One of the 28th

Name: One of the 28th
Rating: 2.5 (5 reviews)

by G. A. Henty

First published 1890

Amazon Gutenberg EPUB

2.5(5)

Ralph Conway grows up under the shadow of a complicated family history before a chain of adventures takes him from England to the sea and eventually into the army. By 1815 he is serving with the 28th Regiment of Foot as Napoleon’s return from Elba draws Britain and its allies into one final campaign in Belgium.

The novel combines Ralph’s personal search for the truth about his family with the rapid military movements that culminate at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. His regiment is thrown into the confused fighting that precedes the decisive battle, where infantry formations must withstand cavalry, artillery and repeated French attacks. Through Ralph’s experience, Henty connects private questions of loyalty and inheritance with the discipline and danger faced by ordinary officers and soldiers during Napoleon’s last campaign.