The Myth of the Accidental Author

Abstract

This chapter explores the concept of soldiers as professional authors, confronting the enduring myth of ‘accidental’ military autobiography. In their prefaces, veterans of the Peninsular War frequently confessed their astonishment at having produced long, descriptive memoirs, professing not to have the slightest literary talent nor education, nor the least authorial ambition, claims that have largely been taken at face value by historians. Using evidence from publishers’ archives, this chapter reveals the immense editing, publishing, and marketing activity that in fact underlay the facade of the simple soldier’s tale. It shows the authors of many Peninsular War memoirs to have been actively involved in the publication of their books, knowledgeable about the industry, and eager for success in the literary rather than military world, raising questions for future historians about the tension between ‘authentic’ eyewitness testimony and edited accounts.