His presence at famous battles alone would not have made Kincaid's memoirs the classic they have become. This unassuming Scottish officer narrates many minor incidents, often of a humorous or embarrassing nature, which doubtless happened to many soldiers of the period but would otherwise have gone unrecorded. Kincaid awoke on the morning of Waterloo to find that his horse had wandered off, and spent much of his time before the battle trying to find it. Later in the bottle, Kincaid attempted to draw his sabre to ward off attacking French cavalrymen, only to find that the previous night's rain had rusted it fast in its scabbard.

The original 1830 edition of Kincaid's memoirs is now extremely rare, and subsequent reprints are themselves collectors' items. This new edition will be well-received by general readers, dedicated Napoleonic buffs, and the many additional Napoleonic enthusiasts created by the Sharpe series.