Cover created by Transcriber and placed into the Public Domain.
ADVENTURES IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE
IN THE
PENINSULA, FRANCE,
AND THE
NETHERLANDS,
From the Year 1809 to 1815;
By CAPTAIN JOHN KINCAID, First Battalion.
One vol. post 8vo. price 10s. 6d. boards.
"To those who are unacquainted with John Kincaid of theRifles,—and few, we trow, of the old Peninsula bands are inthis ignorant predicament, and to those who know him, weequally recommend the perusal of his book: it is a fac simileof the man,—a perfect reflection of his image, veluti inspeculo. A capital Soldier, a pithy and graphic narrator, and afellow of infinite jest. Captain Kincaid has given us, in thismodest volume, the impress of his qualities, the beau ideal of athorough-going Soldier of Service, and the faithful and wittyhistory of some six years' honest and triumphant fighting.
"There is nothing extant in a Soldier's Journal, which, withso little pretension, paints with such truth and raciness the"domestic economy" of campaigning, and the downright businessof handling the enemy.
"But we cannot follow further;—recommending every oneof our readers to pursue the Author himself to his crowningscene of Waterloo, where they will find him as quaint andoriginal as at his debut. We assure them, it is not possible, byisolated extracts, to give a suitable impression of the spirit andoriginality which never flag from beginning to end of CaptainKincaid's volume; in every page of which he throws outflashes of native humour, a tithe of which would make the fortuneof a Grub-street Bookmaker."—United Service Journal.
"We do not recollect one, among the scores of personal narratives,where the reader will find more of the realities of aSoldier's Life, or of the horrors that mark it; all is told gaily,but not unfeelingly."—New Monthly Magazine, July.
"His book has one fault, the rarest fault in books, it is tooshort."—Monthly Magazine, April.
"His book is one of the most lively histories of Soldiers'Adventures which have yet appeared; their entire freedomfrom affectation will sufficiently recommend them to a numerousclass of readers."—Athenæum.
"Kincaid's Adventures in the Rifle Brigade is written with allthe frankness and freedom from study which bespeaks the gallantsoldier, one to whom the sword is more adapted than thepen, but who, as now cedunt arma togæ, has, in these 'pipingtimes' of peace, determined to 'fight all his battles over again,'and he fights them in a style interesting and graphic. Theremarks on the decisive termination of the Battle of Waterlooare striking and convincing; and to them and the wholebook we refer our readers for much amusement and information."—TheAge.
"This is an excellent and amusing book; and although it neithergives, nor pretends to give, lessons in strategy, or a true historyof the great operations of our armies, we hold it to be a veryinstructive work. Napier, it is true, continues to be our textbookin the art of war; but, even in his work, there is somethingawanting, something which a due attention to historicaletiquette prevents his conveying to us. He shows most satisfactorilythe talents of our generals, and the morale of ourarmy; but there is an insight into its composition which hecannot give us, and which, indeed, nothing can give but a widepersonal