Reviews for Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon

The average rating for Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-01-28 00:00:00 Daniel Goguen Here we enter the arena in which Bonaparte made his name. Most of those who take up the study of Napoleon are taking up the study of his battles and his military expertise. He was a force to be reckoned with in the fields of Europe. He brought a fresh philosophy to armed conflict and ushered in a new age of warfare, shattering long-held custom and theory with each successive campaign. His prowess in this practice - the shock of its impact, the awe of its implication - makes it exceedingly difficult to separate the man from the soldier, the Emperor from the General, and while I am trying very hard to accommodate more than his military aspect, I am well-nigh convinced he would scoff at all my efforts, preferring by far to be remembered as the whiskered boys remember him. Warrior - first, last, and always. Rothenberg has produced a clever little study on the state of the various European war machines from the period immediately preceding the French Revolution through the end of Napoleon's reign. The armies of Prussia, Russia, Austria and England are examined alongside the French - which is brilliant as it's the only way to adequately assess the transformational influence effected by this turbulent Corsican upstart hard-charging through kingdoms not his own. There's a good deal more than strategy and tactics under the microscope here. These forces are dissected in specific: infantry, cavalry, artillery; weaponry, supply, transport; conscription, training, officer corps...it's a thoroughly detailed look at the materials and mechanics of battle as it was fought on the Continent of that era. If the author gives short shrift to anything, it is the political narrative. (He's much more interested in how a Howitzer performed than he is the victory that may have resulted from its use.) Side trips are made into the realm of life on campaign: the soldier's rations, bivouac, women; the treatment of prisoners of war; what one could expect by way of medical attention. And, yes, there were a few of those tangents I adore. Here's one about how the troops occupied themselves as Napoleon and Alexander were hammering out the treaty of Tilsit: While the sovereigns negotiated, the troops fraternized. The Imperial Guard was instructed to hold a banquet for their Russian counterparts which went off well, although Coignet was taken somewhat aback when the tsar's warriors swallowed huge goblets of wine at one gulp, tore off large pieces of meat, and when they found that they could not finish everything on the table, made themselves vomit and then started all over again. 'They thus made,' he recorded, 'three meals at one dinner.' The work is admittedly dry in places, yet if boots-on-the-ground substance is what you're looking for...this is very well done.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-08-26 00:00:00 Tom J Quaglia 2.5 to 3.0 stars. A pretty well written book on military strategy during the Napoleonic era. It is part of the Easton Press Library of Military History. Probably best enjoyed by Napoleon buffs.