Adventures and Recollections.

First edition. 2 vols. 8vo. Modern half morocco. vii, 328; ix, 347pp. London, Colburn and Co,

George Thomas Landmann was born in Woolwich, Kent on 11 April 1780. The son of Isaac Landmann, professor of artillery and fortification at the Royal Military Academy. George spent his childhood in military circles, entered the academy as a cadet at the age of 13 and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers on 1 May 1795. He would go on to serve in Canada during the Peninsular War and in later life was the chief engineer on the London and Greenwich Railway.

The memoirs published here cover the period from his birth until his arrival on the Iberian peninsular and give insight into this lesser known, but no less interesting, period of his life. This lively biographical account introduces the reader to a number of richly evoked Dickensian school masters, bluff military instructors and Canadian colonists. Landmann's interests far exceeded engineering and ballistics, he was also a keen observer of the natural environment, mixed in the highest echelons of military command and even, in one memorable incident, meets with Queen Charlotte.

The only copy to appear at auction was at Swann in 1980.

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Stock Code: 207600