A Tribute to John R. Elting

Don Horward

Author and Director of the Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution at Florida State University

"Every member of the Institute, past and present, have known John Elting and benefited by his council and advice. He set high standards and was always willing to critique their dissertations and manuscripts en route to publication. He set a perfect example for them with his powerful and provocative presentations. Long after his retirement from the Academy, he continued to interact with my students, especially the thirteen Institute alumni who taught at West Point.

"Seeing John and Ann was always a highlight of the many Consortium meetings he attended. His presentations were always a tour de force, no holds barred. Deeply ingrained in my memory is the 1989 Bicentennial Meeting of the French Revolution in Tallahassee when he demolished Jomini's reputation. His commentaries were always brilliant, insightful and witty; there was no 'eyewash.' Every conference he attended was always exciting and memorable. "It has been a privilege and an honor for me, personally, to work and cooperate with John over some twenty years. He was more than a friend, he was a good loyal companion and comrade in arms who was always willing to give me the benefit of his judgment. On every occasion, I could rely on his integrity, honesty, and candid opinion.

"John Elting's contributions to the field of Napoleonic Studies were unique. I doubt if anyone of this generation will leave a greater legacy than John. His publications, especially Swords, the West Point History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars, the wonderful volumes of Knotel uniform prints, and a dozen brilliant articles in various Consortium Proceedings and Napoleonic journals will be invaluable for those who follow in his footsteps. No one will ever replace what he has done with the humor and style in which he has done it.

"In concluding this tribute, I have the satisfaction that most of the foregoing comments were written to John, almost verbatim, ten days before he closed the last chapter of his honorable and extraordinary career. As long as readers follow the path of the Emperor across Europe, they will have unique insights into his route by following the path laid down by John Elting. In his last note to me just before he died, he wrote: "Dusk - 18 June 1815. I'm in the right flank Guard square at La Belle Alliance, fumbling in my pouch for one last cartridge - too many heart failures over the last few months, and nothing much left for the next one. Been great knowing you."

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