"ONLY THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE MIGHTY STREAM OF BATTLE CONTROLLED BY WELLINGTON"

NAPIER, General William Francis Patrick. A Narrative of the Peninsular Campaign 1807-1814. Its Battles and Sieges. Abridged from "The History of the War in the Peninsula"… by William T. Dobson. London: Bickers & Son, 1889. Octavo, publisher's full elaborately gilt red morocco, raised bands, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. $450.

First edition of Dobson’s one-volume abridgement of Napier’s dramatic firsthand history, illustrated with ten photogravures of views and battle-scenes along with a folding colored map of Spain and Portugal, in the publisher's elaborately gilt red morocco binding.

Napier served with distinction throughout the Peninsular campaign against Napoleon's forces; his history was widely received with great acclaim and rapidly translated into many languages shortly after it was published in six octavo volumes, 1828-40. Prize copy with ink inscription on front flyleaf: "History Prize," dated July 1897.

Light foxing to first and last few leaves only, contents otherwise clean; spine and edges rubbed. A handsome copy.