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Austin, Paul Britten. 1812: The March on Moscow. Greenhill (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1993 [This volume has gone out of print. To order a copy, please click on the Alibris banner near the bottom of the page.]

Austin, Paul Britten. 1812: Napoleon in Moscow. Greenhill (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1995

Austin, Paul Britten. 1812: The Great Retreat. Greenhill (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1996 [The eagerly anticipated completion to Austin's trilogy on the 1812 campaign.]

Blond, Georges. La Grande Armée. [Marshall May, trans.] Arms and Armour (UK)/Sterling (US) 1997 This is a massive study (544 pages) which initially appeared in France in 1979. It is rounded out with some useful appendices, including the fates of the marshals, and rates of pay, plus 14 maps and 16 pages of black and white illustrations.]

Boutflower, Charles. The Journal of an Army Surgeon During the Peninsular War. [The Spellmount Library of Military History Series; Dr. A.C. Ticehurst, intro.] Spellmount (UK)/Sarpedon (US) 1997 [orig. 1912]]

Boycott-Brown, Martin. The Road to Rivoli: Napoleon's First Campaign. Cassell (UK)/Sterling (US) 2002 [This massive book (560 pages) covers Napoleon's first campaign from the spring of 1796 when he took command of the Army of Italy to the battle of Rivoli in January 1797. "Octave Aubry, when assessing the effect that Napoleon had on France, wrote that, 'when an achievement . . . bears such fruit, it provides its own justification'. Martin Boycott-Brown has achieved a wonderful book about the first Italian campaign." -- David Chandler. "The most detailed and coherent account of the campaign that I have ever read . . . a truly first-rate study." -- Philip J. Haythornthwaite. "Boycott-Brown is an independent Napoleonic scholar who has rendered a detailed account (the first since 1957) of young Napoleon Bonaparte's Italian campaign. . . . An often overlooked offensive that began in the mountains leading into the Piedmont-Sardinia kingdom, it constitutes one of Napoleon's most remarkable achievements. . . . Fortunately, good maps accompany the text, and the persevering reader will soon be in rhythm with Napoleon's deadly minuet with the Austrian and Piedmontese armies. . . . impressively incorporates Austrian and Italian sources that have been translated into English for the first time." -- Jim Doyle, Library Journal. ". . . a pearl of considerable price." -- The Spectator. Originally published by Cassell in 2001, this book is still available in a hardcover edition.]

Bradford, Ernle. Nelson: The Essential Hero. [Wordsworth Military Library Series] Wordsworth 1999 [This biography of Nelson is by the popular historian and former sailor who has travelled most of the waters Nelson sailed. It was first published in 1977.]

Castle, Ian. Eggmühl 1809: Storm Over Bavaria. [Campaign Series, no. 56] Osprey Publ. (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1998

Castle, Ian. Wagram 1809. [Campaign Series, no. 33] Osprey

Chandler, David. Austerlitz 1805. [Campaign Series, no. 2] Osprey

Chandler, David. The Campaigns of Napoleon: The Mind and Method of History's Greatest Soldier. Macmillan 1973 [The single best book on Napolean and his wars.]

Chandler, David. Jena 1806. [Campaign Series, no. 20] Osprey

Chandler, David. Waterloo: The Hundred Days. Osprey (UK) 1997/Stackpole (US) 1998 [orig. 1980. "David Chandler's account is, quite simply, the best that I have ever read." -- Dr. A.L. Rowse.]

Chartrand, René. Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon's Army. [Brassey's History of Uniforms Series, Christa Hook, color plates]] Batsford Brassey 1996 (UK)/1997 (US)

Chesney, Colonel Charles. Waterloo Lectures. [Napoleonic Library no. 32] Greenhill Books (UK/Stackpole Books (US) 1997 ["In my humble opinion, this book is one of the five key works on Waterloo and is a 'must read' for the serious Napoleonic historian. This classic was first published in 1868 and diligently revised by the author with the fourth edition appearing in 1907, this latter edition the one being used by Greenhill. This book is key for two reasons, first it is an insightful history of the campaign in which Chesney used a wide array of resources. Secondly, it is a model of objective history, untainted by nationalistic prejudices. The chapters are based on eight lectures, lecture one, 'Introduction to the Study of the Waterloo Campaign,' is especially geared to my latter point. Chesney looks at the historiography of the campaign and finds it wanting, especially due to those engaging in advocacy while pretending to be historians. Chesney weighs the contributions of many historians from the key countries involved in the campaign and points out where they fail as history. His unsparing assessments are even applied to his English colleagues (and their beloved Wellington) when warranted. His thoughts cover other important topics, such as the value of military history and the study of this particular campaign. Let me go so far as to say this chapter should be read by all historians (military or not) as a warning about the dangers of prejudices to good history.

Chesney's second lecture (chapter) examines 'Preparations for the Campaign.' The next four lectures cover the four days June 15th through June 18th. These lectures show the workings of a brilliant analytical mind. He weighs competing accounts and comes to solid conclusions about the course of events. He finishes the work with Grouchy's retreat to France and concluding reflections on the campaign. These conclusions dispose of the myths Napoleon and his admirers developed to excuse away the Emperor's crushing defeat (especially laying all the blame on Grouchy's dealings with the Prussian army). Rather Chesney highlights Napoleon's failure to take the necessary risks to dispose of one or the other army on the 17th. All-in-all, this is a well-measured work worthy of the title, 'Classic.'" -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine.]

Coignet, Captain Jean-Roch. The Note-Books of Captain Coignet, Soldier of the Empire, 1799-1816. [Sir John Fortescue, intro.; Napoleonic Library, no. 2] Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1998 [These are the memoirs of a French soldier first published in English in 1897 as, The Narrative of Captain Coignet: Soldier of the Empire. Coignet was a conscript in 1800 when his military career began in Italy. He participated in all of Napoleon's major campaigns, and was at Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau, Madrid, Wagram, Smolensk, Moscow, Leipzig, Waterloo, and many lesser-known battles. ". . . a colorful source of first-hand information." -- David Chandler.]

Cooper, John Spencer. Rough Notes of Seven Campaigns, 1809-1815. [The Spellmount Library of Military History; Ian Fletcher, intro.] Spellmount/Sarpedon 1996 [orig. 1869.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Fortress: Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Gawilghur, December 1803. Harperperennial 2002 [This is the seventeenth book in the series about Richard Sharpe. Publisher supplied info: Sharpe's Fortress -- the successor to Sharpe's Tiger and Sharpe's Triumph marks Richard Sharpe's final adventure in India. Surviving the infamous battle of Assaye, Richard Sharpe has been promoted for his gallantry and skill assisting Sir Arthur Wellesley--the future Duke of Wellington--in overcoming the rebellious Mahratta confederation. But though the war with the Mahratta seems near its end, Sharpe, now an officer in Wellesley's army, faces a battle of a different kind among his own ranks. Uncomfortable with his newfound authority and unwelcoming colleagues, Sharpe is relegated to the tedium of baggage duty. But his fury and uncertainty are soon overcome when he catches wind of a treasonous scheme devised by none other than his oldest and worst enemy, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. His life hanging in the balance and no friend to turn to, Sharpe has little choice but to take up arms and seek revenge in a desperate attempt to thwart his old nemesis and regain his stolen treasure, the jewels of the Tippoo Sultan. Sharpe's private campaign leads him to the legendary impenetrable fortress in the sky, Gawilghur--the last refuge for desperate enemies of all dark stripes, including the renegade Englishman William Dodd. Joining Wellesley's army as it prepares to lay siege to this fortress high above the Deccan Plain, Sharpe will risk his honor, reputation, and fortune on a battle that will test him as never before. Sharpe's Fortress caps the India trilogy and leaves him poised to return to Europe. "For readers who hunger for humorous, complex characterizations, Sharpe proves vivid and three-dimensional." -- Ellen Williams, Amazon.com. "A stirring saga...resplendent with color and action....Sharpe again proves his mettle." -- Publishers Weekly, (starred review). "Cornwell has penned another rousing installment in the Richard Sharpe saga. . . . this fast-paced historical adventure features plenty of electrifying military action." -- Margaret Flanagan, Booklist. Originally published by HarperCollins in 2000, this book is still available in a hardcover edition, and it is also available in an unabridged audiobook edition read by William Gaminara and published by Chivers Audio Books. "One of the most intense and engaging Sharpe stories, this novel gains much from William Gaminara's strong reading. A can't-miss addition to libraries with patrons who appreciate well-crafted historical fiction." -- R. Kent Rasmussen, Library Journal.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Rifles: Richard Sharpe and the French Invasion of Galicia, January 1809. Penguin Books 2001 [This is the first volume in the series of Napoleonic War novels recently made famous by the British television series. Of the four Sharpe books I have read, this one is still the best. It provides a feel for combat, and for Spain, that is very good. It was originally published in 1988. "Sharpe's Rifles is right on target." -- Washington Post Book World. "Consistently exciting. . . . These are wonderful novels." -- Stephen King.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Eagles: Richard Sharpe and the Talavera Campaign, July 1809. Penguin Books 2001 [This is the second volume in the series of Napoleonic War novels recently made famous by the British television series. Of the four Sharpe books I have read, this one is the third-best. It was originally published in 1981. "This is a rousing book for blood-and-gore addicts and armchair generals." -- West Coast Review of Books.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Gold: Richard Sharpe and the Destruction of Almeida, August 1810. Penguin Books 2001 [This is the third volume in the series of Napoleonic War novels recently made famous by the British television series. It was originally published in 1981. "A totally convincing picture of warfare, of hand-to-hand, sword-to-sword, bayonet-to-bayonet fighting that turned battlefields into slaughterhouses." -- The Cleveland Plain Dealer. "A hero in the mold of James Bond." -- Philadelphia Inquirer.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Company: The Siege of Badajoz. Penguin 2001 [In the fourth book in the Sharp series, the protagonist and his Light Company not only must help Wellington gain control of two fortress cities, Sharp must secure his infant daughter and her mother trapped behind French-held fortress walls, all the while protecting himself from a sergeant bent on destroying him. Of the four Sharpe books I have read so far, this one is the second best (the first book of the series, Sharpe's Rifles: Richard Sharpe and the French Invasion of Galicia, January 1809, is the best of the stories). Cornwell gives an accurate depiction of the hellish nature of sieges, and the horrific nature of their conclusions. This was especially true of the British in their conquest of Badajoz -- one of the worst attrocities in British miltary history. This book was originally published in 1982. "A masterfull blend of fiction and historical detail." -- Newsday.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Sword: Richard Sharp and the Salamanca Campaign, June and July, 1812. Penguin 2001 [Sharp must stop Colonel Leroux from killing all of Britain's valuable spies in this fifth book in the Sharp series. In a tale of political and military intrigue, Sharp also tangles with the beautiful and mysterious La Marquesa. This book was originally published in 1983. "Marvelous! Bravey and audacity amidst the drama and turmoil of war." -- Los Angeles Herald Examiner.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Skirmish. The Sharpe Appreciation Society 2002 [Publisher supplied info: It is the summer of 1812 and Richard Sharpe, newly recovered from the wound he received in the fighting at Salamanca, is given an easy duty; to guard a Commissary Officer posted to an obscure Spanish fort where there are some captured French muskets to repair. But unknown to the British, the French are planning a lightning raid across the River Tormes, and they reckon the obscure Spanish fort, which guards an ancient bridge across the river, will be lightly guarded. Sharpe is in for a fight.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Enemy: Richard Sharpe and the Defense of Portugal, Christmas 1812. Penguin 2001 [In the sixth novel in the popular series, Sharpe must rescue a group of British and French women being held hostage by Sharp's vicious nemesis, Obadiah Hakeswill. They are held in a strategic mountain pass that Napoleon's Grande ArmŽe plans to smash through so as to crush the British Army in Portugal. This book was originally published in 1984. "Apart from the rousing battle scenes, the author is at his best in evoking a long-gone era through clever detail." -- New York Times Book Review. "The charm of the Sharp novels is that of meticulously researched stories, books with a passionate correctness as to the details of military organization . . . and an old-fashioned devotion to heroic conduct." -- Washington Post.]

Cornwell, Bernard. Sharpe's Honor: Richard Sharp and the Vitorio Campaign, February to June 1813. Penguin 2001 [The seventh novel in the series sees Sharp a pawn of his archenemy, Pierre Ducos. He is imprisoned and condemned to die as an assassin. He escapes only to be hunted by friend and foe alike. This book was originally published in 1985. "Cornwell gives the reader vivid settings and the sound and smell of eighteenth-century warfare better than anyone else." -- Newport News Daily Express.]

Davies, David. Nelson's Navy: English Fighting Ships 1793-1815. Stackpole Books 1997 [This book examines the ships of the Royal Navy, their construction and their armament, the daily life of the crews, and the key battles in which they fought. This book was originally published in 1996 by Constable & Co. (UK) with the title, Fighting Ships: Ships of the Line 1793-1815.]

Delbrück, Hans. v. IV: The Dawn of Modern Warfare. Univ. of Nebraska Pr. 1990 [The last of his four volume History of the Art of War (the 1920 edition is used here), Delbrück here looks at warfare from the Renaissance through the Napoleonic Wars.]

Dempsey, Jr., Guy C. Napoleon's Army 1807-1814, As Depicted in the Prints of Aaron Martinet. Arms and Armour Pr. (UK) 1997/Sterling (US) 1998

Dempsey, Guy C. Napoleon's Mercenaries: Foreign Units in the French Army Under the Consulate and Empire, 1799 to 1814. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 2002 [This book provides a lineup of the troupes étrangères. It does not cover all non-French elements in the French Army of the Napoleonic period, but instead focuses on those particular foriegn military formations that were integral units of the French Army from 1799 to 1814, were intentionally and exclusively recruited by voluntary enlistment from areas not then politically part of France, were paid by the French treasury, and fought under a French flag. Ranging from mercenaries used as cannon fodder to high quality practioners of the art of war, these foreign soldiers made for quite a diverse assortment of troops. With varying degrees of success, Dempsey tries to provide the following info for each of the units that fit his criteria: date and circumstance of the unit's creation, its composition, commanders, operational history, final disposition, uniforms, and standards. The book has a useful fifteen-page introductory essay, bibliography, and index.]

Dempsey, Jr., Guy C. Napoleon's Soldiers: The Grande Armée of 1807 as Depicted in the Paintings of the Otto Manuscript. Arms and Armour Pr. (UK)/Sterling (US) 1994 [Unfortunately, this book has gone out-of-print. To order a copy, please click on the Alibris banner near the bottom of the page.]

Elting, Col. John R. Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grande Armée. Da Capo Pr. 1997 [Available also from Amazon.com. Originally published in 1988, this is now considered one of the best books in the Napoleonic genre. In a lively manner, Elting examines every facet of Napoleon's armies, e.g., the soldiers, their weapons, logistics, organization, command structures, morale, discipline, marches and bivouacs, hospitals, camp followers, and of course, strategy and tactics. This effort carries the endorsements of John Keegan, "his scholarship is prodigious," and David Chandler, "[Elting's] pages sparkle with shafts of humor as well as new insights and interpretations. . . . A masterpiece; quite simply his fine book is the best I have ever read on this challenging subject." The book may still be available in a hardcover edition from Amazon.com.]

Epstein, Robert M. Napoleon's Last Victory and the Emergence of Modern War. [Modern War Series; Russell F. Weigley, foreword] Univ. Pr. of Kansas 1995 [orig. 1994.]

Esposito, Brig. Gen. Vincent J. & Col. John R. Elting. A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1999 [The definitive atlas of the Napoleonic Wars is back in print. First published in 1964, this new edition is in the full format of the original, but John Elting has taken this opportunity to make some small revisions. He has also provided a new Preface, biographical notes about Esposito and himself, about a dozen corrections to matters of fact in the main body of the work, and he has totally revised the very valuable (but usually overlooked) 'Recommended Reading List' at the end. For those not familiar with the original, the book is done in a 13 x 10 inch landscape format. It features 169 full-page color maps of the campaigns and battles. Each map is on the right side of the open book, and on the left is an accompanying narrative history. The book is divided into campaigns: Italian, Egypt/Syria, Marengo, Ulm-Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau-Friedland, Spain, 1809, Russian, Leipzig, France, and Waterloo. Several pages of maps and text give some coverage to naval operations. I am very impressed with the quality and clarity of the maps, unit symbols and movements, and the text is quite informative. Esposito was a West Point professor and head of the Department of Military Art and Engineering from 1956-1963. Elting is the leading authority on La Grande Armée. This superb book is rounded out with an introduction to Napoleon and the warfare of the era, a chronology, biographical sketches of 66 leading officers and political figures, and the Recommended Reading List. This book is a "must-have" for those with a serious interest in the Napoleonic Wars.]

Finley, Milton. The Most Monstrous of Wars: The Napoleonic Guerrilla War in Southern Italy, 1806-1811. Univ. of South Carolina Pr. 1994

Fletcher, Ian. In Hell Before Daylight: The Siege and Storming of the Fortress of Badajoz, 16 March to 6 April 1812. Spellmount (UK)/Howell Pr. (US) 1994 [This is an oversized, reasonably illustrated account of the Anglo-Portugese effort led by Wellington to take one of the two key fortresses that guarded the Spanish side of the border with Portugal. It was a brutal siege, and thanks to French ingenuity, Allied casualties ran high -- over 3,700. Also significant is the shameful behavior of the British troops in the aftermath of victory. In one of the blackest events in British military history, Wellington's soldiers devastated Badajoz in a horrific orgy of murder, mass rape, and unrestrained pillage. This book was originally published in 1984.]

Fletcher, Ian. Napoleonic Wars: Wellinton's Army. [Brassey's History of Uniforms Series; Richard Hook, color plates] Batsford Brassey (UK) 1996/(US)1997

Fletcher, Ian. Vittoria 1813: Wellington Sweeps the French from Spain. [Campaign Series, no. 59] Osprey Publ. (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1998

Fletcher, Ian, ed. Voices from the Peninsula: Eyewitness Accounts by Soldiers of Wellington's Army, 1808-1814. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 2001 [A noted authority on the British Army and the Peninsular War here assembles insightful excerpts from rare letters, diaries, and memoirs written by British participants both unknown and well-known. Fletcher provides plenty of text between the passages to provide the necessary context. The book has six maps and twenty-seven b&w and color illustrations on glossy paper.]

Fletcher, Ian. Wellington's Regiments: The Men and their Battles from Rolica to Waterloo, 1808-1815. Howell Pr. (US)/Spellmount Pr. (UK) 1994 [An oversized book that is heavily illustrated and features a generous allotment of color plates and paintings. About two-thirds of the book examines the battles, the remaining one-third looks at each of the regiments.]

Gallagher, John G. The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout. [Napoleonic Library Series, no. 35] Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books (US) 2001 [This is the definitive biography of one of Napoleon's most able marshals. His career began with his enlistment as a volunteer in the Republican army and ended with his appointment as Minister for War in 1815. Gallagher made extensive use of primary sources including the Davout family papers. This book was originally published in 1976. This edition contains a new preface by the author.]

Gardiner, Robert, ed. The Campaign of Trafalgar, 1803-1805. [Chatham Pictorial Histories] Chatham Publ. (UK) 1997/Naval Institute Pr. (US) 1998 [This is an oversized, beautifully illustrated history of naval warfare, primarily between France and Britain, culminating in the great naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars -- Trafalgar. (However, coverage does extend to naval operations elsewhere, e.g., the US Navy against the Barbary pirates.) The text is provided by ten leading naval authorities. The book features over 300 contemporary paintings, prints, drawings, maps, charts and plans, many drawn from the National Maritime Museum iat Greenwich. Note however that the illustrations are done in black and white and shades of gray, color is not used in this book (I would guess to keep the price reasonable).]

Gardiner, Robert. Frigates of the Napoleonic Era. Chatham Publ. (UK)/Naval Institute Pr. (US) 2000 [Publisher supplied info: For every naval officer, in fiction or reality, the frigate was the most sought-after command. As dashing as a modern destroyer, the frigate offered the excitement of independent service with the prospect of a glorious single-ship battle or a fortune to be made in prize money. Their actions have been the stuff of history and sea fiction for generations, but the ships themselves are hardly documented at all. This book fills that gap with comprehensive descriptions of the design, construction, armament and fitting of individual classes, as well as the factors that influenced their development and the roles they were expected to perform. Supporting the narrative are detailed lists on all classes, including the prizes captured from opposing French, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, and American navies and comparative aspects like performance under sail. Based on extensive new research, the author goes beyond the frigate's specifications to background issues like the construction experiments prior to the adoption of the Seppings' diagonal system, and the improvements to guns, mounting, and powder during the wars of 1793-1815. This handsome large-format volume is fully illustrated with original plans, photographs of models, and contemporary prints. It will be a rich addition to any maritime bookshelf and provide first-time readers of this genre with an in-depth look at a sailing vessel steeped in naval lore.]

Gardiner, Robert, ed. Nelson Against Napoleon: From the Nile to Copenhagen, 1798-1801. [Chatham Pictorial History Series] Chatham Publ. (UK)/Naval Institute Pr. (US) 1997 [This is an oversized hardcover loaded with b&w period illustrations. It's four sections cover the battle for the Mediterranean, the Channel and Ireland, colonial and commerce warfare, and the northern threat (e.g., the Battle of Copenhagen. Contributors to the book include Gardiner, Roger Morriss, Stephen Chumbley, David Lyon, Julian Mannering, and E.V.E. Sharpston.]

Gardiner, Robert. Warships of the Napoleonic Era. [Blueprint Series/National Maritime Museum] Chatham Publ. (UK) 1999/Naval Institute Pr. (US) 2000 [This is the first book in the Blueprint Series. Publisher supplied info: The wars of 1793-1815 are widely regarded as the apogee of the sailing man-of-war. Many seapowers became involved in the conflict, and at some point virtually all aligned themselves against Great Britain. Thanks to its superiority, the Royal Navy took many of its enemy ships in battle and developed the habit of drawing plans of the ones they captured. This book reproduces a representative selection of these plans for the main protagonists--French, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Russian and American--and for the British themselves. All of the principal types of warships employed during the conflict are included, from huge three-deckers down to gunboats and even the support craft on which every dockyard depended. The narrative describes the function of each of the bewildering variety of rates, concentrating on their technical development and how they were used in action. An appendix lists other relevant plans available. For ship modelers and age-of-sail enthusiasts, the book offers essential reference material that showcases the incomparable collection of original ships' plans at the National Maritime Museum.]

Glover, Michael. Wellington as Military Commander. [Classic Military History Series] Penguin Books 2001 [This work follows Wellington from his service in India through the Peninsular campaigns and finally Waterloo. He emphasizes Wellington's concern for army life, his determined discipline, and the loyalty of his troops. Glover argues that Wellington's genius was as one of the greatest improvisers in the history of warfare. This book was originally published in 1968. "Indispensable . . . Glover knows the ground over which Wellington fought, and he knows the Duke." -- Observer.]

Glover, Michael. Wellington's Peninsular Victories. [Great Battles Series] Windrush Pr. (UK)/Combined Books (US) 1996 [Originally published in 1963.]

Griffith, Paddy. The Art of War of Revolutionary France, 1789-1802. Greenhill (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1998

Guedalla, Philip. The Duke. [Wordsworth Military Library] Wordsworth Editions (UK) 1997/Combined Books (US) 1998 [A biography that spans the complete life of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. Originally published in 1931.]

Harris, David, ed. The Nelson Almanac: A Book of Days Recording Nelson's Life and the Events That Shaped His Era. [Anthony Cross, picture editor] Warwick Leadlay Gallery & Conway Maritime Pr. (UK)/Naval Institute Pr. (US) 1998 [This is a wide-ranging collection of miscellany on Nelson, naval warfare, and the era in which he lived. It is amittedly a fun book to read through. The images are stunning -- superb color and b&w illustrations enliven this oversized book which is completely printed on heavy, glossy paper. The main text is provided by historians of some note, e.g., Stephen Howarth and Tom Pocock. Even the little pieces scattered throughout provide a fun and interesting assortment of people and topics such as Edmund Burke, The Magic Flute, William Wilberforce, Bligh and the Bounty, Joshua Reynolds (Britain's great portrait painter), and the noted astronomer William Herschel. Publisher supplied info: This almanac is a glorious jumble of facts and events brought together as a primer for the aspiring student of Nelson's era. Essentially, the book has three basic elements. It is biographical, with articles written by some of the most respected modern-day Nelson experts and historians. It is a book of his letters, with Nelson himself giving us first hand information of his experiences. And it is a window on history, illuminating the events and people that characterised the tumultuous times in which Nelson lived. Structured as a diary, each month opens with an article covering a particular aspect of Nelson's life or naval career. These are followed by days of the week, with a date for Nelson taken from his letters, together with a corresponding date in world history during Nelson's lifetime. Certain dates are further embellished in shorter articles and illustrated with images from the archives of the Warwick Leadlay Gallery.]

Hausmann, Franz Joseph. A Soldier for Napoleon: The Campaigns of Lieutenant Franz Joseph Hausmann, 7th Bavarian Infantry. [John H. Gill, ed.; Cynthia Joy Hausmann, trans.] Greenhill Books 1998 [The letters and diaries of Franz Hausmann were preserved by the family for 185 years, but thanks to his great-granddaughter (and translator of them) they are now available to the reading public. Hausmann's first campaign was in 1805 against Austria, followed by the 1806 and 1807 invasions of Prussia and Poland. 1809 saw him fighting the Tyrolian insurrection and in combat at Abensberg and Znaim. At age twenty-three, he set off on the 1812 campaign against Russia and he survived the destruction of the Bavarian Corps. He then participated in the 1813 campaign and fought in France in 1814 with the Bavarians now arranged against Napoleon. Historian John Gill adds insightful commentary with his editing of the Hausmann materials. And a number of useful appendices provide further information on Franz and his father (Wilhelm, also a soldier in the wars), and on the Bavarian Army, including OBs.]

Haythornwaite, Philip J. The Armies of Wellington. [Michael Chappell, illus.] Arms & Armour Pr. [dist. in US by Sterling] 1996 [orig. 1994.]

Haythornthwaite, Phillip. British Cavalryman 1792-1815. [Warrior Series, no. 8; Richard Hook, illus.] Osprey

Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Die Hard!: Dramatic Actions from the Napoleonic Wars. Arms and Armour Pr. (UK)/Sterling (US) 1998 [Haythornthwaite looks at ten dramatic engagements starting with Villers-en-Cauchies (1794) followed by Marengo (1800), Eylau (1807), the Sieges of Saragossa (1809), Aspern-Essling (1809), Cerro del Puerco, Barrosa (1811), Albuera (1811), the Breaches at Badajoz (1812), the Berezina (1812), and concluding with Hougoumont (1815). A bibliography for each of the battles is included. Originally published in 1996, this book may still be available in a hardcover edition.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip. Imperial Guardsman, 1799-1815. [Warrior Series, no. 22; Richard Hook, illus.] Osprey (UK) 1997/Stackpole (US) 1998 [A nicely illustrated look at the men who composed the Imperial Guard, their weapons and equipment, and their tactics in combat.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip J., ed. Napoleon: The Final Verdict. Arms and Armour Pr. (UK)/Sterling (US) 1998 [Eight historians in ten chapters and a postscript weigh the career, accomplishments, and reputation of Napoleon. Contributors include Haythornthwaite, Andrew Uffindell, Peter G. Tsouras, James R. Arnold, J. David Markham, Ian Castle, and Tim Hicks. "This book contributes significantly to the continuing evaluation of a remarkable life, it helps to clarify and expand on many important factors." -- David G. Chandler, from the book's foreword. Originally published in 1996, a few copies of this book may still be available in a hardcover edition.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Napoleon's Military Machine. Sarpedon 1996 [Originally published in 1988, this is an oversized, illustrated (including color) look at the elements that comprised the French military during Napoleon's wars -- the infantry, cavalry, artillery, transport & logistics, the navy, plus a chapter on France's allies, and one on French strategy and tactics.]

Haythornthwaite, Phillip. Nelson's Navy 1793-1815. [Elite Series, no. 48] Osprey

Haythornthwaite, Philip. Uniforms of the French Revolutionary Wars, 1789-1802. [Christopher Warner, illus.] Arms and Armour (UK) 1997/Sterling (US) 1998 [orig. 1981. Haythornthwaite provides background to the French Revolutionary Wars followed by 62 pages of color illustrations keyed to 44 pages of text descriptions. Six appendices provide further information on French and Prussian uniforms. New to this edition is an extended bibliography.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip. Uniforms of Napoleon's Russian Campaign. Arms & Armour Pr. (UK) 1995/Sterling (US) 1996 [orig. 1976.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip. Uniforms of Waterloo. [Jack Cassin-Scott & Michael Chappell, illus.] Arms and Armour Pr. (UK) 1996/Sterling (US) 1997 [This work features 80 color plates (usually with two soldiers depicted per plate, sometimes three), supported by sufficient text, to show what the soldiers were wearing at Waterloo. Its emphasis is on what they actually wore as opposed to what the regulations prescribed they wear. Originally published in 1974, this new edition features the same color plates and text, but the bibliography has been expanded to include additional significant works that have since appeared. An introductory history of the Battle of Waterloo, a short section on flags, and the orders of battle for the combatants round out this work.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Weapons & Equipment of the Napoleonic Wars. Arms and Armour Pr.(UK) 1996/Sterling (US) 1997 [The text of this book was initially published in 1979. For this new edition, an extended bibliography and new illustrations were added. This is an oversized, hardcover work that provides a nice introduction to infantry, cavalry, and artillery weapons and tactics. Haythornthwaite also covers engineers, staff and supplies, uniforms and equipment, and living conditions. Useful appendices, a bibliography, glossary, and index round out this book.]

Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Who Was Who in the Napoleonic Wars. Arms and Armour (UK)/Sterling (US) 1998 ["The prolific historian of the Napoleonic Wars, Philip J. Haythornthwaite, offers [this] useful reference. He provides short biographies of over one thousand individuals from the French Revolutionary period, the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812. It is truly an A-Z book starting with Charles Abbot (Speaker of the House of Commons throughout the Napoleonic Wars) and running through Field Marshal Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Ziethen (best known for his role in the Waterloo Campaign). Andrew Jackson and other notables from the War of 1812 are included as are significant women of the turbulent times, e.g., Edith Hamilton, Madame Elizabeth, and Agostina Zaragosa ('the Maid of Saragossa'). The capsule biographies often include an illustration of the individual and sources for further reading." -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine.]

Henderson, James. The Frigates: An Account of the Lesser Warships of the Wars From 1793 to 1815. [Wordsworth Military Library] Wordsworth Editions (UK)/Combined Books (US) 1998 [A look at the valuable service performed by the British frigates during the wars with France. originally published in 1970.]

Hofschröer, Peter. 1815: The Waterloo Campaign: Wellington, his German Allies and the Battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras. Greenhill Books 1998 ["The conventional history of the 100-Days Campaign has been shaken up by the release of [this book]. Hofschröer has done two things of note with this book -- first he has written a history which finally makes use of long ignored German resources and thus rounds out the history of the majority of troops who fought Napoleon in the campaign; and secondly, he shows Wellington to have behaved in a duplicitous manner in his dealings with his staunch ally, Gebhard Blücher.

With regard to his first accomplishment, I do not think many can argue with it -- the literature of the Waterloo Campaign has focussed on the French and English armies, their battles, their leaders, their soldiers. Drawing mainly on German archives, Hofschröer provides the missing perspective of the troops from Prussia, and from the smaller German states which formed the largest element of Wellington's army (which had 36,000 Germans, 32,000 British, and 25,000 Dutch).

As to Hofschröer's provocative interpretation, he basically argues that Wellington deceived the Prussians, and most of the Napoleonic historians. Wellington assured Blücher that significant British forces would support him on 16 June -- in fact, by mid-morning of that day, the Prussian headquarters had received four messages from Wellington to that effect. With such assurances Blücher chose to fight a pitched battle at Ligny rather than a rearguard action that would allow marshaling all his forces for battle on the 17th. Why did Wellington lie to his ally and allow him to fight in such unfavorable circumstances? It all goes back to Wellington being caught of guard by Napoleon's quick offensive and the dispersion of Wellington's forces. As Hofschröer elaborates, had the Prussians known assistance was not forthcoming and thus retired from Ligny to the Gembloux position, 'Napoleon would have been able to switch the emphasis of his attack from the Prussians to Wellington, whose scattered forces he could easily have overrun, possibly reaching the gates of Brussels by the evening of 16 June. Clearly, if Wellington had informed Blücher of how behind-hand his concentration was, then he risked the defeat of the Anglo-Dutch army.'

This is Hofschröer's argument in a nutshell, and in this short amount of space I cannot do full justice to it, for he does a very good job of elaborating on these themes and assembling the evidence to show how the British record of the campaign was falsified (including undermining the veracity of the 'Frasnes Letter' and the de Lancey 'Disposition'). However, Hofschröer is not an apologist for Blücher and the Prussians. He rightly points out their errors and failings, just as he points out French and British miscues. Finally, please note that this is the first of two volumes on the campaign. Most of this book deals with background material necessary to understanding the campaign, the opening moves, and the battle of Ligny-Quatre Bras, and the detailed consideration of Wellington's failure to aid Blücher as promised. I anxiously await the second volume!" -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine.]

Hofschröer, Peter. 1815, The Waterloo Campaign: the German Victory: From Waterloo to the Fall of Napoleon. Greenhill Books 1999 [This is second volume of Hofschröer's stunning history of the Waterloo campaign. Our review of the second volume will appear in a forthcoming magazine (but please note, we found the first volume to be excellent, truly a first-rate piece of Napoleonic history). Here is the publisher supplied info: Hofschröer challenges the accepted version of events at the battle of Waterloo. He demonstrates convincingly that Allied victory was due not to steadfast British infantry repelling the French, but to the timely arrival of Prussian troops who stole victory from Napoleon and sealed the fate of the last Grande Armée. Drawing on previously unpublished accounts, Hofschröer gives not only the Prussian perspective of their march to Waterloo and decisive attack on Napoleons flank, but also details of the actions fought by some of the 25,000 Germans in Wellington's British army -- more than a third of the Duke's force. A gripping narrative of astonishing detail captures such key episodes of Waterloo as La Haye Sainte, Papelotte, Hougoumont and the Prussian struggle with the Imperial Guard for Plancenoit. In addition, Hofschröer examines the battle at Wavre, the Allied offensive into France, the taking of Paris and the sieges across northern France. And from the author: Just a quick comment on the publisher's blurb. Unfortunately, my publisher sent Stackpole, their US representative, an unchecked draft description of part two of my work on the Waterloo Campaign. This description is misleading on one point. I do NOT argue that the Prussians won the Battle of Waterloo, but point out that 75% of the allied troops in this theatre of the campaign were German and that these troops did most of the marching and fighting. Thus, the Waterloo Campaign was much more of a German victory than a British victory.]

Hofschröer, Peter. Leipzig 1813. [Campaign Series, no. 25] Osprey (US)/Stackpole (UK)

Hopton, Richard. The Battle of Maida 1806: Fifteen Minutes of Glory. Leo Cooper (UK)/Casemate (US) 2002 [Hopton has done Napoleonic historiography a service by chronicling a forgotten battle that had significant influences. Fought by 11,000 soldiers in Calabria, just north of the Straits of Messina, the battle Maida showed the British could defeat the French on land. A number of British officers were key commanders in Wellington's later armies, e.g., Cole, Kempt, Oswald, and Colborne. Here they learned just how to defeat Napoleon's military machine. Says Sir Charles Oman of this battle, "But for all of those who were present, or who received the report of an inteeligent eye-witness, the little remembered [battle] was an epoch-making day in British military history. On the sandy plain of the Amato 5,000 infantry in line received the shock of 6,000 in column, and inflicted on them one of the most crushing defeats on a small scale that took place during the whole war."]

Horne, Alistair. How Far from Austerlitz?: Napoleon 1805-1815. Griffin/St. Martin's Pr. 1998 [Publisher supplied info: The Battle of Austerlitz was Napoleon's crowing victory. It was also the beginning of his downfall. In this book, historian Alistair Horne brilliantly chronicles the rise and fall of Napoleon, drawing parallels with other great leaders of the modern era. "The new volume shows Horne doing what he does best: writing lively, interesting, anecdote-enriched and scholarly popular history. . . . with his customary sure-handedness and his eye for the arresting detail, he takes his readers through a kind of diorama, a literary version of the display you can view at Waterloo in Belgium, where Napoleon's last battle was fought. . . . Horne writes clearly and colorfully, never bogging down in technical detail. . . . In all, How Far from Austerlitz? is what popular history should be, fascinating and edifying, a rattling yet also sobering good story." -- Richard Bernstein, The New York Times Book Review. Originally published in 1997, this book may still be available in a hardcover edition.]

Horward, Donald D. Napoleon and Iberia: The Twin Sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida, 1810. [Napoleonic Library] Stackpole (US)/Greenhill (UK) 1994 [orig. 1984.]

Howarth, David. Trafalgar: The Nelson Touch. [Great Battles Series] Windrush Pr. (UK)/Combined Books (US) 1997 [Originally published in 1969. ". . . one of the most moving studies of Nelson and his final battle that has yet been written. This is a book for any reader with a heart to feel and an imagination to be stirred. One almost seems to be on those heaving decks as the two armadas slowly close. . ." -- The Sunday Times.]

Howarth, David. Waterloo: A Near Run Thing. [Great Battles Series] Windrush Pr. (UK)/Combined Books (US) 1997 [Originally published in 1968 with the title, A Near Run Thing. "It is most beautifully and imaginatively organized. The way in which the author has woven together innumerable strands of evidence is masterly." -- Dame C.V. Wedgwood. "Probably the most exciting account ever written of one of Britain's greatest victories." -- Noel Barber.]

Howarth, David & Stephan Howarth. Nelson: The Immortal Memory. [Conway Classics Series] Conway Maritime Pr. (UK) 1997/Brassey's (US) 1999 [This is a hardcover reprint of a book originally published in 1988. "Most superior. No-one writes more intellegently about battle than David Howarth. . . . The Howarths explore successfully the special relationship which Nelson enjoyed with the Navy of his day. . . . Splendid battle scenes and seascape prose mark the odyssey from 12-year old captain's servant to Vice Admiral, Viscount, and Hero of England. . . . a great read about a great man." -- The Weekend Telegraph. "Of the chroniclers of Nelson, none are more able than the Howarths, father and son." -- Christian Science Monitor. ". . . a tremendous success, highly recommended. This is among the very best, and of its particular genre within naval biography may seem to some to be the best so far." -- The Naval Review.]

Hughes, MGen. B.P. Firepower: Weapons Effectiveness on the Battlefield, 1630-1850. Sarpedon (US)/Spellmount (UK) 1997 [Originally published in 1974, this book combines fascinating text and illustrations to illumine the impact of smooth-bore weaponry on warfare from the mid-seventeenth century to the mid-nineteenth century. Hughes begins with a look at the weapons themselves (for infantry, cavalry, and artillery), followed by a pictorial section on the development of small arms. Next he examines the theoretical performance of the weapons, again followed by a pictorial section, this on the development of artillery. The third chapter considers the inefficiencies of the battlefield, after which appears a pictorial section on artillery drill. Hughes then moves to a discussion of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries (the pictorial section is seventeenth century musket drill). Chapter 5 goes from Frederick the Great to Napoleon, after which there is a musket drill pictorial from around 1815. Chapters 6 through 9 examine specific battles -- Albuera, Talavera, Bussaco, Ferozeshah and the Sikh Wars. Hughes' conclusions are presented in Chapter 10. This book is an oversized hardcover, and it is loaded with illustrations. One will find many useful maps, charts, and diagrams throughout the work. Finally, let me note that Hughes avoids making exaggerated claims for weaponry, for as he states: "It was ultimately not weapon power but will-power that won battles; and even though superior weapon power was a powerful lever, it was always a means to an end rather than the end itself."]

Kincaid, Captain John. Adventures in the Rifle Brigade in the Peninsula, France, and the Netherlands from 1809-1815. [The Spellmount Library of Military History Series] Spellmount (UK)/Sarpedon (US) 1998 [These colorful memoirs were initially published in 1830. Kincaid was a member of the noted 95th Regiment, a unit of the Light Division. In its service he saw action in the Walcheren, Peninsular, and Waterloo campaigns. The 95th performed so well that in 1816 he regiment was honored by its removal from the numbered list of the infantry and created a corps in its own right with the name, "The Rifle Brigade." Ian Fletcher provides a new introduction to this edition.]

Kincaid, Captain J. Adventures in the Rifle Brigade, in the Peninsula, France, and the Netherlands, from 1809 to 1815. [Bryan Watkins, new foreword] Leo Cooper (UK) 1997/Combined Books (US) 1998 [These colorful memoirs were initially published in 1830. Kincaid was a member of the noted 95th Regiment, a unit of the Light Division. In its service he saw action in the Walcheren, Peninsular, and Waterloo campaigns. The 95th performed so well that in 1816 he regiment was honored by its removal from the numbered list of the infantry and created a corps in its own right with the name, "The Rifle Brigade."]

Kincaid, John. Random Shots from a Rifleman. Spellmount/Sarpedon1998

Lachouque, Henry & Anne S.K. Brown. The Anatomy of Glory: Napoleon and His Guard. [John R. Elting, new intro.] Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books 1997 [orig. 1961.]

Lavery, Brian. Nelson and the Nile: The Naval War Against Napoleon, 1798. Chatham Publ. (UK) 1998/Naval Institute Pr. (US) 1999 [This is a beautifully illustrated book (it even contains color plates) that examines the naval war waged by Nelson in his first independent fleet command. Lavery looks at the operational and tactical dimensions of the conflict while setting it in its strategic military and political context. On 1 August 1798 Nelson won his first great victory in the Battle of the Nile, a victory which folied Napoleon's ambitions in the Middle East.]

Le Marchant, Denis. Memoirs of the Late Major General Le Marchant 1766-1812. [The Spellmount Library of Military History; David G. Chandler, foreword; Nicholas Leadbetter, intro. essay] Spellmount (UK)/Sarpedon (US) 1997 [These memoirs of one of Britain's most influential generals were written by his second son and published in 1841. John Gaspard Le Marchant was a farsighted thinker and founded the Royal Academy, Sandhurst, and the Army Staff College in 1799. Le Marchant's drive to educate the army was revolutionary at the time for the English establishment felt it undermined the system of nepotism and preferment that produced the leadership of the army. Le Marchant was more than an educator, he was a gifted horseman and swordsman, and also a very solid commander in the field. He died leading his Heavy Cavalry Brigade in a glorious charge that routed the French at the Battle of Salamanca, 22 July, 1812. Finally, it should be noted that Le Marchant was an artist and color plates with his work are included in this book.]

Leggiere, Michael V. Napoleon and Berlin: The Franco-Prussian War in North Germany, 1813. [Campaigns and Commanders Series, vol. 1] Univ. of Oklahoma Pr. 2002 [The historiography of the Napoleonic Wars in English has received a major boost by the recent appearance of three books. I have discussed two books in prior reviews, 1815: The Waterloo Campaign: Wellington, his German Allies and the Battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras and 1815, The Waterloo Campaign: the German Victory: From Waterloo to the Fall of Napoleon by Peter Hofschröer. The newest book which is a major contribution in the field is Leggiere's Napoleon and Berlin. The history of the Napoleonic Wars, especially in the English language, has been shaped by the ready availability of numerous works in English. So the focus of the wars has been on the campaigns of Wellington and Nelson versus Napoleon, basically, Trafalgar, the Peninsular Wars, and Waterloo (as won by the English redcoats). The German dimension to the wars has been generally overlooked. Hofschröer's books have given us a needed corrective to the Waterloo historiography. Leggiere has mined the German archives to provide a insightful view of the fateful 1813 campaign in Germany that is solidly based on primary sources. One cannot underestimate the significance of Leggiere's book for Napoleonic history, especially amongst those who have not read the German literature. [Due to the length of this review, please click here to read the rest of it.]

Luvaas, Jay, ed. Napoleon on the Art of War. Touchstone Books 2001 [This is the a solid assortment of Napoleon's writing, assembled over three decades from 32-volumes of Napoleon's correspondance. It was all selected, edited, and translated by the noted military historian, Jay Luvaas. "A good sense of Napoleon's military genius emerges from this well-edited collection. . . . the spirit of a great commander in a judicious selection of his own words." -- Foreign Affairs. "This unprecedented volume is assured of study in every military school and by all serious readers of military history. . . . Everyone with an interest in military history and the profession of arms will be indebted to [the author] for his superb work." -- Michael D. Hull, Army Magazine. "Luvaas . . . has arranged Napoleon's essays and correspondence into a coherent exposition of his attitudes and beliefs regarding warfare. Napoleon reveals his great psychological insight, his mastery of organization, and his unceasing faith in an aggressive style of warfare. Perhaps inadvertently, he also reveals his egotism and belief in his own destiny, which would lead to his downfall. While military buffs will find special delight here, there is much in this work that can appeal to the well-informed general reader." -- Jay Freeman, Booklist. Originally published by the Free Press in 1999, this book is still available in a hardcover edition.]

Lyon, David. Sea Battles in Close-Up: The Age of Nelson. Naval Institute Pr. 1996

Mack, William P. Captain Kilburnie: An Age-of-Sail Novel of Triumph Over Adversity in Nelson's Navy. Berkley Publ. Group 2001 ["Like the books of Patrick O'Brian and C.S. Forester, Mack's novel is replete with sea action, the thunder of cannonfire, the pungent smells of slow match and black powder smoke. . . . A vivid slice of life from a bygone age. . . . [This book] is great fun and its vignettes of British naval life, aboard ship and ashore, ring satisfyingly true." -- Sailing Magazine. "Compelling . . . exciting . . . authentic." -- The Annapolis Capital. "A well-written, realistic sea yarn." -- The Star Democrat. Originally published in 1999 by the Naval Institute Press, this book is still available in a hardcover edition.]

Mallinson, Allan. A Close Run Thing: A Novel of Wellington's Army of 1815. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publ. 2000 [This is the first work in a new series of military fiction featuring Cornet Matthew Hervey, a young cavalry officer in Wellington's army of 1815. "Of recent years, many eminent hands have undertaken to lead the reader deep into the Royal Navy of Nelson's time. . . . Hitherto nobody I know of has done anything like the same for the army, which did after all have a not inconsiderable share in winning the war: but now at last a highly literate, deeply read cavalry officer of high rank shows one the nature of horse-borne warfare in those times. . . . Colonel [Allan] Mallinson's A Close Run Thing is very much to be welcomed." -- Patrick O'Brian, author of the Aubrey-Maturin novels. "Allan Mallinson wastes no time getting the reader into the thick of things: by page 2 of this novel, set during the Napoleonic wars, protagonist Coronet Matthew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons is up to his neck in battle and blood. By page 8, he's on his way to a court martial, the result of his own hasty temper and the politics of the military. . . . Politics and infighting within the ranks are, indeed, important elements in A Close Run Thing, which follows the fortunes of young Matthew Hervey, his regiment, and Wellington's army through the last year of the Napoleonic wars. What makes the novel so fascinating is that the most dangerous enemies are seldom the ones being fought on the battlefield. There are the villains--General "Black Jack" Slade, for example, "as incompetent an officer as was ever placed in command of a brigade of cavalry"; and to a lesser degree, Wellington himself, who seems indifferent to the system of patronage that kept people like Slade in positions of power. And there are the heroes--Hervey and his commanding officer, Major Joseph Edmonds, among others. . . . Mallinson paints a vivid portrait not only of military life but of the European political milieu. . . . Mallinson writes a battlefield scene with the same brio and encyclopedic knowledge that O'Brian brings to his engagements at sea. From the details of charging a French battery of guns to the peculiar ailments of a cavalry horse, Mallinson, himself a serving officer in a British cavalry regiment, knows his subject inside and out. This is a book sure to appeal to military-history buffs and readers looking for a ripping good adventure tale alike." -- Alix Wilber, Amazon.com. "Mallinson expertly captures both the glory and the gore of the battlefield in this sweeping saga of the last year of the Napoleonic wars. . . . An exciting historical adventure steeped in authentic military detail." -- Margaret Flanagan, Booklist, June 1, 1999. "Some saddle sores from Mallinson's affection for 19th-century turns of phrase, but, on the whole, a rousing, chastely nostalgic tale of valiant heroism and dashing derring-do." -- Kirkus. "An astonishingly impressive debut in the field of Napoleonic fiction. Convincingly drawn, perfectly paced, and expertly written, this cavalryman's tale is a joy to read. I hope it will be the first of many." -- Anthony Beevor. Originally published by Bantam Doubleday Dell in 1999, this book is still available in a hardcover edition.]

Marchand, Louis-Joseph. In Napoleon's Shadow: Being the First English Language Edition of the Complete Memoirs of Louis-Joseph Marchand, Valet and Friend of the Emperor, 1811-1821. [Jean Tulard, preface] Proctor Jones Publ. Co./Stackpole Books 1998 [Weighing in at almost 800 pages, this massive book features the memoirs of a young man in Napoleon's entourage, and who eventually became his first valet. These memoirs remained in private hands until first published in French in 1952. This book is a translation the 1952 edition and includes the original notes of Jean Bourguignon and Henry Lachouque, under whose direction it was originally prepared for publication. This book won the "Golden Laural Award" from the International Napoleonic Society. "The English translation of Marchand is superbly executed. It is accurate and illuminating. The illustrations enhance the reality of the account." -- Harold T. Parker. "Proctor Jones has made an invaluable contribution to those interested in the Napoleonic period, especially the later years of the Empire. . . . provides unique insights into the personal work habits of Napoleon, his relationship with family and staff. Particularly valuable are the intimate details of Napoleons life on Elba and St. Helena; they are unsurpassed. Marchand's Memoirs are mandatory reading." -- Donald D. Howard, Director, Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution.]

Mercer, Gen. Cavalié. Journal of the Waterloo Campaign Kept Throughout the Campaign of 1815. [J. W. Fortescue, intro.] Da Capo Press 1995 [One of the first personal military accounts I ever read and still one of the finest books to come out of Napoleonic Wars. Every night, from his departure from England until his return, Captain Mercer noted the events of the day. Mercer commanded G Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery at the momentous Battle of Waterloo, and his discussion of fighting the French with the 9-pounders is riveting. Noteworthy too is his sending some rounds in Napoleon's direction at Quatre Bras, and his disobedience of Wellington's orders by firing at the French artillery, and his courageous refusal to withdraw his gun crews in the face of French cavalry attacks. This new edition of a fine work (first published in 1870) features a new afterword by Philip J. Haythornthwaite.]

Muir, Rory. Salamanca 1812. Yale Univ. Pr. 2001 [This is a detailed account of one of the key battles of the Peninsular War by the author of Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon. After four days retreating before French forces, Wellington spotted an opportunity to launch a surprise attack. Over the course of 22 July, 1812, he inflicted the worst defeat on the French army in a decade as about a quarter of their army became casualties (12,500, as opposed to about 5,220 for Wellington). Even though Wellington's forces were to to later retreat to the frontier for winter quartering, at Salamanca they obtained a psychological edge on their French foes which was to remain throughout the rest of the war. The authority of Joseph Bonaparte's regime in Spain was completely undermined, and the weakening, or withdrawing, of French garrisons in the aftermath of Salamanca allowed the guerrilla movement to thrive, especially in the north. Thus, Salamanca helped set up the conditions which allowed Wellington's quick thrust to Vitoria in 1813. This book contains numerous maps and photographs of the battlefield taken by Muir.]

Muir, Rory. Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon. Yale Univ. Pr. 2000 [Muir draws on memoirs, diaries, and letters to explain what life on the battlefield was like for a Napoleonic-era soldier. He considers the infantry, cavalry and artillery; organization, equipment and training; musketry, bayonets and hand-to-hand fighting; the nature of command and control from the general on down; morale and unit cohesion; wounds, and more. "A stunning invocation of campaigning in battle, presented largely in the words of the participants, and enhanced by Muir's huge, if lightly worn, knowledge of this subject. . . . This is far more than a book about soldiers; it is a glittering, and intensely interesting, social history of armies at war, and of what befell their constituents." -- Toby Buchan, Literary Review. "A major work." -- David Seymour, Military Illustrated. "An important and useful study." -- Jeremy Black, Archives. "Muir has filled a significant gap in the study of the [Napoleonic era] with his engaging study of the mechanics of the Napoleonic battle. -- Library Journal. Originally published by Yale in 1998, this book is still available in a hardcover edition.]

Myatt, Frederick. British Sieges of the Peninsular War. Spekllmount (UK)/Howell Pr. (US) 1987 [This is an oversized, well-illustrated hardcover history of the major and minor sieges of the Peninsular War. The first chapter is a discussion of siege craft. The remaining nine chapters cover the three sieges of Badajoz, Ciudad Rodrigo, Burgos, the two sieges of San Sebastian, the bridge at Almaraz, the forts of Salamanca, and the Retiro of Madrid.]

Nafziger, George. Imperial Bayonets: Tactics of the Napoleonic Battery, Battalion and Brigade as Found in Contemporary Regulations. Greenhill/Stackpole 1996 [NOTE: In late 1996 - early 1997 this book was the best-selling book on the Military Books Online Site for five months.]

Nafziger, George F. Napoleon's Invasion of Russia. [David Chandler, foreword] Presidio Pr. 1998 [The 1812 campaign between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander was on a grand scale. It takes a similar writing effort to thoroughly cover such a topic in book form. This is what Nafziger has done. Beginning with the events that caused the struggle, he then turns his attention to the French and Allied Armies, and the Russian Army. Next he details the logistical considerations and preparations. Only after having laid this groundwork does Nafziger describe the conduct of this brutal war. The appendices (300 pages) provide orders of battle, casualty lists, treaties, supply lists, hospitals, etc. " I am impressed -- there can be no other word. It is a solid read, covering the ground in minute detail." -- David Chandler. "An impressive source book on the conflict, high on information and data. . . ." -- Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. This book was originally published in hardcover 1988.]

Napoleon I. The Military Maxims of Napoleon. [David G. Chandler, intro. & commentary] Da Capo Pr. 1995 [orig. 1831.]

Napoleon I. Napoleon on Napoleon: An Autobiography of the Emperor. [Somerset de Chair, ed.] Cassell Publ. (UK) [dist. by Sterling (US)] 1994 [orig. 1992.]

Nofi, Albert A. The Waterloo Campaign, June 1815. [Great Campaigns Series] Combined Publ. 1998 [orig. 1993.]

Nosworthy, Brent. With Musket, Cannon and Sword: Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies. Sarpedon 1996 [A very useful book. Coverage extends to infantry, cavalry and artillery tactics, and grand tactics.]

Oman, Carola. Nelson. [Stephen Howarth, new intro.] Naval Institute Pr./Greenhill Books 1996 [Originally published in 1946, this biography has withstood the test of time and is still one of the classic books on Nelson.]

O'Neil, Charles. The Military Adventures of Charles O'Neil. [The Spellmount Library of Military History; Bernard Cornwell, intro.] Spellmount (UK)/Sarpedon (US) 1997 [Originally published in 1851, O'Neil was a veteran of the Peninsular and the Waterloo Campaigns. While in the Peninsular Campaign he saw action at Barrosa (site of the first French eagle being taken by the British) and at the bloody siege and storming of Badajoz. He was severely wounded at Waterloo fighting D'Erlons Corps (and he recounts a most gruesome night on the battlefield as plunderers worked around him). He survived, just as his good fortune carried him through a voyage on a ship that caught fire and a flogging for not attending an Anglican service (he was Roman Catholic). That he was something of a rogue (as Cornwell suggests) is quite probable, for he was a bounty-jumper (joining multiple regiments for the bounty) and he found it very necessary to go to Canada and then later to the United States after the Napoleonic Wars. Yet his stories of mischief, combat, hardships, and tales are, to quote Cornwell, "what makes this rare memoir so interesting."]

Paget, Julian & Derek Saunders. Waterloo: Hougoumont: The Key to Victory. [Battleground Napoleonic] Leo Cooper (UK)/Casemate (US) 2001 [Part of the valuable Battleground Series, this book provides a detailed account of the battle for the château that proved decisive in maintaining the Allied right flank at Waterloo. The book has many contemporaneous and modern pictures and maps. And as with other books in the series, the authors provide a tour for the battlefield visitor. Four appendices and an index round out this book that was first published in 1992.]

Petre, F. Loraine. Napoleon's Campaign in Poland, 1806-1807. [David Chandler, new intro.] Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books (US) 2001 [This is the classic, comprehensive history of the Napoleonic campaign in Poland which drew heavily on the standard French and German resources well supplemented by Petre's extensive walks of the battlefields. Napoleon invaded Poland in the winter of 1806, and six months later, the Russians had been defeated and brought to the peace table. The campaign was a time which witnessed Napoleon at his military best, and it is primarily known for the battles of Eylau, Heilsberg, and Friedland. This book was originally published in 1901. This is a reprint of the Third Edition from 1907. A new introduction by David Chandler has been added to this new trade paperback edition. "Francis Loraine Petre (1852-1925) was a member of the group of prominent soldiers, scholars and authors - including General Hamley, Colonels G. F.R. Henderson and R. W. Phipps, Sir John Fortescue, Sir Charles Oman and Professor Spenser Wilkinson - which was virtually responsible for the introduction of the serious analytical study of military history to British academic life." -- David Chandler.]

Phillips, Brig. Gen., ed. Thomas R. Roots of Strategy: The 5 Greatest Military Classics of All Time. Stackpole 1985 [The first of three volumes of classics published by Stackpole. This edition carries the writings of Sun Tzu, The Art of War; Vegetius, The Military Institutions of the Romans; Marshal Maurice de Saxe, My Reveries on the Art of War; Frederick the Great, Instructions to His Generals; and Napoleon, The Military Maxims of Napoleon. These 448 pages make for a very valuable collection, especially since some of these works are only available in English in this volume.]

Riehn, Richard K. 1812: Napoleon's Russian Campaign. John Wiley & Sons 1991

Rothenberg, Gunther E. The Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon. Indiana Univ. Pr. 1980

Rothenberg, Gunther E. Napoleon's Great Adversary: Archduke Charles and the Austrian Army, 1792-1814. [David G. Chandler, preface] Spellmount (UK)/Sarpedon (US) 1995 [Originally published in 1982, this is the key work available on the largest force continually engaged in combat with the French armies.]

Ryan, Edward. Napoleon's Elite Cavalry: Cavalry of the Imperial Guard, 1804-1815: The Paintings of Lucien Rousselot. Greenhill Books 1999 ["One of the great French military artists was Lucien Rousselot (1900-1992). He combined meticulous research with his artistic skill to produce paintings that caught the spirit of legendary units while remaining accurate. This book marshals 91 full-color plates from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection (Brown had commissioned these paintings). This oversized hardcover book is printed on glossy paper to aid in the reproduction of the artwork. The 91 plates of the Guard cavalry break out as follows: 25 plates for the Dragoons, 27 for the Chasseurs, the Polish Light Horse have 25 plates, and 13 plates show the Grenadiers. One plate features Napoleon in his favorite uniform (that of a Chasseur). The focus of the art is not grandiose battle scenes, but (on average) three-five men in diverse situations, e.g., lounging around the camp, marching on parade, or charging through enemy ranks. This way the authenticity of the uniforms can be clearly seen. The book is nicely laid out -- on the left hand page is informative text by Edward Ryan that places the scene in context and provides some thoughts on uniform details. On the right page is the color plate. Ryan knew Rousselot when he was stationed in Paris, so he has a good feel for the paintings. He discusses Rousselot in a preface, which is followed by a solid ten-page introduction to the Guard cavalry (at two columns per page it is not insignificant), plus three appendices and a bibliography. Rousselot, Ryan, and Greenhill have combined to produce a superb book for the Napoleonic historian and buff." -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine.]

Schom, Alan. Napoleon Bonaparte. HarperCollins Pubs. 1997 [A massive biography by the author of two previous books on the Napoleonic Wars. Those who read advance pages of this book were very laudatory. "This biography by Alan Schom will shake the Napoleonic clientele -- and for good reasons, too." -- David Chandler. "This is a gripping, if long, read, although not for hero-worshippers." -- Publishers Weekly. For a larger GIF image of the book's cover, click here.]

Schom, Alan. One Hundred Days: Napoleon's Road to Waterloo. Oxford Univ. Pr. 1993

Schom, Alan. Trafalgar: Countdown to Battle, 1803-1805. Oxford Univ. Pr. 1992

Sherer, Moyle. Recollections of the Peninsula. [The Spellmount Library of Military History; Philip Haythornthwaite, intro.] Sarpedon/Spellmount 1996 [orig. 1824.]

Schur, Nathan. Napoleon in the Holy Land. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books (US) 1999 [Spanning February to May 1799, this is a detailed account of Napoleon's failed campaign out of his Egyptian base and into Palestine and Syria.]

Siborne, Captain W. History of the Waterloo Campaign. [Napoleonic Library, no.15] Greenhill/Stackpole 1995 [Originally published as History of the War in France and Belgium in 1815 in 1848, this is still considered to be one of the classic accounts of the campaign.]

Smith, Digby. 1813: Leipzig: Napoleon and the Battle of the Nations. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books (US) 2001 [This is a history of the great three-day battle of Leipzig (also known as the Battle of the Nations). It was the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars featuring 560,000 French, Prussian, Austrian, Russian, Swedish troops on the field of battle. The battle was a disaster for Napoleon -- it allowed the Allies to liberate Germany and then to march on France and depose the emperor. Smith's book examines the three October days of battle in detail and considers their long-term significance. Says Smith, " The effects of the Allied victory at Leipzig were truly momentous. It had smashed Napoleon's stranglehold on Europe for good, opened up European markets for external international trade for the first time since the Berlin Decree six years earlier, destroyed the Confederation of the Rhine, liberated Germany, catapulted Prussia into the ranks of the Continent's leading powers, and laid the basis for the final defeat and dethronement of Napoleon and the restoration of the Bourbons." The author uses numerous first-hand accounts, many of them previously unpublished in English.]

Smith, Digby. Borodino. [Great Battles Series] Windrush Pr. (UK)/Combined Books (US) 1998 [Noted Napoleonic historian takes a new look at the second largest battle (after Leipzig) of the Napoleonic Wars. A quarter of a million men with 1,200 guns clashed on 7 September, 1812 in a battle about which Napoleon claimed, "No other battle cost me so much and brought me so little." Smith covers the planning and invasion prior to the battle, plus the Rusian campaign after the titanic clash. Short biographies of the commanders, OBs, numerous maps and illustrations, plus a detailed index round out this work.]

Smith, Digby. The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book: Actions and Losses in Personnel, Colours, Standards and Artillery, 1792-1815. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1998 ["This massive, oversized work, based on over thirty years of research using archives in eleven countries, weighs in at 582 pages, 200 of which cover the oft-neglected Revolutionary Wars. Over 2,000 actions are covered in chronological order. For each engagement Smith provides location data (including modern route numbers), the results of the action, the forces engaged (including commanders and units), the losses sustained, additional comments, and sources of the information. Wisely, the author has also added forward and backward 'links' so that one can follow the course of a campaign by going from action to action. For some of the larger engagements rather detailed orders of battle are provided, and Smith includes naval engagements. The book also features a source bibliography (with sources rated as to their usefulness for this endeavor), plus an index to the actions. For the Napoleonic historian and/or gamer this is a 'must-have.'" -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine, issue #29.]

Terraine, John. Trafalgar. [Wordsworth Military Library] Wordsworth Editions (UK) 1998/Combined Books (US) 1999 [orig. 1976. Well-illustrated with B&W images, this oversized trade paperback history covers the naval campaign and the decisive battle.]

Tone, John Lawrence. The Fatal Knot: The Guerrilla War in Navarre and the Defeat of Napoleon in Spain. Univ. of North Carolina Pr. 1994

Uffindell, Andrew. The Eagle's Last Triumph: Napoleon's Victory at Ligny, June 1815. Greenhill Books [US dist. by Stackpole Books] 1994 [Originally published in 1984, this an interesting, and very well argued, piece of revisionist history. It places Waterloo in the context of the battle which preceeded it. Uffindell provides a much more fair interpretation of the Prussian role in the campaign. To quote the author, "Two main propositions run through this work. The first is that Napoleon's last military victory at Ligny led logically and surely to his final defeat at Waterloo. The second is that Blücher laid the foundations of victory in the 1815 campaign, for his rugged determination and fierce loyalty saved the allies in the crucial early stages and thus made possible Wellington's magnificant defensive battle at Waterloo in the spotlight of history."]

Uffindell, Andrew & Michael Corum. On the Fields of Glory: The Battlefields of the 1815 Campaign. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 2002 [Publisher supplied info: This spirited history of the 1815 campaign provides a new and stimulating account of the epic confrontation at Waterloo and, in addition, acts as a reliable guide to the battlefield and all related sites. The authors have divided the battlefield of Waterloo into three distinct sectors: one for each of the three armies involved. This allows the reader to follow the fighting from three different perspectives and gain an objective understanding of the dramatic course of the battle. Previously unpublished letters from British officers, the recollections of a Dutch-Belgian staff officer, and the memoirs of a French colonel of cuirassiers all contribute to an understanding of just what it was like to fight in one of Europe's most crucial confrontations. This book was originally published in 1996.]

von Brandt, Heinrich. In the Legions of Napoleon: The Memoirs of a Polish Officer in Spain and Russia, 1808-1813. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books (US) 1999 [Von Brandt saw service in Spain fighting the guerrillas and participating in the siege of Saragossa. His regiment also joined the invasion of Russia with 2,000 men and he saw action at Borodino. However, only sixty made it out of Russia. Von Brandt's memoirs were first published in three-volumes in 1868 with the title, Aus dem leben des G.I.H. von Brandt. The sections featuring Spain and Russia were published in a one-volume work in 1877 with the title, Souvenirs d'un officier polonais. This is their first appearance in English, and they were edited and translated by Jonathan North.]

von Clausewitz, Gen. Carl. The Campaign of 1812 in Russia. [Michael Howard, new forword] Da Capo Pr. 1995 [Originally published in 1843, this book offers a fascinating view of Napoleon's disastrous 1812 campaign in Russia. Clausewitz's observations and analyses resulted from his service with the Russian army. However, the uneven quality and placement of maps and the stilted nature of the translation (from 1843) mar this otherwise insightful history.]

von Müffling, Baron Carl. The Memoirs of Baron von Müffling: A Prussian Officer in the Napoleonic Wars. [Napoleonic Library no. 31; Peter Hofschröer, new intro.] Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole (US) 1997 ["Originally published in 1851 with the title, Aus meinem Leben, this book recalls the service of a senior Prussian staff officer, best known for his role in the Waterloo campaign as Blücher's liaison officer in Wellington's headquarters, and as such he was key to the coordination of the two Allied forces (however let me note that this memoir covers his service from 1805 to 1819)." -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine.]

War and Peace (Special Edition). Ruscico/Image Entertainment 2002 [This is the long-awaited Ruscico DVD edition of the 1968 film done on the grandest of scales. Seven years in the making, and at a cost of over $100 million, it is about as faithful as a film gets to a major work of literature, in this case Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece. It won the 1969 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The movie was directed by Sergei Bondarchuk (he also appears as Pierre Bezukhov), and stars Lyudmila Savelyeva as Natasha, and Vyacheslav Tikhonov as Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. Very fortunately the film is presented in a widescreen format. It has audiotracks in Russian, French, and English. English subtitles are also included. In addition to the movie, the 4 discs offer numerous features, such as: interviews with actors Irina Skobtseva and Vassily Lanovoy, cinematographer Anatoly Petritsky, composer Vycheslav Ovchinnikov, and Mosfilm Studios president Karen Shakhnazarov; a Leo Tolstoy documentary; art direction and set design studies; and cast and crew filmographies. I saw the movie when it came to the US in 1968 (maybe 1969?), and I still remember the battle of Borodino. Incredible numbers of Russian soldiers were drafted into the production of this film. I also vividly remember the lavish palace sets showing the splendor of imperial Russia in the Napoleonic era. The movie ran about seven hours, we had to see half of it one weekend, the other half the next weekend. The running time for this DVD version is listed as 431 minutes, so it should offer the complete film (a chopped up, shorter version has been available in the past). I have heard good things about Ruscico and their translation of films from tape to DVD, so I have high hopes for this edition. I can't wait to see it. "Like Tolstoy's novel, this epic-length War and Peace is rough going, but worth the effort. . . . Undeniably, however, the epic battle scenes remain breathtakingly unique; to experience the sheer scale of this film is to realize that such cinematic extravagance will never be seen again. " -- Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com.]

Weller, Jac. On Wellington: The Duke and His Art of War. [Andrew Uffindell, ed. & intro.] Greenhill Books 1998 [Uffindell has assembled 11 articles by Jac and Cornelia Weller, two of the leading experts on Wellington. The essays are organized in five parts: (1.) Wellington in India; (2.) Wellington in the Peninsula; (3.) Wellington's Waterloo tactics; (4.) the American Civil War (including the piece, "What if?: Wellington in Confederate Grey at Gettysburg"); and (5.) the Brown Bess musket.]

Weller, Jac. Wellington at Waterloo. Greenhill Books 1998 [This is one of the more popular accounts of Waterloo, originally published in 1967. I find the work a little too glowing with regard to Wellington, especially in light of recent historiography. For example, Weller says on page 186, "It would appear that Lord Roberts may have been correct in his analysis of the Duke when he wrote: 'In the Waterloo campaign, Wellington made no mistakes.'" However, the book is strong on topography and has a goodly number of useful photographs of battlefield locations, especially from the air. Also of interest is the discussion of the true size and layout of a British infantry square organized to combat a cavalry attack (which is often incorrectly presented).]

Weller, Jac. Wellington in the Peninsula. Greenhill Books (UK)/Stackpole Books (US) 1999 [First published in 1962.]

Whaley, Leigh Ann. The Impact of Napoleon, 1800-1815: An Annotated Bibliography. [Magill Bibliographies Series] Scarecrow Pr. 1997 ["This is another essential Napoleonic reference. There are more studies about Napoleon (250,000) than number of days since his demise -- yes, do the math. Fortunately, Whaley has done us a great favor in selecting about 480 of the most significant works, primarily in English, and provided short, useful annotations for them. She divides the works amongst eleven categories, i.e., primary and general source materials, military histories, diplomacy, biographies of Napoleon and his brothers, internal affairs, society, culture, religion, women, colonies and empires, and the Napoleonic legend. She also has an extensive essay on Napoleonic historiography. An author index and a subject index enhance the book's value. Given the flood of new Napoleonic titles, plus the reprints of classics (most notably by Greenhill Books), let me state my fervent desire that Scarecrow Press and Queens University of Belfast provide Professor Whaley with the opportunity to write an updated version of this book in the very near future, and every few years thereafter!" -- Fritz Heinzen, Paper Wars magazine.]

White, Colin. 1797: Nelson's Year of Destiny: Cape St Vincent and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Royal Naval Museum Publ./Sutton Publ. 1998 [Publisher supplied info: It was at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, when the Royal Navy won a great victory over the Spanish, that Nelson first came to public fame. Five months later in the attack on Santa Cruz on 22-25 July he suffered a bloody defeat at the hands of the Spanish and lost an arm. These two events, one a success the other a humiliating failure, played a key role in shaping Nelson's character and style as a leader. Taken together they mark a significant turning point in his life. In this new and provocative work, Colin White draws together recent research and new discoveries into a comprehensive and enthralling narrative account that places the two battles in their strategic and political contexts. "Highly detailed and as exciting as the best Patrick O'Brian novel, this is one of the best accounts of the great British admirals dazzling achievements, from the deputy director of England's Royal Naval Museum. . . . this brief account looks at the period that solidified Nelson's position as Britain's chief hope in maintaining her position as the world's leading maritime power. The author combines outstanding scholarship with narrative skill to capture the excitement of such events as the evacuation of Elba, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, the blockade of Cadiz, and the attack on Tenerife (in which Nelson lost his arm). White also debunks many of the myths that have surrounded Nelson over the years. . . . Written with sweep and excitement, capturing the spirit of Nelson by looking at one memorable year, this will be a treat for any naval history fan." -- Kirkus Reviews. ". . . White's 1797 is based on a number of recently discovered primary sources as well as on the authentic texts of others that have been current in versions edited to the point of butchery. It makes a detailed accounting of the period from December 1796 to December 1797. During those 12 months, Nelson exhibited the seamanship, planning skills, tactical insight, personal leadership, and charisma that constituted the foundation of his later career and his subsequent legend. White excellently separates myths from probable facts. . . ." -- Roland Green, Booklist, January 1, 1999.]

Woodman, Richard. The Victory of Seapower: Winning the Napoleonic War 1806-1814. [Chatham Pictorial Histories Series] The National Maritime Museum & Chatham Publishing (UK)/Naval Institute Pr. 1998 [This is an oversized hardcover loaded with many wonderful b&w illustrations. Woodman examines the role of the Royal Navy in its three key roles in the three parts of this book. First he looks at the Navy in the blockade role; in the second section he considers its overseas role where ever-increasing trade was necessary for the success of the British war effort; and finally, Woodman turns his attention to the British use of seapower for operations (including amphibious) around the periphery of Europe.]

Wootten, Geoffrey. Waterloo 1815. [Campaign Series, no. 15] Osprey (UK)/Stackpole Books (US)

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