Napier-the sword and the pen pThe Napier's were a family whose influence on the history of the British empire in the nineteenth century is significant and well documented. This book concerns one of them, William Napier. In common with some of this siblings William served in the Peninsular War and was an officer under Moore and Wellington. A member of the famous 'Light Division' he both served in and commanded HM 43rd Regiment of Foot through many of the notable campaigns and engagements of the conflict. After Waterloo he joined in the pursuit to Paris and the final downfall of Napoleon. William Napier may have aspired to the military life, but although he was a fine soldier he found the reality of the brutality of warfare very difficult to reconcile. So in his writings we find much detail that is often passed over in other memoirs. Whilst Napier's history, letters and recollections of his time on campaign make fascinating reading, his true fame came as an author. William Napier wrote w