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Napoleon's Conquest Of Prussia 1806
The Napoleonic Library is an outstanding collection of seminal works on the Napoleonic Wars. It features evocative contemporary memoirs and makes available once again the classic works on the subject by military historians.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1901
About the author
F. Loraine Petre
33 books3 followersFrancis Loraine Petre OBE (1852–1925) was a British civil servant in India and a military historian upon his retirement. He wrote a two-volume regimental history of the Norfolk Regiment, but is best known for his works on the Napoleonic Wars. The grandson of the 11th Baron Petre, he was educated at Oscott College and joined the Bar in 1880. He took the civil service exam and subsequently joined the Indian Civil Service. He retired as Commissioner of Allahabad in 1900.
Subsequently, he chose a literary career, pursuing interests in the history of the Napoleonic Wars. He wrote five books on the Wars, most of which are in use a century later. His studies of Napoleon's conquest of Prussia 1806–1807 (1901) and Napoleon's Campaign in Poland, 1806–1807 (1901) were among the first such books in the English language. He also wrote several regimental histories, a study of Simon Bolivar, and a descriptive study of Colombia. World War I interrupted his literary pursuits; he served in the Finance Branch of the Ministry of Munitions. In 1920, Petre was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Subsequently, he chose a literary career, pursuing interests in the history of the Napoleonic Wars. He wrote five books on the Wars, most of which are in use a century later. His studies of Napoleon's conquest of Prussia 1806–1807 (1901) and Napoleon's Campaign in Poland, 1806–1807 (1901) were among the first such books in the English language. He also wrote several regimental histories, a study of Simon Bolivar, and a descriptive study of Colombia. World War I interrupted his literary pursuits; he served in the Finance Branch of the Ministry of Munitions. In 1920, Petre was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 20, 2019
Petre’s Napoleon’s Conquest of Prussia 1806 is chronologically the first of his five books covering the Napoleonic Wars. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
As the title implies, the book covers the entire campaign of 1806, not just the battles of Jena and Auerstadt. For this, Petre is to be applauded. He begins with a summary on the origins of the war, and proceeds to contrast the two (very different) forces. I found this particular chapter very strong. It was clear to see that the result was in little doubt even before the conflict began. Petre proceeds with the movements of the armies, recounts the battles of Jena and Auerstadt along with others such as the battle of Saalfeld and Halle, and then devotes the final third of the book to the battles’ aftermath. Thus, Petre provides an balanced and thorough overview to the whole campaign.
Considering its age, I found the book to be very readable. In fact, it was more dated in the style of its content than in the style of language. As David Chandler accurately points out in the introduction, “Petre all too rarely descends from the Olympian heights to give us the point of view of the junior officer or other rank”. I found Petre’s analysis to be characterized by a strong emphasis on movements and terrain. If one is willing to consistently consult the fold-out maps (more on the maps later), they will be able to conceive a precise depiction of the events as they unfold. Even during the description of the battles, Petre gives specific information on the movements of corps and divisions, but fails to flesh out the details of the fighting.
Similarly, the principle characters are given little to no description. With the possible exception of Napoleon, not more than a sentence is given to develop the personalities, motives, or tendencies of the various generals and/or monarchs. This wasn’t much of a hindrance to me, because I was able to draw upon my knowledge from other books about these men, but the newcomer to the Napoleonic era might find this lapse inhibiting.
Regarding illustrations and maps, there are 19 black and white plates showing portraits and several of Petres’ own photographs from his visits to the battlefields. These photos aren’t of tremendous help visualizing, but it is interesting to see the battlefields in approximately the same condition as they were a century earlier. There are seven maps – four small ones, and three fold out ones. The latter three were the most important. They’re detailed but difficult to get your bearings with. Additionally, the map showing the battles of Jena and Auerstadt is very hard to read based on how it was copied. I’ve added pictures of these maps to the book if you’re interested in seeing them.
While this book may have a few flaws as I’ve detailed above, it was an excellent read and a fantastic overview of Napoleon’s most decisive campaign. Petre shows how France, led by Napoleon in his prime of vigor and energy, commanding his best army was bound to trounce Prussia – a state that labored under the legacy of Frederick the Great, unwilling and unable to adapt to a more modern style of war and government. Prussia’s political and military humiliation was a tragic event for northern Germany, for the population of Lubeck, the kingdom of Saxony, and the countless number of peasants whose land was trod on, their possessions plundered. But, ultimately, the humiliation suffered in 1806 led to the reemergence of Prussia in 1814 and beyond.
As the title implies, the book covers the entire campaign of 1806, not just the battles of Jena and Auerstadt. For this, Petre is to be applauded. He begins with a summary on the origins of the war, and proceeds to contrast the two (very different) forces. I found this particular chapter very strong. It was clear to see that the result was in little doubt even before the conflict began. Petre proceeds with the movements of the armies, recounts the battles of Jena and Auerstadt along with others such as the battle of Saalfeld and Halle, and then devotes the final third of the book to the battles’ aftermath. Thus, Petre provides an balanced and thorough overview to the whole campaign.
Considering its age, I found the book to be very readable. In fact, it was more dated in the style of its content than in the style of language. As David Chandler accurately points out in the introduction, “Petre all too rarely descends from the Olympian heights to give us the point of view of the junior officer or other rank”. I found Petre’s analysis to be characterized by a strong emphasis on movements and terrain. If one is willing to consistently consult the fold-out maps (more on the maps later), they will be able to conceive a precise depiction of the events as they unfold. Even during the description of the battles, Petre gives specific information on the movements of corps and divisions, but fails to flesh out the details of the fighting.
Similarly, the principle characters are given little to no description. With the possible exception of Napoleon, not more than a sentence is given to develop the personalities, motives, or tendencies of the various generals and/or monarchs. This wasn’t much of a hindrance to me, because I was able to draw upon my knowledge from other books about these men, but the newcomer to the Napoleonic era might find this lapse inhibiting.
Regarding illustrations and maps, there are 19 black and white plates showing portraits and several of Petres’ own photographs from his visits to the battlefields. These photos aren’t of tremendous help visualizing, but it is interesting to see the battlefields in approximately the same condition as they were a century earlier. There are seven maps – four small ones, and three fold out ones. The latter three were the most important. They’re detailed but difficult to get your bearings with. Additionally, the map showing the battles of Jena and Auerstadt is very hard to read based on how it was copied. I’ve added pictures of these maps to the book if you’re interested in seeing them.
While this book may have a few flaws as I’ve detailed above, it was an excellent read and a fantastic overview of Napoleon’s most decisive campaign. Petre shows how France, led by Napoleon in his prime of vigor and energy, commanding his best army was bound to trounce Prussia – a state that labored under the legacy of Frederick the Great, unwilling and unable to adapt to a more modern style of war and government. Prussia’s political and military humiliation was a tragic event for northern Germany, for the population of Lubeck, the kingdom of Saxony, and the countless number of peasants whose land was trod on, their possessions plundered. But, ultimately, the humiliation suffered in 1806 led to the reemergence of Prussia in 1814 and beyond.
January 15, 2022
Written a decade before the outbreak of the Great War, this work was written as part of a drive by the British General Staff to have works writen by experienced field officers and staff officers be circulated amongst the general population to better inform them about all the ins and outs of warfare. As the author pointed out in his forward, seeing as how laypeople are sometimes voted into parliament and given positions of authority, it's best if their informed about warfare and the consequences of dreadful foreign policy decisions. Too bad academia, now, largely views military history as an exercise in white supremacy...
Anyway...
Colonel Petre, a British Army officer despite his French name, wrote this book with the view in mind of educating the wider audience about the disastrous consequences of military unpreparedness. No state, in modern history, has ever gone to war with such a lack of comprehension over what they were getting themselves into than did Prussia in 1806. Resting on the laurels of Frederick the Great, the Prussians in 1806 showcased precisely how never to wage war. Especially in the face of a master of same such as Napoleon.
Largely looked at from the perspective of Berlin and the Prussian Court and General Staff, without ignoring Paris and Napoleon’s command tent either, Petre takes the reader through the lead up to war, the disastrous over confidence of Berlin, and the brutal picking apart of the Prussian and Saxon armies by La Grande Armée in its most rapid, and crushingly decisive, success.
Despite written well over a century ago, this is an incredibly engaging, erudite, skilfully analyzed work that still holds its worth these generations later.
Highly recommended.
Anyway...
Colonel Petre, a British Army officer despite his French name, wrote this book with the view in mind of educating the wider audience about the disastrous consequences of military unpreparedness. No state, in modern history, has ever gone to war with such a lack of comprehension over what they were getting themselves into than did Prussia in 1806. Resting on the laurels of Frederick the Great, the Prussians in 1806 showcased precisely how never to wage war. Especially in the face of a master of same such as Napoleon.
Largely looked at from the perspective of Berlin and the Prussian Court and General Staff, without ignoring Paris and Napoleon’s command tent either, Petre takes the reader through the lead up to war, the disastrous over confidence of Berlin, and the brutal picking apart of the Prussian and Saxon armies by La Grande Armée in its most rapid, and crushingly decisive, success.
Despite written well over a century ago, this is an incredibly engaging, erudite, skilfully analyzed work that still holds its worth these generations later.
Highly recommended.
August 19, 2012
First published in 1907 in the United Kingdom, Napoleon's Conquest of Prussia 1806 by Loraine Petre is a classic military history of one of Napoleon's great campaigns. The author has written five books on Napoleon and his campaigns and is recognised as one of the pre-eminent military historians of the early twentieth century. In this book, as in the others, he has utilised many first-hand accounts from the various participants to put together an interesting and detailed military study of Napoleons campaign.
This book is his first in the series of five titles published and in over 300 pages of narrative he tells the story of Napoleon's victory at Jena and Marshal Davout's triumph at Auerstadt on the 14th of October, 1806. The book then follows Napoleon's three-week relentless pursuit of the defeated Prussian forces in a classic military movement to destroy the armed might of Prussia once and for all. At the end of the campaign two-thirds of the Prussian army had been killed or made prisoner and four-fifths of Prussia was under Napoleon's control.
Bearing in mind that the book was written at the start of the twentieth century the style of writing contained in the narrative takes a little bit of getting use to but once you have adjusted to that period of time you find you are reading a classic military study. The book is supplied with three large fold-out maps to follow the different stages of the campaign and a number of black and white plates are also provided in the centre of the book.
Overall this is an interesting and enjoyable account of Napoleon's Prussian campaign of 1806 and as one previous reviewer has mentioned it makes a good starting point for further reading. For myself I enjoyed the book so much that I intend to read all five of the author's work.
This book is his first in the series of five titles published and in over 300 pages of narrative he tells the story of Napoleon's victory at Jena and Marshal Davout's triumph at Auerstadt on the 14th of October, 1806. The book then follows Napoleon's three-week relentless pursuit of the defeated Prussian forces in a classic military movement to destroy the armed might of Prussia once and for all. At the end of the campaign two-thirds of the Prussian army had been killed or made prisoner and four-fifths of Prussia was under Napoleon's control.
Bearing in mind that the book was written at the start of the twentieth century the style of writing contained in the narrative takes a little bit of getting use to but once you have adjusted to that period of time you find you are reading a classic military study. The book is supplied with three large fold-out maps to follow the different stages of the campaign and a number of black and white plates are also provided in the centre of the book.
Overall this is an interesting and enjoyable account of Napoleon's Prussian campaign of 1806 and as one previous reviewer has mentioned it makes a good starting point for further reading. For myself I enjoyed the book so much that I intend to read all five of the author's work.
August 9, 2022
Francis Loraine Petre hardly sounds English, but such he was. His professional life was chiefly occupied by a long stint in the civil service in India. But he's best remembered now for his Napoleonic works, written after his return to Blighty. This is the first of his five books that I've read. But it won't be the last!
Written and published around a century after the events described, I read it in an Arms & Armour Press edition, of 1972. Although there is something quaintly antiquated about some of his prose, the book as a whole is admirably clear and concise, perhaps benefitting from the tidy-mindedness of an efficient administrator? Certainly it's very well laid out, structurally.
The text in this edition is enriched by two sections of illustrative plates, including panoramic battlefield photos, taken in situ by the author, and several maps. Some of these latter are ordinary illustrative maps, such as those of Prenzlau and Stettin. But others - three in total - are larger fold-out affairs. As beautiful and evocative as these larger maps are, they aren't easy to use in conjunction with the text, chiefly by dint of being hard to read. This is most especially the case with the otherwise gorgeous map of the two main battlefields, of Jena and Auerstadt.
Petre starts the book by setting out the causes of the conflict, chiefly citing duplicitous vacillation on the part of King Frederick William III of Prussia, and offended pride and vaulting ambition on the part of Napoleon.
Rather as with Austria in 1809, the Prussians, under their rather weak-willed ruler, are moved towards war by a hawkish faction, headed in part by the king's beautiful but ill-informed wife, when neither the country nor the army are ready. France on the other hand is riding high, very much in the ascendant as the victors of Austerlitz, with Napoleon at the peak of his not inconsiderable powers.
When Petre turns his attention to the contending armies the story is much the same. France has a vigorous modern army, with high morale, led by younger men, whilst Prussia, still looking back to the former glories of Frederick the Great, fields an army of brutalised peasants, lorded over by aristocratic officers, and lead by a geriatric staff.
In stark contrast to the concentration of power, command and skill in the person of Napoleon, the Prussian command structure is, like their parade-ground movements in the field, ponderous and indecisive. We also given descriptions of the difference in arms and organisation, and only in their cavalry did the Prussians give Napoleon cause for concern. Having looked at the background to the campaign, and the forces with which it will be fought, Petre turns next to the plans of the two contending parties.
Once again Prussia fares ill in the comparison. Whilst Napoleon singlemindedly pursues broad goals with a flexible approach, the Austrians constantly dither and argue, often in committee, dropping one plan in favour of another, and losing sight of the bigger picture by getting bogged down in trivial details. All of this hardly bodes well!
So, it's not too surprising, when Petre's narrative moves on to the campaign itself, to find the French moving quickly and decisively, and consistently out-thinking and out-marching the Prussians.
Petre is no uncritical Boneyphile, however, and he notes the many instances when Napoleon is far from omniscient. But the key thing is that Bonaparte is consistently quick witted, flexible, and, for all his energy and optimism, both cautious and thorough.
The first half of the book climaxes in the twin engagements of Jena and Auerstadt. At the former Napoleon succeeds - despite fighting what would turn out to be the decisive battles two days earlier than planned - in concentrating a superior force against the Prussian right wing, under Hohenlohe and von Ruchel. Although the battle has several swings of fortune, ultimately Bonaparte inflicts a resounding defeat on his adversaries, leaving the shattered Prussian army fleeing the field in tatters.
Napoleon thought he was facing the forward elements of the main Prussian army. But it was actually Davout, the 'Iron Marshal', who in fact encountered the main Prussian body, off to Napoleon's right around Hassenhausen, at the battle remembered as Auerstadt. With great tenacity and presence of mind, and despite the non-appearance of Bernadotte, Davout defeated a force far larger than his own.
Petre, whose narrative is very much an upper echelon view, from 'the Gods', so to speak next discusses the strategies and tactics in this opening 'blitzkrieg' phase of the war. Napoleon's central strategy is noted as far more effective than the Prussian dispersal of forces.
The next phase of the war has an entirely different character, which finds Napoleon's forces spreading out in pursuit of the beleaguered Prussians. Petre teases out the various strands of this potentially confusing follow up to the double-whammy of Jena-Auerstadt with great aplomb, providing a clear picture, which (unlike some of the maps) is pretty easy to follow. Although it must be admitted that following the endless troop movements is quite tricky.
Unlike some more modern academic type history writers, who feel that mind-numbing thoroughness is mandatory, where there's little of interest to be said, Petre, very commendably, says little. This is especially true in the latter stages of this conflict. He does, however, cover all the interesting stuff with proper thoroughness, and the book remains engaging and enjoyable from start to finish. That Prussia survived this debacle is quite something!
I loved this book. It's not perfect - the hyper-detailed troop movement info, combined with difficult to read (if admittedly very beautiful) maps, is sometimes hard to follow, and the absence of front line or ground level sources makes for a notable contrast with the best of modern writing - but it's still a gripping and informative read.
Written and published around a century after the events described, I read it in an Arms & Armour Press edition, of 1972. Although there is something quaintly antiquated about some of his prose, the book as a whole is admirably clear and concise, perhaps benefitting from the tidy-mindedness of an efficient administrator? Certainly it's very well laid out, structurally.
The text in this edition is enriched by two sections of illustrative plates, including panoramic battlefield photos, taken in situ by the author, and several maps. Some of these latter are ordinary illustrative maps, such as those of Prenzlau and Stettin. But others - three in total - are larger fold-out affairs. As beautiful and evocative as these larger maps are, they aren't easy to use in conjunction with the text, chiefly by dint of being hard to read. This is most especially the case with the otherwise gorgeous map of the two main battlefields, of Jena and Auerstadt.
Petre starts the book by setting out the causes of the conflict, chiefly citing duplicitous vacillation on the part of King Frederick William III of Prussia, and offended pride and vaulting ambition on the part of Napoleon.
Rather as with Austria in 1809, the Prussians, under their rather weak-willed ruler, are moved towards war by a hawkish faction, headed in part by the king's beautiful but ill-informed wife, when neither the country nor the army are ready. France on the other hand is riding high, very much in the ascendant as the victors of Austerlitz, with Napoleon at the peak of his not inconsiderable powers.
When Petre turns his attention to the contending armies the story is much the same. France has a vigorous modern army, with high morale, led by younger men, whilst Prussia, still looking back to the former glories of Frederick the Great, fields an army of brutalised peasants, lorded over by aristocratic officers, and lead by a geriatric staff.
In stark contrast to the concentration of power, command and skill in the person of Napoleon, the Prussian command structure is, like their parade-ground movements in the field, ponderous and indecisive. We also given descriptions of the difference in arms and organisation, and only in their cavalry did the Prussians give Napoleon cause for concern. Having looked at the background to the campaign, and the forces with which it will be fought, Petre turns next to the plans of the two contending parties.
Once again Prussia fares ill in the comparison. Whilst Napoleon singlemindedly pursues broad goals with a flexible approach, the Austrians constantly dither and argue, often in committee, dropping one plan in favour of another, and losing sight of the bigger picture by getting bogged down in trivial details. All of this hardly bodes well!
So, it's not too surprising, when Petre's narrative moves on to the campaign itself, to find the French moving quickly and decisively, and consistently out-thinking and out-marching the Prussians.
Petre is no uncritical Boneyphile, however, and he notes the many instances when Napoleon is far from omniscient. But the key thing is that Bonaparte is consistently quick witted, flexible, and, for all his energy and optimism, both cautious and thorough.
The first half of the book climaxes in the twin engagements of Jena and Auerstadt. At the former Napoleon succeeds - despite fighting what would turn out to be the decisive battles two days earlier than planned - in concentrating a superior force against the Prussian right wing, under Hohenlohe and von Ruchel. Although the battle has several swings of fortune, ultimately Bonaparte inflicts a resounding defeat on his adversaries, leaving the shattered Prussian army fleeing the field in tatters.
Napoleon thought he was facing the forward elements of the main Prussian army. But it was actually Davout, the 'Iron Marshal', who in fact encountered the main Prussian body, off to Napoleon's right around Hassenhausen, at the battle remembered as Auerstadt. With great tenacity and presence of mind, and despite the non-appearance of Bernadotte, Davout defeated a force far larger than his own.
Petre, whose narrative is very much an upper echelon view, from 'the Gods', so to speak next discusses the strategies and tactics in this opening 'blitzkrieg' phase of the war. Napoleon's central strategy is noted as far more effective than the Prussian dispersal of forces.
The next phase of the war has an entirely different character, which finds Napoleon's forces spreading out in pursuit of the beleaguered Prussians. Petre teases out the various strands of this potentially confusing follow up to the double-whammy of Jena-Auerstadt with great aplomb, providing a clear picture, which (unlike some of the maps) is pretty easy to follow. Although it must be admitted that following the endless troop movements is quite tricky.
Unlike some more modern academic type history writers, who feel that mind-numbing thoroughness is mandatory, where there's little of interest to be said, Petre, very commendably, says little. This is especially true in the latter stages of this conflict. He does, however, cover all the interesting stuff with proper thoroughness, and the book remains engaging and enjoyable from start to finish. That Prussia survived this debacle is quite something!
I loved this book. It's not perfect - the hyper-detailed troop movement info, combined with difficult to read (if admittedly very beautiful) maps, is sometimes hard to follow, and the absence of front line or ground level sources makes for a notable contrast with the best of modern writing - but it's still a gripping and informative read.
September 16, 2012
Keeping in mind that this work was originally published in 1907, it's still 'an excellent and most interesting work' (to borrow a phrase from Petre, page 228). I especially appreciated the author's coverage of the events after the battles of Jena and Auerstadt, which is an important phase of the campaign that many other authors fail to cover in much detail. Petre, however, does an excellent job of walking the reader through the French pursuit & destruction of the disorganized & demoralized Prussian forces.
May 3, 2016
Classic book on the campaign. This time I followed the course of the campaign by copying the maps and having them handy, which made the description of troop movements easier to follow.
Despite being written in 1906 this book still provides a clear and concise understanding of this pivotal campaign.
Despite being written in 1906 this book still provides a clear and concise understanding of this pivotal campaign.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews