'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 13, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE NAPOLEONIC WARS group.

Indeed it was Scott, but at this stage it doesn't appear to have been as nasty as some civil wars tend to be.

Yes, you'd figure that like usual, the army would only obtain the worse of the lot and pass that onto the foreigners!

"The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799" - Here is some interesting information in regard to the Russian artillery at Bergen:

"The Russian artillery, cavalry and senior officers were provided with British horses as had been agreed; only the Cossacks brought their own horses with them. The British did their best to find enough horses, even buying or requisitioning as many as they could in Holland itself, but the Russian staff officers, the adjutants and even part of the Life Guard Hussars would remain without mounts. Although the Russian artillery was provided with enough horses, it turned out that the gunners were used to work with weak and old draught horses, not the fine British and Frisian ones they received now. Most Russians were afraid to come near them and as a result most of the Russian artillery would have to be manhandled in the upcoming battle."

The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799 by Geert van Uythoven

"The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799" - The author provided a detailed description of the Battle of Bergen which took place in September 1799 which led to a defensive victory for the Franco-Batavian forces:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...

Scott wrote: "The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes: The Story of George Scovell

Revenge is a dish best served co..."

Great post Scott, I loved this bit:

“I must give you a line if it only shows how delighted I am at having been able to pay off my old friend Soult a few of the old scores we were in his debt at Corunna. He certainly never bargained to have them returned so soon and with such good interest.”

Scott, yes, there were Orangists (supporters of the House of Orange) and Patriots. The Orangists fought with the Anglo-Russians and the Patriots with the French.

For anyone interested here is a decent summary of the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799 which is the subject of my current book:

https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspo...

"The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799" - The next major battle between the British and Franco-Batavian forces took place at the Zijpe where the British engaged in a defensive action. The outcome was a decisive defeat for the Franco-Batavian forces:

"The Franco-Batavian's lost 1,759 men: French losses were General de Brigade David, 3 officers and 36 others killed; 36 officers and 713 others wounded. Batavian losses were eight officers killed and 89 others killed; 32 officers and 466 others wounded; 375 missing. About 300 of these missing Batavians would change sides and join the Dutch army raised by the Hereditary Prince of Orange. The British lost a total of 203 men; 27 dead, 147 wounded and 19 made prisoner or missing (the later all from the 20th Foot). Among the wounded were Major General Moore, Lieutenant Colonel Smyth and Major Ross from the 1/20th Foot and 11 more officers."

The Battle of Krabbendam (also called the Battle of Zijpedijk):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...

"The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799" - The author mentioned this incident which took place after the failed Orangist uprising in the Batavian Republic. The uprising was to coincide with the British landing and one woman, Freule van Dorth, was very vocal about her support for the Orangists, inciting violence against the Franco-Batavian forces. She was subsequently executed for treason:

https://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/vro...

https://www.executedtoday.com/2007/11...

Betsy wrote: "Chapter 8 takes a break from war by relating some of the cultural advances of the time. In music Beethoven showed his genius with his symphonies. One, the 3rd, was meant to honor Napoleon and the F..."

Those cultural aspects would make for very interesting reading Betsy!

Scott wrote: "The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes: The Story of George Scovell

I have finally got a start on Ma..."

What a classic British officers' response: “My good fellow, don’t make such a noise, we must bear these things better.”

Very serendipitous, must be fate or Napoleon calling you from the grave!

I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Napoleon bio theme no problems at all!

Manray9 wrote: "I am skeptical of much historical fiction, but I picked up an inexpensive used paperback of --

Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell.

I'll give Cornwe..."

I hope you enjoy it MR9. Let us all know what you think once you have had a chance to read it.

At least some lessons were learned and acted upon Betsy!

Scott wrote: "Funny you should mention the Andrew Roberts book AR, I was browsing in one of my favourite 'new' bookshops today, and I saw a copy of 'Napoleon the Great' by Andy.
I was tempted, but now, after the..."

I really enjoyed the book, Scott. I thought the author was pretty fair and balanced in his writing. I found it to be well researched and a very easy interesting and enjoyable read.

"The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799" - The British have landed - the Battle of Calandsoog:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...

http://www.britainssmallwars.co.uk/an...

Hit the nail on the head there Scott! The issue is getting the right balance without provoking boredom.

It has been good to see that authors like Michael Broers and Philip Dwyer have published multi-volume biographies on Napoleon but then sometimes if feels like a struggle to get through so many pages.

I think Andrew Roberts has published the best single-volume book on Napoleon to date.

The battles of Austerlitz, Jena-Auerstadt, Eylau and Friedland are not conflicts that I think you can do a whirlwind tour of and get to really appreciate the magnitude of the events in Napoleonic history!

Poor old Poland, suffering again under foreigner's hands!

Scott wrote: "My book for this month is one of those I found in my favourite antiquarian book shop:

[book:The Man Who Broke Na..."

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did Scott. Keep us all posted.

"The Secret Expedition: The Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland 1799" - Some details on the British effort to get a force ready for the invasion:

"To provide the army for the invasion of Holland, Great Britain had a task of almost insuperable difficulty. Forming an army of even 8,000 troops would at the moment be nearly impossible. From 1793 to 1795, a large British army had fought in Flanders. The subsequent retreat to Hannover during a severe winter had taken its tolls on the troops. At the conclusion of this campaign most regiments were shipped at once to the West Indies, to capture the French and Spanish possessions. This proved disastrous, the soldiers died by the thousands:

From the 1st March, 1796, to the end of 1799, there died in the Leeward Islands, 2 brigadier-generals, 19 lieutenant-colonels, 12 majors, 72 captains, 169 subalterns, 11 adjutants, 9 quartermasters, 14 surgeons, 19 assistant-surgeons, and 14,327 non-commissioned officers and men, besides about 187 of the latter belonging to draughted regiments, who were left, in July, 1796, in the different general hospitals. This frightful mortality was greatest in St. Lucia and Grenada."