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The Anatomy of Glory: Napoleon and his Guard
Written by France's foremost historian of the Napoleonic Wars, Commandant Henry Lachouque, and translated and adapted by Anne S.K. Brown, this sumptuous work is enhanced by over 180 illustrations, including 86 plates in full colour.
564 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1957
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 28, 2022
I was fortunate enough to be given this rare and valuable book as a gift recently. It is an excellent and extremely detailed history of the French Imperial Guard, from their origins in the Revolution to their disbandment after Waterloo. It is lavishly produced and has a wonderful array of beautifully coloured plates.
The detail is for me part of the joy. Yes, there is an enormous cast of characters, but it is fascinating how many recur, and intriguing to follow their different fates. I found it especially interesting to discover where they were and what they were doing when they were not actually on campaign – other histories tend to concentrate on the battles, but this gives a much more rounded flavour of what it was like to be in the Guard. (On the whole, they were a pampered lot – kept out of danger more often than not, and – usually – given excellent provisions, superb uniforms, and generous pay).
One thing I had not really appreciated before I read this was how much cross fertilisation there was between the Guard and the rest of the army – soldiers were always being transferred in and out from the Line. This meant that the Guard was a kind of leaven for the entire army, and its self belief spread outwards.
I was very alive to signs of bias in this but it is not as bad as I expected. The author (who had a distinguished career as a soldier in the first world war) acknowledges that the collapse of the Peace of Amiens was due to “faults on both sides.” This is obviously true, but for a Frenchman to admit it is unusual (to be fair, when I studied this period at school it was always assumed that all the faults were on the French side). On the whole, the story is a stirring one, even though the horrors (the Retreat from Moscow) and the mistakes (Spain) are not glossed over.
There some things that bothered me. One is the account of the 1814 campaign, where it was obvious to everyone that the French could not win, but where Bonaparte’s lack of grip on reality meant that tens of thousands of lives were sacrificed to his vanity. The author, instead of reprehending this, seems to think Bonaparte was right to resist even when it was pointless, and denigrates those who “betrayed” him. Shortly before, a Russian force was destroyed and its French emigré commander killed – a “traitor”, according to Lachouque. From the emigré’s point of view Bonaparte was a usurper who had betrayed his country and his King. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. My sympathies are not with the Bonapartists, and yet I was moved – as anyone would be – by this stirring account of human bravery and suffering.
The story doesn’t end with Waterloo, but there is a fascinating epilogue on the lives of veterans thereafter – some of them living to a great old age. The last of them, according to Lachouque, died in 1902 at the age of 108.
The detail is for me part of the joy. Yes, there is an enormous cast of characters, but it is fascinating how many recur, and intriguing to follow their different fates. I found it especially interesting to discover where they were and what they were doing when they were not actually on campaign – other histories tend to concentrate on the battles, but this gives a much more rounded flavour of what it was like to be in the Guard. (On the whole, they were a pampered lot – kept out of danger more often than not, and – usually – given excellent provisions, superb uniforms, and generous pay).
One thing I had not really appreciated before I read this was how much cross fertilisation there was between the Guard and the rest of the army – soldiers were always being transferred in and out from the Line. This meant that the Guard was a kind of leaven for the entire army, and its self belief spread outwards.
I was very alive to signs of bias in this but it is not as bad as I expected. The author (who had a distinguished career as a soldier in the first world war) acknowledges that the collapse of the Peace of Amiens was due to “faults on both sides.” This is obviously true, but for a Frenchman to admit it is unusual (to be fair, when I studied this period at school it was always assumed that all the faults were on the French side). On the whole, the story is a stirring one, even though the horrors (the Retreat from Moscow) and the mistakes (Spain) are not glossed over.
There some things that bothered me. One is the account of the 1814 campaign, where it was obvious to everyone that the French could not win, but where Bonaparte’s lack of grip on reality meant that tens of thousands of lives were sacrificed to his vanity. The author, instead of reprehending this, seems to think Bonaparte was right to resist even when it was pointless, and denigrates those who “betrayed” him. Shortly before, a Russian force was destroyed and its French emigré commander killed – a “traitor”, according to Lachouque. From the emigré’s point of view Bonaparte was a usurper who had betrayed his country and his King. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. My sympathies are not with the Bonapartists, and yet I was moved – as anyone would be – by this stirring account of human bravery and suffering.
The story doesn’t end with Waterloo, but there is a fascinating epilogue on the lives of veterans thereafter – some of them living to a great old age. The last of them, according to Lachouque, died in 1902 at the age of 108.
September 14, 2014
I would give this book a six if I could. Truly spectacular!
November 12, 2013
Too much information!!!
An excellent book on its subject, possibly the very best, but it made my head spin with all the names of people/places/regiments/ranks to remember. Excellent illustrations as well, featuring all the relevant protagonists and battle layouts. So I feel a bit mean giving it only 2 stars, but it really was only "OK" for me.
An excellent book on its subject, possibly the very best, but it made my head spin with all the names of people/places/regiments/ranks to remember. Excellent illustrations as well, featuring all the relevant protagonists and battle layouts. So I feel a bit mean giving it only 2 stars, but it really was only "OK" for me.
August 27, 2009
This is an absolutely must have book if you want to know about Napoleon and His Guard. Detailed and extremely well illustrated. The translation by Anne Brown is clear and well done.
September 21, 2011
Excellent refrence of Napoleon's Guard regiments. The color plates alone are a treasure, but this is a wonderful work and a must have for any student of the Napoleonic Era.
April 21, 2023
A classic from the Napoleonic canon, justly famous for its colour plates. As a text though, slightly disappointing, it tells the story of Napoleon's guard from an overtly supportive point of view. But the sense of what Napoleon's army was like is better in John Elting's Swords Around A Throne, and the story of the campaigns is told better by David Chandler's The Campaigns of Napoleon. Oh, and the value of the plates is probably less important now in the age of the internet and the wider availability of this sort of material. So only three stars I'm afraid.
March 19, 2023
Still a great read! I got this on my 16th birthday and I’m sixty and I still love it.
September 12, 2023
What a wonderful book! This tome is nothing less than a love letter to Napoleon’s Guard.
For those with a passion or even a curiosity about Napoleon’s private army “The Guard” this book is a must for you.
They were the pampered soldiers of Napoleon's army, and accountable only to the Emperor himself. This book will show all this, along with beautiful plates and thrilling stories of their adventures and undoubted bravery during their historic march through history.
All the various elements of The Guard are brought vividly to life once more within its covers.
The were the haughty elite, and were deservingly so….
For those with a passion or even a curiosity about Napoleon’s private army “The Guard” this book is a must for you.
They were the pampered soldiers of Napoleon's army, and accountable only to the Emperor himself. This book will show all this, along with beautiful plates and thrilling stories of their adventures and undoubted bravery during their historic march through history.
All the various elements of The Guard are brought vividly to life once more within its covers.
The were the haughty elite, and were deservingly so….
August 1, 2012
What a book! (English translation my Anne Brown)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews