Swords Around A Throne: Napoleon’s Grande Armée by John R. Elting (PDF)

Description

This authoritative, comprehensive, and enthralling book describes and analyzes Napoleon’s most powerful weapon — the Grande Armee which at its peak numbered over a million soldiers. Elting examines every facet of this incredibly complex human machine: its organization, command system, logistics, weapons, tactics, discipline, recreation, mobile hospitals, camp followers, and more. From the army’s formation out of the turmoil of Revolutionary France through its swift conquests of vast territories across Europe to its legendary death at Waterloo, this book uses excerpts from soldiers’ letters, eyewitness accounts, and numerous firsthand details to place the reader in the boots of Napoleon’s conscripts and generals. In Elting’s masterful hands the experience is truly unforgettable.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: From the Back Cover This authoritative and enthralling book describes and analyzes Napoleon’s most powerful weapon-the Grande Armee, which at its peak numbered over a million soldiers, and without which his military genius would have accomplished little. Elting examines every facet of this incredibly complex human machine: its organization, command system, logistics, weapons, tactics, discipline, recreation, mobile hospitals, camp followers, and more About the Author Colonel John R. Elting has edited and written numerous books on military history, including Amateurs, to Arms!: A Military History of the War of 1812 and A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This a a difficult book to review, because it is so very complete and thorough, and the author’s style is very engaging and entertaining. The problem is that there is SO much information, the reader can’t help to get bogged down on boring sections, and at times, choke on Elting’s purple prose.I highly recommend this for those who already have firm background on the period, particularly the battles and campaigns. If you are keenly interested in what the grand armee ate for breakfast the morning of Austerlitz, you won’t be disappointed. It is also an excellent topical reference.The downturn for me was about page 300. Elting only occassionally translates French phrases (very disconcerting for a Germanophile) and it was hard for me to get excited about the uniform piping of every single transportation, supply, service, and administrative battalion. But read on! It does get better.If you want to know about Napoleonic warfare in general, I would steer you to Rothenberg and Chandler. If you want to eat, sleep, march, breathe, and fight with one of the greatest armies in western history, it is worth the time.

⭐The authors knowledge of the subject is excellent. It is not a story, but a publication of a great amount of information that at times over loads the brain of the average reader. The author (as do many who know their subject in such detail) forgets that many of his readers do not know nor remember French or how it is used in the french military of the day. It would have been more informative for me anyway if the author had continued to add the english meaning behind the french word or phrase. All in all a publication well worth the read for one who is interested in the French Army of the period beyond that France fought a war in Spain, Russia, etc

⭐If I could recommend one book as the starting point to what has been called the ‘abyss of Napoleonic history’, this would be it. This is my favorite book on the subject. The author covers it all. From the army at the time of the revolution, what it ate, how it was supplied, how it was cared for… as well as (of course) how it fought. Its all there. Plus it has the added benefit of reading lively and is very immersive.Although it mainly cover the French experience during what was later called the “Napoleonic Era” the other nations get a chapter as well. All in all a very entertaining read.

⭐This one I did not particularly enjoy but again, I assumed it would be something is was not nor did it clam to be. I was looking for more of a traditional biography and as the author states clearly, his intent was a history of the Napoleonic weapons of war, the troops who carried them and the things that they did with their weaponry.On that level, it was most excellent, highly detailed and unbelievably well researched. Students of military history interested in the leaders and men who fought with Napoleon will be fascinated.L. S. Miller is the author of four novels published to date, all of which have been Kirkus reviewed and are available from Amazon Books.

⭐The problem with thick books that try to capture large subjects is that they must generalize and leave out a lot of data, and here there is no difference. If you are looking of a general overview of the Grande Armee during more then two decades of the French First Republic and Empire, this book will inform. However it is not meant to provide or be a definitive statement on any of the topics discussed in the chapters. Its a guide, rather then a scholarly work. This is particularly true where armies other then French are discussed, or where equal space has been given to its largest corps, the Infantry or Cavalry.Other works dealing with specific areas should be consulted after readin this work.

⭐The best book I have read discussing the nuts and bolts of Napoleon’s armies; food, clothing, organization, tactics, weapons and the characteristics of the several branches of his forces. Elting is a gifted and witty writer. Moreover, he grasps the psychology of the men and the spirit of the times and conveys it brilliantly to the lay reader. He has a great gift for the pithy epigram when summing up the personalities of the men and officers. If you were merely a novice reader before this volume, you won’t be afterwards. Elting will make you eager to get deep into the period.

⭐This is a fantastic book that will tell you all you could ever want to know concerning the organization and operation of Napoleon’s armies but be ready to drown in a sea of information. Whoa to those who don’t already have a basic knowledge of the history of Napoleonic France, the major players in the Grande Armée, and the more important battles it fought – you will be initially lost.

⭐A definite must have to understand the organization of Napoleonic France. Good references. Can’t stop reading it. Not just France but most of the belligerents. A very good reference source.

⭐The Grande Armee was created by Napoleon Bonaparte. In the end, to satisfy his personal ambitions, he destroyed the Grande Armee, and brought about the death of thousands of its soldiers, and yet more thousands of the soldiers who opposed it. The book has an amazing amount of detail, and the only shortcoming seemed to me that it required a better index.

⭐Excellent book

⭐A great book containing all sorts of details regarding the Grande Armee. I consider this book essential for understanding napoleonic warfare.

⭐Addresses practically all facets of the Grande Armee and its supports, including logistics and finances. The minutiae of tactics and campaigning are a little scant but more than offset by the thorough treatment of the usually ignored facets of maintaining an army in the field.

⭐It’s a useful, if slightly dated, overview of the Grande Armee of Napoleon. It contains chapters on each arm of the army and biographies of the Marshals and some of the generals. Where I part company with the majority of the reviewers is the style in which it is written. It’s obviously been written for Americans some time ago and has numerous references to ‘our Revolution’ and the Continental Army and it’s a bit ‘folksy’ in it’s prose which veers towards Americanisms at every turn. I also found it tending toward anecdotes in a lot of areas as opposed to facts. This is my personal opinion and some people may like Elting’s style of writing, but I found it irritating and it became more and more difficult to read which is a great pity as I was keen to get the best from this well regarded book.

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