The Rifle Brigade

by Kincaid, John

• ISBN13: 9781844152889
• ISBN10: 184415288X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-09-19
• Publisher: Pen & Sword

Summary

To Napoleon's troops, the sharp shooters of the 95th (Rifle) Regiment were 'the rascals in green', famed throughout Europe for their bravery, skill, and dash. Kincaid's Adventures in the Rifle Brigade was the first book to be published by a veteran, recounting the amazing escapades of this legendary unit in the war against French armies in Portugal and Spain. His second volume, Random Shots From a Rifleman, is just as vivid and memorable as the first, and finishes with a remarkable first-hand description of the Waterloo campaign from the ordinary soldier's point of view. The two volumes, here bound together in abridged form, add up to one of the most enthralling eyewitness records of regimental soldiering ever written. Although other Rifles memoirs quickly followed, none achieved the commercial or critical success of Kincaid's collection of unforgettable anecdotes.

Table of Contents

Forword by Christopher Summerville
ADVENTURES IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE
I. Joined the Rifles—Walcheren Expedition—A Marine View—Retreat to Scotland	1	(1)
II. Embark for the Peninsula—Landing extraordinary-The City of Coimbra—The Duke of Wellington,	2	(6)
III. Other People, Myself, and my Regiment—A Provost-Marshal and his favourites—Allenquer—Sobral-Arruda—Quartering of the Light Division—Lines of Torres Vedras—Military Customs,	8	(11)
IV. Campaign of 1811 opens-Massena's Retreat-Description of a Bivouac—Redinha—CondaciaIllama and its Inhabitants—Foz D'Aronce,	19	(12)
V. Passage of the Mondego—Two Prisoners, with their Two Views-Frexedas-Battle of SabugalAlmeida—Battle of Fuentes D'Onor,	31	(11)
VI. Estremadura—Soito—False Alarm-A Chaplain of the Forces—Blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo—Atalya—Advance of the French—Winter Quarters,	42	(8)
VII. Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo—Storming of the Town—Advantages of leading a Storming Party—Death of General Craufurd,	50	(10)
VIII. Siege of Badajos—Storming of the Town—Its Fall—Military Shopkeepers—Affecting Anecdote—Sir Sidney Beckwith,	60	(11)
IX. Farewell to Portalegré—Night in Castello Branco—Regimental Colours lost—Advance to Salamanca-Case of Bad Luck—Battle of Salamanca,	71	(11)
X. Distinguished Characters—Advance towards Madrid—Adventures of my Dinner—Segovia—Enter Madrid—Change of Quarters—Boar-Hunt, Dinner-Hunt, and Bull-Hunt,	82	(9)
XI Reach Salamanca—Retreat—Putting one's Foot in it—A disagreeable Amusement—End of the Campaign of 1812,	91	(8)
XII. A Review—March to Salamanca—Aldea Nueva—An Affair of the Hussar Brigade—Palencia—Burgos-Medina-St. Milan—A Physical River,	99	(7)
XIII. Battle of Vittoria—Defeat of the Enemy—Plunder—Colonel Cameron—Pampeluna—Villalba,	106	(9)
XIV. March to intercept Clausel—Tafalla—Olite—Casada—Escape of Clausel—Sanguessa—St. EstebanBera—Battle of the Pyrenees,	115	(7)
XV. An Anniversary Dinner—Fall of St. Sebastian—Storming the Heights of Bera—Picture of France from the Pyrenees—Sold by my Pay-Serjeant,	122	(8)
XVI. Battle of the Nivelle—Bird of Evil Omen—Chateau D'Arcangues—Passage of the Nive, and Battles near Bayonne,	130	(9)
XVII. Change of Quarters—Suttlers—New Clothing—St. Palais—Tarbes—The green Man—Battle of Toulouse—Peace,	139	(10)
XVIII. Commencement of the War of 1815—Embark for Rotterdam—A Pilot, a Smuggler, and a Lawyer-Join the Regiment at Brussels,	149	(3)
XIX. Relative Situation of the Troops—The Prince and the Beggar—Battle of Quatre-Bras,	152	(10)
XX. Battle of Waterloo—Position—Disposition—Fricassee of Swords—Pounding—Brewing—Peppering—Cutting and Maiming—Fury—Charging—Cheering—Chasing—Anecdotes—The End,	162	(13)
RANDOM SHOTS FROM A RIFLEMAN,	175
I. Family Pictures,	177	(4)
II. One Side Step and Two Front Ones on the Road to Glory,	181	(8)
III. Go to War,	189	(4)
IV. Generals and the Cat-o'-Nine-Tails—Tales,	193	(14)
V. Paying a French Compliment,	207	(5)
VI. Reaping a Horse with a Halter—Reaping a good Story or two out of the next Room,	212	(11)
VII. 'Blood and destruction shall be so in use, And dreadful objects so familiar, That mothers shall but smile when they behold Their infants quartered with the hands of war.'	223	(10)
VIII. A Caçadore and his Mounted Followers—A Chief of Hussars in his Trousers,	233	(9)
IX. National Characters, with a few Random Shots,	242	(16)
X. A Bishop's Gathering—A Flying Padre taking a Shot Flying,	258	(6)
XI. A Mayor's Nest—Some Volunteers of the Right Sort,	264	(13)
XII. Very Short, with a few Anecdotes still Shorter,	277	(3)
XIII. Rough Visitors receiving a Rough Reception—Gentle Visitors receiving a Gentle Reception,	280	(9)
XIV. Specimens of Target-Practice, in which Markers may become Marked Men—Lines drawn between Regiments,	289