Charles Oman's sixth volume picks up the story in September 1812. Napoleon's Grande Armée is freezing to death in Russia, but in Spain, the war is entering a new and brutal phase. Wellington, having secured his stunning victory at Salamanca, now faces the monumental task of pushing the French out of their Spanish strongholds for good. The book follows his relentless, grinding campaign north to the strategic fortress city of Burgos, a siege that turns into a costly stalemate, forcing a long and difficult winter retreat back to Portugal. It's a humbling reminder that victory is never a straight line.

The Story

This isn't just a chronicle of battles. Oman walks us through the entire campaign season. We see Wellington regroup after the setback at Burgos, rebuild his multinational army, and launch a brilliant new offensive in the spring of 1813. The narrative builds to the pivotal Battle of Vitoria in June—a complete rout of the French that isn't just a military victory, but a catastrophic blow to their morale and logistics. The book closes with the Allies chasing the shattered French forces toward the Pyrenees, setting the stage for the invasion of France itself. It's the story of a pendulum finally swinging decisively in one direction.

Why You Should Read It

Oman's genius is in the details. He makes you feel the weight of command decisions and the exhaustion of the soldiers. You understand why taking a single fortress could take months, and how politics between Spanish generals and British officers could be as dangerous as the enemy. This volume is especially compelling because it captures a turning point. You can feel the momentum shift. The French are no longer the invincible occupiers; they're a retreating army trying to salvage what they can. Wellington's stubborn perseverance becomes the driving force of the narrative.

Final Verdict

This is for the reader who loves deep-dive military history but hates dry textbooks. It’s perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels who want the real, unfiltered history behind the fiction. You need some patience for the old-school style and detailed descriptions of troop movements, but the payoff is immense. You finish this volume not just knowing what happened, but understanding how it happened—how an army and a commander slowly, painfully, broke the back of an empire. It's a masterclass in narrative history.