The Journal of an Army Surgeon during the Peninsular War

A rarity amongst Peninsular accounts, are those that come from the medical services of the British army, Boutflower’s journal was printed sixty years after his death but remains even now fresh and interesting. His duty was to patch, tend and mend the fighting men of the 40th Regiment of Foot, during the fierce fighting against the French. His journal principally focuses on the campaigns under the Duke of Wellington that stretched from 1809 to 1814, although his service had drawn him to South America and the West Indies beforehand. He was promoted to the staff of Sir Rowland “Daddy” Hill as surgeon in 1812, but not before he had seen and described the butchery of the battle of Albuera. Also present at the battle of Salamanca his narrative, in spite of some erratic spelling, contemporaneous, vital and gripping.
A valuable and memorable work.
Author – Charles Boutflower – (1782 - 1844)