March of Death: Sir John Moore's Retreat to Corunna, 1808-1809 (The Napoleonic Library)

In the bitter winter of 1808, a small British force found itself outnumbered and outmaneuvered by a French army led by Emperor Napoleon. Faced with a crushing defeat, the British, commanded by Sir John Moore, turned and marched through the mountains of northern Spain. Casting away baggage and supplies, the little army retreated through desolate mountain passes before reaching Corunna with the French at their heels. There they turned and fought, before embarking for Britain and safety. However, as in every epic, there was great loss. Sir John Moore, gallant, respected and honorable, fell at the moment of victory.March of Death is the story of a terrible retreat through the eyes of those who were there and survived. Relating the horrific ordeal through excerpts from survivors’ diaries, letters, memoirs and reports, this narrative brings to life the heroism and glory of a real fight for survival. Without doubt, few episodes of British military history have been as dramatic as Sir John Moore’s retreat to Corunna.‘The author does a superb job describing the numerous skirmishes and combats between the British rear guard and the French advance guard ... The story rivals any medieval epic.’ Robert Burnham, Napoleonic Series