First published in 1837, W.H. Maxwell's The Bivouac relates the heart-rending experiences of British soldiers engaged in the violent battle in Spain and Portugal against France at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It recounts, in brutal and vivid detail, influential events of the Peninsular War, including the battles of Vittoria, Busaco and Badajoz.

A powerful blend of history and fiction, The Bivouac offers a compellingly personal approach to the disturbing and haunting images of the Peninsular battlefield. Harrowing scenes of war are interspersed with charming and often humorous tales of the individuals involved, as they recall a variety of prominent episodes from their own, pre-war lives.

These distinct narratives are skilfully united to create a truly passionate relation of events, together conveying the significance and effect of war upon individual and nation alike.