Interesting book

[Ziem]

As usual I was looking for some good napoleonic books and I came across
this one : Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon  by
Rory Muir.  

Synopsis: What was it like to be a soldier on a Napoleonic battlefield? What happened when cavalry regiments charged directly at one another? What did the generals do during battle? Drawing on memoirs, diaries and letters of the time, this book explores what actually happened in battle and how the participants' feelings and reactions influenced the outcome. Rory Muir focuses on the dynamics of combat in the age of Napoleon, enhancing his analysis with accounts of those who were there - the frightened foot soldier, the general in command, the young cavalry officer whose boils made it impossible to ride, and the smartly dressed aide-de-camp, tripped up by his voluminous pantaloons. This book sheds light on how military tactics worked by concentrating on the experience of soldiers in the firing line instead of the abstractions of drill manuals. Muir considers the interaction of artillery, infantry and cavalry; the role of the general, subordinate commanders, staff officers and aides; morale, esprit de corps and the role of regimental officers; soldiers' attitudes towards death and feelings about the enemy; the plight of the wounded; the difficulty of surrendering; and how victories were finally decided. He discusses the mechanics of musketry, artillery and cavalry charges and shows how they influenced the morale, discipline and resolution of the opposing armies. (taken from the UK Amazon site)

I must say it is an excellent book and a must to every Napoleonic buff and definately an aid to napoleonic game developpers. ( :wink: )


For sale at the Amazon sites.

Merry christmas and a happy New year!!

Cheers
Ziem  

[Le Tondu]

Oh yes, it is a nice one. The only downside that I have seen so far is that it focuses mainly on the English and French experiences. His work could easily become a volume one in a five volume set!

"Imperial Bayonets" by George Nafziger and "With Musket, Cannon, and Sword" by Brent Nosworthy are two more excellent examples of fine Napoleonic scholarship.

[LND]

if you are intersted in that kind of book, read "with musket cannon and sword" by Brent Nothworthy. I have both and this one is much more intersting.