Napoleon's Military Machine

Book Description

A thorough one-volume account of Napoleon's French armed forces including cavalry, navy, artillery and infantry. Also examines Napoleon's campaigns. Oversized, fully illustrated.

Napoleon and Austerlitz: An Unprecedentedly Detailed Combat Study of Napoleon's Epic Ulm-Austerlitz Campaigns of 1805 (Armies of the Napoleonic Wars Research Series)

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Napoleon and Austerlitz: An Unprecedentedly Detailed Combat Study of Napoleon's Epic Ulm-Austerlitz Campaign of 1805
Best English language study of Napoleon and Austerlitz
Fine book.
Interesting reading with a strong bias against Russians
Poorly researched

Napoleon and Austerlitz: An Unprecedentedly Detailed Combat Study of Napoleon's Epic Ulm-Austerlitz Campaigns of 1805 (Armies of the Napoleonic Wars Research Series)
Scott Bowden
Manufacturer: Emperor's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0962665576

Customer Reviews:

Napoleon and Austerlitz: An Unprecedentedly Detailed Combat Study of Napoleon's Epic Ulm-Austerlitz Campaign of 1805.......2007-01-19

The best Napoleonic book that I have read in years! Scott Bowden has done it again. He has provided the serious Napoleonic student with one of the best books on strategic and tactical history of perhaps Napoleon's great campaign. I recommend this book to all interested in Napoleonic history. I must have!

Best English language study of Napoleon and Austerlitz.......2003-04-30

Having read everything I can on Napoleon's 1805 Ulm-Austerlitz campaigns, I have to rank this work as the best. The details about the organization and tactics of the armies, combined with the specifics of the Ulm and the Austerlitz campaigns which include the very detailed tactical description of the fighting (especially the combats around Ulm) simply cannot be found anywhere else. What's more, the text is complimented by a great number of maps and artwork, making the layout what I wish every military history book looked like. It is a splendid work that deserves inclusion in any Napoleonic library.

Oh, yes...a word about some of the "hit reviews" previously posted. I, too, have a copy of Sutterheim's 1807 English TRANSLATED piece on Austerlitz, and Scott Bowden is absolutely correct in his citation. Also, I had an opportunity to hear the author when he spoke in Hawai'i in 2002, and one of those talks included, in part, a detailed presentation on Napoleon. In that presentation, I saw a lot of the archival documents used by the author in putting together NAPOLEON AND AUSTERLITZ---documents that others making "hit reviews" say he never possessed. That speaks volumes about the credibility of those who posted those remarks.

Fine book........2001-07-17

Bowden's Austerlitz is a fine book and I recommed it to everyone. Although author is rather anti-Russian his book is very good. After all he titled it "Napoleon and Austerlitz" and not "Tsar Alexander and Austerlitz". Right ?

The amount of information is breath-taking, the maps are excellent and extremaly detailed showing even the positions of individual battalions and squadrons. This is hard to find in other books where one see only very general positions of troops, and only positions of armies and corps and divisions.

The amount of illustrations and their quality is fascinating !

Interesting reading with a strong bias against Russians.......2001-07-05

When I read on page 101 a capton "Ochakov - another Suvorov's victory" I thought for a moment that it was a little mistake that could be found even at best-researched books. Suvorov was present at the siege of the fortress under command of prince Potyomkin, but did not take part in the final storm of Ochakov in December 1788 being severely wounded in a Turkish sortie. Author defenitely mistook the storm of Ochakov with the storm of another strong Turkish fortress - Izmail, which was a really great Suvorov's victory. But as read the book more I understood that it was not a chance mistake, because Mr.Bowden demonstrated a lack of knowledge of Russian military history, and a lot of false statements proved it. Just one example - he stated, that Emperor Paul disbanded all jager units of the Russian Army and there remained only several companies. It's just not true, because in 1797 Paul reorganised ten jager corps he inherited from the Catherine the Great (each corps consisted of four battalions) into twenty small regiments. When explaining the reason for ferocity of Russian soldiers Mr.Bowden says it was the heritage of wars with Turkey and "take-no-prisoners" nature of that wars. False statement again - there were excessions in wars of XVII - early XVIII centures, but in later conflicts (wars of 1768-74 and 1787-91) excessins were rare. One example - many Turks, taken prisoner in the 1787-91 war, served at Russian galleys at the Baltic and were decorated for the bravery in actions against Sweden. And only as bad-tasted jokes can be described stories of Inspector of Russian artillery Arakcheev with his hands cutting heads of his unfortunate officers, burying them alive etc. Such anecdotes were very good for XVIII centure propaganda, but in a XXI century historic research they look rather misplaced. Generally speaking, Mr.Bowden gives his readers a picture in the "French heroes against Russian hordes" style. Historians can have their preferences, but solid works shoud not be such one-sided. Author preferred to forget (or may be ignorant of) that in 1799 Russian Army soundly defeated French armies in Italy. In that campaign with great distinction fought the same regiments that fought in 1805 - Apsheron, Butyrsk, Ryazan, Novgorod musketeers, and much maligned by Bowden Russian jagers outfought French infantry in every aspect. I'd like to ask Mr.Bowden a question - if the Russian Army was so bad as he described, how come that just in a year when Russians and French met on the battlefield again, just the same French Army after several months of bitter fighting failed to produce another Austerlitz and had a victory only after a fatal blunder by Russian C-in-C, Hanoverian mercenary Bennigsen at Friedland? "General Winter" again? Definetly not. Russian army had many faults, but it was not a band of bad-disciplined savages, led by ignorant officers as Mr.Bowden tries to convince us.

Poorly researched.......2001-05-10

This book is one of the poorest books on the Napoleonic period to be published for a long time. It is written on the basis of original archival research and the preface tells us that the principal primary sources were 193 cartons of material from the French archives, from which he identifies individual documents. In the context of the allies he alludes to the Austrian Kriegsarchiv, unidentified "smaller archival collections throughout Germany", and "an extensive collection of regimental histories in the Russian army archives", which we are told are "in Saint Petersberg". On close examination, however, it is impossible to identify a single original allied source.

Chapter II to Part II describes the Russian army in 1805 and on p96 we are told that there were four standing armies. The footnote refers to Duffy's Russia's Military Way to the West p126. This actually describes a 1777 proposal by Count Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev, which was never adopted.

On pp98-99 we are given the strength of a Russian infantry battalion as "738 combatants". Turning to the reference in the footnote, von Stein's Geschichte des Russischen Heeres Vol1 p245, there are some tables to be found, but this part of Stein is concerned with the maintenance costs of various units in 1802, and 738 is actually the pay in roubles received by a lieutenant colonel in the dragoons and hussars.

On p100 Bowden discusses the composition of the Russian guard infantry. Using Stein as the source again, he alludes to an organization extant during the reign of Paul I. The page indicated in Stein contains nothing whatever to substantiate the assertion that a guard infantry regiment comprised two battalions of musketeers and one of grenadiers, or that the grenadier battalion was detached from each to form a three battalion `Guard Grenadier' regiment in the field. The `Guard Grenadier' regiment he refers to is nothing of the sort and is, in fact, the Leib-Grenadier regiment, the senior regiment of the line.

Chapter III to Part II dealing with the Austrians is more of the same.

On p124 footnote 15 refers to Gallina's Beiträge zur Geschichte des österreichischen Heerwesens, a work published in 1872, specifically `Suggestions for the drill and Evolutions of Foot'. Gallina wrote in German and no part of his work was given an English title; except by Gunther Rothenberg in his The Archduke Charles and the Austrian Army 1792-1814, at footnote 22 to p87.

There is even more compelling evidence of poaching from secondary sources on p324. In his account of the attack on Telnitz by Kienmayer, which he footnotes as coming from Stutterheim. Bowden has the 2nd Szeklers supported by the 1st Szeklers and Border (sic) Croats. Duffy, also using Stutterheim in his 1977 Austerlitz 1805, says the same thing, including the typograhical error that has the Broder Croats as the `Border' Croats.

Examination of Stutterheim, however, shows that the Austrian, a primary source who was on the spot, says that Kienmayer committed 1st Szeklers initially and that he then ordered General Carneville to advance with the remainder of his infantry. The remainder of his infantry, therefore, comprising 2nd Szeklers and Broder Croats, supported the 1st Szeklers, and not as Bowden and Duffy have it. The only explanation for this that I can think of is that Bowden copied from Duffy, claiming to have taken it from Stutterheim, but repeated Duffy's error. It could, I suppose, be a simple coincidence that Duffy and Bowden made the same transcription error, some 20 years apart.

On p432 the Soult issue crops up. Soult, it is said, suggested `Duke of Austerlitz' for himself, when titles were being dished out in 1808. Napoleon, apparently, refused him and Bowden deploys two dubious sources to support his contention that Soult did not deserve it. He then goes on to say that the suggestion that Napoleon deprived Soult of

what he was due, is a British plot to make Wellington appear better than he was and adds a gratuitous insult to Paddy Griffiths and David Chandler! This is risible rubbish

The orders of battle should be treated with care. Russian transliterations are a mess, largely Germanic in origin and presumably taken from Stein. In the case of the Austrians, where the numbers have been rounded off, of unclear provenance.

The Biography contains a list of the works which, presumably, were consulted in writing the book. These include Mercer's Journal of the Waterloo Campaign and Bowden's own Armies of Waterloo! On page 525 there is an entry by an author called Derselbe, who apparently wrote Die Schlacht bei Austerlitz. `Derselbe' actually means `the same' or `ditto' in German. The only explanation I can think of is that he has simply lifted the entry from somebody else's bibliography without knowing what it meant. This tends to raise questions about the provenance of large parts of this book and probably explains mistakes in information extracted from German material, such as Stein.

Book Description

France was down to its last reserves when Napoleon faced the task of raising a massive army to confront an alliance of all the powers of Europe. Drawing on French Army archives, the author presents a definitive account of Napoleon's 1813 army, its composition and organization previously unavailable in English.

Customer Reviews:

Re: Detail and Typos.......2004-04-03

I have to follow-up with the previous review. Having been given this book for my birthday by my kids, I was instantly drawn in by Bowden's immense research. However, I also was appalled by the large number of typographic errors, grammatical errors, and use of slang in referring to the sergeants and corporals as "noncomms" instead of as non-commissioned officers. I served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and always called them by either their rank or by the term non-commissioned officers (or its abbreviation - NCOs). I also wonder how much error has crept into the amazing appendices. But I guess we'll never know until someone goes and checks out the French archives originals. Otherwise a useful book on this oft neglected campaign.

Invaluable insight into Napoleon's 1813 campaign.......2003-05-03

After finishing this book, I realized that for the first time, I feel as though I understand WHY the 1813 campaign unfolded in the manner that it did...what forces were in play that affected Napoleon and his army...reasons that have never before been explained.

Everything about the French army and its unbelievable weaknesses are revealed in detail, along with Napoleon's momentous mistakes that kept feeding immature youths that were improperly officered into an already failing organizational structure because the recruits could not be properly trained OR properly fed.

If you are interested in the 1813 campaigns, don't miss this one.

Good book.......2000-03-06

I recommend this book, although I am a little bit dissapointed after Bowden's master piece "Napoleon and Austerlitz"

An impressive, remarkable piece of original scholarship.......1999-09-08

After having read the author's NAPOLEON AND AUSTERLITZ, which was the best Napoleonic combat narrative I've ever seen, I ordered a copy of NAPOLEON'S GRANDE ARMEE OF 1813. This is the first time that I have ever read a work that can only be described as a "biography of an army," and it is impressive. The campaign for Germany in 1813 now makes complete sense in light of understanding the central characters of the struggle, that being Napoleon and his army. Like the author's other works, this book shows what remarkable evidence can be presented when original source documents are consulted. Highest recommendation.

A book with a wealth of detail and numerous typo errors.......1998-07-01

This book is really quite attractive, with a stunning dustcover and a highly promising topic. The Grande Armee of 1813 as Scott Bowden clearly shows, was a makeshift army and Grande was a semantic concept. There is a very detailed breakdown of the units of the 1813 Grande Armee in an extended appendix and the text reads quite well. What throws me off is the numerous typo errors in the text (there are a lot of them!) and although I am not in a position to comment on the accuracy of the breakdown of the units, I am uncertain as to whether careless editing may have also crept into the appendix, hence the ambivalent rating.

History of the Waterloo Campaign (Napoleonic Library)

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Fascinating work for the serious reader
Standard text for good reason

History of the Waterloo Campaign (Napoleonic Library)
William Siborne
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1853670693

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating work for the serious reader.......2001-04-13

Siborne's history provides one of the most detailed accounts of Waterloo from the English perspective, and is the must-read book for anyone with a serious interest in the battle and campaign. I emphasize campaign, because the book also describes the often ignored aftermath of Waterloo, when the French tried to hold off the invading Prussian and and Anglo-Allied armies.

This book contains a wealth of information not found in the general Waterloo histories, including an analysis of Napoleon's actions that lead you to believe his campaign was lost on the first day. It also describes in fascinating detail the repulse of the final Old Guard assault, and the ensuing retreat of the French. While most histories lead you to believe that the repulse turned into an instant rout, Siborne instead paints the action after the Guard's defeat as a series of continual Allied attacks and French defensive actions.

Having said that, this is not the book for first-time Waterlooeans. Siborne's writing style is 18th-century florid at its worst. The prose is truly difficult to dig through at times. Also, the wealth of detail may be too much for readers not terribly familar with the battle. Readers not familiar with Waterloo should start with one of the more accessible histories, such as David Howarth's "Waterloo: A Near Run Thing," David Chandler's "Waterloo: The Hundred Days," or the Osprey series book on the battle. Siborne's work then provides an excellent next step for those wishing to delve further into this ever intriguing battle.

Standard text for good reason.......1999-03-31

Siborne's History, first published in the 1840's, has stood the test of time and remains a standard text on the 1815 Campaign, and with good reason.

His work was controversial from the day of its publication and still attracts controversy today. Despite claims to the contrary made by some on its publication and others in recent books, Siborne conducted very careful research into the subject, consulted not only all the published authorities available, but conducted correspondence with many leading survivors of the battle and campaign. This correspondence has been preserved and can be viewed in the British Library today.

Siborne based his research on Dutch and German authorities. There are clear indications that he referred to the works by Löben-Sels, Damitz, Plotho, etc. He conducted correspondence with the Prussian General Staff and made every effort to write a balanced History.

A number of letters from participating British officers appeared in the "United Services Journal". These were often complaints about Siborne's description of their unit's participation in the Battle of Waterloo. Reference to Siborne's unpublished "Correspondence" shows that he made every effort to establish the credibility of his witnesses' statements and that his version was generally the more likely. He did not make many friends here.

The Prussian General Staff however took a more positive approach to his History, writing an extensive review of it in the "Militair-Wochenblatt".

Certain members of the British establishment, notably the Duke of Wellington, took a dislike to Siborne, whom they regarded as "too pro-Prussian" for their liking. Certain of Wellington's associates, particularly the Earl of Ellesmere, using false information provided by the Duke, conducted a smear campaign against Siborne. The full story of this denigration has yet to be told.

Book Description

This is the definitive guide to all the uniforms worn in Napoleon's conquering army from the famous victory of Austerlitz to eventual defeat at Waterloo. Every unit in the Emperor's army is described and its uniforms and equipment detailed.

There are chapters detailing what Napoleon and his Generals wore, the uniforms of the Loyal Imperial Guard and regular infantry, the glamorous appearance of the French cavalry, including cuirassiers, lancers, hussars and dragoons, as well as the artillery and engineers.

Rene Chartrand is an internationally renowned expert on military uniforms. A senior curator with Canada's National Historic Sites, he has written numerous books, including the first two volumes of Canadian Military Heritage.

Customer Reviews:

Not very good........2001-06-02

Any book that deals with uniforms has to have good, real looking pictures. this book only has two. All the other color pictures do not look real and they look very old. But, most pictures in this book are b/w.In this book it doesn't go very in depth about the uniforms.

Accurate, Thorough, Enlightening.......2000-06-24

If I had to reduce a review of this book to one sentence it would be this: If it has Rene Chartrand's name on it, buy it.

Rene Chartrand is one of the most meticulous and accurate researchers that is available today. Additionally, he is an excellent author and enjoys his subject matter. His books are well-research, scholarly, and authoritative. This one is no different.

He covers the subject matter thoroughly, and illustrates it with excellent examples of uniforms using the talents of Rousselot, Detaille, and Herbert Knotel, the last borrowed from the superb collection of Colonel John Elting.

This is not just another uniform book. It is logically organized, has some excellent original artwork by Christa Hook, and can stand on its own as an accurate reference work.

Book Description

Many books have been written about Napoleon and his campaigns, but very little about the soldiers of his armies and of the organization and conditions under which they lived and served.

In this classic study, now reissued in paperback, H.C.B. Rogers examines Napoleon's army in terms of its staff systems, its arms and its supporting services as it existed and changed during the long period that separated the battles of Valmy and Waterloo.

This is not another history of Napoleon's campaigns. Apart from the brief narrative of the opening chapter designed to serve as an aide-memoire, military operations are only cited to illustrate organization, tactics, equipment and administration.

The author seeks to show how, as Lord Wavell put it, Napoleon inspired 'a ragged, mutinous, half-starved army and made it fight as it did'.

NAPOLEON'S ARMY IN RUSSIA: The Illustrated Memoirs of Albrecht Adam, 1812

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NAPOLEON'S ARMY IN RUSSIA: The Illustrated Memoirs of Albrecht Adam, 1812
Jonathan North
Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1844151611

Book Description

Published in association with the Anne S.K Brown Military Collection.A Complete set of Albrecht Adam's evocative color plates of 1812 campaign.

In 1812 Napoleon's magnificent army invaded Russia. Among the half million men who crossed the border was Albrecht Adam, a former baker, a soldier and, most importantly for us, a military artist of considerable talent. As the army plunged ever deeper into a devastated Russia Adam sketched and painted. In all he produced 77 color plates of the campaign and they are as fresh and dramatic as the day they were produced.

They show troops passing along dusty roads, bewildered civilians, battles and their bloody aftermath, burning towns and unchecked destruction. The memoirs which accompany the plates form a candid text describing the war Adam witnessed.

Attached to IV Corps, composed largely of Italians, he was present at all the major actions and saw the conquerors march triumphantly into Moscow. But, from then on, the invading army's fate was sealed and the disastrous outcome of the war meant that the year 1812 would become legendary as one of the darkest chapters in history.

This is a major and important new work and is destined to become a collector's item.

The author, Jonathan North is a professional editor and a historian specializing in Napoleonic history. He spent a number of years in Eastern Europe before beginning a career in publishing in 1997. His publications include With Napoleon in Russia: The Illustrated Memoirs of Faber du Faur, In the Legions of Napoleon: The Memoirs of a Polish Officer in Spain and Russia, 1808-1812, The Napoleon Options: Alternate Decisions of the Napoleonic Wars.

Napoleon's Regiments: Battle Histories of the Regiments of the French Army, 1792-1815

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Essential History of La Grande Armee
Vistula Lancers omissions inexcusable
missing data, omitions, errors
Pure Gold For the Napoleonic Researcher
Vive l'Empereur!

Napoleon's Regiments: Battle Histories of the Regiments of the French Army, 1792-1815
Digby George Smith
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book

ASIN: 1853674133

Book Description

52 illustrations 8 charts 8 x 10 A superb reference book on the army of Napoleon Details more than 400 regiments Presents a combat history and officer casualties for each regiment Napoleon's Regiments examines each unit which formed Napoleon's vaunted Grande Arme, giving an overview of the unit's origins, its organizational history, the fate of standards issued, battle honors borne on all colors and standards, and much more. Also included are 200 biographies of regimental officers, giving a unique insight into the careers of these neglected figures during the Napoleonic conflict. With a superb Introduction, charting the development of the French Army in the Revolutionary period, and detailed appendices, this is the best single-volume study of Napoleon's army at war and a vital reference work on the troops that conquered Europe. Digby Smith, also known to Napoleonic enthusiasts as Otto von Pivka, is a highly respected scholar of this period and author of numerous books including the major reference work The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book and Armies of the Napoleonic Wars and Navies of the Napoleonic Wars.

Customer Reviews:

Essential History of La Grande Armee.......2006-11-16

While I agree with some of the other reviewers that there are some omissions that is a small thing when compared to the literally millions of bits of information contained in this book. I believe that the book would be especially helpful for modellers doing complete battles or for miniature painters who are portraying particular officers. Also for the sheer number of French officers mentioned I would think anyone looking for ancestors who served with Napoleon would find this book a good place to begin their research.

Vistula Lancers omissions inexcusable.......2002-03-14

An interesting reading all in all but I am still perplexed for the reasons of the Vistula Lancers being so marginalised? Agree with comments and errors pointed out by A reader from United States. The Vistula Lancers provided one of the finest cavalry regiment in the French service and deserve some decent consideration, at least no major errors and omissions. The more that all records on the regimet are easily available in France and in the French language, so no need to dig in the Polish archives. To the best of my knowledge, the Vistula Lancers charge at Albuhera was absolutely unique in the course of the Peninsular War and a statement to the effect - 1811: no actions of note is just inexcusable. Neither a word about another unprecedented conduct in the course of the war - the British refused to provide wounded lancers with medical treatment after the battle in a petty act of revenge. The Poles and the British have a major disagreement on the course of the charge with the British describing the Poles as perfect barbarians - only after loosing one must remember. Whatever controversial the charge was, a respectable scholar should rather not omit such an action. One should also keep in mind that Otto von Pivka is also an author of MAA title Napoleon's Polish Troops. So my expectations as for the book, at least the Polish account, was much higher. For Vistula Lancers treatment - two stars only.

missing data, omitions, errors.......2001-07-09

This known British author wrote several books about the Napoleonic period. I especially enjoyed his "Leipzig". However after reading his newest book "Napoleon's regiments" I am dissapointed. Author makes very numerous errors and omitions.

For example, the strength of the grenadiers of the guard in one of the diagrams is doubled. I thought that the strength of the grenadiers of the old guard is known to every child.

Another issue. Digby Smith writes: "7e Regiment de Chevau-Legers Raised from the 1er Lanciers de la Legion du Vistule on 18 June 1811.Napoleonic Campaigns and Officer Casualties: 1811: no actions of note."

This is completely wrong. In 1811 the lancers destroyed British Colborne's brigade at Albuhera! THis is the only case when the British infantry suffered so much in the hands of Napoleonic cavalry and this is ommited. Even more. Author mention many other French regiments whenever they captured even a single battle trophy, eagle or regimental color. But the Vistula Uhlans captured 5-6 Colors and there is not a beep about it. (Read these following pages and chck it out yourrself: 1er Regiment de Lanciers pages - 224-225 7e Regiment de Chevau-Legers pages - 260-261)

Writing about Napoleon's regiments and not mentioning Albuhera this is like writing about British or Prussian cavalry regs and not mentioning in their battle record Waterloo at all !

Another thing. Author writes about the Vistula lancers: "1807: in Prussia and at Danzig; no action of note; 15 May - ChEs Swiderski - wounded"

This is completely wrong. Just in this year, 1807, on May 15th the uhlans demolished Prussian forces at the Battle of Strigau (Silesia) despite being grossly outnumbered. In this battle participated also famous French general Lefebvre-Desnouettes. Why Digby Smith writes that there was no action at all is for me a mistery.

Author doesn't mention other important facts about this regiment, despite having in his bibliography books with description of these events in Peninsula and in Central Europe. (One of many more examples is the important capture of Paso des Despeñaperros by the lancers and thus oppening the road to Andalusia for the French army.)

No word about the fact that the Vistula lancers lost their Color to the Spaniards.

There are other errors and omitions.

There is no word how the voltigeurs were formed in Line infantry despite the fact that the line were the "mainstream". Instead author covers only the volt. in light regs. Pity, there were some differences between them and it should be explained.

And more. I wish that the Colonels during Imperial period - infantry are covered in the same way as are the colonels in Revolutionary period. If author gives the names of colonels in cavalry so why not in infantry ? There are big gaps with the infantry.

More. Writing about Mr Radziwill author writes that he was wounded at: "Hanau 30 Oct 1815". 1815 ? Hanau was fought 2 years earlier. And this is only one out of many errrors with the dates.

There are other errors already mentioned in earlier reviews, so no need to repeat them and make the list even longer.

So, after reading "Leipzig" written by this author I expected much more. If I have to recommend one of his books I take "Leipzig" instead of "Napoleon's regiments." I give it 2 1/2 stars.

Pure Gold For the Napoleonic Researcher.......2001-04-19

In Napoleon's Regiments, Digby Smith, a well-noted Napoleonic scholar, has compiled a detailed list of the units that formed the French army between 1792-1815. The Imperial Guard, Line Infantry, Light Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery and other units are covered, usually at the regimental level. Typical entries list a unit in numerical order by regiment, listing it's pre-Revolutionary ancestors, it's title in 1792, colonels and personalities, campaigns and officer casualties. There is a huge amount of data in this thin volume and t should be in every Napoleonic library.

This is a superb volume. However while using it to conduct research on the French siege of Toulon in 1793, I noted that Smith had included information of questionable veracity. On page 49, under the listing for the 1st Battalion/28th Infantry, he lists a Sergeant Eberle who killed an Austrian major and for his act, was given a field promotion by General Dugommier. Unfortunately, there were no Austrian troops sent to Toulon due to political complications with Piedmont. While the 1/28th and Dugommier were at Toulon, there were no Austrians or Croats as Smith's entry claims. Later, on page 138, he claims that the "Royal Louis" battalion formed in Toulon was composed of men from the disbanded 2/28th Battalion. This is very unlikely. Admiral Hood's journal clearly shows that the French troops that remained in Toulon were mostly disarmed and used as civil police. The Royal Louis battalion probably inducted a few of these men, but most of its 385 troops came from disgruntled dockyard workers and petit bourgeoisie worried about Jacobin revenge. In both cases, Smith's entries display questionable information.

Despite some errors, which is to be expected in a work of this depth, this is a wonderful supplement for napoleonic research. Hopefully, reader comments will clean up errors for future editions.

Vive l'Empereur!.......2000-11-12

Once again Napoleonic historian Digby Smith has presented us with a data filled compendium that is one of the best Napoleonic references on the market today.

A fact-filled gold mine of information, this volume gives the history of every French line and light infantry regiment, all of the cavalry regiments, as well as the regiments of the Imperial Guard. There is so much information that at times it is overwhelming and you have to put the book down for a breather.

I anxiously awaited the publication of this volume when I heard it was in the publication mill. I wanted it for the information, but also because Digby Smith is a reliable author and it was being published by Greenhill, which has a superb reputation for publishing reliable and accurate Napoleonic books

This book needs to be on every Napoleonic enthusiasts bookshelf and it is an easy reference to use, as the units are in numerical order by category. There were only two things that I found not there-the Tirailleurs Corses, (Corsican Sharpshooters) and the 15th Cuirassiers. The Corsicans were a highly distinguished battalion of light infantry that were in Soult's IV Corps for the campaigns of 1805-1807, and were attached to Davout's III Corps for at least part of the 1809 campaign. In 1811 they became part of the newly reactivated 11th Legere (light) infantry regiment, along with the Swiss Valaison Battalion and the Tirailleurs do Po. An immensely distinguished battalion, it would have been helpful if they were included. The 15th Cuirassiers were an unauthorized regiment organized by Davout from a cadre of the 1st Cuirassiers in Hamburg in 1813 which eventually became a combat worthy outfit. Understandably, there were not on the regular French order of battle, but there inclusion would have been most interesting.

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"I am making haste to pass on the contents to 25. 13. 8. 9. 38. . . . who has ordered me to open communications with you." So reads a French dispatch captured by the British in the Peninsular Campaign against Napoleon's armies, causing the Duke of Wellington to comment, "The devil is in the French for numbers"--and occasioning Mark Urban's intriguing study of code making and code breaking.

The early 19th-century British army was hidebound by tradition, writes Urban; elegant and well-placed gentlemen gained command, while more deserving but lower-born men languished in the ranks. Against that army, in Spain and Portugal, stood Napoleon's forces, "the mightiest armament since the legions of ancient Rome." Thanks to one common-born officer, George Scovell, a linguistic genius and adept solver of puzzles, Wellington's forces avoided disaster by learning of the superior enemy's plans--though, after the war, Wellington dismissed Scovell's contributions and took credit for himself and his favorite staff officers. A fine chapter in the history of intelligence and cryptography, Urban's book provides a fascinating aside to the well-documented Napoleonic Wars. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

History books report -- and rightly so -- that it was the strategic and intelligence-gathering brilliance of the Duke of Wellington (who began his military career as Arthur Wellesley) that culminated in Britain's defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815. Nearly two hundred years later, many of General Wellesley's subordinates are still remembered for their crucial roles in these historic campaigns. But Lt. Col. George Scovell is not among them.

The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes is the story of a man of common birth -- bound, according to the severe social strictures of eighteenth-century England, for the life of a tradesman -- who would in time become his era's most brilliant code-breaker and an officer in Wellesley's army. In an age when officers were drawn almost exclusively from the ranks of the nobility, George Scovell -- an engraver's apprentice -- joined Wellesley in 1809. Scovell provides a fascinating lens through which to view a critical era in military history -- his treacherous rise through the ranks, despite the scorn of his social betters and his presence alongside Wellesley in each of the major European campaigns, from the Iberian Peninsula through Waterloo.

But George Scovell was more than just a participant in those events. Already recognized as a gifted linguist, Scovell would prove a remarkably nimble cryptographer. Encoded military communiqués between Napoleon and his generals, intercepted by the British, were brought to Scovell for his skilled deciphering. As Napoleon's encryption techniques became more sophisticated, Wellesley came to rely ever more on Scovell's genius for this critical intelligence.

In Scovell's lifetime, his role in Britain's greatest military victory was grudgingly acknowledged; but his accomplishments would eventually be credited to others -- including Wellington himself. Scovell's name -- and his contributions -- have been largely overlooked or ignored.

The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes tells the fascinating story of the early days of cryptology, re-creates the high drama of some of Europe's most remarkable military campaigns, and restores the mantle of hero to a man heretofore forgotten by history.

Customer Reviews:

Good History - Little Cryptography.......2006-06-17

An excellent historical survey of the era and astonishing depth of detail on the main protagonist, his life and times, but... regretfully, the cryptographic information in the book is scanty. One wishes for more detail in how he broke those codes.

You will note a large number of used copies of this book for sale cheaply which seems to confirm my opinion. What we have here is an excellent history book in which the publisher cleverly spiked the title to make it appear to be more - it is not.

Phenomenal.......2005-10-13

Urban's history is at once a sound history and a suspenseful, compelling read. The author documents the achievements of George Scovell, one-time apprentice to an engraver, who rose through the ranks of Wellington's Army to be responsible -- no-less than more famous actors -- for the British victory over Napoleon. While the history examines Scovell's masterful feat of ingenuity, it also narrates the events and context of military engagements throughout the campaign.

This underappreciated gem gets an enthusiastic five stars.

Solid, sound history, but the thesis is a bit thin.......2005-04-25

Welcome account of an interesting period of history I was ignorant of: the Peninsular War of the British/Spanish against the puppet Napoleonic regime in Spain, 1809 - 1813. The premise -- that an obscure staff officer to Lord Wellington, by deciphering Le Grand Chiffre, turned the tide of military history -- is a bit thin, but a competent platform for a well-told, well-researched account. Interesting theme of the social /political conflicts within the British military bureaucracy between aristocratic hegemony vs. the rise of meritocratic military colleges. The accounts of the battles are lucid and compelling, and make the point, understatedly but clearly, that war is hell. The writer is a British commentator with combat experience.

The importance of intelligence in the Peninsular War.......2005-01-17

Mark Urban's entry point into a crowded field of histories of the Napoleonic Wars is the story of George Scovell, the Duke of Wellington's cryptographer. In "The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes", Urban places Scovell's personal story in the context primarily of the Peninsular War. Urban manages to reduce the fairly esoteric work of code-breaking to understandable prose, in the process providing excellent insights into the workings of Wellington's staff and into the Duke's command style. The availability of intelligence is shown to be crucial to the survival and success of the outnumbered Anglo-Portuguese Army in the Iberian Peninsula. Wellington's success in attacking the separate pieces of the French Army in Spain while avoiding larger concentrations was based on his understanding of their movements and intentions, derived from the reconnaissance of British officers and Spanish guerrillas, and especially from the deciphering of captured French dispatches. Urban is evenhanded in his treatment of the principal characters. Scovill himself emerges as a sympathetic character, a hardworking staff officer of lower class social origins trying to make his way in an Army hierarchy informally based on social position. This book is highly recommended for the serious student of the Napoleonic Wars looking for insight into intelligence matters. Remarkably, this book will also be accessible to the casual reader, thanks to Urban's clear and engaging writing style.

Really good read.......2005-01-08

One Amazon reviewer referred to this book as a novel. It's not, but I understand that lapse. The book is very well-written and tells a story that, were it not true, might be thought unbelievable.

Average customer rating:

Eye candy, but not a reference work
The 1812 French Uniform Regulations

Uniforms Of Napoleon's Army-Softbound
Carle Vernet
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Uniforms | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Wellington's Army: Uniforms of the British Soldier,1812-1815

ASIN: 1853675202

Book Description

Napoleonic armies went into battle dressed in resplendent, brilliant uniforms. None were grander than those worn by Napoleon's own soldiers and the troops of imperial France dazzled Europe with their elegant and colorful turnout. In 1812 Napoleon was at the height of his powers and the uniform regulations issued in that year reflect the empire's power and prestige. Carle Vernet, a leading French military artist, was commissioned to paint the regulations so they could be published and circulated to military tailors. His paintings both reflect the brilliant elegance of the time and show the uniforms that were to be adopted in detail. Uniforms of Napoleon's Army has selected the best of Vernet's elegant images and covers the full range of French Army units: heavy cavalry, light cavalry, line infantry, light infantry, artillery, engineers and support troops. An Introduction charts the evolution of French military uniforms, examines the 1812 regulations in detail and places the images in context. Published for the first time in an accessible format, these brilliant images offer a unique insight into the art of the military tailor during the Napoleonic period.

Customer Reviews:

Eye candy, but not a reference work.......2004-03-29

This is a translation/reprint of a Musee de l'Armee publication.
The anonymously authored introductory text is very brief and
offers little beyond a short history and warning not to take
the plates (less than a 1/3 of the originals) on face value.
There is a recommendation for a work on the uniform regulations
themselves, but, of course, it's in French. There are no notes
on the plates.

The plates, however, are very well done, and it's well worth
picking up as a remainder, even if it's just a picture book.

The 1812 French Uniform Regulations.......2003-06-30

This is an interesting and very useful volume, but it isn't for the novice. While there is an excellent introduction to the book, there are no captions and explanations for the seventy-six uniform plates. They are titled, so you know what they represent, but there is no detail that is explained.

These are a representative sample of the new uniform regulations, commonly referred to as the Bardin Regulations, that were confirmed for the Grande Armee in 1812, but were probably not issued in any quantity until 1813. They are also the official illustrations used for the 1812 Regulations. There were two volumes of uniform plates, and two volumes of text.

The detail and clarity of the plates are excellent. They are in a larger format than normal and in full color. They only cover the French line units-the Imperial Guard is not covered at all because they were not affected by the Bardin Regulations as they had their own uniform regulations separate from the line and light troops.

The plates cover general officers and all the branches of the army: infantry, cavalry, artillery and train, as well as the Swiss regiments and the engineers. In short, there is much to recommend about this volume and not too much to criticize. It should, however, be used with other uniform references to give more explanation, but for the experienced enthusiast and uniformologist this volume contains enough information to stand on its own.

This book is highly recommended.

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