Marengo and Hohenlinden is published by James R. Arnold, 1999, ISBN 0-9670985-0-5 301 pgs., 21 maps, $34 Napoleon may have successfully bugged out of Egypt and squashed political opposition to his ascension as First Consul, but Britain, Austria, and a few other powers wanted to restore the French monarchy -- taking France down a notch in the process. So begins James Arnold's new book about the twin battles that won Napoleon a throne.
The first third of the book outlines the events leading to the formation of Consulate and Bonaparte's creation of the Army of the Reserve. Then comes the detailed description and analysis of Napoleon's crossing of the Alps and descent into Italy. French and Austrian maneuverings, strategies, and options are discussed as the two sides march towards the Battle of Marengo. Arnold's prose sweeps along in the next third of the book as he focuses on the deployments and their advantages and perils.
Then, he steps through the battle, from the initial Austrian triumph to the nick-of-time arrival of Desaix and to the final French victory. Along the way, in addition to excellent maps, he pinpoints crucial sectors and actions, culling memoirs for snippets of information to provide clarity and flavor. This is not easy for a writer to pull off -- but Arnold succeeds.
The last third of the book covers the Battle of Hohenlinden, where Moreau, a politically powerful and popular rival to Napoleon, leads the French Army to a victory over the Austrians. Here, the analysis of military strategy is especially enticing as Arnold continues to pump up battle descriptions with the reasons behind the actions. You don't just read history -- you understand it.
Excellent order of battle information (down to battalion numbers) and short biographies of the various generals complete an impressive work. From start to finish, Marengo and Hohenlinden inspires you with its research, prose, and presentation. Like many other Arnold books, this deserves a space in your Napoleonic library.
With special permission from Arnold, MagWeb.com offers a sample chapter for reading in the One-Drous Chapters section. Chapter VII: Battle of Marengo. Professionally produced and printed, Arnold's book offers a clear and inspired interpretation of these battles. As it is selfpublished, it may be hard to find. Fortunately, you can order direct from Arnold via mail or via his website. Price: $34.00 plus $3.50 shipping from Napoleon Books, 616 Little Dry Hollow, Lexington, VA 24450. E-mail at: Marengo and Hohenlinden info or go to the website: www.napoleonbooks.com Back to List of Book Reviews: Napoleonic
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© Copyright 2000 Hal Thinglum
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com