo-Russian flotilla blockaded the seaward side of the port. Total casualties for the Prusso-Russians are not known. The French suffered 6,000 killed a further 6,000 sick, and 8,000 deserters, the remainder were captured.

The Forgotten War against Napoleon

Gareth Glover
Initially I was confused. I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't this. It didn't seem like a Gareth Glover, a writer I admire immensely. It is about conflicts around the Mediterranean which I knew of and were in no way forgotten. The chapters were short and pithy, with a wealth of footnotes. However once I got into the swing of the book, and it does swing along, I found I was greatly enjoying it. In effect it became a Gareth Glover. It is written in a most readable style with loads of well researched information. The book has 56 chapters, the shortest only one page long, 16 illustrations, all contemporary with the events, and 33 maps.
For me the true value of this book is that it connects events which are most usually only studied in isolation. What the author has demonstrated is the inter-connection between seeming disparate events. The connection coming about because they are on or of the Mediterranean.
When I finished this book I was sorry it wasn't longer. It is a tour de force and reminded me of areas which I now want to revisit and to read more about in greater detail. It is an excellent overview. The only thing wrong with it is the title.

Pen & Sword Military. Pen & Sword \Books \Ltd., 2017