Swords Around A Throne: Napoleon's Grande ArméeThis authoritative, comprehensive, and enthralling book describes and analyzes Napoleon's most powerful weapon -- the Grande Armee which at its peak numbered over a million soldiers. Elting examines every facet of this incredibly complex human machine: its organization, command system, logistics, weapons, tactics, discipline, recreation, mobile hospitals, camp followers, and more. From the army's formation out of the turmoil of Revolutionary France through its swift conquests of vast territories across Europe to its legendary death at Waterloo, this book uses excerpts from soldiers' letters, eyewitness accounts, and numerous firsthand details to place the reader in the boots of Napoleon's conscripts and generals. In Elting's masterful hands the experience is truly unforgettable. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 5 | |
| 27 | |
Enter la Grande Armée | 55 |
The Imperial Way | 67 |
Grand QuartierGénéral | 81 |
Tall in the Saddle and Under the Rose | 103 |
Much High Brass and Some Low Brows | 123 |
La Force Publique and LArmée de lIntérieur | 411 |
Discipline and Disciplinary Units | 429 |
Dressed to Kill | 439 |
Marches and Bivouacs | 459 |
Weapons and Ammunition | 475 |
Voici lEnnemi | 495 |
Strategy and Tactics | 529 |
Logistics | 553 |
They Also Served | 157 |
Garde Impériale | 183 |
Poor Bloody Infantry | 207 |
The High Horsemen | 227 |
It Is with Artillery That One Makes War | 249 |
The Jesuits of the Army | 267 |
Wherever a Comrade May Need My Help | 281 |
La Marine | 297 |
Remounts and Replacements | 313 |
Trumpets and Drums and Cuckoos | 335 |
Régiments Etrangers | 355 |
Allies and Auxiliaries | 387 |
Soupe Prêt et Comptibilité | 575 |
Men Morale Loot and Baubles | 589 |
Vivandières Blanchisseuses Enfants et BricàBrac | 605 |
Legitimacy ReturnsTemporarily | 623 |
Les Cent Jours | 643 |
Tout Est Fini | 663 |
Appendix A Comparative Napoleonic and United States Military Grades | 675 |
Appendix B Glossary of Military Terms | 678 |
Notes | 681 |
Bibliography | 735 |
| 751 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Allied Angoulème Armée Armée's army's artillery Augereau Austrian Bataillon battalions battle Berthier Bourbons brigade British caissons campaign captain captured chasseurs à cheval Chevau-Légers civilian clothing Coignet colonel combat command companies conscripts corps Cossacks cuirassiers Davout demi-brigades depot deserters division dragoons duty eagles Emperor enemy engineers English enlisted equipment Eugène fight fire foreign formed four France French Army frontier Garde garrison gendarmerie gendarmes German grenadiers guns headquarters honor horses hussars Imperial Guard infantry regiments Italian Italy lancers Légère Legion lieutenant light cavalry light infantry Ligne Louis Louis XVIII Marbot marshals Massena ment Militaire military mounted Murat musket Napo Napoleon National Guard NCOs officers ordered organized Paris Polish prisoners recruits regi regiments replaced retreat Royal Russian Sabretache sapeurs sent sergeant served shakos soldiers Soult Spain Spanish squadron staff supply Swiss tion Tirailleurs took train troops uniforms units usually Vendée veterans voltigeurs volunteers wagons weapons wounded