Reminiscences of Captain Gronow

Description

For readers interested in history in general and in the history of the 19th century, Reminiscences of Captain Gronow by Rees Howell Gronow is a real gem. This collection of memoirs documents the Peninsular War between Napoleon’s army and the powers allied against him, Britain, Spain and Portugal as well as the Battle of Waterloo that brought about the defeat of Napoleon.

Gronow was an eyewitness to every war-related event he recounts in Reminiscences, but the reason why his anecdotes and war stories enjoy such great popularity even in our days is not authenticity alone – he is also an excellent story teller, a par excellence entertainer, telling about his own experiences and giving an extraordinary, detailed and often humorous account of an entire era. The text of his Reminiscences is organized around topics, a large number of them, touching upon all kinds of subjects related not only to the war, but also to the social life of the Regency era.

Captain Gronow was a Grenadier Guards officer of Welsh origin and a celebrated dandy of his times. In 1812 he joined the 1st Battalion’s 1st Regiment of Footguards and was sent to Spain where he took part in numerous operations. In 1814 he returned to England with the Army and in 1815 he fought at Waterloo. After the war, Gronow settled in London and became a popular figure of the capital’s social life. He also tried to enter into politics, but he failed two elections and didn’t go for a third one. He spent his last years in Paris and he also died there in 1865.

Gronow’s memoirs are considered to be reliable only where he describes the war and life in the army, but even though his accounts of the social life of his times are not entirely accurate, he is a master of entertainment and his Reminiscences make a great read.
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