Marengo and Hohenlinden : Napoleon's Rise to Power

Customer Reviews:

Solid, Straightforward History.......2000-07-20

This is the author's best effort so far and he has established himself as an accurate, reliable historian. The story of this critical campaign, which could have resulted in cutting Napoleon's amazing career somewhat short, is stirringly told with verve, wit, and an understanding of the period.

Using reliabe, accurate sources, the book tells of the critical fight at Marengo in northern Italy first, with the desperately raised Armee de la Reserve, and Napoleon's hair-raising fight that almost resulted in his defeat. Reinforced and saved at, quite literally, the last moment by his friend Desaix, whom Napoleon considered the 'best balanced of his lieutenants, the momentarily triumphant Austrians were hurled back in rout, and French arms triumphant. Unfortunately, Desaix was killed leading the decisive attack, shot dead out of the saddle. French generals Kellermann and Marmont provided the needed cavalry and artillery support, and the epic 30 minute fight of the Consular Guard infantry, in its first fight as a unit, is all told here.

Hohenlinden, fought in Germany after Marengo by the Armee de la Rhine under Moreau, is a different type of campaign. Moreau, popular, sluggish, and definitely not a friend or supporter of Napoleon, generally ignores directives from Napoleon, but manages to catch the Austrians at a disadvantage, and thanks to the combat leadership of his aggressive subordinates, Ney, Richemanse, and Dacaen, wins a decisive victory effectively ending the war.

Book Description

Napoleon was only 26 years old when he led his first army—45,000 ill-fed, poorly-clothed, and disillusioned French troops. In just two months, his ragtag forces pushed half the respected Piedmontese army out of the war, drove the Austrians across Italy, and laid winning siege to a crucial fortress. Previously unpublished primary sources make possible the first new treatment of young Napoleon in half a century.

Customer Reviews:

Napoleon's Star Rises.......2007-06-21

It is early Spring 1796, a novice general takes command of the Army of Italy. The Army is hungry, poorly clothed and dispirited. The French are barely hanging onto their foothold on the Italian Riviera. Within little more than a year, the Army of Italy will knock Piedmont out of the War, chase the Austrian Army across Northern Italy, repulse four determined counter-attacks, seize the fortress of Mantua, march up into the Tyrol, threaten Vienna and force the Austrians out of the War! What an amazing first campaign. Some of Napoleon's later campaigns may be more famous but no campaign is more dramatic.

Martin Boycott-Brown has done a favor to the English language world by publishing the first comprehensive account of that campaign to come out in many decades. The hardback version is 526 pages long and is filled with the type of obscure detail that enthusiasts of military history love. Earlier reviewers are correct when they note that book's maps are of poor quality. However, if someone is going to be reading a detailed campaign book about the 1786-7 Italian campaign, they are more likely than not to already have many other Napoleonic history books that can be used to supplement this book's maps.

The appeal of this book is to see Napoleon at the beginning of his career. This is his first campaign and as to be expected things do not always go according to plan. It is a pleasure to see Napoleon's military genius at its real birth. In addition, many of the great characters that are to become important in Napoleon's story are present in these early days. Massena, Berthier, Murat, Lannes and Augereau all enter history's stage in this campaign.

If I have one crticism of this book it is that Martin Boycott-Brown is so earnest and determined to accurately describe this campaign. Drama is often sacrificed for detail. Fortunately, now that the essential details have been nailed down, another writer with the novelist's gift for drama and turn of phrase will come and tell this amazing story in a more lyrical manner.

Another 'scholarly' work.......2004-07-27

I was disappointed in this book. Yet again we are subjected to an exhausting study of one of Napoleon's campaigns, and we are left to imagine most of it. The few maps included are simple and at a very large scale, with no troop movements to be found. There is no accounting of armies or orders of battle, and any casualty or other statistics are only mingled with the text and need to be collected and/or analyzed to verify their accuracy. The chapter endnotes are mostly bilbliographical. I was interested to see quotes from personal correspondence, which is almost unheard of, and it gives great insight into Napoleon the man as a result. Sadly, this book did not accomplish what many are longing for,,,a more detailed analysis of the Italian campaign. You'll need a few more books with more information to get a clear picture.

Great reading but could have been better.......2003-07-10

One of the more interesting books on Napoleonic campaigns, especially one that there haven't been too many books written about it. I found the book to be quite an enjoyable read but like most of the other people who wrote reveiws on it, what bring down the book was lousy maps. Considering the details that the author offered in the book in tracing movements, battles and all that, good maps should have been alloted all over the book. Instead there were basically generic maps in the middle of the book. It sad when I have to go to other books like West Point Atlas of Napoleonic Wars to get a clearer pictures of what the author was trying to say. Considering how familiar the author is to the entire area of operation, maybe he fell into a mind trap of thinking that everyone knows the terrains as much as he. Other then that, I don't have much more to add then what was written before.

Good book, and the only major source on the subject.......2002-06-27

Studies of Napoleon's Italian campaign are hard to come by, so this book fills a very important space in Napoleonic historiography. The author does a fine job, with a large amount of detail being presented in a readable style. One comes away feeling they have gained a solid understanding of the campaign.

The book could have made better it the author had carefully examined the mindset of Napoleon himself, and how he felt about everything he was doing. The book also ended rather abruptly, without a discussion of the long-term effects of Napoleon's campaign.

Despite those flaws, this book was very good and should be read by anyone attempting to understand the Napoleonic period.

I couldn't get past the first few chapters.......2001-10-02

This is a massive book and doubtless would repay those who can finish it. I didn't like the text. I found the first few chapters rather dreary as the author was trying to set the stage for Napoleon's foray into Italy. I didn't like feel of the book -the paper used was bad and the pictures were bad. And as for the maps? Well, the maps were cursory.
I'll stick to my copy of Attack in the West and Napoleon in Italy for a clear account of this campaign.

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Battles in Italy during the early 19th Century
Italian Campaigns a Winner
While Napoleon was away...

Napoleon's Italian Campaigns: 1805-1815
Frederick C. Schneid
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275968758

Book Description

The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars raged in Italy for 23 years. In that time, no fewer than eight campaigns involving hundred of thousands of troops were mounted in the Italian peninsula, as France and Austria struggled over this secondary, but still vitally important theater of war. As Frederick Schneid demonstrates in this groundbreaking work, control of Italy was rightly seen by Napoleon as an important means of applying strategic pressure on the Austrians, while simultaneously providing security for France's vulnerable southern flank. As the first in-depth consideration of the struggle for strategically key region, this book places the Italian campaigns into their proper historical context. Beginning with a geo-strategic overview of the Italian peninsula and its place in French and Austrian calculations, Schneid moves on to a careful consideration of the major campaigns that began in 1805, 1809, and 1813. These include studies of the battles at Caldiero, Wagram, and Mincio. The book also provides appendices with complete orders of battle for each campaign.

Customer Reviews:

Battles in Italy during the early 19th Century.......2007-01-28

Schneid's book is a very valuable study of some of the main battles fought in Italy during the Napoleonic wars, complete with maps and orders of battle. Schneid draws on a number of archival sources in assembling his work. Historians and war gamers will both find this book of interest because of the level of detail provided, which is very good. In addition, Schneid provides insight on each Italian campaign from 1805-1815, along with factors that most likely influenced the thinking of the commanders.

As an example, when reading about Caldiero October 29-31, 1805 other sources such as Marshall-Cornwall's "Marshal Massena" only provide a brief overview of the campaign and the battle. Marshall-Cornwall's map of Caldiero shows key terrain features and relative positioning of some divisions. Schneid's narrative clearly identifies activities for many of the regiments and battalions engaged - a level of detail lacking in almost all English language sources in print to date.

The only criticism is that the narrative sometimes assumes the reader has an intimate knowledge of the Italian geography and lesser known town names. When reading this narrative it will help to have access to other source maps such as Kaussler's so as to correlate the information provided in Schneid's superb book.

Italian Campaigns a Winner.......2005-08-28

While this book may not be as detailed as some people would like, it definately fills a void in giving a solid overview for the campaigns in Northern Italy from 1805-1815. Very few other books cover any single campaign in Northern Italy with near as much information as Schneid does much less all of them. Could it have been more detailed? Sure, but then again the same could be said about many books. If nothing else, Schneid gives the reader a solid platform with which to seek additional information.

If the maps had been better, I would have given it the full 5 stars.

While Napoleon was away..........2003-01-21

Schneid, author of the excellent Soldiers of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy (Westview, 1995), presents a brief overview of the campaigns in Italy between 1805 and 1815. This volume, unlike Schneid's previous book, is military history in the sense of focusing solely on campaigns and battles. Schneid looks at the chief military campaigns of 1805, 1809, 1813-14, and 1815 (Murat's last hurrah and Suchet's last stand in Savoy), covering the battles of Caldiero, Maida, Sacile, Piave, Raab, Mincio, and Tolentino.

What went on between campaigns is passed over lightly and the book presumes knowledge by the reader of the Napoleonic era as a whole. Political and diplomatic affairs are touched upon only as they affect military matters. Schneid tells us briefly what happened, where it happened and how it happened. He does not analyze the political or diplomatic reasons why it happened, nor does he look at the larger implications of these campaigns.

The title of the book is, of course, misleading. During the years covered, Napoleon was fighting in Germany and elsewhere. Campaigning in Italy was left to his marshals, Jourdan, Masséna, etc., or to his son-in-law and Viceroy, Eugène de Beauharnais. Schneid can be excused, on marketing reasons, for entitling the volume "Napoleon's" rather than "Eugène's" or even "Charles's Italian Campaigns." The campaigns in Italy during this period were largely a sideshow to battles occurring elsewhere.

Napoleon's 1805 campaign was perhaps his most masterful, so events in Germany overshadowed those in Italy. Masséna, less energetic than in the past and strategically "less than brilliant," still managed to fulfill his role of preventing the Austrian Archduke Charles from affecting the campaign in Germany. Schneid errors in presenting the Battle of Maida (1806) as a classic British line versus French column battle, following Oman, who in later editions admitted his error. For the 1809 campaign Schneid prefers Epstein's (Prince Eugene at War: 1809) more positive assessment of Eugène's performance to that of Macdonald and Pelet. For the 1813-1814 campaign Schneid unfortunately has to compete with the much fuller recent account by Nafziger and Gioannini (The Defense of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Northern Italy, 1813-1814, also by Praeger, 2002).

Schneid indicates that this book was written prior to his Soldiers of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy, which was Schneid's doctoral dissertation, and laid aside for a number of years. I did find a number of errors that indicate the book might have benefited from another run through the editorial process (if books are edited these days). For instance, Schneid inexplicably refers to William Bentinck throughout (including the index) as William Bentick. One also finds occasional partial sentences, such as, "Neither he nor Bellegarde found prospect of a Bonapartist ruler in Italy appealing." (p. 141) In addition, the dating of some events, such as that of Murat's "treachery," is confused. Though not an error, Schneid mentions that by the time Metternich replied to Murat's advances in 1813, Murat was already on his way to Dresden, where he had been ordered by Napoleon. Schneid indicates that Murat did not respond to the Austrians' belated offers because Murat "was already on his way to join the Emperor." Nafziger adds the detail that Metternich's message was in cipher and Murat didn't have the key. Nafziger also adds that despite this, Murat kept a representative in the Allied camp who kept him informed of developments there.

The book lacks an analytical index that, because the book covers a number of campaigns, would have been helpful. Also included are orders of battle for the 1805, 1809, 1813-14 and 1815 campaigns (down to brigade and regimental levels). There are eight maps, seven of which are for specific battles and one of northern Italy. The maps, however, are not detailed and will probably disappoint most military history readers. The bibliography includes archival sources from France, Italy and Austria, as well as published memoirs, staff histories and secondary sources. By far, though, the majority of the footnotes refer to French sources.

Because Italy was a sideshow Schneid's book is a useful, if not essential, overview of an often-ignored area of Napoleonic history. While Schneid's account of the campaigns of 1805-15 comprise 160 pages of text, Nafziger and Gioannini give us 235 pages on the 1813-14 campaign alone (so if you buy your books by their bulk the Nafziger book will be your first choice). Epstein does a better job at elucidating the often stormy relationship between Eugène and Napoleon. Of use though are Schneid's descriptions of relatively in-depth such largely overlooked battles such as Caldiero. Schneid's account is chronological and his descriptions of battles are straightforward and relatively easy to follow, but rather dry and lacking in the "gunpowder and blood" that distinguishes a master military historian. The chief drawback to the book for the casual reader of military history will be its price.

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Napoleon's Campaigns in Italy (Men-at-Arms)
Philip Haythornthwaite
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802 (Men-at-Arms)

ASIN: 1855322811
Release Date: 1993-03-25

Book Description

In January 1794 the French ‘Army of Italy’ was commanded by General Dumerbion and he acknowledged a great debt to his 25-year-old commander of artillery – Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution had resulted in major changes in the military system, conscription created a national army and new tactics and initiatives allowed an officer of such promise as Napoleon to rise quickly through the ranks. By 1796 he was the general commanding the French in Italy and at the conclusion of fourteen months campaigning he was the decisive military personality of his age. Philip Haythornthwaite examines Napoleon's campaigns in Italy, and the uniforms of his soldiers are illustrated in eight colour plates by Richard Hook.

Fighting Napoleon's Empire - The Campaigns of a British Infantryman in italy, egypt, the peninsular and the west indies during the napoleonic wars

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Fighting Napoleon's Empire - The Campaigns of a British Infantryman in italy, egypt, the peninsular and the west indies during the napoleonic wars
Joseph Anderson
Manufacturer: Leonaur Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1846771412

Book Description

FIGHTING NAPOLEON'S EMPIRE. The Napoleonic wars - A truly worldwide conflict. When Joseph Anderson joined the British Army to fight the French he little realised that his service would find him in action across the globe. The rarely reported expedition to southern Italy found him with his regiment - the 78th - engaged in the brilliant action at Maida. Next came Egypt and the investment of Rosetta. Protracted war in the Iberian Peninsula required many regiments and the 78th was one of them. After some of his greatest challenges he then travelled across the Atlantic to the West Indies. This book recounts Anderson's experiences in an unusual and varied sequence of campaigns and battles from the Napoleonic period and includes a brief history of each of them to provide historical context.

Marengo 1800: Napoleon's day of fate (Campaign)

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Battlefield Guide Use
Solid account
Good but Cramped
Original Research, New Conclusions
The first new account in 100 years?

Marengo 1800: Napoleon's day of fate (Campaign)
David Hollins
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1855329654
Release Date: 2000-05-25

Book Description

Having returned from Egypt and seized power as First Consul, Napoleon led the Army of the Reserve against the Austrian Army besieging Genoa. After a period of skirmishing and manoeuvring, Melas, the Austrian commander, launched a surprise attack on the morning of 14 June. The attack initially drove the French back to Marengo village and, despite committing the Consular Guard, by 3pm the French were retreating. Believing he had won, the wounded Melas left the field to his Chief-of-Staff, Zach. The timely arrival of Desaix's Division led by Kellerman's cavalry and the 9e Légère threw the Austrians into confusion, turned the battle in Napoleon's favour, thus securing his position as First Consul. It could have been very different.

Customer Reviews:

Battlefield Guide Use.......2005-06-13

I recently used this book on a visit to Marengo battlefield (June 2005).

Well illustrated, excellent maps and photos. "The Battlefield Today" section was unusual feature, as was the "Wargaming" section.

Unfortunately, the battlefield is in a suburban/urban area of Italy. A few landmarks are visible, but few are easily accessible. In June of 2005, the museum was closed for "repairs". Americans used to well preserved battle sights such as Antietam or Gettysburg will be disappointed.

This book is not for those without previous knowledge of military history/organization. The maps are complicated, not all abbreviations/acronyms are defined. Trying to follow the narration with the maps can be very difficult.
At the actual sight, matching pictures from the text to the local area was a challenge. It would have been helpful if the author had marked picture sights to a map of the Marengo area.

I agree with previous reviews that this account gives the Austrians more credit and coverage than many other previous works. The general sense is a closely fought battle, with the Austrians overextending themselves in pursuing the French after initial success.

Solid account.......2002-12-08

Prior to this book I knew next to nothing about this all important battle from Nappy's early days. This battle illustrates the importance of assigning good men to the command of your Army so that they can arrive in the nick of time to save you from defeat.

Good but Cramped.......2001-10-29

A very good book, for once abandoning French sources to explore the Austrian side of the story. It could still be better; the limited format makes it impossible to include a bibliography or glossary, and the maps are not as useful as they could be. The text could expand on some of the points made, if there had been room to do so. In spite of these minor problems, I unreservedly recommend it.

Yours,
James D. Gray

Original Research, New Conclusions.......2001-10-29

This author, together with Terry Crowdy, has done a considerable amount of original archive research in both the Kriegsarchiv in Vienna and the S.H.A.T. in Vincennes. Not surprisingly, the new information they have brought to light has shattered the odd cherished myth or two. As such, there are those who have subjected David Hollins to a considerable amount of abuse for the revelations made in this book. Their unfounded and ill-considered comments do not change the facts as established in this work. The falacy of their arguments has been shown on debate on a number of website forae. In all, a well-researched work that is ideal for the purposes it is designed.

The first new account in 100 years?.......2001-01-28

Dave Hollin's modest book is the first new account of Marengo in the English language since Furse, published at the turn of the 19th century.

What is not apparent, from Osprey's misguided decision not to include comprehensive sourcing, is that the material in this title is based largely on original research in the Austrian War Archives and the French Army Historical Service archives, together with the published regimental histories of approximately thirty units from the Austrian and French sides, and significant contributions from collaborators in Italy.

Although constrained by the limits of the Campaign series booklets this is, therefore, also the first balanced account of the Marengo campaign in English.

The reader of this review is entitled to ask how I know this and at this point I should explain that Dave Hollins is a friend and this Osprey Campaign is a spin-off from a larger work on Napoleon's second Italian campaign which he is co-authoring and is currently still being worked on. I am, therefore, fully aware of the provenance of this book, which includes a large body of material which has never been exploited before in English (and perhaps any other language), and is impeccable in the context of both sides. Having said that, bearing in mind that it was described by Furse and has been in the public domain for approximately 100 years, the doubts expressed elsewhere about the part played by the Consular Guard in this battle are extraordinary.

This new account will not, of course, sit well with those brought up on a diet of Napoleonic mythology and a couple of well known French memoirs, one of which is, at least in part, particularly questionable, and on which the few pages in in Elting's 'Atlas', Chandler's 'Campaigns' and a couple of paragraphs in Lachouque's Anatomy of Glory, are essentially based.

This is not to ignore James Arnold's recent book on Hohenlinden and Marengo, but this contains no new research and, as far as Marengo is concerned, adds nothing to what has already been produced and generally follows the 'traditional' line.

Correctly identifying Berthier as the titular commander of the French army at Marengo, the booklet has the obligatory, though comprehensive, orders of battle that one expects in this series, including ones for the siege of Genoa and the battle of Montebello.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Books.......2005-08-06

Tranie' and Carmingniani published pictorial volumns on each of Napoleon's campaigns. They are highly sought after by collectors because of the quality of the publications themselves, (sewn binding, usually Imperial Green leather, etc) and more importantly each book is a collection of paintings, lithographs, portraits, etc. that are elsewhere unavailable. The works are thorough, including uniform plates, and coverage of very obscure incidents and people.

These volumns are in French, and are only reccomended to those who are already readers of Napoleonic literature. If you are already under the spell of the Age of Napoleon, and are familiar with the campaign, then you will be thrilled with this work.

Note: about 10% - 20% of the pagess are in color. The uniform plates always are.

This volumne is still generally available, however I have seen them come and go, and once they disapear from the market place they are very hard to get. The uniform plates are particularly good on this campaign.

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