Whose Business is to Die

In the Spring of 1811 the military situation in the Iberian Peninsula is looking grim for Britain and her allies. While Wellington has pushed the French out of Portugal, the price of victory has been high, and there is every chance that Napoleon’s forces are gathering themselves for a fresh invasion. To make sure that doesn’t happen, the British will have to go on the attack, but without the necessary resources, they will have to be bold – and lucky.

For Lieutenant Hamish Williams of the 106th Foot, the prospect of action, however perilous, is a welcome one. His last meeting with Jane McAndrews, the daughter of one of the regiment’s most senior officers, did not go well, and the chances of winning her hand are looking slim. Going into battle against the enemy might not only provide a welcome distraction from his romantic predicament, but could actually help his cause, if he distinguishes himself enough to advance in the ranks.

What awaits him, however, is an engagement in which losses for some regiments will be so bad they are virtually destroyed, as British generals go in desperate pursuit of victory. For Williams and his comrades in the 106th, Albuera will prove the ultimate test of courage, skill – and good fortune – as the regiment is plunged into the heart of the bloodiest battle of the war.