Offers an insight into the life of Napoleon's Imperial Guard - the elite corps of the French Army. The text details the equipment; uniform and combat experience of the Guard which; unlike other ceremonial outfits; was involved in combat during the brutal Napoleonic wars.
#554909 in Books 2014-12-19Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.20 x .80 x 5.80l; .84 #File Name: 1783035137304 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The battlefield at Mont St. Jean...By HMS WarspiteExperienced historian David Buttery wraps a concise but balanced and fascinating history of the Waterloo Campaign around this guide to the Waterloo battlefield. The narrative lays out the chronology of the campaign; the battles; and the personalities; while providing a welcome wealth of information about the battlefield itself as it exists today. The graphic diagrams of the battlefield are well-arranged and easily to read. The many photographs provide an extended understanding of the terrain.Wellington and Napoleon are of course prominent in the narrative; but due consideration is given to the absolutely vital and timely contribution of the Prussian Army. The author notes the lingering controversies about the battle; including the naming of the battle after the village of Waterloo; despite the fact that most of the fighting took place at Mont St. Jean; and does so without bogging down the general reader in the details. The back end of the book includes tips for visiting the modern battlefield; a useful annotated bibliography and a consolidated chronology of the battle. Highly recommended to the general reader and the student of the Napoleonic Wars.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Enhanced my battlefield experienceBy CustomerI don't know what I would have done at Waterloo without this guide. I read it the entire plane ride over and was able to experience this battlefield in the way I would experience an American Civil War battlefield. The setup is similar to civil war guides like Reardon in that it contains vignettes about individual soldiers and inlet maps for stops describing how to orient yourself.But it's even more in depth than your usual guide; as Waterloo certainly demands. There are inlet maps for Hougoumount; Ney's cavalry charge; La Haye Sainte; Plancenoit (with driving directions); and separate chapters on prelude battles Quatre Bras and Ligny.In short; my Waterloo experience would not have been the same without this guide.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Where It Happened and How the Terrain Influenced ItBy Joel PesapaneIf terrain and topography determine how you look at a battle this is the book for you. The author spent several years with other historians going over the ground from the crossing of The Sambre to Napoleon's retreat and abandonment of his coach. He takes into full account Wellington's comment upon seeing what had been done to the actual field of battle; " They have ruined my battlefield;" and allows you to see what was there 200 years ago.Comprehensive and detailed its only failure is that it should be updated to take into account new markers and downloadable signs that have been placed beside important sites. I hope that Mr. Buttery has a chance to update a new edition that will include everything that has been added for the bi-centennial.
