The Letters of Sir Augustus Frazer K.C.B. Commanding The Royal Horse Artillery

In The Army Under The Duke Of Wellington [Illustrated Edition]

Includes over 100 maps of the actions, engagements and battles of the entire Peninsular War.

“A full and vivid account of the Peninsula War and the Waterloo campaign as they happened in some 180 letters to his family written by Col. Frazer, commander of the Horse Artillery in both conflicts.

The writer of these letters, Colonel Sir Augustus Simon Frazer, K.C.B, was born in September 1776 and a month before his fourteenth birthday he was admitted as a Gentleman Cadet into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich...

Promoted Major in June 1811 he went to the Peninsula in November 1812, and it is from this date that the letters begin. In April 1813 Frazer was appointed to command the Horse Artillery of the army and as such saw action at Salamanca, Osma, Vitoria, St Sebastian, the crossings of the Bidassoa, Nive and Adour. He was severely wounded at the siege of Bayonne on 27 February 1814 but was back for the final battle of Toulouse in April which brought hostilities against the French to a close.

When war with France broke out again on Napoleon’s escape from Elba Sir Augustus joined the allied army in Flanders, under the Duke of Wellington, in March 1815 and resumed command of the Horse Artillery, the post he held during the battle of Waterloo. On return to England he was appointed commander HQ RHA, Woolwich until promoted Colonel in January 1825. Frazer was a prolific letter writer and the letters contained in this book were written to his wife, Lady Emma Frazer (whom he married in 1809) and to his wife’s sister and her husband, Major and Mrs Moore. They give a fascinating account of the stirring events of the time. 140 of them were written during the Peninsular campaign and a further 41 during the Waterloo campaign. They describe events literally as they occurred.”-Print ed.