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Salamanca, 1812. By Rory Muir. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-300-08719-5. Maps. Photographs. Illustrations. Appendixes. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Pp. xiv, 322. $35.00.
The Battle of Salamanca is unquestionably the Duke of Wellington's masterpiece, a battle that marked the turning point in the Peninsular War. Despite a brief hiatus during the winter of 1812-13, when the British were forced to retreat to Portugal, the French never regained the initiative in the Peninsula and were decisively ejected from Spain in 1813. Technically, the battle was Wellington at his best, reacting to a favorable situation, seizing the initiative, and soundly defeating a French army of approximately equal strength. This was not a defensive battle, like Talavera, Busaco, or...