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First published in 1837,
The Bivouac is a collection of stories set against the backdrop of the Peninsular War, which began in 1808. It opens with a company of foot soldiers encamped in England when they receive their orders to sail for the Iberian Peninsula and follows it through the campaign against the French in Portugal and Spain, including the battles of Vittoria and Busaco. As well as the overarching story of their part in the Peninsular War, it also includes tales told by the characters themselves about other aspects of the lives. Focusing on the officers and soldiers of the company, rather than just on military matters,
The Bivouac blends fiction and history and is a charming collection of stories that puts a different perspective on this part of the Napoleonic Wars.
About the author
William Hamilton Maxwell (1792-1850) was of Scots-Irish descent, born at Newry and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, before being commissioned into the British Army. He saw service in the Peninsula and Waterloo campaigns before leaving the army and taking holy orders; he was, however, deprived of his living for non-residence. As well as initiating the genre of the 'service novel, ' he wrote a Life of the 1st Duke of Wellington and a History of the Irish Rebellion.
Summary
A classic service novel set during the tumult of the war in the Iberian Peninsula
