War diaries represent a substantial genre of military history in their own right. The quality of such eye-witness accounts varies considerably in terms of both their reliability and historical value, but Mercer's recollections form one of the most important accounts of the Waterloo campaign. The value of this book has been greatly increased by the introduction and notes provided by Andrew Uffindell, a leading expert on the Napoleonic Wars. The addition of the academic commentary raises the importance of this book beyond that of a normal war diary and sets a high standard for future publications. - Military History Monthly