API tools faq
paste
Advertisement
jonstond2

Napoleonic Wars (Military History)

jonstond2
Jul 12th, 2017
828
0
Never
Add comment
Not a member of Pastebin yet? Sign Up, it unlocks many cool features!
text 150.32 KB | None | 0 0
raw download clone embed print report
  1. Introduction
  2. The Napoleonic Wars represent a turning point in European affairs and a major break with the past. The starting point for the Napoleonic Wars is usually considered the signing of the Peace of Amiens between France and Britain in 1802, while the end point is set in the wake of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and his exile from France in 1815. These wars constitute a continuation of the French Revolutionary Wars that broke out in 1792 and ranged France against shifting alliances of other European powers. The French Revolution unleashed a torrent of political, social, cultural, and military changes. Never before had European states resorted to a mobilization of civilian and military resources as total as during this period, which resulted in fundamental changes for the societies and armies in question. The French Revolutionary Wars were undertaken to defend, and then to spread, the effects of the French Revolution. Ideological aspects of the Napoleonic Wars are often emphasized as a main source of the conflict, but Europe was not divided along ideological lines. Although ideology did matter, the conflict was largely driven by geopolitical considerations that were similar to those existing during the wars waged by Louis XIV. As in the early 1700s, the rise of a powerful French state in the early 1800s threatened the balance of power in Europe and led to the creation of broad coalitions to prevent France from achieving complete dominance on the European continent. In addition, the Napoleonic Wars were influenced by a long-standing colonial and commercial rivalry between France and Britain. Under Napoleon’s leadership, France emerged as the dominant continental power, extending its imperium from the Atlantic coastline of Spain to the plains of Poland. Along the way, the French armies spread revolutionary ideals to the occupied territories, prompting important changes in Europe. To defeat Napoleon, “the revolution incarnate,” as the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich described him, the European monarchies were compelled to adopt revolutionary reforms and utilize elements of revolutionary ideology for their own benefit. The French military strategy, army organization, and transformation of royal subjects into citizens and soldiers, the awakening of the people to a sense of their rights, and the channeling of their patriotic energies and passions against a foreign enemy—all these ideas had been formulated in France during the Revolution as it sought to survive attacks of European coalitions, but these same ideas were then borrowed by the European monarchies in their struggle against France.
  3. General Overviews
  4. The Revolutionary era is one of the most studied periods in European history, with tens of thousands of titles dealing with the French Revolution and its aftermath. Lentz 2002–2010 offers the most recent panoramic view of the rise and fall of the Napoleonic Empire. Ross 1986 is a good introduction to the diplomatic history of the era, while Schroeder 1994 is indispensable for in-depth discussion of the political transformation in Europe. Woolf 1991 offers a unique picture of how Napoleonic Europe both functioned and malfunctioned. Connelly 1966 is unique in its focus on the satellite kingdoms Napoleon created. Chickering and Förster 2010 is a collection of essays more focused on warfare in the Age of Revolutions (1775–1815), looking at both sides of the Atlantic and exploring military and social dimensions of warfare. Lynn 1984 is crucial to understanding the French Revolutionary army. Bell 2007 argues that the concept of total war did not start in the 20th century but rather in the Revolutionary era, when Europe plunged into an abyss of destruction.
  5. Bell, David A. The First Total War: Napoleon’s Europe and the Birth of Modern Warfare as We Know It. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
  6. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  7. The book argues that the concept of total war did not start in the 20th century but rather in the Revolutionary era, when Europe plunged into an abyss of destruction. Bell suggests that our modern attitudes toward war were born during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and he traces parallels between the Napoleonic Wars and the modern world.
  8. Find this resource:
  9. Chickering, Roger, and Stig Förster, eds. War in an Age of Revolution, 1775–1815. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
  10. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  11. This volume is the sixth in a series of books that derive from conference proceedings dedicated to the rise and reign of total warfare from the 1860s to the 1940s. It offers a rich and stimulating collection of essays written by historians from five different countries. The essays look at both sides of the Atlantic and propose treating the Age of Revolution as one of acceleration and expansion rather than innovation in warfare.
  12. Find this resource:
  13. Connelly, Owen. Napoleon’s Satellite Kingdoms: Managing Conquered Peoples. New York: Free Press, 1966.
  14. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  15. A classic study that looks at the populations subjected to French rule, the nature of their collaboration and resistance, and their adaptation to the principles of the Napoleonic project.
  16. Find this resource:
  17. Lentz, Thierry. Nouvelle histoire du Premier Empire. 4 vols. Paris: Fayard, 2002–2010.
  18. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  19. A major contribution to Napoleonic scholarship, Lentz’s work offers a panoramic view of the rise and fall of the Napoleonic Empire. Volume 1 traces Napoleon’s conquest of Europe in 1804–1810, while Volume 2 explores its decline and downfall in 1810–1815. Volume 3 offers fascinating insights into France’s relationship with European states between 1804 and 1814, while the final volume guides the reader through the Hundred Days (1815).
  20. Find this resource:
  21. Lynn, John A. The Bayonets of the Republic: Motivation and Tactics in the Army of Revolutionary France, 1791–1794. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1984.
  22. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  23. An important study of the Revolutionary army, Lynn’s book challenges the view of the army as an unskilled but fiercely patriotic fighting force that won simply by overwhelming its enemies with its élan and its tactical charges. It examines every aspect of life in the French army, including leaders, recruitment, officer selection, discipline, political education, and tactics.
  24. Find this resource:
  25. Ross, Steven T. European Diplomatic History, 1789–1815: France against Europe. Malabar, FL: Krieger, 1986.
  26. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  27. Originally published in 1969. Despite its date, Ross’s book remains one of the best studies on the diplomatic history of the Napoleonic period. Judicious and well written, it will be of good use to students.
  28. Find this resource:
  29. Schroeder, Paul. The Transformation of European Politics, 1763–1848. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.
  30. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  31. Hailed as a landmark study upon its publication, this book delves deeply into European international politics and offers a comprehensive and authoritative history of Europe between 1763 and 1848. Considered sharply revisionist when it was published, the book offers a rather critical view of Napoleonic France and explores its impact on international relations and diplomacy. A wide-ranging and penetrating study, it will be of great utility to graduate students.
  32. Find this resource:
  33. Woolf, S. Napoleon’s Integration of Europe. New York: Routledge, 1991.
  34. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  35. One of the best studies examining the relationship between France and the rest of Europe during the Napoleonic era. It is a well-written and wide-ranging work that will be of great value to students.
  36. Find this resource:
  37. Warfare in the Revolutionary Era
  38. Glover 1980 is a good starting point for newcomers to the period. Rothenberg 1978 remains a standard overview of the development of the art of war in the first decade of the 19th century. Those interested in more in-depth discussion of the art of war, especially its tactical applications, will do well to consult Muir 1998 and Quimby 1952. For infantry tactics, readers will benefit from consulting Oman 1929 and Arnold 1982, while Creveld 2008 offers a stimulating discussion of logistics.
  39. Arnold, James. “A Reappraisal of Columns versus Line in the Napoleonic Wars.” Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 60.4 (Winter 1982): 196–208.
  40. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  41. Arnold continues the discussion started in Oman 1929 and offers a detailed reassessment of column versus line tactics. A revised version of the paper can be accessed online.
  42. Find this resource:
  43. Creveld, Martin van. Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
  44. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  45. Drawing on a very wide range of unpublished and previously unexploited sources, Creveld examines the logistical side of the war. The first two chapters deal with the problems of movement and supply as well as transportation and administration in 18th-century warfare and during the Napoleonic Wars.
  46. Find this resource:
  47. Glover, Michael. Warfare in the Age of Bonaparte. London: Cassell, 1980.
  48. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  49. This well-written book is a good starting point for someone who is beginning study of the period. It provides a broad overview and understanding of the warfare in the Napoleonic period.
  50. Find this resource:
  51. Muir, Rory. Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1998.
  52. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  53. This is an exceptional book that draws on contemporary memoirs, diaries, and letters to explain how the Napoleonic Wars were fought. The author details what actually happened when armies clashed with each other and sheds new light on how military tactics evolved.
  54. Find this resource:
  55. Oman, Charles. “Column and Line in the Peninsula.” In Studies in the Napoleonic Wars. Edited by Charles Oman, 82–108. London: Methuen, 1929.
  56. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  57. An influential comparative study of column versus line tactics that focuses on the “musket counting” approach to calculate the enormous firepower advantage of a British line versus a French column.
  58. Find this resource:
  59. Quimby, Robert. The Background of Napoleonic Warfare: The Theory of Military Tactics in 18th Century France. New York: Columbia University Press, 1952.
  60. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  61. The book offers an in-depth examination of military theory in the late 18th century and the development of military tactics during the Revolutionary era.
  62. Find this resource:
  63. Rothenberg, Gunther E. The Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1978.
  64. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  65. This classic work provides the standard overview of the development of the art of war in the first decade of the 19th century. Thorough and well written, it is recommended for undergraduate students.
  66. Find this resource:
  67. Bibliographies
  68. Search engines and electronic library catalogues have largely replaced traditional bibliography books, but the vast amount of information that these tools offer oftentimes turns out to be counterproductive. Caldwell 1991 is part of larger bibliographic project that catalogued and organized thousands of scholarly works around major themes. Though dated, it is still highly useful for works published prior to 1991. Similarly, Meyer 1987 offers a broad overview to the pre-1985 Napoleonic literature. Horward 1986 is a handy tool for finding titles on military, social, political, and other aspects of the Napoleonic Wars, though its range is limited to books released prior to 1986. Schneid 2012 is the most recent bibliographic study of this topic, and it contains essays offering an in-depth look at recent historiographic developments. Tulard 1971 is highly useful for the French-language memoir literature. Esdaile 1993 constitutes an insightful discussion of bibliographical problems in the field of Napoleonic studies.
  69. Caldwell, Ronald J. The Era of Napoleon: A Bibliography of the History of Western Civilization, 1799–1815. New York: Garland, 1991.
  70. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  71. Although already two decades old, this massive work of almost 1,500 pages still offers a remarkable range of books and articles arranged around major themes.
  72. Find this resource:
  73. Esdaile, Charles. “The Napoleonic Period: Some Thoughts on Recent Historiography.” European History Quarterly 23.3 (July 1993): 415–432.
  74. DOI: 10.1177/026569149302300305Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  75. An insightful discussion of bibliographical problems in the field of Napoleonic studies. The author also published a more recent discussion of the state of the Napoleonic research in the Journal of Military History 73.1 (2008): 209–220.
  76. Find this resource:
  77. Horward, Donald, ed. Napoleonic Military History: A Bibliography. New York: Garland, 1986.
  78. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  79. Contains more than seven thousand entries in fourteen languages on military, social, political, economic, and other topics related to the Napoleonic Wars.
  80. Find this resource:
  81. Meyer, Jack A. An Annotated Bibliography of the Napoleonic Era: Recent Publications, 1945–1985. New York: Greenwood, 1987.
  82. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  83. A concise volume offering a broad overview to the existing (pre-1985) Napoleonic literature.
  84. Find this resource:
  85. Schneid, Frederick C. Napoleonic Wars. Washington, DC: Potomac, 2012.
  86. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  87. The most recent bibliographic study of this topic, containing essays offering an in-depth look at recent historiographic developments. Highly recommended.
  88. Find this resource:
  89. Tulard, Jean. Bibliographie critique des mémoires sur le Consulat et l’Empire. Geneva, Switzerland: Librairie Droz, 1971.
  90. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  91. A bibliographic guide to more than 1,500 memoirs and diaries. Each entry contains a brief synopsis and critical commentary.
  92. Find this resource:
  93. Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
  94. Tulard 1987 is a must have for anyone interested in the First Empire; it remains unmatched in terms of scholarship and depth. Tulard, et al. 1995 remains among the best French-language reference sources on the Consulate and the empire. Connelly 1985 is a good quick reference work, offering broad coverage of the topic. Nafziger 2002 is similar in its scope. Chandler 1979 and Pope 1999 are both concise but comprehensive reference books, offering basic information on the Napoleonic Wars. More useful is Fremont-Barnes 2006, the most recent reference work on this topic; it consists of three volumes providing a thorough coverage for the entire period of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Lentz, et al. 2008 is useful for its discussion of the political and administrative institutions of the First Empire. Emsley 1993 is a mine of information of all sorts related to Napoleonic Europe.
  95. Chandler, David. Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York: Macmillan, 1979.
  96. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  97. Concise yet comprehensive, this dictionary offers short entries on the major events and personalities of the Napoleonic Wars. The book, however, tends to favor the British and French participants at the expense of the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies.
  98. Find this resource:
  99. Connelly, Owen, ed. Historical Dictionary of Napoleonic France, 1799–1815. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1985.
  100. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  101. This work offers a broad overview of the period from the French Revolution through the end of the Napoleonic Wars (1789–1815). Written by some of the leading English-speaking scholars, the book still remains practical for a great variety of concise articles covering major military and cultural events as well as personalities.
  102. Find this resource:
  103. Emsley, Clive. The Longman Companion to Napoleonic Europe. New York: Longman, 1993.
  104. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  105. A mine of information of all sorts related to Napoleonic Europe. It offers chronologies of international affairs, military campaigns, domestic and national affairs, and cultural and scientific landmarks. The book also features useful details on rulers and governments as well as facts concerning the economic and military potential of the leading powers and the changing sets of alliances, coalitions, and leagues. It also contains material on the conferences, congresses, and treaties.
  106. Find this resource:
  107. Fremont-Barnes, Gregory, ed. The Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars: A Political, Social, and Military History. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2006.
  108. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  109. A three-volume reference work that provides thorough coverage of the entire period of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It features individual entries on the Russian campaign and on the battles and major personalities from both sides.
  110. Find this resource:
  111. Lentz, Thierry, Pierre Branda, Pierre-François Pinaud, and Clémence Zacharie. Quand Napoléon inventait la France: Dictionnaire des institutions politiques, administratives et de cour du Consulat et de l’Empire. Paris: Tallandier, 2008.
  112. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  113. A highly practical reference book discussing political and administrative institutions of the First Empire.
  114. Find this resource:
  115. Nafziger, George. Historical Dictionary of the Napoleonic Era. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2002.
  116. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  117. Reprinted in 2010 as The A to Z of the Napoleonic Era, this is a useful general reference source offering concise entries on events and personalities of the Napoleonic period.
  118. Find this resource:
  119. Pope, Stephen. Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. New York: Facts On File, 1999.
  120. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  121. Aimed at the general reader and enthusiasts, this dictionary contains a lengthy introduction, more than one thousand entries on wide-ranging topics related to the Napoleonic Wars, a chronology of major events, and thirty maps depicting geographic areas and battle plans.
  122. Find this resource:
  123. Tulard, Jean. Dictionnaire Napoléon. Paris: Fayard, 1987.
  124. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  125. A must have for anyone interested in the First Empire. The dictionary, edited by the renowned French historian Jean Tulard, features contributions by leading French scholars and remains unmatched in terms of scholarship and depth.
  126. Find this resource:
  127. Tulard, Jean, Alfred Fierro, and Andre Palluel-Guillard, eds. Histoire et dictionnaire du Consulat et de l’Empire. Paris: R. Laffont, 1995.
  128. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  129. A vast dictionary of more than 1,300 pages that contains hundreds of entries on people, institutions, and events that shaped the history of the Consulate and the empire. It also offers an extensive bibliography and filmography.
  130. Find this resource:
  131. Specialized References
  132. For the Napoleonic officer corps, Six 1934 and Quintin and Quintin 1996 are treasure troves of information, providing thorough biographical details on marshals, generals, and colonels. Pigeard 1996 offers less biographical details on French marshals and generals but is lavishly illustrated and contains hundreds of portraits that could not be found elsewhere. Jourquin 2001 is recommended for Napoleon’s marshals. Hall 1998 provides exhaustive details on the British officers who fought in the Peninsular War. Mikaberidze 2005 is a useful biographical dictionary of the Russian officer corps, while Bezotosnyi 2004 and Bezotosnyi 2011 feature more than four thousand entries written by the leading Russian and foreign scholars on the last four years of the Napoleonic Wars (1812–1815). In the scope, level of detail, and quality of the articles dealing with the Napoleonic Wars, these works have no equivalent in English. Chappet, et al. 2005 contains details on hundreds of monuments commemorating the Napoleonic Wars all across Europe.
  133. Bezotosnyi, Victor, ed. Otechestvennaia voina 1812 goda: Entsiklopediia. Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2004.
  134. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  135. This is the most useful reference work dealing with the Russian campaign. Featuring contributions by the leading Russian historians, the work represents the best of modern Russian historical thought. It features some two thousand entries on a variety of subjects. The scope, level of detail, and quality of the articles in this work have no equivalent in English.
  136. Find this resource:
  137. Bezotosnyi, Victor, ed. Zagranichnye pokhody Rossiiskoi armii, 1813–1815 gody. Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2011.
  138. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  139. One of the best Napoleonic reference publications, this two-volume work constitutes the continuation of the work that its editorial group began in Bezotosnyi 2004. The work spans the last three of the Napoleonic years and features more than two thousand entries written by a dozen contributors from ten countries. A highly useful source!
  140. Find this resource:
  141. Chappet, Alain, Roger Martin, and Alain Pigeard, eds. Le guide Napoléon: 4000 lieux de mémoire pour revivre l’épopée. Paris: Tallandier, 2005.
  142. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  143. A unique guide featuring hundreds of monuments commemorating the Napoleonic Wars all across Europe.
  144. Find this resource:
  145. Hall, John A. The Biographical Dictionary of British Officers Killed and Wounded, 1808–1814. London: Greenhill, 1998.
  146. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  147. This is a complementary volume to Sir Charles Oman’s famous study of the Peninsular War. John A. Hall compiled a comprehensive biographical dictionary of more than three thousand British officers who participated in the Peninsular War. A highly detailed and useful reference work.
  148. Find this resource:
  149. Jourquin, Jacques. Dictionnaire des maréchaux du Premier Empire: Dictionnaire analytique, statistique et comparé des vingt-six maréchaux. Paris: Christian, 2001.
  150. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  151. A very useful reference source on the marshals of the First Empire. The book contains comparative charts and tables on social origins, campaigns, awards, and other aspects of the marshals’ careers.
  152. Find this resource:
  153. Mikaberidze, Alexander. The Russian Officer Corps in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1792–1815. New York: Savas Beatie, 2005.
  154. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  155. A biographical dictionary of the Russian officer corps containing more than eight hundred biographies of Russian generals and senior officers.
  156. Find this resource:
  157. Pigeard, Alain. Les étoiles de Napoléon. Enremont-le-Vieux, France: Édition Quatuor, 1996.
  158. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  159. A lavishly illustrated dictionary of Napoleon’s marshals and generals, featuring hundreds of portraits and short biographies.
  160. Find this resource:
  161. Quintin, Bernard, and Danielle Quintin. Dictionnaire des colonels de Napoléon. Paris: S. P. M., 1996.
  162. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  163. The dictionary features biographies of every Napoleonic colonel, from birth dates to death dates and places, with all their military service in between, except for those who went on to become generals. These individuals are covered in Six 1934.
  164. Find this resource:
  165. Six, Georges. Dictionnaire biographique des généraux et amiraux français de la Révolution et de l’Empire, 1792–1814. 2 vols. Paris: Saffroy, 1934.
  166. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  167. A remarkable two-volume study that provides detailed biographical information on French generals serving during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
  168. Find this resource:
  169. Periodicals and Conference Proceedings
  170. A number of journals and periodicals deal with Napoleonic history. Carnet de la Sabretache and Russkaya Starina represent mini-archives of precious memoirs and other documents on the French and Russian sides of the Napoleonic Wars. Although dealing broadly with military history, the Journal of Military History regularly publishes scholarly articles on the Napoleonic Wars. The proceedings of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era, 1750–1850 contain numerous articles on various aspects of the Napoleonic Wars, while Revue Napoléon, Napoleonica: La Revue, and Revue du Souvenir napoléonien focus almost exclusively on the Napoleonic period. Epokha napoleonovskikh voin is excellent for the up-to-date discussion it provides on the Russian side of the Napoleonic Wars, although its articles tend to concentrate on the 1812 campaign.
  171. Carnet de la Sabretache. 1893–1937.
  172. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  173. Twenty-five volumes of the early editions of this French military history magazine represent a mini-archive of valuable information on the French side of the Napoleonic Wars. Each volume averages about five hundred to six hundred pages in length and contains personal memoirs and collections of letters from many notable personages. The complete series is available at the Bibliothèque nationale de France’s Gallica digital library online.
  174. Find this resource:
  175. Consortium on the Revolutionary Era, 1750–1850. 1971–.
  176. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  177. A consortium of seventeen universities and colleges, it is one of the premier international conferences on the Revolutionary period. It produces annual volumes of selected papers presented at the conference. An index of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era volumes (1971 to 2001) is available online.
  178. Find this resource:
  179. Epokha napoleonovskikh voin: Lyudi, sobytiya, idei. 1998–.
  180. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  181. This annual conference is organized by the Museum of Borodino Panorama in Moscow and features dozens of papers by leading Russian historians. Most papers deal with the Russian side and offer a fresh and interesting perspective. An index of the 1998–2008 proceedings is available online.
  182. Find this resource:
  183. Journal of Military History.
  184. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  185. This quarterly journal of the Society for Military History publishes scholarly articles on the military history of all eras and its issues regularly deal with the Napoleonic Wars.
  186. Find this resource:
  187. Napoleonica: La Revue.
  188. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  189. An international scholarly online history journal on the First and Second Empire published by the Foundation Napoléon.
  190. Find this resource:
  191. Revue Napoléon. 2000–.
  192. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  193. This French-language journal has been published since 2000, at a rate of four issues a year, offering a month-by-month coverage of the era. Each issue covers a period of three months and deals with a series of major events that occurred exactly two hundred years earlier. Lavishly produced and illustrated, this journal features articles by prominent French historians.
  194. Find this resource:
  195. Revue du Souvenir napoléonien. 1937–.
  196. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  197. Published by Souvenir napoléonien, a French association founded in 1937 to promote the study of the Napoleonic era, this journal offers a wide range of articles written by some of the leading French historians.
  198. Find this resource:
  199. Russkaya Starina. Saint Petersburg, Russia. 1870–1918.
  200. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  201. Russian history journal published monthly in Saint Petersburg by historian Mikhail Semevsky and his successors. The journal covered mainly Russian history during the 18th and 19th centuries and brought to light many previously unpublished documents and memoirs. Many issues are available at Google Books.
  202. Find this resource:
  203. Archival Material
  204. The French Archives de la Guerre remains the main depository of material related to the Napoleonic Wars. Fabry 1900–1912 reproduces a significant portion of the French archival documents related to the 1812 campaign and is crucial to understanding French operations. Unfortunately, much of the German archives were destroyed during World War II, but there are still important holdings at the Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz and in the Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt. The Kriegsarchiv in Vienna contains a vast amount of material relating to the Austrian participation in the Napoleonic Wars and its holdings can be searched online. Britain’s National Archives comprises the Office of Public Sector Information and Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and serves as the national archive for England, Wales, and the United Kingdom. As the central depository of more than one thousand years of the nation’s records, it also holds a treasure trove of documents on the British involvement in the Napoleonic Wars. The archive can be found online. Bickley and Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts 1914–1938, although dated, can serve as a useful first step in researching the British side. On the Russian side, Russia State Military Historical Archives (RGVIA) preserves much of the material on the Russian war effort; the multivolume Otechestvennaya Voina 1812 goda 1910–1917 contains hundreds of documents from those archives. Many of these documents can also be found in The Napoleonic Wars, 1805–1815, the vast collection of ninety-two microfilm reels of documents from RGVIA covering the entire span of the Napoleonic Wars. Beskrovnyi 1954 is useful for insights into the Russian war effort and into Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov’s decision making. For Spain and Portugal, the principal documents can be found at Arquivo Nacional de Torre do Tombom, the Biblioteca Nacional, Arquivo Historico Militar, and the Biblioteca das Ciencias de Lisboa. The Diccionario bibliográfico de la Guerra de la Independencia española (1808–1814) (Spanish Army’s Historical Service 1944–1952) is a useful bibliographic publication surveying Spanish papers and publications related to the Peninsular War. Sepúlveda 1924–1930 offers details on the Portuguese political, diplomatic, and military papers related to the Peninsular War.
  205. Archives de la Guerre: Service historique de l’armée de terre. Château de Vincennes, France.
  206. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  207. The war archives remain the main depository of materials related to the Napoleonic Wars. Guides are available online.
  208. Find this resource:
  209. Beskrovnyi, Liubomir, ed. M. I. Kutuzov: Sbornik Dokumentov. Moscow: Voennoe izdatelstvo, 1954.
  210. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  211. This is a four-volume publication of Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov’s correspondence. Volume 2 contains archival documents related to the War of the Third Coalition (1805) and Volume 4 covers the Russian campaign. These volumes contain many important documents related to the Russian conduct of the war.
  212. Find this resource:
  213. Bickley, Francis B., and Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, eds. A Guide to the Reports on the Collections of Manuscripts of Private Families, Corporations and Institutions in Great Britain and Ireland Issued by the Royal Commissioners for Historical Manuscripts. 2 vols. London: His Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1914–1938.
  214. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  215. The book offers a useful overview of manuscripts and papers preserved at the British institutions and by private families.
  216. Find this resource:
  217. Fabry, Gabriel Joseph, ed. Campagne de 1812. Paris: R. Chapelot, 1900–1912.
  218. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  219. This five-volume publication reproduces a significant portion of the French archival documents related to the campaign and is crucial to understanding French operations. Volumes 1 through 4 offer a daily coverage of events in June, July, and August, with each section featuring correspondence of Napoleon and his corps commanders. Volume 5 deals with the operations of Marshal Claude Victor and Marshal Nicolas Oudinot in August–December 1812.
  220. Find this resource:
  221. Kriegsarchiv. Vienna.
  222. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  223. One of the largest archives in Europe, the Kriegsarchiv boasts one of the most extensive military collections (including Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods) and a vast collection of documents, including personnel files, materials on military operations, and documents of relevant military institutions, related to Austria’s participation in the Napoleonic Wars.
  224. Find this resource:
  225. The Napoleonic Wars, 1805–1815. Woodbridge, CT: Research Publications, 2002.
  226. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  227. This is a must-have collection of hundreds of cartons scanned by the Primary Source Medical Company from Rossiiskii Gosudarstvennii Voenno-Istoricheskii arkhiv (Russian State Military Historical Archive), the main depository of Russian military documentation related to the Napoleonic Wars. The collection consists of ninety-two reels of microfilms covering the entire span of the conflict and contains correspondence, reports, rosters, and other documents related to the Russian war effort.
  228. Find this resource:
  229. Otechestvennaya Voina 1812 goda: Materialy Voenno-Uchenogo Arkhiva Generalnogo Shtaba. 21 vols. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Russian General Staff, 1910–1917.
  230. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  231. This massive publication contains hundreds of documents from the Russian State Military Historical Archives. The first twelve volumes cover preparations for war in 1810–1812, and the remaining volumes feature correspondence, rosters, journals of operations, and other documents related to the war itself.
  232. Find this resource:
  233. Sepúlveda, Christovam Ayres de Magalhães, ed. Dicionário bibliográfico da guerra peninsular. 4 vols. Coimbra, Portugal: Imprensa da Universidade, 1924–1930.
  234. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  235. A detailed bibliographic dictionary of the Portuguese political, diplomatic, and military papers related to the Peninsular War.
  236. Find this resource:
  237. Spanish Army’s Historical Service. Diccionario bibliográfico de la Guerra de la Independencia española (1808–1814). 3 vols. Madrid: Talleres del Servicio Geográfico del Ejército, 1944–1952.
  238. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  239. A useful bibliographic publication surveying Spanish papers and publications related to the Peninsular War.
  240. Find this resource:
  241. Atlases
  242. Konstam 2003 and Rothenberg 1999 can serve as introductory atlases to the Napoleonic Wars, though the latter is much more useful due to its thoughtful narrative. For a more in-depth analysis of the Napoleonic Wars, one should turn to Esposito and Elting 1999, which has remained a standard Napoleonic atlas since its original publication in 1964. Lipscombe 2010 and Robertson 2010 are indispensable for anyone studying the Peninsular War.
  243. Esposito, Vincent, and John R. Elting. A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars. London: Greenhill, 1999.
  244. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  245. Originally published as a textbook for the West Point cadets in 1964, this seminal historical atlas provides a comprehensive overview of the battles and campaigns between 1796 and 1815. It features detailed strategic, operational, and tactical maps accompanied by a concise description of military operations. Highly recommended.
  246. Find this resource:
  247. Konstam, Angus. Historical Atlas of the Napoleonic Era. Guilford, CT: Lyons, 2003.
  248. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  249. A well-illustrated atlas that offers a standard (and oftentimes uncritical) overview of the Napoleonic Wars, with greater focus on the French side. It is suitable for undergraduate students.
  250. Find this resource:
  251. Lipscombe, Nick. The Peninsular War Atlas. Oxford: Osprey, 2010.
  252. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  253. A comprehensive atlas of the Peninsular War, featuring 160 maps accompanied by a text narrating the entire war.
  254. Find this resource:
  255. Robertson, Ian. An Atlas of the Peninsular War, 1808–1814. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010.
  256. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  257. A concise atlas of the Peninsular War, offering detailed examination of military operations and battles. Fifty-three maps, accompanied by corresponding explanatory texts, are preceded by a chronology of the main historical events and an introduction.
  258. Find this resource:
  259. Rothenberg, Gunther. The Napoleonic Wars. London: Cassell, 1999.
  260. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  261. Although not a true atlas in its own right, this is a beautifully produced book, written by one of the foremost Napoleonic military historians. It features dozens of maps and illustrations, and offers a concise and insightful overview of the Napoleonic Wars. Recommended for undergraduate students.
  262. Find this resource:
  263. Campaign Histories
  264. Students of the Napoleonic Wars should begin their studies with Chandler 1995, a monumental study of more than one thousand pages that offers the standard narrative of the Napoleonic Wars. Fremont-Barnes and Fisher 2004 is a more concise survey. Harvey 2006 provides a lively but flawed general history of the Napoleonic Wars. Connelly 1984 is noteworthy for challenging the prevailing notion of Napoleon as a military genius; instead, the author portrays Napoleon’s victories as the product of luck and the mistakes of his enemies. A more balanced (albeit pro-British) treatment of the subject can be found in Gates 1997 and Esdaile 2007.
  265. Chandler, David. Campaigns of Napoleon: The Mind and Method of History’s Greatest Soldier. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1995.
  266. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  267. Students of the Napoleonic Wars should begin their studies with this monumental study. With more than one thousand pages, this well-written and -researched book by an eminent master offers the standard narrative of the Napoleonic Wars, with a primary focus on Napoleon and the French forces. Although Chandler’s analysis of Napoleon’s foes is oftentimes imperfect, the book is highly recommended for both undergraduate and graduate students. Originally published in 1966.
  268. Find this resource:
  269. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to Glory: Napoleon’s Military Campaigns. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 1984.
  270. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  271. Written by a prominent historian of the Napoleonic era, this book challenged the prevailing notion of Napoleon as a military genius and instead argued that the French emperor simply “blundered to glory.” Connelly suggests that the success of Napoleonic France lay less in Napoleon’s personal abilities and leadership than in a fortuitous turn of events and in mistakes made by Napoleon’s enemies.
  272. Find this resource:
  273. Esdaile, Charles. The Napoleonic Wars: An International History, 1803–1815. London: Allen Lane, 2007.
  274. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  275. Standard histories of the Napoleonic Wars tend to turn into a litany of Napoleon’s victories and defeats, with a primary focus on France or on the emperor. In this book, however, Esdaile aims to write a history of the Napoleonic Wars that reflects their pan-European dimension and that is not just focused on France. Esdaile offers an account critical of Napoleon, whom he sees as an opportunist whose actions reveal a lack of a well-articulated strategy.
  276. Find this resource:
  277. Fremont-Barnes, Gregory, and Todd Fisher. The Napoleonic Wars: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. Oxford: Osprey, 2004.
  278. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  279. Originally published as four separate volumes in Osprey’s Essential Campaigns series, this compendium provides a concise survey of the Napoleonic Wars. It will be useful to undergraduate students or anyone interested in a quick overview of the period. The book is well illustrated with maps.
  280. Find this resource:
  281. Gates, David. The Napoleonic Wars, 1803–1815. London: Arnold, 1997.
  282. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  283. This book offers a thorough examination of the Napoleonic Wars. While accepting Napoleon’s abilities as a military commander, the author seeks to challenge the “Napoleon as a military genius” thesis. Overall, it is a satisfying but dense book that tends to betray the author’s decidedly British perspective.
  284. Find this resource:
  285. Harvey, Robert. The War of Wars: The Great European Conflict, 1793–1815. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2006.
  286. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  287. This is a general history of the Napoleonic Wars meant for enjoyment by a wide audience. Its narrative is lively and well paced, and the book effectively conveys the sheer range and scale of the action. However, it strongly emphasizes Britain’s role (while downplaying the contribution of the continental powers) in defeating Napoleon, who is portrayed as an egotistic adventurer.
  288. Find this resource:
  289. Armies and Leaders
  290. Thousands of volumes have been written about the Napoleonic era, and because the reader can choose from numerous biographies of major personalities (Napoleon, Emperor Alexander I of Russia, the Duke of Wellington, etc.), we will not attempt to list them here. Instead, this selection offers a broad overview of material for each side involved in the Napoleonic Wars.
  291. Austria
  292. Sheehan 1989 and Hochedlinger 2003 provide greater context for the narrative of Austria during the Napoleonic era. Kann 1974 contains an insightful chapter on the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras that can be used as a quick introduction to the period. Kraehe 1963 remains unrivaled in the author’s discussion of the efforts by Austria to counter Napoleonic hegemony. Langsam 1930 treats nationalism and patriotism in the Habsburg Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.
  293. Hochedlinger, Michael. Austria’s Wars of Emergence: War, State and Society in the Habsburg Monarchy, 1683–1797. Harlow, UK: Longman, 2003.
  294. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  295. This is the first comprehensive work on Austria’s military, administrative, and social structures in the early modern era. Although its narrative ends with the War of the First Coalition, the book provides important contextual information on the challenges Austria faced by the start of the Napoleonic Wars.
  296. Find this resource:
  297. Kann, Robert A. A History of the Habsburg Empire, 1526–1918. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1974.
  298. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  299. A general history of the Habsburg Empire since the 16th century, this book contains an insightful chapter 5 (pp. 156–242) on the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras, offering a discussion of the foreign affairs, economic policies, peasant question, and other issues of the empire.
  300. Find this resource:
  301. Kraehe, Enno E. Metternich’s German Policy. Vol. 1, The Contest with Napoleon, 1799–1814. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1963.
  302. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  303. A major study exploring Austrian efforts to counter Napoleonic hegemony. It should be considered in conjunction with Volume 2, The Congress of Vienna, 1814–1815.
  304. Find this resource:
  305. Langsam, Walter C. The Napoleonic Wars and German Nationalism in Austria. New York: Columbia University Press, 1930.
  306. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  307. Despite being somewhat obsolete in places, this book remains of considerable importance in treating the topics of nationalism and patriotism in the Habsburg Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.
  308. Find this resource:
  309. Sheehan, James. German History, 1770–1866. Oxford: Clarendon, 1989.
  310. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  311. The book offers an excellent survey of German history between 1770 and 1866 and is highly useful in providing background information on the German states during the Napoleonic Wars.
  312. Find this resource:
  313. Army
  314. The Austrian army of the Napoleonic Wars is, as one modern historian has put it, the “Cinderella” of the Napoleonic Wars. Despite playing one of the leading roles in the struggle against Napoleon, it has not received as close examination as has the French army. For a newcomer to the topic, the Osprey Series of booklets provides a concise introduction to the Austrian army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Most of the existing works concentrate on Archduke Charles, and few individual works are dedicated to the Habsburg army after his departure. Rothenberg 1982 remains the best overall study of the Austrian army. Precious details on the Austrian forces can be gleaned also in campaign histories by Frederick Schneid (see Schneid 2005, cited under War of the Third Coalition, 1805), John Gill (see Gill 2008, cited under War of the Fifth Coalition, 1809), and Michael Leggiere (see Leggiere 2007, cited under The Fall of France, 1814). Boerke 2009 offers a concise look at the Habsburg conscription system, while Hochedlinger 1999 and Hochedlinger 2001 help the reader to gain an appreciation of the Austrian officer corps.
  315. Boerke, Arthur. “Conscription in the Habsburg Empire to 1815.” In Conscription in the Napoleonic Era: A Revolution in Military Affairs? Edited by Donald J. Stoker, Frederick C. Schneid, and Harold Blanton, 66–83. London: Routledge, 2009.
  316. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  317. A concise and insightful examination of the Habsburg conscription policy through the Napoleonic Wars.
  318. Find this resource:
  319. Hochedlinger, Michael. “Mars Ennobled: The Ascent of the Military and the Creation of a Military Nobility in Mid-Eighteenth Century Austria.” German History 17.2 (1999): 141–176.
  320. DOI: 10.1191/026635599677031902Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  321. Although the article discusses the formation of the Austrian officer corps in the mid-18th century, its conclusions are equally applicable to the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods.
  322. Find this resource:
  323. Hochedlinger, Michael. “The Early Modern Cinderella.” Austrian History Yearbook 32 (2001): 207–213.
  324. DOI: 10.1017/S006723780001122XSave Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  325. An insightful look at, and critique of, the current state of historical research on the Habsburg Empire, calling for closer exploration of the Austrian military.
  326. Find this resource:
  327. Osprey Series. Oxford: Osprey, 1971–.
  328. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  329. The Osprey series of booklets (each less than sixty-eighty pages long) provides a concise introduction to the Austrian army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Among more than 150 titles, Austria-related titles include Men-at-Arms 176 and 181—“Austrian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (Parts 1 and 2)”; Elite 101—“Austrian Commanders of the Napoleonic Wars, 1792–1815”; and New Vanguard 72—“Austrian Napoleonic Artillery 1792–1815.”
  330. Find this resource:
  331. Rothenberg, Gunther E. Napoleon’s Great Adversary: The Archduke Charles and the Austrian Army, 1792–1814. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1982.
  332. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  333. A well-written military study by a distinguished scholar and expert on the Austrian military of the evolution of the Austrian army and the role of its best commander, the Archduke Charles, during the Napoleonic Wars from 1792 to 1814. The book offers an excellent description of the condition, equipment, tactics, and doctrines of the Austrian army during the Napoleonic Wars.
  334. Find this resource:
  335. Generals
  336. Llewellyn Cook is one of the leading English-language historians of the Austrian army, and his articles on various aspects of Austrian involvement in the Napoleonic Wars, especially in 1813–1814, can be found in the proceedings of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era, 1750–1850 (cited under Periodicals and Conference Proceedings). Cook 1999 is an insightful work on Prince Karl Philipp zu Schwarzenberg’s role in Austria’s struggle against Napoleon. Similarly, Eysturlid 2000 is useful in understanding Archduke Carl’s emergence as one of Napoleon’s greatest adversaries. This theme is further explored in Rothenberg 1982 (cited under Austria: Army), which discusses Austrian campaigns against Napoleon and Carl’s efforts to reform the Austrian army in the wake of painful defeats. Sked 2011 is the first English biography of the man who helped destroy Napoleon and preserve the Hapsburg Empire.
  337. Cook, Llewellyn. “Prince Karl Philipp zu Schwarzenberg and Napoleon: Franco-Austrian Relations, 1800–1815.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 1999.
  338. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  339. First major English-language study of Prince Karl Philipp zu Schwarzenberg’s role in the Napoleonic Wars.
  340. Find this resource:
  341. Eysturlid, Lee. The Formative Influences, Theories and Campaigns of the Archduke Carl of Austria. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2000.
  342. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  343. Explores Archduke Carl’s formative military education and experiences in examining the readings that formed the basis of his education and the instructors who exercised an influence over him. The author diligently analyzes Carl’s major works on military strategy and tactics and compares them to his actions and efforts during the 1796 and 1809 campaigns.
  344. Find this resource:
  345. Sked, Alan. Radetzky: Imperial Victor and Military Genius. London: I. B. Tauris, 2011.
  346. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  347. An in-depth study of the career of General Joseph Radetzky, who had served in Italy under the Archduke Charles in 1805, commanded a brigade during the War of the Fifth Coalition (1809), and served as the Austrian chief of the General Staff from 1809 to 1814, playing one of the lead roles in the allied war effort.
  348. Find this resource:
  349. Britain
  350. The staunchest of Napoleon’s enemies, Britain was the only nation to oppose France from the outbreak of the wars until their end. The historiography of the British involvement in the Napoleonic Wars is vast and multifaceted. Hall 1992 is a readable account of British strategy in the Napoleonic Wars, while Muir 1996 examines the diplomatic, financial, military, and political considerations that influenced the policies and priorities of British decision makers. Robson 2011 examines British involvement in the Peninsular War in the wider context, including British war aims and maritime strategy in South America. Sherwig 1969 remains a standard text on British financial involvement in the Napoleonic Wars. Semmel 2004 explores British perceptions of Napoleon, while Philp 2006 contains essays on British attitudes and on the changing nature of British political opposition to the war.
  351. Hall, Christopher D. British Strategy in the Napoleonic War, 1803–15. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1992.
  352. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  353. Concise and superbly readable, Hall’s book traces the development of the British strategy against Napoleon throughout the Napoleonic Wars. Backed by an excellent bibliography, the book discusses how successive British governments raised troops and money, deployed armies and fleets, and tried to exploit the best of their respective strategic options against Napoleonic France.
  354. Find this resource:
  355. Muir, Rory. Britain and the Defeat of Napoleon, 1807–1815. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1996.
  356. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  357. One of the best volumes on Britain in the Napoleonic Wars, this award-winning book explores the period covering the last third of Britain’s twenty-two-year struggle against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. It traces the course of the war through the British campaigns in Portugal and Spain, the invasion of southern France, and the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. The author offers a detailed examination of the diplomatic, financial, military, and political considerations that influenced the policies and priorities of British decision makers.
  358. Find this resource:
  359. Philp, Mark. Resisting Napoleon: The British Response to the Threat of Invasion, 1797–1815. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2006.
  360. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  361. This book is a collection of essays examining British attitudes to the wars, political propaganda, and the changing nature of political opposition to the war.
  362. Find this resource:
  363. Robson, Martin. Britain, Portugal and South America in the Napoleonic Wars: Alliances and Diplomacy in Economic Maritime Conflict. London: I. B. Tauris, 2011.
  364. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  365. This book examines British involvement in the Peninsular War in the wider context, as well as British war aims and maritime strategy in South America.
  366. Find this resource:
  367. Semmel, Stuart. Napoleon and the British. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2004.
  368. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  369. This book examines the role the French ruler played in the political, cultural, and religious imagination of the British in the early 19th century.
  370. Find this resource:
  371. Sherwig, John M. Guineas and Gunpowder: British Foreign Aid in the Wars with France, 1793–1815. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1969.
  372. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  373. Although it is more than four decades old, the book retains its value as one of the best sources on the British financial involvement in the Napoleonic Wars.
  374. Find this resource:
  375. Army
  376. When it comes to the history of the British army, Fortescue 1899–1926 is unrivaled in its scope and depth. For a newcomer to the topic, however, the Osprey Series of booklets provides a concise introduction to the British army and navy and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Coss 2010 offers a much more in-depth look at the British army, supported by diligent research into the available sources. It can be supplemented with Linch 2011, which delves into the topic of recruitment and its effect on society, and Muir, et al. 2006, which addresses many of the technical aspects of the army’s performance during the war. Moon 2011 explores the complex interrelationships among British field commanders, the archaic command structure, government bureaucracy, and public opinion. Burnham and McGuigan 2010 is a handy reference source on various aspects of the British army.
  377. Burnham, Robert, and Ron McGuigan. The British Army against Napoleon: Facts, Lists, and Trivia, 1805–1815. Barnsley, UK: Frontline, 2010.
  378. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  379. A handy reference source on various aspects of the British army, providing details on organization, seniority, regimental structure, daily life, casualties, and awards.
  380. Find this resource:
  381. Coss, Edward J. All for the King’s Shilling: The British Soldier under Wellington, 1808–1810. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2010.
  382. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  383. A fresh reexamination of the British army, this study draws on wide-ranging sources, including first-person accounts of Peninsular War participants, to offer a better understanding of the British soldiers’ social background, daily lives, combat experiences, and moral and behavioral code.
  384. Find this resource:
  385. Fortescue, Sir John. A History of the British Army. 20 vols. London: Macmillan, 1899–1926.
  386. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  387. A monumental work on the British army, Fortescue’s study traces the history of the British army from the Norman Conquest to World War I. The Napoleonic period is covered in Volumes 5 through 10. Despite occasional faults and disputed interpretations, this work remains one of the greatest masterpieces in the field of military history.
  388. Find this resource:
  389. Linch, Kevin. Britain and Wellington’s Army: Recruitment, Society and Tradition, 1807–15. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
  390. DOI: 10.1057/9780230316751Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  391. This is one of the most recent assessments of the British involvement in the Napoleonic Wars. Instead of discussing the British army’s operations, the author delves into the subject of how British troops were raised and what effect the war had on British society.
  392. Find this resource:
  393. Moon, Joshua Lee. Wellington’s Two-Front War: The Peninsular Campaigns at Home and Abroad, 1808–1814. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2011.
  394. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  395. This book traces the story of British field commander Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, during the six years of warfare against the French in Spain. It concentrates on his complex relationship with an archaic command structure, government bureaucracy, and public opinion.
  396. Find this resource:
  397. Muir, Rory, Robert Burnham, Howie Muir, and Ron McGuigan. Inside Wellington’s Army. Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Military, 2006.
  398. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  399. A collaborative effort of four historians, the book sheds light on some important but hitherto unexplored aspects of the Peninsular army, including how the British troops were raised, trained, maintained in the field, and deployed in battle.
  400. Find this resource:
  401. Osprey Series. Oxford: Osprey, 1971–.
  402. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  403. The Osprey series of booklets (each less than sixty-eighty pages long) provides a concise introduction to the British navy and army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Among more than 150 titles, Britain-related titles include New Vanguard 42—“British Napoleonic Ship-of-the-Line”; New Vanguard 60 and 65—“British Napoleonic Artillery, 1793–1815”; Warrior 20—“British Redcoat, 1793–1815”; Elite 164—“British Napoleonic Infantry Tactics, 1792–1815”; and Men-at-Arms 382 and 400—“Wellington’s Peninsular Regiments.”
  404. Find this resource:
  405. Wellington
  406. After Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington is probably the most recognized personality of the Napoleonic Wars, and the bibliography of his military career is, inevitably, a long one. Wellesley 1858–1872 is an essential source for the study of the general. Haythornthwaite 2007 and Hibbert 1997 are good introductory biographies that explore Wellington the man, while Glover 2001 is a concise study of Wellington the commander. Corrigan 2001 and Holmes 2003 contain astute analyses of Wellington’s life, while Davies 2012 is a fresh study of his early career. Weller 1999 is part of a well-written trilogy of books dedicated to the “Iron Duke.”
  407. Corrigan, Gordon. Wellington: A Military Life. London: Hambledon and London, 2001.
  408. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  409. A well-researched and-written book that offers a balanced military biography of the Duke of Wellington, the most successful of the British commanders and the one who has set a standard by which all subsequent British generals have been measured.
  410. Find this resource:
  411. Davies, Huw J. Wellington’s Wars: The Making of a Military Genius. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012.
  412. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  413. Drawing on extensive primary research, Davies discusses the early years of Wellington’s career in India, demonstrating how the British general learned the art of war.
  414. Find this resource:
  415. Glover, Michael. Wellington as Military Commander. New York: Penguin, 2001.
  416. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  417. A concise study of Wellington’s military career from the early years to Waterloo. The book also explores the contemporary British army.
  418. Find this resource:
  419. Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Wellington: The Iron Duke. Washington, DC: Potomac, 2007.
  420. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  421. This succinct study provides a basic overview of Wellington’s life and is useful as an introduction to the material for the newly interested reader.
  422. Find this resource:
  423. Hibbert, Christopher. Wellington: A Personal History. London: HarperCollins, 1997.
  424. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  425. A readable biography of the British general that focuses more on the personal aspects of Wellington’s career, such as his relationships with family and close friends.
  426. Find this resource:
  427. Holmes, Richard. Wellington: The Iron Duke. London: HarperCollins, 2003.
  428. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  429. A well-written study of the Iron Duke’s career, presenting a balanced and nuanced view of a man who was the quintessential military professional and a complex human being.
  430. Find this resource:
  431. Weller, Jac. Wellington in the Peninsula. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 1999.
  432. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  433. This is a readable work with important insights into the leadership of the famed British general and the British army in the Iberian Peninsula in general. It is the second volume in a trilogy dedicated to Wellington, with other volumes tracing the general’s early career (Wellington in India [London: Longman, 1972]) and his ultimate victory over Napoleon (Wellington at Waterloo [New York: Crowell, 1967]).
  434. Find this resource:
  435. Wellesley, Arthur. Duke of Wellington. Supplementary Despatches and Memoranda of Field Marshal Arthur, Duke of Wellington, K. G. 15 vols. London: J. Murray, 1858–1872.
  436. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  437. One of the essential sources for the study of the Duke of Wellington’s military career, this compilation contains his letters, orders, and other documents. The first six volumes cover Wellesley’s service in India, Ireland, Denmark, and Portugal. Volumes 7 through 8 contain documents on the Peninsular War, Volume 9 covers the Congress of Vienna, Volume 10 treats the Waterloo campaign, and Volumes 11 and 12 deal with the occupation of France by the victorious allies.
  438. Find this resource:
  439. Generals
  440. The Napoleonic Wars produced many excellent British generals and naval commanders. The foremost among the latter is Horatio Nelson, whose victory at Trafalgar dashed Napoleon’s hopes of invading England. Numerous biographies of Nelson are available, and Knight 2005 is one of the most recent, introducing the reader not just to the admiral’s career, but also to the society, institutions, and navy from which he sprang. Cordingly 2007 deals with Admiral Thomas Cochrane, one of the most colorful British naval commanders, while McCranie 2006 explores the life of Admiral Lord Keith, a less familiar but nevertheless very capable commander. Heathcote 2010 is an informative and entertaining book that features short biographies of forty senior officers who served under the Duke of Wellington, while Hill 2011 explores the life of General Rowland Hill, one of the most prominent British commanders.
  441. Cordingly, David. Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander. New York: Bloomsbury, 2007.
  442. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  443. An informative biography of one of the most colorful British admirals, who distinguished himself fighting against the French navy and later took part in the liberation of Chile, Peru, and Brazil.
  444. Find this resource:
  445. Heathcote, T. A. Wellington’s Peninsular War Generals and Their Battles: A Biographical and Historical Dictionary. Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Military, 2010.
  446. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  447. This informative and entertaining book features short biographies of forty senior officers (divisional commanders, principal staff officers, and heads of supporting arms and services) who served under the Duke of Wellington during the six-year Peninsular War.
  448. Find this resource:
  449. Hill, Joanna. Wellington’s Right Hand: Rowland, Viscount Hill. Stroud, UK: Spellmount, 2011.
  450. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  451. An accessible biography of the British general Rowland Hill, who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars in fighting at Roliça, Corunna, Talavera, Bussaco, Almarez, Vitoria, and Waterloo.
  452. Find this resource:
  453. Knight, Roger. The Pursuit of Victory: The Life and Achievement of Horatio Nelson. New York: Basic, 2005.
  454. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  455. This superbly researched book informs readers not only of the life and career of Horatio Nelson, but also of the society, institutions, and navy from which he sprang.
  456. Find this resource:
  457. McCranie, Kevin D. Admiral Lord Keith and the Naval War against Napoleon. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2006.
  458. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  459. First modern biography of the British admiral who commanded four major fleets through the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Although he never led a fleet into battle, Admiral Keith provided crucial support to the British army and its allies and maintained the British command of the sea.
  460. Find this resource:
  461. France
  462. For a newcomer to the topic, the Osprey Series of booklets provides a concise introduction to the French army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Blonde 1997 is a readable history of Napoleon’s fearsome army, and Elting 1988 is unmatched for its details on the internal workings of the Grande Armée. Blaufarb 2002 is useful for its discussion of the transformation of the French military profession in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Hughes 2012 explores how Napoleonic military culture shaped the motivation of Napoleon’s soldiers. Forrest 1989 examines the impact of conscription on French society and the popular response to Napoleon’s conscription policy, while Forrest 2002 discusses the soldiers’ perceptions of military service and the impact of military service and conscription on the individual. Dague 2006 is noteworthy for its examination of the military administration of the First Empire.
  463. Blaufarb, Rafe. The French Army, 1750–1820: Careers, Talent, Merit. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2002.
  464. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  465. Explores the transformation of the French military profession in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Based on thorough archival research, this book is as much a social history of ideas such as equality, talent, and merit as a history of the French military.
  466. Find this resource:
  467. Blonde, Georges. La Grande Armée. London: Arms and Armour, 1997.
  468. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  469. A translation of the French classic, this book provides a narrative history of the French imperial army from 1805 to 1815. It is well written and appropriate for those beginning the study of Napoleonic military history.
  470. Find this resource:
  471. Dague, Everett. Napoleon and the First Empire’s Ministries of War and Military Administration. Lewiston, NY: E. Mellen, 2006.
  472. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  473. This is one of a handful titles that provides detailed treatment of the military administration of the First Empire.
  474. Find this resource:
  475. Elting, John R. Swords around a Throne: Napoleon’s Grande Armée. New York: Free Press, 1988.
  476. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  477. Authored by one of the foremost historians of the Napoleonic Wars, this engaging book offers a detailed look into Napoleon’s army, with chapters on combat units, engineering corps, medical personnel, penal battalions, logistical officers, and vivandières.
  478. Find this resource:
  479. Forrest, Alan. Conscripts and Deserters: The French Army and Society during the Revolution and Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
  480. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  481. Written by one of the foremost historians on the topic, this book examines the impact of conscription on French society and the popular response to Napoleon’s conscription policy.
  482. Find this resource:
  483. Forrest, Alan. Napoleon’s Men: The Soldiers of the Revolution and Empire. London: Hambledon and London, 2002.
  484. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  485. The author utilized letters from French soldiers to discuss their perceptions of military service and the impact of military service and conscription on the individual. Highly recommend, especially in combination with Forrest 1989.
  486. Find this resource:
  487. Hughes, Michael J. Forging Napoleon’s Grande Armée: Motivation, Military Culture, and Masculinity in the French Army, 1800–1808. New York: New York University Press, 2012.
  488. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  489. This pioneering study explores how Napoleonic military culture shaped the motivation of Napoleon’s soldiers. Relying on extensive archival research and blending cultural and military history, Hughes demonstrates that the Napoleonic regime incorporated elements from both the Old Regime and French Revolutionary military culture to craft a new military culture.
  490. Find this resource:
  491. Osprey Series. Oxford: Osprey, 1971–.
  492. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  493. The Osprey series of booklets (each less than sixty-eighty pages long) provides a concise introduction to the French army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Among more than 150 titles, France-related titles include Elite 159—“French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics, 1792–1815”; Men-at-Arms 44, 90, 106, 122—“Napoleon’s German Allies”; Men-at-Arms 88—“Napoleon’s Italian Troops”; Men-at-Arms 141—“Napoleon’s Line Infantry”; and Men-at-Arms 378—“Napoleon’s Guards of Honor.”
  494. Find this resource:
  495. Napoleon
  496. The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars produced a pleiad of talented military commanders whose accomplishments greatly contributed to France’s initial victories. Napoleon Bonaparte was undoubtedly the most talented commander of the age, but he also surrounded himself with a group of capable subordinates. Hundreds of volumes have been written on Napoleon, and the selection below touches upon only a few noteworthy works focusing on his military prowess. Napoleon 1858–1870 is the penultimate work for any research on Napoleon, containing thousands of letters, decrees, orders, and other documents. However, the set is not without flaws and will soon be largely replaced by Napoleon 2004–2012, which provides an annotated edition of Napoleon’s correspondence. Marshall-Cornwall 2002 and Riley 2007 provide a good introduction to Napoleon’s methods and operations, while Chandler 1966 and Paret 1986 offer concise and masterful explorations of Napoleon’s art of war. Wartenburg 1902 contrasts the practice of Napoleon with his theories on war. Bonura 2012 is an insightful study of the impact Napoleon had on American military thinking.
  497. Bonura, Michael A. Under the Shadow of Napoleon: French Influence on the American Way of Warfare from the War of 1812 to the Outbreak of WW II. New York: New York University Press, 2012.
  498. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  499. The author examines concrete battlefield tactics, army regulations, and theoretical works (army education manuals, professional journals, and the popular press) to trace the influence of Napoleon’s military legacy on the American way of war.
  500. Find this resource:
  501. Chandler, David. “Napoleon’s Art of War.” In The Campaigns of Napoleon. Edited by David Chandler, 133–201. New York: Scribner, 1966.
  502. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  503. Written by a distinguished historian of the Napoleonic Wars, this chapter offers a concise yet insightful overview of Napoleon’s art of war that features useful illustrations of Napoleon’s tactics and strategy.
  504. Find this resource:
  505. Connelly, Owen. Blundering to Glory: Napoleon’s Military Campaigns. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 1984.
  506. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  507. This contentious book challenges the prevailing notion of Napoleon as a military genius and instead argues that the French emperor simply “blundered to glory” as a result of a fortuitous turn of events and of mistakes made by Napoleon’s enemies.
  508. Find this resource:
  509. Marshall-Cornwall, James Handyside. Napoleon as Military Commander. London: Penguin, 2002.
  510. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  511. Discusses Napoleon’s military campaigns, starting with the Italian campaign and ending with Waterloo. It can serve as a good introductory text for undergraduate students. Originally published in 1967.
  512. Find this resource:
  513. Napoleon, Emperor of the French. La Correspondance de Napoleon ler. 32 vols. Paris: Imprimeries Imperiales, 1858–1870.
  514. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  515. One of the fundamental sources for any research on Napoleon or the Napoleonic wars, this is a thirty-two volume set that contains thousands of Napoleon’s letters, decrees, and instructions. The set was published on the orders of Napoleon’s nephew, Emperor Napoleon III, and, as an official publication, it was subject to an editorial policy that suppressed or edited documents that could have cast a negative light on the emperor.
  516. Find this resource:
  517. Napoleon, Emperor of the French. Correspondance générale. 9 vols. Paris: Fayard, 2004–2012.
  518. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  519. In 2002, Fondation Napoléon, the premier French organization dedicated to the preservation of Napoleonic heritage, launched an ambitious plan to publish a new (and annotated) edition of Napoleon’s correspondence. Since 2004, the foundation has published nine volumes containing tens of thousands of letters, more than one-third of them hitherto unpublished. Publication efforts are ongoing.
  520. Find this resource:
  521. Paret, Peter. “Napoleon and the Revolution in War.” In Makers of Modern Strategy: From Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age. Edited by Peter Paret, 123–142. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986.
  522. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  523. This article provides a concise but insightful analysis of Napoleon’s impact on the evolution of strategic thought.
  524. Find this resource:
  525. Riley, Jonathan P. Napoleon as a General. London: Hambledon Continuum, 2007.
  526. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  527. Explores Napoleon as a military commander by examining his campaigns. Although a good introductory text, it does suffer from a tendency to overestimate the role of Britain and the British army in the defeat of Napoleon.
  528. Find this resource:
  529. Wartenburg, Count Maximilian Yorck von. Napoleon as a General. London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1902.
  530. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  531. A classic study of Napoleon as a military commander, examining Napoleonic strategy and the issues that influenced his key decisions. Its narrative contrasts the practice of Napoleon with his theories on war.
  532. Find this resource:
  533. Marshals
  534. Chandler 1987 is a good starting point for a study of Napoleon’s marshals, and it can be supplemented with Banc 2007, which contains considerable details on each marshal. A handful of Napoleon’s marshals, notably Masséna, Davout, Ney, and Murat, garner most of the limelight and are the subject of a great number of studies. Gallaher 1976 is undoubtedly the best English-language biography of Marshal Davout, discussing his private life and his military career. Tulard 1999 is among the best biographies of Marshal Tulard, though it does lack in-depth discussion of the marshal’s military prowess. For Marshal Ney, Atteridge 2005 is a good starting point—in recent years Wayne Hanley of West Chester University has published a series of articles in the proceedings of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era, 1750–1850 (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) (cited under Periodicals and Conference Proceedings) reassessing Ney’s military career. Marshall-Cornwall 1965 remains a standard biography of Marshal Masséna. It is curious, however, that a biography of Alexandre Berthier, Napoleon’s famed chief of staff, is not available in English, except for a short chapter in Chandler 1987. Eidahl 1990 is the sole English-language biography of Marshal Oudinot, while Chrisawn 2001 traces the life and career of Marshal Lannes.
  535. Atteridge, A. Hilliard. Marshal Ney: The Bravest of the Brave. Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Military, 2005.
  536. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  537. Originally published in 1912, this book provides a concise overview of the marshal’s military career.
  538. Find this resource:
  539. Banc, Jean-Claude. Dictionnaire des maréchaux de Napoléon. Paris: Pygmalion, 2007.
  540. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  541. A useful reference source on Napoleon’s marshals containing numerous details on various aspects of their lives and military careers.
  542. Find this resource:
  543. Chandler, David, ed. Napoleon’s Marshals. New York: Macmillan, 1987.
  544. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  545. Written by a team of military historians, this book consists of essays devoted to each of the twenty-six marshals. Each essay provides a succinct overview and an assessment of the life and career of each of the marshals.
  546. Find this resource:
  547. Chrisawn, Margaret Scott. The Emperor’s Friend: Marshal Jean Lannes. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2001.
  548. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  549. A well-written biography of one of the best of Napoleon’s marshals.
  550. Find this resource:
  551. Eidahl, Kyle. “The Military Career of Nicolas Charles Oudinot, 1767–1847.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 1990.
  552. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  553. A major study of Marshal Oudinot’s life and career based on French archival documents and primary sources.
  554. Find this resource:
  555. Gallaher, John G. The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1976.
  556. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  557. This book remains the best English-language biography of the Iron Marshal, who, in the words of one historian, the late David Chandler, was “the least liked as a man, the ablest as a commander, and the most feared—and respected—as an adversary.”
  558. Find this resource:
  559. Marshall-Cornwall, James Handyside. Marshal Massena. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965.
  560. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  561. A standard English-language biography of “l’enfant chéri de la victoire.”
  562. Find this resource:
  563. Tulard, Jean. Murat. Paris: Fayard, 1999.
  564. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  565. One of the best general biographies of the most flamboyant of Napoleon’s marshals.
  566. Find this resource:
  567. Generals
  568. The history of Napoleon’s armies includes a number of biographies of generals who rose from the ranks to lead divisions and corps. Six 1934 and Pigeard 1996 (both cited under Specialized References) contain sufficient biographical details on hundreds of generals, but Bertaud 1986 is one of the few analytical studies of the Napoleonic officer corps; additional details can be gleaned in Blaufarb 2002 and Forrest 1989 (both cited under France). Bonura 2006 explores General Kellermann’s career in the concluding years of the Napoleonic Wars. Gallaher 2008 is the sole English-language biography of General Dominique Vandamme, and Oman 1966 remains a standard account of Eugène de Beauharnais’s life and exploits. Hundreds of French generals distinguished themselves during the Napoleonic Wars but few of them found biographers. The life of General Dominique Compans, who had distinguished himself commanding a division in Marshal Davout’s corps, can be explored in Ternaux-Compans 1912. Girod de l’Ain 1895 and Thoumas 1890 are useful for lesser-known generals of the Grande Armée.
  569. Bertaud, Jean-Paul. “Napoleon’s Officers.” Past and Present 112 (1986): 91–111.
  570. DOI: 10.1093/past/112.1.91Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  571. An analytical study of the Napoleonic officer corps, offering fascinating insights into its internal dynamics and social composition.
  572. Find this resource:
  573. Bonura, Michael A. “The Military Career of General François-Étienne Kellermann, Cavalryman of the Empire from 1813 through 1815.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006.
  574. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  575. Famous for his daring and skillful exploits during the Napoleonic Wars, Kellermann was the son of Marshal François Christophe Kellermann. He had served with great distinction in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, distinguishing himself at battles at Marengo (1800), Austerlitz (1805), and Quatre Bras (1815). This study is the sole English-language work exploring Kellermann’s career.
  576. Find this resource:
  577. Gallaher, John G. Napoleon’s Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2008.
  578. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  579. The first English-language biography of General Vandamme, tracing his military career in research based on primary and archival sources.
  580. Find this resource:
  581. Girod de l’Ain, Maurice. Grands artilleurs: Drouot—Senarmont—Eblé. Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1895.
  582. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  583. An insightful study of three distinguished French generals who commanded artillery and engineering forces. The book also contains the generals’ letters and reports.
  584. Find this resource:
  585. Oman, Carola. Napoleon’s Viceroy: Eugène de Beauharnais. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1966.
  586. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  587. A classic study of the life and career of Eugène de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s stepson and viceroy of Italy.
  588. Find this resource:
  589. Ternaux-Compans, Nicolas Dominique Maurice. Le général Compans, 1769–1845: D’après ses notes de campagnes et sa correspondance de 1812 à 1813. Paris: Plon-Nourrit, 1912.
  590. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  591. A detailed biography of a talented French general who had distinguished himself as a divisional commander in Marshal Louis Nicolas Davout’s corps.
  592. Find this resource:
  593. Thoumas, Charles. Les grands cavaliers du Premier Empire. Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1890.
  594. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  595. A study of the great cavalry commanders of the Grande Armée, containing essays on Generals Lasalle, Kellermann, Montbrun, Colbert, and others.
  596. Find this resource:
  597. German States
  598. The Confederation of the Rhine, established in 1806, played an important role in the Napoleonic Wars, contributing contingents to Napoleon’s forces. Sauzey 1902–1912 remains unmatched in its scope as it examines the contribution of various German states. Essays in Forrest and Wilson 2009 discuss both French imperium and political culture in the German states as well as German experiences of the war. For individual states, the reader can turn to Anderson 1991, Berding 2011, and Cronenberg 1990, which provide detailed insights into the experiences of Nassau, Westphalia, and Bavaria.
  599. Anderson, Barbara C. “State-Building and Bureaucracy in Early Nineteenth-Century Nassau.” Central European History 24.3 (1991): 222–247.
  600. DOI: 10.1017/S0008938900019026Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  601. A useful overview of the Napoleonic impact on the state of Nassau.
  602. Find this resource:
  603. Berding, Helmut. Napoleonische Herrschafts- und Gesellschaftspolitik im Königreich Westfalen, 1807–1813, und Gesellschaftspolitik im Königreich Westfalen, 1807–1813. Göttingen, Germany: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 2011.
  604. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  605. A solid overview of the Kingdom of Westphalia in 1807–1813.
  606. Find this resource:
  607. Cronenberg, Allen T. “Montgelas and the Reorganization of Napoleonic Bavaria.” In The Consortium on Revolutionary Europe, 1750–1850: Proceedings, 1989, to Commemorate the Bicentennial of the French Revolution. Edited by Donald D. Horward and John C. Horgan, 712–719. Tallahassee: Florida State University, 1990.
  608. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  609. Discusses the rapid changes experienced in Bavaria in the first decade of the 19th century, with particular focus on Maximilian Joseph von Montgelas, a shrewd and brilliant chief minister to the Bavarian ruler.
  610. Find this resource:
  611. Forrest, Alan I., and Peter H. Wilson, ed. The Bee and the Eagle: Napoleonic France and the End of the Holy Roman Empire, 1806. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
  612. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  613. This compilation of essays explores the fall of the Holy Roman Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. The authors discuss French imperium and political culture as well as German experiences of the war.
  614. Find this resource:
  615. Sauzey, Jean. Les allemandes sous les aigles françaises: Essai sur les troupes de la Confédération du Rhin, 1806–1814. 6 vols. Paris: R. Chapelot, 1902–1912.
  616. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  617. A major study of the participation of German troops from the Confederation of the Rhine in the Napoleonic Wars. Volume 2 deals with contingents from Baden, Volume 3 with troops from Saxony, and Volumes 5 and 6 explore regiments from Bavaria, Hesse, and Nassau.
  618. Find this resource:
  619. Prussia
  620. The Napoleonic Wars marked a turning point in the history of Prussia, which suffered a devastating defeat in 1806. Most of the major studies of this moment in Prussian history are in German, but English-language historiography boasts some important titles as well, and the Prussian army has received increasing attention in the past two decades. Clark 2006 offers a broad survey of Prussian history and places the Napoleonic Wars in the greater historical context. Craig 1979 is superb in its examination of civil-military relations in Prussia before and after the Napoleonic conquest, while Simms 1997 is a masterful study of Prussia’s response to France’s expansion prior to 1806. Stein’s importance in reforming Prussia after 1806 has been emphasized in Ford 1922. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher remains the most famous of the Prussian generals, but English historians tend to ignore him. Parkinson 1975 is a standard but rather flawed English-language biography of Blücher. Count Friedrich Bülow was more fortunate and Leggiere 1997 offers a detailed biography of this general.
  621. Clark, Christopher M. Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600–1947. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2006.
  622. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  623. A masterfully written history of the rise of Prussia from the devastations of the Thirty Years War through the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Chapters 9–11 discuss Napoleon’s destructive conquest and its aftermath.
  624. Find this resource:
  625. Craig, Gordon A. The Politics of the Prussian Army, 1640–1945. London: Oxford University Press, 1979.
  626. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  627. Arguably the best study on this topic, the book still retains its value despite almost six decades having passed since its publication. Craig traces the civil-military relations of the Prussian state beginning with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, arguing that the army was the keystone and guardian of the Prussian monarchy and its conservative social order. Originally published in 1955.
  628. Find this resource:
  629. Ford, Guy S. Stein and the Era of Reform in Prussia, 1807–1815. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1922.
  630. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  631. A classic study of one of the great Prussian statesmen of the 19th century. In the wake of the humiliating defeat in 1806, King Frederick William III was willing to take the counsel of Stein, who offered a far-visioned statesmanship and implemented masterful reforms that laid the foundation for modern Germany.
  632. Find this resource:
  633. Leggiere, Michael V. “The Life, Letters and Campaigns of Friedrich Wilhelm Graf Bülow von Dennewitz, 1755–1816.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 1997.
  634. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  635. An in-depth two-volume study of a Prussian general who had distinguished himself in 1813–1815 campaigns, contributing to the allied victory over Napoleon at Waterloo.
  636. Find this resource:
  637. Parkinson, Roger. The Hussar General: The Life of Blücher, Man of Waterloo. London: P. Davies, 1975.
  638. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  639. A standard but flawed English-language biography of the Prussian general.
  640. Find this resource:
  641. Simms, Brendan. The Impact of Napoleon: Prussian High Politics, Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Executive, 1797–1806. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
  642. DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511583032Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  643. Drawing on a vast array of sources, this book examines Prussia’s response to French expansionism in the years before the crushing defeats of Auerstadt and Jena.
  644. Find this resource:
  645. Army
  646. For a newcomer to the topic, the Osprey Series of booklets provides a concise introduction to the Prussian army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Showalter 1994 examines the Prussian military on the eve of the 1806 campaign, while Shanahan 1945 and White 1989 examine Prussian military reforms in the first decade of the 19th century. Paret 1966 focuses on the transformation of the Prussian army in the wake of the 1806 debacle, while Colmar 2005 looks at the Prussian collapse in 1806 and “redemption” in the spring of 1807. Walter 2009 examines the Prussian conscription system, and Leggiere 1994 and Leggiere 2001 offer insights into the development of the Landwehr forces.
  647. Colmar, Freiherr von der Goltz. Jena to Eylau: The Disgrace and the Redemption of the Old-Prussian Army: A Study in Military History. Uckfield, UK: Naval and Military Press, 2005
  648. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  649. Provides an analysis of the Prussian army’s collapse in 1806 and subsequent vital contribution at Eylau in 1807. Originally published in 1913.
  650. Find this resource:
  651. Leggiere, Michael V. “Soldiers or Serfs? The Role of the Prussian Landwehr in the Campaign of 1815.” Consortium on Revolutionary Europe (1994): 653–660.
  652. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  653. The article examines the Prussian efforts to utilize Landwehr forces during the concluding campaign of the Napoleonic Wars.
  654. Find this resource:
  655. Leggiere, Michael V. “Peasants on Bareback Horses: The Prussian Landwehr in 1813.” Consortium on Revolutionary Europe (2001): 256–268.
  656. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  657. Examines the Prussian use of the Landwehr forces during the War of German Liberation in 1813.
  658. Find this resource:
  659. Osprey Series. Oxford: Osprey, 1971–.
  660. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  661. The Osprey series of booklets (each less than sixty-eighty pages long) provides a concise introduction to the Austrian army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Among more than 150 titles, Prussia-related titles include Elite 182—“Prussian Napoleonic tactics, 1792–1815”; Warrior 62—“Prussian Regular Infantryman, 1808–1815”; MAA 149—“Prussian Light Infantry, 1792–1815”; MAA 152—“Prussian Line Infantry, 1792–1815”; MAA 172—“Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars, 1807–1815”; and MAA 381—“Prussian Staff and Specialist Troops, 1791–1815.”
  662. Find this resource:
  663. Paret, Peter. Yorck and the Era of Prussian Reform, 1807–1815. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1966.
  664. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  665. Discusses the Prussian military reforms in the wake of the debacle of 1806.
  666. Find this resource:
  667. Shanahan, William. Prussian Military Reform, 1789–1813. New York: Columbia University Press, 1945.
  668. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  669. Despite its date, this book remains one of the key texts on the subject in offering an interpretive and analytical overview of the origins and course of Prussian military reforms before and after the debacle of 1806.
  670. Find this resource:
  671. Showalter, Dennis. “Hubertusberg to Auerstädt: The Prussian Army in Decline?” German History 12 (1994): 308–330.
  672. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  673. Examines the Prussian military performance in the concluding decades of the 18th century and questions whether the Prussian army was in decline by 1806 when it suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of Napoleon. It offers a lucid discussion of military improvements and a comparison with French capabilities.
  674. Find this resource:
  675. Walter, Dierk. “Meeting the French Challenge: Conscription in Prussia, 1807–1815.” In Conscription in the Napoleonic Era: A Revolution in Military Affairs? Edited by Donald J. Stoker, Frederick Schneid, and Harold Blanton, 24–45. London: Routledge, 2009.
  676. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  677. A succinct reconstruction of the Prussian conscription system in the wake of the 1806 catastrophe.
  678. Find this resource:
  679. White, Charles. The Enlightened Soldier: Scharnhorst and the Militärische Gesellschaft in Berlin, 1801–1805. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1989.
  680. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  681. A masterful study of the most important Prussian military reformer, who founded the Militarische Gesellschaft (Military Society) and later turned it into the focal point for the transformation of the Prussian army. The book examines the military society’s membership, agenda, and contributions.
  682. Find this resource:
  683. Russia
  684. Russia was among the staunchest enemies of Napoleon, participating in almost all coalitions formed to contain France. Adams 2006 and Lieven 2009 are superb in discussing Russia’s importance in the Napoleonic Wars, and these works offer many fresh insights on the political and military side. Hartley 2008 is useful for its discussion of traditional topics on army development, conscription, and the officer corps, as well as the impact of the wars on civilians and on Russian culture and identity. Proper studies of Russian military commanders remain lacking and only the most prominent generals have been the subject of biographical studies. The life of the most famous of the Russian generals, Mikhail Kutuzov, can be studied in Parkinson 1976, a flawed but useful work. Troitskii 2002 reassesses Kutuzov’s career, challenging many of the myths that still surround his name and offering a more critical analysis. Josselson 1980 is a standard English-language biography of Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, while Mikaberidze 2003 offers an in-depth military biography of Prince Peter Bagration.
  685. Adams, Michael. Napoleon and Russia. London: Hambledon Continuum, 2006.
  686. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  687. This well-written and thoroughly researched book offers a broad study of the complicated diplomatic relationship between France and Russia.
  688. Find this resource:
  689. Hartley, Janet M. Russia, 1762–1825: Military Power, the State, and the People. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2008.
  690. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  691. This is one of the most recent studies of the Russian army and society, offering a sweeping analysis and insightful details on Russia at war. The author discusses not only army development, conscription, and the officer corps, but also the costs of war, the impact on civilians, and Russian culture and identity.
  692. Find this resource:
  693. Josselson, Michael. The Commander: A Life of Barclay de Tolly. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980.
  694. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  695. A classic English-language biography of Barclay de Tolly, well-written and accessible but partisan in favor of its subject.
  696. Find this resource:
  697. Lieven, Dominic. Russia against Napoleon: The True Story of the Campaigns of War and Peace. New York: Viking, 2009.
  698. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  699. This is probably the best single-volume treatment of Russia’s struggle against Napoleon. Written by an eminent historian, the book incorporates numerous primary and archival sources to upend much of the conventional wisdom about the Russian involvement in the Napoleonic Wars. Highly recommended.
  700. Find this resource:
  701. Mikaberidze, Alexander. “‘The Lion of the Russian Army’: Life and Military Career of General Prince Peter Bagration, 1765–1812.” 2 vols. PhD diss., Florida State University, 2003.
  702. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  703. This is the first scholarly biography of Bagration in the English language. Based on archival research, it offers fresh insights on the Russian war effort and Bagration’s role in it.
  704. Find this resource:
  705. Parkinson, Roger. The Fox of the North: The Life of Kutuzov, General of War and Peace. New York: D. McKay, 1976.
  706. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  707. The only English-language biography of this famed general, Parkinson’s book tends to be partisan in favor of its subject, but it is written in an accessible manner and a graceful style.
  708. Find this resource:
  709. Troitskii, Nikolai. Feldmarshal Kutuzov: Mify i fakty. Moscow: Tsentroligraf, 2002.
  710. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  711. A reassessment of the famous Russian field marshal’s career, challenging many of the myths that still surround his name and offering a more critical analysis.
  712. Find this resource:
  713. Army
  714. Keep 1985 remains a go-to source for the development of the Russian military in the 18th–19th centuries. For a newcomer to the topic, however, the Osprey Series of booklets provides a concise introduction to the Russian army and can be used as a first stepping stone to further research. Leonov and Ulyanov 1997 provides a useful overview of the Russian army’s evolution during the Napoleonic Wars. Ulyanov 2008 and Zhmodikov and Zhmodikov 2003 are essential for understanding Russian tactics, while Tselorungo 2002 offers a unique insight into the Russian officer corps and contains important quantitative data.
  715. Keep, John L. Soldiers of the Tsar: Army and Society in Russia, 1462–1874. Oxford: Clarendon, 1985.
  716. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  717. A classic study of the development of the Russian military between the 17th and 19th centuries. Highly recommended.
  718. Find this resource:
  719. Leonov, Oleg, and Ilya Ulyanov. Regulyarnaya pekhota, 1801–1855. Moscow: AST, 1997.
  720. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  721. Offers a concise history of the Russian army in the first half of the 19th century, tracing its structural reforms and performance.
  722. Find this resource:
  723. Osprey Series. Oxford: Osprey, 1971–.
  724. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  725. The Osprey series of booklets (each less than sixty-eighty pages long) provides a concise introduction to the Austrian army and can be used as first stepping stone to further research. Among more than 150 titles, Russia-related titles include Warrior 51—“Russian Grenadiers and Infantry, 1799–1815”; Warrior 67—“Cossacks, 1799–1815”; MAA 185—“The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars: Infantry, 1799–1814”; and MAA 189—“The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars: Cavalry.”
  726. Find this resource:
  727. Tselorungo, Dmitri. Ofitsery russkoĭ armii—Uchastniki Borodinskogo srazheniia: Istoriko-sotsiologicheskoe issledovanie. Moscow: Kalita, 2002.
  728. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  729. A thorough, quantitative sociological study of the Russian officer corps based on meticulous research of thousands of records of service.
  730. Find this resource:
  731. Ulyanov, Ilya. 1812: Russkaya pekhota v boyu. Moscow: EKSMO, 2008.
  732. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  733. Focuses on the Russian infantry’s training and tactical performance in battle.
  734. Find this resource:
  735. Zhmodikov, Alexander, and Yurii Zhmodikov. Tactics of the Russian Army in the Napoleonic Wars. 2 vols. West Chester, OH: Nafziger, 2003.
  736. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  737. The only English-language study of Russian tactics during the Napoleonic Wars, incorporating details from dozens of primary sources and presenting a comprehensive picture of the Russian army’s attempts to adapt to the French challenge.
  738. Find this resource:
  739. War of the Third Coalition, 1805
  740. The War of the Third Coalition, which culminated in the battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805, marked the end of Austrian influence in Germany with the demise of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 and the consolidation of French hegemony in Italy and the Low Countries. Schneid 2005 provides a solid and balanced overview of the campaign, while Flayhart 1992 focuses on the largely ignored theater of war in southern Italy. Duffy 1977 is a classic examination of the battle but it has been largely replaced by Chandler 1990 and Castle 2002, which offer concise histories of the battle suitable for newcomers to the subject. Goetz 2005 is one of the best studies of the battle, and it revises many previously held misconceptions. Kagan 2005 offers a broad yet thorough survey of the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars and the ensuing War of the Third Coalition, but the author’s discussion is often influenced by the modern-day political discourse dealing with “rogue states” and with the issue of assertive foreign policy.
  741. Castle, Ian. Austerlitz 1805: The Fate of Empires. Oxford: Osprey, 2002.
  742. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  743. A concise and well-written introduction to the 1805 campaign. The account of the battle occupies four chapters and helps to give the reader a firm grasp of the events.
  744. Find this resource:
  745. Chandler, David. Austerlitz 1805: Battle of the Emperors. Oxford: Osprey, 1990.
  746. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  747. Written by one of the leading Napoleonic authorities, this title offers a concise and enjoyable account of the battle. The book is well illustrated, especially with maps.
  748. Find this resource:
  749. Duffy, Christopher. Austerlitz, 1805. Hamden, CT: Archon, 1977.
  750. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  751. A classic work by a reputable historian. It can be used as an introductory work but has been largely eclipsed by Castle 2002 and Goetz 2005.
  752. Find this resource:
  753. Flayhart, William. Counterpoint to Trafalgar: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Naples, 1805–1806. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1992.
  754. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  755. Discusses what is often considered a little-known sidelight of the War of the Third Coalition—the Anglo-Russian invasion of southern Italy. The book is well researched and written and excels in describing difficulties involved in mounting a joint amphibious expedition in the early 19th century.
  756. Find this resource:
  757. Goetz, Robert. 1805, Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Destruction of the Third Coalition. London: Greenhill, 2005.
  758. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  759. One of the best accounts existing on the battle of Austerlitz. The book offers an in-depth combat study of the battle and revises many previously held misconceptions. Highly recommended.
  760. Find this resource:
  761. Kagan, Frederick W. The End of the Old Order: Napoleon and Europe, 1801–1805. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2005.
  762. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  763. Thoroughly researched and well written, this book offers a broad survey of the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars in 1802–1805 and the ensuing War of the Third Coalition, but the narrative is often influenced by the modern-day political discourse on “rogue states” and the issue of assertive foreign policy.
  764. Find this resource:
  765. Schneid, Frederick C. Napoleon’s Conquest of Europe: The War of the Third Coalition. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005.
  766. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  767. This is one of the most recent studies of the campaign, based on judicious use of sources from both sides. Highly recommended.
  768. Find this resource:
  769. The Conquest of Prussia, 1806
  770. Napoleon’s campaign against Prussia is sometimes described as the original blitzkrieg that stunned contemporaries with the swiftness with which it unfolded and the shattering defeat it delivered to one of the European powers. Despite their dates, Petre 1907 and Maude 1998 remain useful in acquiring an understanding of this war, while Paret 2009 offers concise but enlightening analysis of Prussia’s effort to recover from defeat. Foucart 1887 is essential for examining the French perspective on the war, while Höpfner 1850–1851 and Lettow-Vorbeck 1892 remain standard texts for the Prussian perspective.
  771. Foucart, P. J. Campagne de Prusse, 1806: Jéna. Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1887.
  772. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  773. A detailed study of the French conquest of Prussia based on French archival documents.
  774. Find this resource:
  775. Höpfner, Eduard von. Der Krieg von 1806 und 1807. 4 vols. Berlin: S. Schrop, 1850–1851.
  776. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  777. This is a dense and highly detailed study of the campaign that provides detail on the regimental level where possible.
  778. Find this resource:
  779. Lettow-Vorbeck, Oscar von. Der Krieg von 1806 und 1807. Berlin: Mittler, 1892.
  780. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  781. One of the best sources on the campaign, this book provides a solid analysis of military operations and strategic considerations.
  782. Find this resource:
  783. Maude, Frederic N. The Jena Campaign—1806. London: Greenhill, 1998.
  784. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  785. Originally published in 1909, this book offers more analysis but fewer details than Petre 1907, but it goes a long way toward explaining the reasons for the Prussian debacle.
  786. Find this resource:
  787. Paret, Peter. The Cognitive Challenge of War: Prussia 1806. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009.
  788. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  789. This concise book traces Napoleon’s victory over Prussia in 1806 and Prussia’s effort to recover from defeat, offering a fresh and intelligent analysis of the Prussian reforms.
  790. Find this resource:
  791. Petre, Loraine F. Napoleon’s Conquest of Prussia—1806. London: John Lane, 1907.
  792. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  793. Provides a thorough history of the campaign, detailing operations up to and including the battles of Jena and Auerstadt and the subsequent French pursuit of the shattered Prussian army. However, the book does suffer from occasional sloppiness in detail.
  794. Find this resource:
  795. Polish Campaign, 1806–1807
  796. Summerville 2005 is a good introductory text to the campaign. Petre 1901 is dated but is the most accessible of the campaign studies. For a more in-depth study of the campaign, readers should consult Arnold and Reinertsen 2007 and Arnold and Reinertsen 2011, the most recent studies of the campaign that draw on a vast range of sources and provide balanced coverage. Similarly, Shikanov and Griffon de Pleineville 2008 is a well-illustrated and balanced account of the campaign based on French and Russian sources. Foucart 1882 is useful for a more serious discussion of the French operations. Bennigsen 1907–1908 and Mikhailovskii-Danilevskii 1846 provide good insights into the Russian operations and decision making.
  797. Arnold, James R., and Ralph R. Reinertsen. Crisis in the Snows: Russia Confronts Napoleon: The Eylau Campaign, 1806–1807. Lexington, VA: Napoleon Books, 2007.
  798. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  799. An in-depth (and well-illustrated) study of the first half of the Polish campaign.
  800. Find this resource:
  801. Arnold, James R., and Ralph R. Reinertsen. Napoleon’s Triumph: La Grande Armée versus the Tsar’s Army. Lexington, VA: Napoleon Books, 2011.
  802. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  803. An in-depth (and well-illustrated) study of the second half of the Polish campaign.
  804. Find this resource:
  805. Bennigsen, Levin. Mémoires du Général Bennigsen. 3 vols. Edited by du Capitaine du génie breveté E. Cazales de l’état-major de l’armée. Paris: Charles-Lavauzelle, 1907–1908.
  806. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  807. This book consists of writings of General Bennigsen, who commanded the Russian forces in Poland. As a memoir, this source certainly needs to be considered carefully but it also provides fascinating insights into the Russian operations and decision making. The editor supplied useful annotations to provide additional detail or to refute Bennigsen’s claims.
  808. Find this resource:
  809. Foucart, Paul Jean. Campagne de Pologne: Novembre-decembre 1806–janvier 1807 (Pultusk et Golymin) d’après les archives de la guerre. 2 vols. Paris: Librairie militaire Berger-Levrault, 1882.
  810. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  811. Contains numerous documents (reports, letters, and instructions) from Napoleon’s headquarters; Foucart provides explanatory notes to set the context. The two volumes cover military operations only through 31 January 1807.
  812. Find this resource:
  813. Mikhailovskii-Danilevskii, Aleksandr Ivanovich. Opisanie vtoroi voiny imperatora Aleksandra s Napoleonom v 1806 i 1807 godakh. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Štaba Otdělnago Korpusa Vnutvennej Straži, 1846.
  814. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  815. Written by an official court historian, this book still remains one of the standard Russian texts on the campaign. The author interviewed participants and consulted archival documents but his narrative is oftentimes colored by national prejudice.
  816. Find this resource:
  817. Petre, Loraine F. Napoleon’s Campaign in Poland, 1806–1807. London: Sampson Low, 1901.
  818. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  819. Despite this book’s flaws, Petre provides a thorough history of the campaign that is probably the best overall summary of the campaign in English.
  820. Find this resource:
  821. Shikanov, Vladimir, and Natalia Griffon de Pleineville. Napoléon en Pologne: La campagne de 1807. Paris: Le Livre Chez Vous, 2008.
  822. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  823. A well-illustrated and balanced account of the campaign based on French and Russian sources.
  824. Find this resource:
  825. Summerville, Christopher. Napoleon’s Polish Gamble: Eylau and Friedland, 1807. Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Military, 2005.
  826. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  827. A concise history of the campaign, good as an introductory text.
  828. Find this resource:
  829. Peninsular War, 1808–1814
  830. The bibliography of the Peninsular War is vast and far surpasses anything written on other conflicts of the Napoleonic Wars. Gates 2001 is probably the best concise history of the war, while Esdaile 2003 offers a comprehensive look at military, political, and social dimensions. For more in-depth studies, Napier 1834–1842 and Oman 1902–1930 remain indispensable, albeit obsolete in interpretation. A vast literature on specific events of the war exists and the list below addresses only some of them. Summerville 2003 offers a good overview of Sir John Moore’s campaign in 1808–1809, and Horward 1984 is one of the few in-depth studies of the Peninsular sieges. Muir 2001 is a solid examination of the battle of Salamanca; Horward 1965 offers a detailed look at the battle of Bussaco.
  831. Esdaile, Charles J. The Peninsular War: A New History. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2003.
  832. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  833. One of the best reassessments of the war, offering a comprehensive analysis and rational conclusions that address not only military operations, but also political and social dimensions of the war.
  834. Find this resource:
  835. Gates, David. The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2001.
  836. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  837. An informative and concise one-volume history of the conflict that includes examination of the Spanish contribution to the war. First published in 1986 (London: Allen & Unwin).
  838. Find this resource:
  839. Horward, Donald. The Battle of Bussaco. Tallahassee: University Press of Florida, 1965.
  840. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  841. A detailed study of the battle that resulted in the defeat by Wellington’s Anglo-Portuguese Army of French forces led by Marshal André Masséna.
  842. Find this resource:
  843. Horward, Donald. Napoleon and Iberia: The Twin Sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, 1810. Tallahassee: University Press of Florida, 1984.
  844. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  845. Highlights the importance of the two border fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida to the conduct of war in the Iberian Peninsula.
  846. Find this resource:
  847. Muir, Rory. Salamanca 1812. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001.
  848. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  849. A masterful examination of the battle that saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont’s French forces.
  850. Find this resource:
  851. Napier, William. History of the War in the Peninsula and in the South of France, from the Year 1807 to the Year 1814. 4 vols. Philadelphia: Cary and Hart, 1834–1842.
  852. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  853. Published a generation after the war, Napier’s History of the War in the Peninsula was an influential and controversial work. The author had access to the papers of many of the participants, including French state and military documents, and he interviewed the aging Duke of Wellington and French generals. The book offers numerous details on operations but suffers from the author’s obvious lack of impartiality.
  854. Find this resource:
  855. Oman, Sir Charles. A History of the Peninsular War. 7 vols. Oxford: Clarendon, 1902–1930.
  856. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  857. Oman spent some thirty years working on this seven-volume narrative that remains a highly readable study of the war. Oman’s narrative is naturally focused on the British side, but he devotes much space and evenhanded treatment to the other side. Oman’s scholarship is inevitably dated by now, but it set the standard by which other works were judged and it is still the starting point for most English-language scholars.
  858. Find this resource:
  859. Summerville, Christopher. March of Death: Sir John Moore’s Retreat to Corunna, 1808–1809. London: Greenhill, 2003.
  860. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  861. A good survey of Sir John Moore’s invasion of Spain and subsequent retreat to Corunna that almost resulted in the complete destruction of the British army.
  862. Find this resource:
  863. War of the Fifth Coalition, 1809
  864. The most important Austrian work on the 1809 campaign is the semi-official Mayerhoffer von Vedropolje, et al. 1907–1910, which draws on German archives and contains a superb analysis of military operations. Saski 1899–1902 contains an enormous amount of primary source material on the opening stages of the war. Mayerhoffer von Vedropolje 1904 is a slender but superb single-volume study in German. English-language readers have benefited greatly from the research of John H. Gill, who has published numerous articles and books on various aspects of the war; most of his articles on 1809 can be found in various volumes of the proceedings of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era, 1750–1850 (cited under Periodicals and Conference Proceedings). Gill’s trilogy (see Gill 2008) represents the best overall study of the campaign, offering a sweeping overview and in-depth analysis. His other major work on this campaign (Gill 1992) looks at the armies of the German states that supported Napoleon against Austria. Epstein 1994 is an in-depth study of the battle of Wagram, which the author uses as a background for his larger interpretation of Napoleonic warfare as the first modern war. Schneid 2002 offers the best English-language study of the 1809 campaign in Italy that is often ignored in favor of the main effort led by Napoleon. Mikaberidze 2011 is a rare exploration of Franco-Russian relations during the 1809 campaign that utilizes Russian archives and sheds new light on considerations that guided Russian actions during the war.
  865. Epstein, Robert. Napoleon’s Last Victory and the Emergence of Modern War. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1994.
  866. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  867. This is an in-depth study of the battle of Wagram, which the author uses as a background for his larger interpretation of Napoleonic warfare as the first modern war. The author contends that the 1809 war, with its massive armies, multiple theaters of operation, new command-and-control schemes, increased firepower, frequent stalemates, and large-scale slaughter, had more in common with late-19th-century conflicts than with the decisive campaigns that preceded it.
  868. Find this resource:
  869. Gill, John. With Eagles to Glory: Napoleon and His German Allies in the 1809 Campaign. London: Greenhill, 1992.
  870. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  871. This book is an excellent study of the armies of the German states that supported Napoleon against Austria. Well documented and enjoyable to read, this work is highly recommended.
  872. Find this resource:
  873. Gill, John H. 1809: Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon’s Defeat of the Habsburgs. Vol. 1, Abensberg. London: Frontline, 2008.
  874. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  875. Continued in Volume 2, The Fall of Vienna and the Battle of Aspern (2009), and Volume 3, Wagram and Znaim (2010). Gill’s trilogy represents the best overall study of the campaign, offering sweeping overviews and in-depth analysis.
  876. Find this resource:
  877. Mayerhoffer von Vedropolje, Eberhard. Österreichs Krieg mit Napoleon I, 1809. Vienna: L. W. Seidel, 1904.
  878. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  879. A superb, concise overview of the war, written by one of the leading Austrian historians.
  880. Find this resource:
  881. Mayerhoffer von Vedropolje, Eberhard, Oskar Criste, Maximilian Hoen von Ritter, Alois Veltzé, and Hugo Kerchnawe Krieg 1809. 4 vols. Vienna: Seidel und Sohn, 1907–1910.
  882. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  883. The semi-official Krieg 1809 is among the most important publications on the 1809 campaign. Drawing on German archives, the authors offer a superb analysis of military operations. On the downside, the work is not as thorough when it comes to the French perspective.
  884. Find this resource:
  885. Mikaberidze, Alexander. “Non-Belligerent Belligerent Russia and the Franco-Austrian War of 1809.” Napoleonica. La Revue 1.10 (2011): 4–22.
  886. DOI: 10.3917/napo.111.0004Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  887. This article explores Franco-Russian relations during the 1809 campaign and, based on archival research, sheds new light on considerations that guided Russian actions during the war.
  888. Find this resource:
  889. Saski, Charles-Gaspard-Louis. Campagne de 1809 en Allemagne et en Autriche. Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1899–1902.
  890. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  891. Saski’s work provides the reader with an enormous amount of primary source material for the opening stages of the war.
  892. Find this resource:
  893. Schneid, Frederick C. Napoleon’s Italian Campaigns, 1805–1815. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002.
  894. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  895. A thoroughly researched and well-written book that offers an in-depth treatment of the 1805 and 1809 campaigns in Italy, which are often ignored in favor of the campaigns led by Napoleon.
  896. Find this resource:
  897. Continental Blockade
  898. The Continental System (1806) constituted the French attempt to cripple the overseas dominance of Britain and its empire. The most fundamental work on this subject is Crouzet 1958. Heckscher 1922 is still the most accessible general work in English. A considerable body of work is available that discusses various aspects of the blockade. Ellis 1981 explores the blockade’s effects on Alsace, while Dunan 1948 does the same for Bavaria. For Switzerland, the reader needs to consult Cérenville 1906, while Tarle 1928 is a superb study of the blockade’s impact on the Italian states. The Russian involvement in the system is covered in Girnius 1981.
  899. Cérenville, Bernard de. “Le système continental et la Suisse, 1803–1813.” PhD diss., Université de Zurich, 1906.
  900. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  901. Explores the role and place of Switzerland within Napoleon’s Continental System of blockade.
  902. Find this resource:
  903. Crouzet, François. L’économie britannique et le blocus continental. 2 vols. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1958.
  904. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  905. This is probably the most fundamental study of the blockade written by an eminent French scholar. Crouzet’s book explores the establishment of the Continental System and its effect on the British economy.
  906. Find this resource:
  907. Dunan, Marcel. Napoléon et l’Allemagne: Le système continental et les débuts du royaume de Bavière, 1806–1810. Paris: Plon, 1948.
  908. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  909. A survey of the Continental System’s impact on the Kingdom of Bavaria.
  910. Find this resource:
  911. Ellis, Geoffrey James. Napoleon’s Continental Blockade: The Case of Alsace. Oxford: Clarendon, 1981.
  912. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  913. Ellis focuses his study on just one region, but his analysis offers many insights into how the system functioned on a European scale.
  914. Find this resource:
  915. Girnius, Saulius Antanas. “Russia and the Continental Blockade.” PhD diss., University of Chicago, 1981.
  916. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  917. An insightful work on Russia’s involvement in Napoleon’s Continental System.
  918. Find this resource:
  919. Heckscher, Eli F. The Continental System: An Economic Interpretation. Oxford: Clarendon, 1922.
  920. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  921. The most accessible overview of the Continental System that retains much of its value despite its age.
  922. Find this resource:
  923. Tarle, Eugene. Le blocus continental et le royaume d’Italie. Paris: F. Alcan, 1928.
  924. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  925. An in-depth study, based on archival material, of the Continental System’s impact on the Italian kingdoms.
  926. Find this resource:
  927. The Russian Invasion, 1812
  928. The Russian campaign is probably the most famous of Napoleon’s campaigns, and the images of Moscow burning or the soldiers of the Grande Armée freezing in the snow are firmly ingrained in popular memory. Cate 1985 and Zamoyski 2004 are all highly readable accounts of the war, offering colorful details and insights. Tarle 1938 is among the most famous Russian works on the campaign and is readily available in numerous translations and editions. Thiry 1969 is one of the best French studies on the topic, but, like many other French works, it concentrates almost exclusively on the French side. Rey 2012 is the most recent French work and it breaks new ground by looking at the Russian side and focusing more on the human dimension of the war. It does, however, lack details on military operations, which can be gleaned in Nafziger 1988, an in-depth study of the war with plenty of details on military operations and battles. In recent years, Alexander Mikaberidze has reassessed some aspects of the campaign based on archival and primary sources, and Mikaberidze 2007 and Mikaberidze 2010 offer the most recent and thorough discussions of the battles at Borodino and Berezina. Britten-Austin 2000 is a fascinating work featuring excerpts from dozens of memoirs and diaries in offering a comprehensive narrative of the human experiences of the war; it can be contrasted with Mikaberidze 2012, which features dozens of Russian accounts. Popov 2002 is a comprehensive study of the Grande Armée’s logistics and communications based on a wide range of French and Russian sources.
  929. Britten-Austin, Paul. 1812: Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia. London: Greenhill, 2000.
  930. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  931. A fascinating work that intertwines hundreds of excerpts from numerous memoirs and diaries to create a comprehensive and rather poignant narrative of the human experiences of the war. But it lacks proper reference sources and fails to include the Russian perspective.
  932. Find this resource:
  933. Cate, Curtis. The War of the Two Emperors: The Duel between Napoleon and Alexander, Russia 1812. New York: Random House, 1985.
  934. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  935. A very readable book that offers an enticing look at the campaign while making a judicious use of French, Russian, and German sources.
  936. Find this resource:
  937. Mikaberidze, Alexander. The Battle of Borodino: Napoleon versus Kutuzov. London: Pen and Sword Military, 2007.
  938. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  939. The most up-to-date and balanced study of one of the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars. The book draws extensively on Russian primary and archival sources, and it offers a detailed account of the battle.
  940. Find this resource:
  941. Mikaberidze, Alexander. The Battle of the Berezina: Napoleon’s Great Escape. London: Pen and Sword Military, 2010.
  942. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  943. The first detailed study of the events on the Berezina, where Napoleon managed to break through the Russian armies.
  944. Find this resource:
  945. Mikaberidze, Alexander. Russian Eyewitness Accounts of the Campaign of 1812. London: Frontline, 2012.
  946. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  947. This is the first English anthology of Russian memoirs and diaries, featuring more than three dozen accounts that show the other side of the proverbial coin and, in so doing, provide a unique insight into the Russian side of the war.
  948. Find this resource:
  949. Nafziger, George. Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1988.
  950. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  951. This is an in-depth study of the war, offering plenty of details on military operations and battles. The book, however, suffers from limited sources, poor editing, and occasional mistakes, and it is not recommended for the casual reader.
  952. Find this resource:
  953. Popov, Andrei. Velikaya armiya v Rossii: Pogonya za mirazhem. Samara, Russia: NTZ, 2002.
  954. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  955. This is a comprehensive study of the Grande Armée’s logistics and communications based on a wide range of French and Russian sources. It offers a fascinating insight into Napoleon’s preparations for war and the logistical system maintained during the campaign. In addition, it explores popular attitudes toward the invading force in Lithuania, Belarus, and parts of Russia, and it includes material on the treatment of prisoners. Highly recommended.
  956. Find this resource:
  957. Rey, Marie-Pierre. L’effroyable tragédie: Une nouvelle histoire de la campagne de Russie. Paris: Flammarion, 2012.
  958. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  959. Written by the leading French historian on Russia, this book offers a balanced approach to the campaign and is based on French and Russian archival and primary sources. It focuses more on the human dimension of the war and thus lacks details on military operations.
  960. Find this resource:
  961. Tarle, Eugene. Nashestvie Napoleona na Rossiyu, 1812 god. Moscow: Gos. Sotsialno-ekonomicheskoe izd-vo, 1938.
  962. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  963. Tarle was one of the greatest Soviet historians with an astonishing range of research interests and knowledge of archival material. A consummate historian, he sought to maintain a balanced position in evaluating Franco-Russian relations. However, in the 1950s, his work became a target of the official “campaign against cosmopolitanism,” which forced the author to revise his work to adhere to the official line that extolled the Russian side.
  964. Find this resource:
  965. Thiry, Jean. La Campagne de Russie. Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1969.
  966. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  967. This book is probably one of the best French studies on the topic. Well written and easy to read, it concentrates primarily on the experiences of the troops under Napoleon’s immediate command. The author studiously researched French sources, introducing many archival documents.
  968. Find this resource:
  969. Zamoyski, Adam. Moscow 1812: Napoleon’s Fatal March. New York: Harper Perennial, 2004.
  970. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  971. A highly readable account of the invasion, written for a general audience and based on a wide range of sources. It provides a sound overview of the campaign, interweaving discussion of politics and strategy with human experiences. However, the book does suffer from a certain anti-Russian prejudice, and it tends to highlight French accomplishments while failing to give credit to the Russian achievements.
  972. Find this resource:
  973. The War of German Liberation, 1813
  974. Napoleon’s defeat in Russia marked a turning point as the European powers united in a new coalition to overthrow Napoleonic hegemony. Petre 1912 can be a good starting point for the study of the campaign and can be supplemented with Maude 1908 for the concluding stages of the campaign. For a more personal look at the war, readers should consult Brett-James 1970, which features dozens of excerpts from memoirs of participants. Riley 2000 offers a wider perspective on the conflict and ties it to the War of 1812 in North America. For a more in-depth discussion of the campaign, the reader will benefit from the works of George Nafziger, who produced a trilogy of books on the campaigns. Nafziger 1996 deals with the battle of Leipzig whereas the preceding two volumes cover the battles at Lützen and Bautzen as well as at Dresden. Leggiere 2002 is one of the best studies on the campaign. It is based on extensive archival research and focuses on Napoleon’s preoccupation with capturing Berlin.
  975. Brett-James, Antony. Europe against Napoleon: The Leipzig Campaign, 1813, from Eyewitness Accounts. London: Macmillan, 1970.
  976. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  977. This fascinating book features dozens of excerpts from memoirs of participants, offering a more personal and intimate look at the war.
  978. Find this resource:
  979. Leggiere, Michael V. Napoleon and Berlin: The Franco-Prussian War in North Germany, 1813. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002.
  980. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  981. Masterfully researched, this book explores Napoleon’s preoccupation with capturing Berlin during the 1813 campaign and how this strategy ultimately lost him all of Germany.
  982. Find this resource:
  983. Maude, Frederic N. The Leipzig Campaign, 1813. London: S. Sonnenschein, 1908.
  984. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  985. This book offers a concise history of the concluding stage of Napoleon’s struggle for Germany. True to the author’s previous works, this book features solid analysis of operations and strategic considerations.
  986. Find this resource:
  987. Nafziger, George. Napoleon at Leipzig: The Battle of Nations, 1813. Chicago: Emperor’s Press, 1996.
  988. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  989. This is the last installment of the author’s trilogy on the 1813 campaign, with two other volumes dealing with the operations in the spring (Lützen and Bautzen: Napoleon’s Spring Campaign of 1813 [Chicago: Emperor’s Press, 1993]) and the summer (Napoleon’s Campaign at Dresden: The Battles of August 1813 [Chicago: Emperor’s Press, 1991]).
  990. Find this resource:
  991. Petre, Loraine F. Napoleon’s Last Campaign in Germany—1813. London: John Lane, 1912.
  992. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  993. This is the most accessible study of the campaign, offering a broad overview of events in Germany.
  994. Find this resource:
  995. Riley, Jonathon P. Napoleon and the World War of 1813: Lessons in Coalition Warfighting. London: Frank Cass, 2000.
  996. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  997. This ambitious work attempts to tie the War of German Liberation and the War of 1812 in North America together and offers a wider perspective on the conflicts that changed Europe’s history.
  998. Find this resource:
  999. The Fall of France, 1814
  1000. In 1814, after two successive years of defeat in Russia and central Europe, Napoleon was faced with the ultimate disaster—an allied invasion of France. Houssaye 1888 and Lachouque 1959 are classic studies of the war that offer a largely French perspective on the conflict. A Russian perspective can be gleaned in Bogdanovich 1865, which utilizes many Russian primary sources. Petre 1913, Uffindell 2009, and Ashby 2010 offer good overviews of the entire campaign. Leggiere 2007 provides the first modern, complete account of the campaign based on French, Austrian, German, and Russian archival sources. Blanton 1999 offers a unique look at the French preparations for invasion and focuses on the role of Napoleon’s prefects.
  1001. Ashby, Ralph. Napoleon against Great Odds: The Emperor and the Defenders of France, 1814. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010.
  1002. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1003. This book offers a concise overview of the campaign. Although not uniformly persuasive in its claims, it contains useful information about the French side of the war and contributes to a better understanding of Napoleon’s final campaign.
  1004. Find this resource:
  1005. Blanton, Hal. “Napoleon’s Prefects and the Fall of the French Empire in 1813–1814.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 1999.
  1006. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1007. An in-depth study, based on French archival material, of the role Napoleon’s prefects played in defending the nation during the allied invasion.
  1008. Find this resource:
  1009. Bogdanovich, Modest. Istoriya voiny 1814 goda vo Frantsii i nizlozheniya Napoleon I. Saint Petersburg, Russia: V. Spiridonov, 1865.
  1010. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1011. A classic study by the famed Russian imperial historian offering an in-depth Russian perspective on the 1814 campaign.
  1012. Find this resource:
  1013. Houssaye, Henry. 1814. Paris: Perrin, 1888.
  1014. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1015. A fascinating book with deserved classic status. Available in several English editions, Houssaye’s work offers a solid analysis of strategies, tactics, and movements of opposing armies in the field and of the human experiences of the humbler participants in these monumental events. However, it is biased in Napoleon’s favor, oftentimes portraying him as the true hero of tragedy who was abandoned by cowards and betrayed by traitors.
  1016. Find this resource:
  1017. Lachouque, Henry. Napoléon en 1814. Paris: Éditions Haussmann, 1959.
  1018. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1019. Offers a solid overview of the campaign from the French perspective.
  1020. Find this resource:
  1021. Leggiere, Michael V. The Fall of Napoleon: The Allied Invasion of France, 1813–1814. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
  1022. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1023. A highly detailed and diligent work that provides the first modern and complete evaluation of the campaign based on French, Austrian, German, and Russian archival sources. It is the first of a two-volume study of the allied invasion of France, and it explores diplomatic and military preparations for war from November 1813 to January 1814.
  1024. Find this resource:
  1025. Petre, Loraine F. Napoleon at Bay—1814. London: John Lane, 1913.
  1026. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1027. Despite having been published one hundred years ago, Petre’s book remains one of the standard accounts of the campaign, and numerous editions make it easily accessible to the general public. It offers an operational history of the campaign, but it does suffer from occasional mistakes.
  1028. Find this resource:
  1029. Uffindell, Andrew. Napoleon 1814: The Defence of France. Barnsley, UK: Pen and Sword Military, 2009.
  1030. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1031. A well-written and -researched book that delves into military operations and the war’s effect on the population as a whole. It makes a thorough use of eyewitness accounts and other source material and provides an engaging and colorful narrative. Considerable supplemental information is provided in appendixes, including orders of battle, sunrise and sunset times, and even weather reports for every day of the campaign.
  1032. Find this resource:
  1033. The Waterloo Campaign, 1815
  1034. Napoleon’s final campaign is the subject of thousands of books. More books have been written about his defeat at Waterloo than about any other Napoleonic battle. MacKenzie 1982 contains an excellent discussion of Napoleon’s return to France. However, for the drama of those tumultuous days in the spring of 1815, the reader should turn to Britten-Austin 2002. Alexander 1991 discusses the politico-military organizations that supported Napoleon during the Hundred Days. For a French perspective on the war, Houssaye 1900 remains relevant today, but the reader will benefit greatly from consulting Cyr 2011, which features the most recent account of the war. Uffindel 2006 is a major study of Napoleon’s last victory at Ligny. Barbero 2006 is probably the most readable account of the battle of Waterloo, giving voice to all the sides involved, while Black 2010 is the most recent study, one that offers a concise discussion of the battle and provides a historic perspective on it. For a more in-depth study of Waterloo, Adkin 2001 offers a lavishly illustrated guide to the battle. Hofschroer 1999 has engendered considerable debate in challenging the established narrative of the war and highlighting the German contribution to the victory over Napoleon.
  1035. Adkin, Mark. The Waterloo Companion. London: Aurum, 2001.
  1036. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1037. This is a well-written and lavishly illustrated guide to the battle, featuring firsthand accounts of participants, full-color maps, and numerous diagrams, drawings, and photographs. The book does suffer, however, from occasional factual flaws.
  1038. Find this resource:
  1039. Alexander, R. S. Bonapartism and Revolutionary Tradition in France: The Fédérés of 1815. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
  1040. DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511523236Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1041. Discusses the politico-military organizations that supported Napoleon during the Hundred Days.
  1042. Find this resource:
  1043. Barbero, Alessandro. The Battle: A New History of Waterloo. New York: Walker, 2006.
  1044. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1045. A fresh reassessment of the battle that has been acclaimed for its narrative quality. The author seeks to give voice to all the sides involved and incorporates memoirs of British, French, and Prussian participants to meticulously re-create the conflict as it unfolded.
  1046. Find this resource:
  1047. Black, Jeremy. The Battle of Waterloo. New York: Random House, 2010.
  1048. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1049. A concise study that offers both a tactical examination of the battle and a larger historical perspective on it. It might serve as a good introduction to the topic.
  1050. Find this resource:
  1051. Britten-Austin, Paul. 1815: The Return of Napoleon. London: Greenhill, 2002.
  1052. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1053. Drawn from numerous memoirs and diaries, this fascinating book follows Napoleon on his escape from the Island of Elba and his return to power in France.
  1054. Find this resource:
  1055. Cyr, Pascal. Waterloo: Origines et enjeux. Paris: L’Harmattan, 2011.
  1056. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1057. A major reexamination of the Waterloo campaign from the French perspective, with the author drawing on numerous archival documents and primary sources to shed new light on Napoleon’s preparations for the war.
  1058. Find this resource:
  1059. Hofschroer, Peter. 1815: The Waterloo Campaign—The German Victory. London: Greenhill, 1999.
  1060. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1061. When it was first published in the late 1990s, Hofschroer’s book sparked a major debate in challenging the established narrative of the war by minimizing the British role in the battle and highlighting the German contribution. While some of the author’s interpretations and facts have been successfully challenged, nevertheless the book offers a refreshing, contrasting perspective on the war from the German side.
  1062. Find this resource:
  1063. Houssaye, Henry. 1815 Waterloo. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1900.
  1064. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1065. An acknowledged classic, Houssaye’s book examines the Waterloo campaign from the French perspective.
  1066. Find this resource:
  1067. MacKenzie, Norman Ian. The Escape from Elba: The Fall and Flight of Napoleon, 1814–1815. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982.
  1068. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1069. An in-depth study of Napoleon’s exile to, and escape from, the Island of Elba.
  1070. Find this resource:
  1071. Uffindel, Andrew. The Eagle’s Last Triumph: Napoleon’s Victory at Ligny, June 1815. London: Greenhill, 2006.
  1072. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1073. A major study of Napoleon’s last victory before his crushing defeat at Waterloo. Uffindel’s book offers a balanced overview of the battle based on a judicious use of sources.
  1074. Find this resource:
  1075. The Congress of Vienna
  1076. With Napoleon overthrown, attention shifted to the peace conference at Vienna, where Europe’s political map was redrawn. Several good studies are available in English. Nicolson 2000 is a classic text written by a career diplomat, offering a concise overview of the congress. The most recent study is Zamoyski 2007, which is well researched and elegantly written. For a more in-depth study of certain aspects, Kissinger 1973 focuses on Castlereagh and Metternich, and Kraehe 1983 is indispensable for the Austrian side. The role of the Duke of Wellington at the Congress of Vienna is discussed in Muir 1990, while Waresquiel 2003 offers a balanced discussion of the French foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand. King 2008 focuses on social and political intrigues in Vienna.
  1077. King, David. Vienna, 1814: How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace at the Congress of Vienna. New York: Harmony, 2008.
  1078. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1079. An evocative account of the most audacious and extravagant peace conference in modern European history, focusing on personalities and social and political intrigues.
  1080. Find this resource:
  1081. Kissinger, Henry. A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the Problems of Peace, 1812–22. London: Phoenix, 1973.
  1082. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1083. A detailed study of the Congress of Vienna focusing on the personalities of the two main negotiators: the British foreign secretary, Viscount Castlereagh, and his Austrian counterpart, Prince von Metternich. Originally published in 1957.
  1084. Find this resource:
  1085. Kraehe, Enno E. Metternich’s German Policy. Vol. 2, The Congress of Vienna, 1814–1815. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1983.
  1086. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1087. An in-depth study of Metternich’s role in Europe’s defeat of Napoleon, with a particular focus on the Congress of Vienna. This book is invaluable for the Austrian side.
  1088. Find this resource:
  1089. Muir, Rory. “From Soldier to Statesman: Wellington in Paris and Vienna, 1814–15.” In The Road to Waterloo. Edited by Alan J. Guy, 155–163. London: National Army Museum, 1990.
  1090. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1091. This article discusses the role of the Duke of Wellington at the Congress of Vienna.
  1092. Find this resource:
  1093. Nicolson, Harold. The Congress of Vienna, a Study in Allied Unity: 1812–1822. New York: Grove, 2000.
  1094. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1095. Written by a prominent British diplomat, this is a swift-paced and clearly written book that offers a chronologically structured narrative beginning with Napoleon’s downfall and ending with the collapse of the conference system after the Congress of Verona in 1822. Originally published in 1946.
  1096. Find this resource:
  1097. Waresquiel, Emmanuel de. Talleyrand: Le prince immobile. Paris: Fayard, 2003.
  1098. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1099. One of the best biographies of French foreign minister Charles Maurice Talleyrand. The author provides a careful analysis of Talleyrand’s characters and career, stripping away the “black legend” that surrounds his name while not denying this politician’s skill at manipulation. Talleyrand played a major role in reviving France’s fortunes at the Congress of Vienna.
  1100. Find this resource:
  1101. Zamoyski, Adam. Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.
  1102. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1103. A well-researched and elegantly written book that guides the reader through the complex diplomatic maneuvering at the Congress of Vienna. The author focuses particularly on the relationship between Emperor Alexander of Russia and Austrian chancellor Metternich.
  1104. Find this resource:
  1105. Naval Warfare
  1106. Mahan 1892 is fundamental for understanding naval warfare between Britain and France, while Dull 2009 is very useful for a comparative history of the British and French navies between 1650 and 1815. Cormack 1995 explains the impact of the French Revolution on the French navy, which is important for better understanding its subsequent performance. Desbrières 1900–1902 is fundamental for understanding Napoleon’s complex and changing naval strategy in the early years of the empire, while Gillet 2010 offers many details on the development of the French imperial navy and Napoleon’s strategic use of it. For the British side, Kennedy 2006 is a classic study of the rise of Britain to securing for itself supremacy on the seas, and it contains an insightful account of British performance during the Napoleonic Wars. Mostert 2008 offers a narrative history of naval warfare between 1793 and 1815. Although Admiral Horatio Nelson remains undoubtedly the most prominent British naval officer of the age, he was also one among an outstanding group of British naval commanders, whose careers are explored in Le Fevre and Harding 2005.
  1107. Cormack, William S. Revolution and Political Conflict in the French Navy, 1789–1794. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
  1108. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1109. The book examines the French navy during the French Revolution, focusing on the impact political turmoil had on the fleet.
  1110. Find this resource:
  1111. Desbrières, Édouard. Projets et tentatives de débarquement aux Îles britanniques, 1793–1805. 4 vols. Paris: Chapelot, 1900–1902.
  1112. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1113. An in-depth study of France’s complex and changing naval strategy for invading the British Isles during the French Revolution and early years of the First Empire.
  1114. Find this resource:
  1115. Dull, Jonathan. The Age of the Ship of the Line: The British and French Navies, 1650–1815. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2009.
  1116. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1117. This book offers a broad survey of the British and French navies, conveying the fine details of command and organization and the high drama of the grand and decisive naval conflicts.
  1118. Find this resource:
  1119. Gillet, Jean-Claude. La Marine impériale: Le grand rêve de Napoléon. Paris: Bernard Giovanangeli Éditeur, 2010.
  1120. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1121. An in-depth study of Napoleon’s naval forces, discussing the impact of the French Revolution on the fleets and Napoleon’s strategic use of the navy. The author’s narrative, however, is not well documented and is limited to a simple bibliography.
  1122. Find this resource:
  1123. Kennedy, Paul M. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. 2d ed. Amherst, NY: Humanity, 2006.
  1124. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1125. A classic study of the rise of Britain to securing supremacy on the seas, featuring an insightful account of British performance during the Napoleonic Wars. Originally published in 1976.
  1126. Find this resource:
  1127. Le Fevre, Peter, and Richard Harding. British Admirals of the Napoleonic Wars: The Contemporaries of Nelson. London: Chatham, 2005.
  1128. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1129. Admiral Horatio Nelson remains undoubtedly the most prominent British naval officer of the age, but he was also one among an outstanding group of British naval commanders. This book features in-depth biographical essays on the most important figures, each written by a well-known specialist in the field.
  1130. Find this resource:
  1131. Mahan, Alfred T. The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793–1812. Boston: Little, Brown, 1892.
  1132. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1133. Mahan’s influential study proposed a concept of “sea power” that is based on the idea that countries with greater naval power have greater worldwide impact. Mahan recounts chronologically the major naval battles and campaigns between Britain and France and their allies, analyzing the different naval strategies used and explaining the factors that account for Britain’s success.
  1134. Find this resource:
  1135. Mostert, Noël. The Line upon a Wind: The Great War at Sea, 1793–1815. New York: W. W. Norton, 2008.
  1136. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1137. A fast-moving chronicle of the naval warfare during the Napoleonic Wars. This book’s strengths include a wide scope as well as colorful descriptions of individuals, battles, and less-prominent aspects of the wars. However, the author’s narrative is not well documented and tends to rely on generous use of lengthy excerpts from firsthand accounts.
  1138. Find this resource:
  1139. Specific Studies
  1140. The battle of Trafalgar is the most famous naval battle of the Napoleonic period, and much has been written about it. Adkins 2005 offers a well-written account of the battle, while Nicolson 2005 transcends traditional battle narratives to discuss Nelson’s naval leadership and the culture of the British navy. Mackesy 1957 discusses British strategy in the Mediterranean, while Musteen 2011 is an excellent study of the British naval base at Gibraltar. Troude 1867–1868 contains a treasure trove of information on French naval battles and skirmishes. For the French naval leadership, Johnson 2006 is an in-depth study of Admiral Villaret de Joyeuse and contains an insightful analysis of the French operations in the Caribbean. Although the Russian fleet did not play a major role in the Napoleonic Wars, it did undertake operations in the Mediterranean, which are discussed in Tarle 1956.
  1141. Adkins, Roy. Nelson’s Trafalgar: The Battle That Changed the World. New York: Viking, 2005.
  1142. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1143. Published on the battle’s 200th anniversary, this book offers readers a vivid, gunport-level account of the battle.
  1144. Find this resource:
  1145. Johnson, Kenneth G. “Louis-Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse: Admiral and Colonial Administrator, 1747–1812.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006.
  1146. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1147. The first English-language study of the life and career of one of the most successful French admirals of the Napoleonic Wars.
  1148. Find this resource:
  1149. Mackesy, Piers. The War in the Mediterranean, 1803–1810. London: Longmans, 1957.
  1150. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1151. This is a study of British strategy in the Mediterranean, exploring naval, military, and diplomatic events between 1803 and 1810.
  1152. Find this resource:
  1153. Musteen, Jason R. Nelson’s Refuge: Gibraltar in the Age of Napoleon. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2011.
  1154. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1155. This insightful work explores the role of the British naval base at Gibraltar in the Napoleonic Wars.
  1156. Find this resource:
  1157. Nicolson, Adam. Seize the Fire: Heroism, Duty and the Battle of Trafalgar. New York: HarperCollins, 2005.
  1158. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1159. Transcending traditional bounds of battle studies, the author has written an intelligent study of Nelson’s naval leadership and the culture of the British navy.
  1160. Find this resource:
  1161. Tarle, Eugene. Tri ekspeditsii russkogo flota. Moscow: Voennoe Izdatelstvo, 1956.
  1162. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1163. This book explores three expeditions of the Russian fleet to the Mediterranean Sea. Part 2 covers Admiral Fedor Ushakov’s involvement in the War of the Second Coalition (1799–1800), and Part 3 deals with Admiral Dmitri Senyavin’s operations in the eastern Mediterranean from 1805 to 1807.
  1164. Find this resource:
  1165. Troude, Onésime-Joachim. Batailles navales de la France. 4 vols. Paris: Challamel Aîné, 1867–1868.
  1166. Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
  1167. A comprehensive account of major battles and minor combats of the French navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
  1168. Find this resource:
Advertisement
Add Comment
Please, Sign In to add comment
Advertisement
Public Pastes
Advertisement
We use cookies for various purposes including analytics. By continuing to use Pastebin, you agree to our use of cookies as described in the Cookies Policy.  OK, I Understand
Not a member of Pastebin yet?
Sign Up, it unlocks many cool features!