The great siege of Gibraltar was the longest recorded in the annals of the British army. Between 1779 and 1783 a small British force defended the Rock against the Spanish and the French who were determined take this strategically vital point guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean. The tenacity and endurance shown by the attackers and defenders alike, and the sheer ingenuity of the siege operations mounted by both sides, make the episode an epic of military history, and the story gives us a fascinating insight into the realities of siege warfare. In this, the first full study of the siege for over 40 years, James Falkner draws on a wide range of contemporary sources to tell the exciting tale of a huge and complex operation. AUTHOR: James Falkner is a leading authority on eighteenth-century warfare. He is best known for his work on the War of the Spanish Succession and the military exploits of the Duke of Marlborough, and he has made a particular study of the siege warfare of that era. He has written widely on these subjects, and on the American Civil War, for the principal military history magazines. His most recent books include Great and Glorious Days: Marlborough's Battles 1704-1709, Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's Greatest Victory, Marlborough's Wars: Eyewitness Accounts 1702-1713 and Ramillies 1706: Year of Miracles.

SELLING POINTS: * Compelling account of the longest siege in British military history * The first full study of this epic siege for over 40 years * Graphic insight into the techniques of siege warfare. ILLUSTRATIONS: 20 illustrations.