Gibraltar 1779-1783: The Great Siege

Description

After Spain declared war on Britain on 21 June 1779, Gibraltar was besieged by land and sea for four years. The centrepiece of the siege was the dramatic assault by supposedly invincible battering ships and the author reveals how these floating phenomena were countered by British engineering ingenuity and sheer resolve. In this detailed account of the siege, Rene Chartrand examines the Franco-Spanish and British forces as well as the personalities and plans that would contribute to a vital British victory at a time when British fortunes elsewhere in the world were on the wane.

Rene Chartrand was born in Montreal and educated in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. A senior curator with Canada's National Historic Sites for nearly three decades, he is now a freelance writer and historical consultant. He has written numerous articles and books including almost 30 Osprey titles. He lives in Gatineau, Quebec, with his wife and two sons. Patrice Courcelle was born in northern France in 1950 and has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years. Entirely self-taught, he has illustrated many books and magazine articles for Continental publishers, and his work hangs in a number of public and private collections. His dramatic and lucid style has won him widespread admiration in the field of military illustration. Patrice lives a few miles from the battlefield of Waterloo with his wife and son.

"Osprey's military titles are very subject-specific, allowing for a depth of focus most other general-interest surveys lack. Their latest titles are top picks military reference libraries will appreciate... [In] Rene Chartrand's Gibraltar 1770-83...strategies and forces and plans which would assure British victory make for a vivid reenactment of history." --The Midwest Book Review "...those interested in this period will find this, and indeed any title by Chartrand, an engaging read and a useful reference for future study." --Major John R Grodzinski CD, Canadian Army Journal (Summer 2007)