Book on the Crimean War

"The war Against Russia"

A. J. Barker
ISBN 03 085047 9

I really did not know much about this conflict except about the charge of the Light Brigade and Florence Nightingale!
I certainly did not know that by the end of the seige, that the french had about 120,000 troops in the area against which the british had about 30,000! However that british also had germain, swiss and other mercernies employed by them, even inculding the Italians!
The book give and interesting overview and compares the relative state of the various armies. Of intrest is the terrible way the british treated their soldiers. it is astonshing that there was no muntiy by the private soldier about the way they were treated then.
As for the tactics, a officer of the line in the napolionic wars would have felt right at home! after all, the british had not been involved in any war since then. Remember, the class system then and purshing of commission ment thatprogressive officers had little chance of advancement.

All in all, worth a read!