Dust, Blood and Bravery

The war fought in Catalonia by the Franco-Italian troops was one of the most dramatic periods of the Peninsular campaign. It was a war in which acts of heroism were mingled with the shame of looting. A campaign in which fighting for one’s survival became more important than the final victory. 

Among the campaigns fought by the Italians for Napoleon, the Spanish campaign was undoubtedly the most arduous. In 1808, the Corps d’Armée des Pyrénées-Orientales crossed the border to invade Catalonia. Among its ranks was a division composed entirely of regiments from the Kingdoms of Italy and Naples. The sudden occupation of Barcelona provoked the Catalans, who, just outside the city walls, organised a merciless resistance against the invaders. In a short time, popular discontent turned into a war without quarter. General Giuseppe Lechi’s Italian soldiers were soon encircled and forced to fight an unconventional war, in which the Catalan paramilitary troops always held a clear advantage. The Italian division remained isolated, cut off from all communication with France and deprived of supplies, which forced the soldiers to use every means to survive.

Dust, Blood and Bravery recounts the dramatic experiences of those soldiers, forced to fight a war for survival, marked by exhausting marches, sudden ambushes, violent plunder, and long, painful sieges such as that of Girona. Drawing on memoirs published by Italian officers and many previously unpublished documents, Dust, Blood and Bravery reveals the brutality of a conflict between two similar peoples, the Italians and the Spanish.   

"Paolo Palumbo's Dust, Blood and Bravery is a well-researched and enjoyable study of the troops contributed by the Kingdom of Italy who served in Catalonia during the Peninsular War between 1808 and 1814, a topic often overlooked in Napoleonic history. One of the book's key strengths is its balance between military operations and the wider political and social context.  Dust, Blood and Bravery is a valuable contribution to the study of the Peninsular War, and in some ways is a companion to Helion’s earlier book covering the Army of the Kingdom of Italy 1805–1814. It offers fresh insights into an understudied subject and succeeds in bringing greater attention to the role and sacrifices of Italian troops in Catalonia." carryingsonupthedale.com Blog