Crisis on the Danube

Arms and Armour Press have published Crisis on the Danube: Napoleon's Austrian Campaign of 1809 by JR. Arnold price £ 14.95. The following review of the book was penned by Dave Hollins.

In the first of a two-part Work, Arnold looks at the Bavarian phase of this important campaign, setting out with the primary aim of considering the information available to each commander and assessing their reactions. Unfortunately, the end-result falls far short of these laudable intentions. The French primary material produces a very detailed account of the French side, but the Austrians are virtually invisible - no German primary sources are listed, and the absence of secondary material from the footnotes suggests that they were not used.

There is no reference to the standard work: the Austrian General Staff History.

The errors on the Austrian side are numerous - Karl was not afflicted by epilepsy at this time; cavalry artillery does not equate to horse artillery; Grenzers were mostly wearing white jackets and blue trousers; and Freiwilliger (Volunteer) units were not Landwehr.

The political background is explored to put the campaign in context; again a good idea badly executed. The military organisation is useful, but does a detailed account need to explain combined arms tactics or squares? The photographs are poor quality and some are misleading. The appendices provide some useful wargaining tips - leadership relates to responsiveness, not those horrible ability factors.

An interesting summary of French memoirs for 1809 enthusiasts, but not for newcomers. A second volume will have to do better to avoid more French 'agreed-upon- fiction'.

With Eagles to Glory

Interest in the 1809 campaign is further encouraged by With Eagles to Glory by John H. Gill, published by Greenhill price £ 30.00. This review was penned by John Henderson, co-ordinator of the German States Study Group.

This thick, well-researched volume analyses the part played by the troops of the Confederation of the Rhine in the campaign of 1809 against Austria- The first chapter gives a general description of the campaign, and the subsequent chapters describe the campaign history of each State . Thus Chapter 2 deals with Bavaria, Chapter 3 with Wurttemberg etc. In addition, and complimentary to this, the book is divided into two halves: 1. The Campaign in the Danube Valley, and 2. The War in the Tyrol and Other Theatres.

Though this may seem a rash judgement to make, I consider this book of Major Gill's to be the best ever written in English about Napoleon's German allies.

The reason for this is not hard to find: refer to the bibliography from page 499 to page 520. There are 58 books quoted on the Bavarian Army alone. Such a depth and breadth of research is reflected in the detail of the text. It is possible to trace almost every action performed by almost every German regiment.

In my opinion, this is the book's strong point: the sheer weight of detail. However, Major Gill has incorporated several other good qualities. First, a lively style of writing, which prevents his work from becoming a mere catalogue. He is keen on colourful adjectives. Second, a willingness to discuss all sides of a controversy e.g. the scale of the Saxon defeat at Aderklaa. Third, the provision of no less than 50 pertinent maps, drawn in a clear style.

In conclusion, I recommend With Eagles to Glory as a worthwhile purchase to anyone interested in the Confederation of the Rhine, and anyone interested in the 1809 campaign should find it very useful.

The Campaign of 1812 in Russia

Greenhill have added to their Napoleonic Library The Campaign of 1812 in Russia by General Carl von Clausewitz (price £ 18.50). The name Clausewitz is familiar to all military historians. He was a participant in the Russian campaign and a prolific historian, and his accounts are based upon what he actually saw and heard. He was on the Russian Staff and so was in a good position to see the events of the time unfold, and to analyse the personalities of the people involved. The book gives details of the numbers of troops involved at different stages of the campaign, analyses the tactics employed by both sides, and describes the defection of the Prussian Corps from the French-led forces. An enjoyable read and one to add to any serious collection on the Russian campaign.

The Iron Duke

The Iron Duke - A Military Biography by Lawrence James (Pub. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, price £ 20) is a fascinating account of the Duke as a soldier, from his early days as a staff officer in Ireland, to the campaigns in the Low Countries, India, Copenhagen, the Iberian Peninsula and Waterloo. The book very clearly explains how the great man gained broad experience of handling infantry, cavalry and artillery. He learnt valuable lessons in India regarding the value of an effective transport system and secure supply routes.

Not only was he a soldier, but he put his diplomatic experience to good use in the Peninsula when dealing with his Spanish allies and even his own Government. After reading this book I was amazed that the man did not suffer a nervous breakdown in Spain! I have often read accounts of Wellington being a 'defensive general' in the Peninsular campaign. Read this book and you will realise that his tactics were dictated by the prevailing conditions, both military and political. He used his resources wisely, based upon lessons learnt in his earlier military career. A book that I enjoyed reading. Highly recommended.

Uniforms of Waterloo

In 1974 Philip Haythornwaite had a book published entitled Uniforms of Waterloo, illustrated by Jack Cassin-Scott and Mike Chappell. This gave an over-view of the units fighting during the Waterloo campaign in the Allied, French and Prussian armies. I still use the book as a valuable reference source for painting wargames figures, and now it has been republished by Sterling Publishing (New York), and is distributed in this country by Cassell. I have heard of second-hand copies of the original changing hands for £ 30. This new edition costs £ 7.99 and should be eagerly snapped up by Napoleonic wargamers. A very useful reference work on the armies of the Waterloo period.

The French Are Coming - The Invasion Scare 1803-05

At the April 1992 conference Peter Lloyd gave an interesting lecture based upon his book The French Are Coming - The Invasion Scare 1803-05 (Pub. Spellmount, £ 19.95).

The invasion subject is examined from both sides of the Channel, from the developing political situation to the French preparations for invasion (the landing vessels, the army and the harbours used/built and their protection). The role of the Royal Navy is explored, and I found the chapter headed Two Fiascos to be particularly fascinating, relating as it did the Stone Ships Expedition and Robert Fulton's torpedo! British military preparations are investigated, with details of the role and organisation of the Regular Army, the Militia and Yeomanry; and the Martello Towers and other fortifications built to resist Napoleon's forces.

The book finishes by looking at the question of whether Napoleon actually intended to invade, and what would have happened if he had. The book is illustrated with numerous black and white plates, and presents the story of the proposed French invasion in a very clear and concise manner. After reading this book I was prompted into visiting Eastbourne Redoubt and the Wish Tower Museum (a Martello Tower), both at Eastbourne and built in response to the threatened invasion. (Yo h will hear about this trip in a future Dusty Archive).

If you have ever thought of writing a book on a Napoleonic topic, then it is useful to know what a Publisher likes to receive for consideration. Ian Morley Clarke of Spellmount informs me that:

'We do not issue a set of guidelines for our Napoleonic titles, but treat each on merit. All manuscripts should be at least 50,000 words and should include maps, diagrams and at least 16 pages of plates. A bibliography and index are essential. Manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced'.

A Guards Officer in the Peninsula

One regular author of books published by Spellmount is Ian Fletcher, who has edited A Guards Officer in the Peninsula price £ 15.95. This is a collection of the (previously unpublished) letters of the Hon. John Edward Cornwallis Rous, an Ensign in the 2nd Foot Guards. He wrote these letters to his family whilst on campaign in the Peninsula during 1812-14. He saw action at Salamanca, Burgos, Vittoria, San Sebastian, the crossing of the Bidassoa, Nivelle and Nive, and Bayonne.

These letters describe life on campaign for an officer of the Guards, with all the little luxuries that money could buy; his involvement in various actions; and his opinions of Wellington and his officers, and their Spanish and Portugese allies. In editing these documents, Ian Fletcher had added explanatory notes,Arith each letter to place the narrative in the context of the campaign and the war as a whole. There is also an Epilogue relating Rous' life after the war ended.

This is a fascinating account of the period by a soldier who wrote his views and opinions on the spot, rather than years later when the memory is dulled by time. If you like memoirs of the period, then I can recommend this one to you.

One Hundred Days

Michael Joseph have published One Hundred Days - Napoleon's Road to Waterloo by Alan Schom priced at £ 20.

This is a different treatment of Napoleon's last campaign. It begins with his escape from Elba and landing near Cannes on Ist March 1815; his journey through France gathering support until he reached the Tuileries on 20th March. Once he regained the throne he mobilised the country for war. The book looks at the campaign of Waterloo through the characters of the leading figures such as the Bonaparte brothers; Marshals Ney, Soult and Grouchy; Talleyrand a-nd Fouche; describing how they helped and hindered Napoleon's last bid for power. Indeed, the book s describes the widespread opposition to I the Emperor from all walks of life in France.

After reading this book it is amazing that Napoleon achieved what he did with these people around him, and Mr. Schom maintains that the leading Frenchmen were loyal to their positions and status in France, rather than to an Emperor who was past his prime. This fact ultimately led to his downfall.

I found this a very readable book, with a different approach to the study of this campaign. The book includes pictures of the leading characters of the campaign and some maps. Recommended reading for anyone interested in what is probably the most famous campaign of the Napoleonic era.

More Dusty Archive

Introduction
Petersborough Museum
Books
Thoughts