Book Review

Memoirs of a Polish Lancer:
The Pamietnicki
of Derydery Chlapowski

Translated by Tim Simmons

Reviewed by Matt DeLaMater

Translator: Tim Simmons
Pages: 158
Illustrations: 88 black and white period from many sources
Maps: 2 period, one of siege of Gdansk and the Wagram/Aspern-Essling battlefield
Footnotes: 75 translator footnotes
Appendices: 1, Chlapowski's service record
Bibliography: None
Index: None
Publisher: Emperor's Press, Chicago
Publication Date: 1992
Binding: Cloth (hardcover)
ISBN: 0-9626655-3-3
Price: $27.00
Summary: This translation of the memoirs of Dezydery Chlapowski (1790-1879) covers his remarkable experiences in Spain, Russia, Austria and Saxony during the Napoleonic Wars. Chlapowski served in a variety of capacities, including as one of Napoleon's orderlies (1808-1809), and as a squadron commander for the famous 1st Regiment of Polish Light Horse Lancers of the Imperial Guard (1812-1813).

For the Napoleonic enthusiast, the current efforts of a small number of publishing houses to revive memoirs of the era is cause for considerable delight. Chlapowski's work, completed in 1837 and admirably translated from Polish by Tim Simmons, is a fine addition to this revival.

While not as accomplished or natural a storyteller as Elzear Blaze (see review in EE&L#13), Chlapowski's value as a memoirist is his unique perspective as a Pole, his many direct observations of combat, and his remarkable proximity to the Emperor.

The best and longest section of the book (50 pages) covers his adventures in 1809, where he played a crucial role as one of Napoleon's couriers during the campaign in Austria. His accounts of the battles of Eckmuhl, Ratisbon, Aspern-Essling, and Wagram are riveting, as Chlapowski had an excellent vantage point for many of these crucial events. Here, the reader will find several fascinating first-hand tactical observations so widely absent in many Napoleonic works.

Later, when Chlapowski is at Borodino acting as a squadron commander for the Polish Lancers, we do not get treated to the same direct observations--he spends the day sheltered in a hollow, and all he sees of the battlefield is a tremendous amount of smoke. Thus, as he often does when he is not a direct eyewitness, Chlapowski passes a1ong to us a brief version of events culled directly from army gossip and myth, and which provides an interesting reflection of the sort of understanding of events that participants will tend to construct as opposed to the views of later historians.

Some of the author's views may surprise EE&L readers. For instance, Chlapowski, a cavalryman experienced in outpost duty, says this about the Austrians:

"I had read the various manuals on the art of skirmishing, and was of the opinion then, as I am still today, that Austrian light horse is the best trained in this kind of warfare. The Austrians are always the most skilled at placing outposts to guard their army."

Needless to say, this is just one small example of the numerous opinions Chlapowski ventures forth. Because Chlapowski generally comes across as a fairly reliable narrator, his views will often merit serious consideration. Of course, Chlapowski does have his prejudices, and, if we relied solely on his judgement, we would be forced to conclude that his rival Dutch Lancer Regiment was one of the worst in the army.

Furthermore, Chlapowski's work was intended for a Polish audience, thus he assumes that accounts of his many small encounters with other Poles serving in the Napoleonic Wars would be of much interest, which, for an English speaking reader, may not be the case.

Chlapowski served with the Grand Army in the first half of the 1813 campaign. However, he resigned from French service when he became aware of the Emperor's willingness to barter away Poland to the Allies. First and foremost a Polish patriot, Chlapowski returned home, where he would later play a prominent but unsuccessful role in the Polish Insurrection of 1830.

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