A British Rifle Man The Journals and Correspondence of Major George Simmons, Rifle Brigade, During the Peninsular War and the Campaign of Waterloo

A candid journal from a young Yorkshire son who rises from a modest family to become an officer in the elite Rifle Brigade, this collection offers listeners an intimate portrait of early‑19th‑century military life. Through letters to his sister Ann and reflections on his brothers’ fates, the narrator reveals the personal pressures and ambitions that drove him from militiamen’s drills to a commission as a second‑lieutenant, all while the nation braced against Napoleonic threat.

The narrative then turns to the battlefield, where his keen eye records the gritty realities of the Peninsular War and the buildup to Waterloo. Detailed sketches and maps accompany his vivid descriptions of skirmishes, the distinctive use of the rifle, and the camaraderie that defined his regiment. Listeners gain a rare glimpse into the everyday challenges, tactical innovations, and the moral resolve that made the Rifle Brigade a celebrated force during some of Europe’s most decisive campaigns.