Download or read book Napoleon s Guns 1792 1815 1 written by René Chartrand and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2003-02-19 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a young gunner, Napoleon Bonaparte was trained in one of Europe's finest artillery arms. Both the technological sophistication of their weaponry and the skill of their gunners was largely the result of the adoption of the system devised by one man, Jean-Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval. Gribeauval's standardised system of parts and calibres allowed a degree of uniformity and sophistication in the French artillery that was unmatched throughout Europe, and allowed Napoleon to inherit and develop an arm that could dominate the battlefield. This volume covers the field artillery pieces of the system: the 4-, 8- and 12-pdr guns; light 1-pdr guns and mountain guns; and later innovations such as the 6-pdr gun.
Download or read book With Napoleon s Guns written by Jean-Nicolas-Auguste Noël and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2005-06-15 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1795 - the year Napoleon Bonaparte was appointed commander-in-chief in Italy - the seventeen-year-old Jean-Nicolas-Auguste Noel entered the Artillery School at Chalons. A year later, with Napoleon proclaiming himself the liberator of Italy, Noel was appointed second lieutenant in the 8th Regiment of Horse Artillery. Written in 1850, With Napoleon's Guns is his remarkable memoir of twenty years in the Emperor's service. A trained artilleryman himself, Napoleon dramatically transformed the role of the artillery from a cumbersome and tactically limited force into fluid, independent and highly mobile trains d'artillerie. This new organisation required fresh new officers - officers with intelligence who could act under their own initiative: officers such as Noel. From the optimism of the early years in Italy, through the privations of the retreat from Moscow and the horrors of the Battle of Leipzig, to the disillusionment of the Emperor's decline, Noel charts both his personal career and, at close hand, the trajectory of the First Empire with frankness and percipience.Based on the journal he kept from his cadetship at Chalons, With Napoleon's Guns is a dignified and revealing account of an officer at the heart of Napoleon's army.In 1795 - the year Napoleon Bonaparte was appointed commander-in-chief in Italy - the seventeen-year-old Jean-Nicolas-Auguste Noel entered the Artillery School at Chalons. A year later, with Napoleon proclaiming himself the liberator of Italy, Noel was appointed second lieutenant in the 8th Regiment of Horse Artillery. Written in 1850, With Napoleon's Guns is his remarkable memoir of twenty years in the Emperor's service. A trained artilleryman himself, Napoleon dramatically transformed the role of the artillery from a cumbersome and tactically limited force into fluid, independent and highly mobile trains d'artillerie. This new organisation required fresh new officers - officers with intelligence who could act under their own initiative: officers such as Noel. From the optimism of the early years in Italy, through the privations of the retreat from Moscow and the horrors of the Battle of Leipzig, to the disillusionment of the Emperor's decline, Noel charts both his personal career and, at close hand, the trajectory of the First Empire with frankness and percipience.Based on the journal he kept from his cadetship at Chalons, With Napoleon's Guns is a dignified and revealing account of an officer at the heart of Napoleon's army.In 1795 - the year Napoleon Bonaparte was appointed commander-in-chief in Italy - the seventeen-year-old Jean-Nicolas-Auguste Noel entered the Artillery School at Chalons. A year later, with Napoleon proclaiming himself the liberator of Italy, Noel was appointed second lieutenant in the 8th Regiment of Horse Artillery. Written in 1850, With Napoleon's Guns is his remarkable memoir of twenty years in the Emperor's service. A trained artilleryman himself, Napoleon dramatically transformed the role of the artillery from a cumbersome and tactically limited force into fluid, independent and highly mobile trains d'artillerie. This new organisation required fresh new officers - officers with intelligence who could act under their own initiative: officers such as Noel. From the optimism of the early years in Italy, through the privations of the retreat from Moscow and the horrors of the Battle of Leipzig, to the disillusionment of the Emperor's decline, Noel charts both his personal career and, at close hand, the trajectory of the First Empire with frankness and percipience.Based on the journal he kept from his cadetship at Chalons, With Napoleon's Guns is a dignified and revealing account of an officer at the heart of Napoleon's army.
Download or read book Napoleon s Artillery written by Robert Wilkinson-Latham and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 1975-06-15 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the end of the Royalist regime, the artillery arm of the French Army was, as Napoleon was later to declare, "the finest and best composed corps in Europe." Designed by the great master of artillery, Jean Baptiste de Gribeauval, the equipment consisted of some of the best pieces in Europe. This book examines the equipment and performance of Napoleon's artillery in the Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802), Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) and Waterloo campaign (1815). The organization of the Imperial Army is also covered, including the key French failure to develop "Shrapnel" or "spherical case shot" - a weapon used against them to great effect by the British.
Download or read book Napoleon s Guns 1792 1815 2 written by René Chartrand and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2003-06-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is the second half of the story of the French artillery during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It covers the howitzers, mortars and large siege (16- and 24-pdrs) and garrison (8- and 12-pdrs) guns, placing a special emphasis on their role, technical significance and operational use. The introduction of the Gribeauval system put in place a collection of mortars and large guns that were lighter and more manageable than those previously used, while offering first class hitting power.
Download or read book Weapons and Equipment of the Napoleonic Wars written by Philip J. Haythornthwaite and published by Blandford. This book was released on 1979 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Udrustning; Udstyr; Artilleriet; Carriages; Howitzers; Gribeauval System; Gun-drill; Projectiler; Roundshot; Shrapnels; Siege-trains; Canister; Common Shell; Heste; Militære Heste; Ammunition; Carronades; Muskets; Feltposter; Pistols; Manual Exercise; Medical Services; Light Cavalry; Light Infantry; Jägers; Irregulars; Infanteriet; Gunpowder; Grenadiers; Fusiliers; Befæstninger; Forsvarsværker; Artilleriet; Bayonetter; Bivouacs; Bivauakker; Wad-Hooks; Mule-trains; Militærmusik; Transport; Wurst-wagen; Waggons; Sværd; Sabler; Surgeons; Skirmishes; Sabres; Rifles; Rifle Corps; Rationer; Disciplinære Straffe; Soldaterliv; Feltliv; Taktik; Trunnions.
Download or read book Napoleon s Specialist Troops written by Philip Haythornthwaite and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-06-20 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though less celebrated than the infantry and cavalry, Napoleon's 'specialist' troops – artillery, engineers and supporting services – were indispensable elements without which no army could have operated, and frequently assumed greater significance than the line regiments. Indeed, having suffered least from the emigration of Royalist officers, the artillery was the best element of the early Republican armies, the nucleus of the old Royal artillery serving with distinction in the early campaigns such as Valmy. The organisation and uniform of Napoleon's specialist troops are here examined by Philip Haythornwaite in a engaging volume complemented by a wealth of illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Bryan Fosten.
Download or read book Napoleon s Dragoons of the Imperial Guard written by Ronald Pawly and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-04-20 with total page 121 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dressed in distinctive green uniforms and classically inspired copper helmets, the Dragoons of the Imperial Guard were raised in 1806 by the same criteria as other Guard units – by selection of picked, literate veterans from Line regiments who had six to ten years of service, and citations for bravery in at least two campaigns. The following year they were named Dragons de l'Impératrice in a unique compliment to the Empress Josephine. As a ceremonial regiment it enjoyed many privileges, but it also saw combat on a number of occasions, including the battles of Essling and Wagram (1809), the Russian campaign (1812, when it suffered severe losses), at Bautzen, Wachau and Leipzig (1813), in the 1814 Campaign of France, and at Ligny and Waterloo (1815).
Download or read book Napoleon s Carabiniers written by Ronald Pawly and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-03-20 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The two privileged regiments of Carabiniers survived the French Revolution with their elite status intact. They covered themselves with glory at Austerlitz, Friedland, Ratisbonne and Wagram where their bloody losses shocked Napoleon into ordering them new helmets and cuirasses. Re-formed after near annihilation in Russia in 1812, they fought at Leipzig and in many actions of the 1814 French campaign, and made one of the final charges at Waterloo. lllustrated with rare early prints and meticulous colour reconstructions, this book details their story, and their unique uniforms, from surviving period documents.
Download or read book Napoleonic Artillery written by Paul L. Dawson and published by Crowood Press UK. This book was released on 2008-05-15 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Napoleonic Wars gripped Europe, and beyond, for over ten years at the beginning of the Nineteenth century. Hundreds of battles were fought between the armies of France (and its allies) and all those powers that wished to see Napoleon Bonaparte stopped in his tracks and an end to the French Empire. The battles and sieges of the Napoleonic Wars, which cost the lives of between 3 and 6 million men, made unprecedented use of large guns, and every participating army possessed a range of artillery. With the wars covering such a long period of time, and with so many armies involved, the subject of Napoleonic artillery is a complicated one, and no work has attempted to examine all the weapons involved in a single, detailed volume. Until now. The product of years of research, this book presents most of what is known about the artillery pieces of the Napoleonic Wars. Including numerous drawings, contemporary illustrations and modern photographs of surviving guns, it will be an invaluable addition to the library of historians, modellers, wargamers and re-enactors.
Download or read book Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars A Concise Dictionary 1792 1815 written by Kevin F. Kiley and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2021-03-15 with total page 574 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive military history reference book exploring all aspects of the artillery used during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon began his military career as an artillery cadet and artillery played a fundamental part in all his great battles. Until the Napoleonic Wars artillery had been seen merely as a supporting arm to the infantry, but Napoleon changed everything. He massed his guns in huge batteries to blast holes in his opponent’s line. He even used the artillery to charge the enemy, the gunners galloping up to the enemy to open fire at pointblank range. Napoleon’s opponents did not all follow suit, choosing other tactical deployments. As a result, the Napoleonic era, more than any that preceded or followed it, was one of fascinating artillery maneuvers and critical actions that changed the course of many of the key battles. As the Prussian Field Marshal Blucher once observed, “Against Napoleon you needed guns – and lots of them!” The Napoleonic Wars was also a time of innovation, with the introduction of shrapnel shells and military rockets. This book will examine the artillery arms of all sides from ‘muzzle to butt plate’. As well as the significant artillerymen of the period, the scientists, and innovators, military and civilian—individuals such as Robins, Belidor, Gribeauval and his colleagues, Maritz, Liechtenstein and his collaborators, as well as the du Teil brothers – will all be examined, as will the important battles and sieges, significant memoirs and documents, and artillery terms that soon became part of the military lexicon. Written by the renowned historian Kevin F. Kiley, this will be the definitive book on the subject and will cover all aspects of artillery in the Napoleonic Wars. “This is a wonderfully complete induction into the details of Napoleonic Artillery. As well as defining some of the archaic terms associated with the art of gunnery (note; point blank is not what we mostly believe it to be) it provides background to the careers of the key characters in the science. The book contains many excellent technical drawings to explain, sketches and images to inform and data tables in the appendix to which to refer. Overall, it is an indispensable aid to understanding the artillery of the period.” —Michael McCarthy, battlefield guide
Download or read book Artillery Of Napoleonic Wars written by Kevin F. Kiley and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2004-01-06 with total page 311 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this detailed study Kevin Kiley looks at artillery in use throughout the Napoleonic period. He examines Napoleons own artillery as well as that employed by his enemies, and he evaluates the gunners contribution to warfare in the period. By looking at particular battles in detail, Kevin Kiley shows just how the effective employment of artillery could tip the scales of victory.
Download or read book Napoleon s Line Infantry written by Philip Haythornthwaite and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-11-20 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Napoleon's line infantry was founded upon that of the Ancien Régime. A total re-organisation began on 1 January 1791 with the abolition of the old regimental titles, and over the next two years an increasing number of conscript and volunteer battalions were formed. Their quality varied from the proficiency of the early National Guard regiments to the untrained and ill-equipped rabble of the levée. To combine the discipline and steadiness of the regular army with the revolutionary fervour of the new army, the Amalgame was decreed on 21 February; by this measure each regular battalion became the nucleus of a new Demi-Brigade.
Download or read book Napoleon and Grouchy written by Paul L. Dawson and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2017-06-30 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the enduring controversies of the Waterloo campaign is the conduct of Marshal Grouchy. Given command of a third of Napoleons army and told to keep the Prussians from joining forces with Wellington, he failed to keep Wellington and Blcher apart with the result that Napoleon was overwhelmed at Waterloo. Grouchy, though, was not defeated. He kept his force together and retreated in good order back to France.Many have accused Grouchy of intentionally holding back his men and not marching to join Napoleon when the sound of the gunfire at Waterloo could clearly be heard, and he has been widely blamed for Napoleons defeat.Now, for the first time, Grouchys conduct during the Waterloo campaign is analyzed in fine detail, drawing principally on French sources not previously available in English. The author, for example, answers questions such as whether key orders did actually exist in 1815 or were they later fabrications to make Grouchy the scapegoat for Napoleons failures? Did General Grard really tell Grouchy to march to the sound of the guns? Why did Grouchy appear to move so slowly when speed was essential?This is a subject which is generally overlooked by British historians, who tend to concentrate on the actions of Wellington and Napoleon, and which French historians choose not to look at too closely for fear that it might reflect badly upon their hero Napoleon.Despite the mass of books written on Waterloo, this is a genuinely unique contribution to this most famous campaign. This book is certain to fuel debate and prompt historians to reconsider the events of June 1815.
Download or read book Decline And Fall Of Napoleon s Empire written by Digby Smith and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2005-06-01 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Until now, there has been no study of the significant errors that Napoleon made himself which, though apparently trivial at the time, proved to be major factors in his downfall. Digby Smith tracks his rise to power, his stewardship of France from 180415, and his exile. He highlights his military mistakes, such as his unwillingness to appoint an effective overall supremo in the Iberian Peninsula, and the decision to invade Russia while the Spanish situation was spiralling out of control.
Download or read book Wellington s Guns written by Nick Lipscombe and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-09-20 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written in the same engaging style of Mark Urban's Fusiliers and Rifles, this is a brilliant study of the Gunners who revolutionised warfare during the course of the Napoleonic Wars despite the opposition of their commander-in-chief. Dismissive, conservative and aloof, Wellington treated his artillery with disdain during the Napoleonic Wars – despite their growing influence on the field of battle. Wellington's Guns exposes, for the very first time, the often stormy relationship between Wellington and his artillery, how the reluctance to modernize the British artillery corps threatened to derail the British push for victory and how Wellington's views on the command and appointment structure within the artillery opened up damaging rifts between him and his men. At a time when artillery was undergoing revolutionary changes – from the use of mountain guns during the Pyrenees campaign in the Peninsular, the innovative execution of 'danger-close' missions to clear the woods of Hougomont at Waterloo, to the introduction of creeping barrages and Congreve's rockets – Wellington seemed to remain distrustful of a force that played a significant role in shaping tactics and changing the course of the war. Using extensive research and first-hand accounts, Colonel Nick Lipscombe reveals that despite Wellington's brilliance as a field commander, his abrupt and uncompromising leadership style, particularly towards his artillery commanders, shaped the Napoleonic Wars, and how despite this, the ever-evolving technology and tactics ensured that the extensive use of artillery became one of the hallmarks of a modern army.
Download or read book Napoleon s Imperial Guard written by Gabriele Esposito and published by Pen & Sword Military. This book was released on 2021-07-30 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A detailed analysis of the organization, uniforms and weapons of the French Imperial Guard created by Napoleon I. The author describes how this large military body evolved from the Consular Guard created by Bonaparte as early as 1799 and how this came to include dozens of different military units belonging to each branch of service (infantry, cavalry, artillery, specialist corps). The Imperial Guard was a 'miniature army' made up of veteran soldiers, who were dressed with the most spectacular and elegant uniforms ever seen on the battlefields of Europe. The Guard also included several 'exotic' non-French units that are also covered in the text: Egyptian Mamelukes, Polish and Lithuanian lancers, Tatar scouts, Dutch grenadiers and lancers. The way in which Napoleon employed the Guard in battle is discussed and also how it differed from the rest of the French Army in terms of military dress and weaponry.
Download or read book Blundering to Glory written by Owen Connelly and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2006 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Renowned for its accuracy, brevity, and readability, this book has long been the gold standard of concise histories of the Napoleonic Wars. Now in an updated and revised edition, it is unique in its portrayal of one of the world's great generals as a scrambler who never had a plan, strategic or tactical, that did not break down or change of necessity in the field. Distinguished historian Owen Connelly argues that Napoleon was the master of the broken play, so confident of his ability to improvise, cover his own mistakes, and capitalize on those of the enemy that he repeatedly plunged his armies into uncertain, seemingly desperate situations, only to emerge victorious as he "blundered" to glory. Beginning with a sketch of Napoleon's early life, the book progresses to his command of artillery at Toulon and the "whiff of grapeshot" in Paris that netted him control of the Army of Italy, where his incredible performance catapulted him to fame. The author vividly traces Napoleon's campaigns as a general of the French Revolution and emperor of the French, knowledgeably analyzing each battle's successes and failures. The author depicts Napoleon's "art of war" as a system of engaging the enemy, waiting for him to make a mistake, improvising a plan on the spot-and winning. Far from detracting from Bonaparte's reputation, his blunders rather made him a great general, a "natural" who depended on his intuition and ability to read battlefields and his enemy to win. Exploring this neglected aspect of Napoleon's battlefield genius, Connelly at the same time offers stirring and complete accounts of all the Napoleonic campaigns.
