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| Waterloo books https://wargame.ch/board/nwc/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=17094 |
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| Author: | David Guegan [ Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Waterloo books |
From what I understand -and the most obvious - the defeat wasn't expected. So it wasn't planned much, Napoleon sent an order to Grouchy to fall back and then that's it. What became pressing for Napoleon was to try to soften effects of the loss politically, he headed back quickly to Paris. We have to remember than when he left Paris to go fight he left a parliament behind him and a possible opposition to his will. He wasn't the all powerful emperor anymore. He had to agree to a Charter of 1815. I found a timeline on wiki, hoping it's correct. from the 18 to 24th of June |
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| Author: | Clint Matthews [ Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Waterloo books |
James Holloway wrote: Thanks David - I had my eye on the Hussey volumes, and you inspired me to pull the trigger. I picked up Ropes' "The Campaign of Waterloo" this week - published in 1892. I like the experience of reading those old books. Alas, a copy of the atlas that accompanied the original publication was $300, which I can't justify. Luckily I have the Etling/Espositio volume and the Sir John Fortescue's atlas of maps. I have the Etling/Espositio book. Is the Fortescue worth buying? |
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| Author: | James Holloway [ Fri Mar 24, 2023 6:19 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Waterloo books |
The Fortescue maps are meant to accompany his "History of the British Army," so the only Napoleonic maps are Spain and Waterloo. Still worth having. I did order the volume of maps abstracted from Jomini's Life; I'll report back once I get them. I'm really just a map junkie, and think those ones done in the 19th century were almost works of art. |
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| Author: | David Guegan [ Mon Apr 17, 2023 12:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Waterloo books |
Update on my reading of Waterloo: The Campaign of 1815. Volume I: From Elba to Ligny and Quatre Bras by John Hussey I'm in the middle of the book and I have to say that I have come to appreciate it more now. The work done on the British side is excellent. At first I really thought it would THE BOOK on the campaign. Maybe be it's an expectation we shouldn't have like finding an unicorn. But it is still a very good book, right now I'm reading about June, 15 in the morning and it's a very good job. The author does criticize Peter Hofschröer and his handling of sources. And I think he makes a good case on it. I didn't know much about what happened before Waterloo (the days before the campaign on the allied side) beside the common things. But I can say that so far this is the best part I have read. I wonder about the lack of reaction on Wellington when reports are coming announcing that Napoleon is about to launch an attack. It seems obvious that as the reports come that something will happen. But on British side it seems that it's business as usual, just waiting for the green light to invade France within 2 weeks at the same time as the Austrian and Russians. They don't even think that Napoleon could try to attack before they are ready. So I have accepted that the book is British centered even if it covers the Prussian and French, it's not as deep. |
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| Author: | James Holloway [ Mon Apr 17, 2023 3:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Waterloo books |
Thanks David - this one's on the shelf, and looking forward to reading it. Probably this summer. I recently picked up Maj-General Siborne's "History of the Waterloo Campaign" and "Campaign of Waterloo," by Ropes; I tend to like older books/historians so those should be fun. Recently I've been reading quite a few on the 1813 campaigns in Germany, including Leggiere and Nafziger. Great detail but both can be a bit dry. |
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