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

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

I will try and read my copy as soon as I can, its been sitting in my library since it was first published!

Might be a book worth while checking out, thanks for posting the details Jerome.

Great post Betsy, sounds like the fighting got quite brutal!

Great review, thanks for sharing your thoughts with the group.

Hi Elsie, I have a copy of Tom Pocock's book but I have not read it yet so I can't help you, sorry.

N.J. wrote: "With Wellington in the Pyrenees

I am reading this as research for my next novel. The fighting in France itself is often closed book even to ardent enthusiasts so makes an ideal time..."

I hope its an interesting account and it helps with your research for your novel, keep us all posted.

I think you will quite enjoy it Betsy, a nice addition to your library!

Scott wrote: "Finished Duffy’s excellent examination of the Battle of Austerlitz last night, no spoilers Elliot-I won't tell you who won...!
This book is comparable to his equally superb and detailed battle desc..."

Really glad to hear you enjoyed the book Scott. This book and his account on Borodino are two of my favourite books on those battles.

Elliot wrote: "I hope to start reading my book on Austerlitz soon. I have just had the two busiest weeks of school in my whole four years of college, so unfortunately I have not been able to even open my book. I ..."

I hope things have settled down at college for you now and hopefully sometime soon you can join in with a good Napoleonic book.

Betsy wrote: "The maps are okay, but could use more of them. The names of regiments are confusing to some extent because they're hyphenated so one of the names changes from regiment to regiment. Ah well, I'm sur..."

You can never have too many maps!

It can be any book that covers the subject Betsy. I will most likely be reading the Rory Muir book but there are similar books by Brent Nosworthy and Gunther E. Rothenberg on offer as well.

Foreign names, always a problem Betsy, shame about the issue with the maps.

Below is the current list for the rest of 2021's theme reads. Any suggestions or queries?

April - The Art of Warfare in the Napoleonic Period
June - The Campaigns in Germany
August – Biography
October – Napoleon’s Marshals
December – Members choice

Scott, I also quite enjoyed Atteridge's book on Marshal Ney. I will look into making a theme month for Napoleon's Marshals as well.

Scott wrote: "Austerlitz 1805
Napoleon was gazing on the carnage after the Russian Imperial Guard was defeated on the Pratzen Heights when;

‘At this moment a yo..."

Great post Scott, its a nice story eh!

Its just a bit outside my price range :)

I just realised that I placed this post in the wrong thread :)

Some very interesting news; "A manuscript written by Napoleon after his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz has been put on sale in Paris for 1 million euros.":

https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...

Indeed MR9, nice post Betsy!

"The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War" - The results of the Austrian decision to go to war against Napoleon in 1809:

"The Battle of Znaim and the ensuing armistice began the process that led to the end of the war and the culminating Treaty of Schonbrunn of 14 October. That document cost Austria 110,000 square kilometres of territory containing some 3.5 million inhabitants and imposed a heavy financial indemnity (albeit insufficient to cover Napoleon's expenses in the war). The old empire not only lost its access to the sea, but also agreed to join Napoleon's continental blockade against Great Britain and to grant formal recognition to Joachim Murat as King of Naples and Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain. As guerdon for its hesitant but consequential involvement in the conflict, Russia received pat of Austrian Galicia with a population of 400,000 (which the tsar deemed insufficient recompense)."

The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War by John H. Gill

"The Battle of Znaim: Napoleon, The Habsburgs and the End of the 1809 War" - In discussing the circumstances for the armistice and subsequent peace treaty that ended the 1809 campaign the author offered this consideration in regards to Napoleon's reasoning:

"Personal matters may have been a factor as well. He too was physically weary, he was likely still suffering from his recent indisposition, and he was dissatisfied with the results of Wagram after huge expense in blood and effort to bring about what he had expected would be another stunning triumph as this unwanted war's culminating battle. Furthermore, he was not insensible to the costs this war had inflicted, particularly among his senior officers. Although Bruyere was not among the brightest stars in the galaxy of imperial generals, he was something of a favourite, and Napoleon seems to have been unusually effected by the news of his severe wounding after the loss of such extraordinary talents as St Hilaire, d'Espagne, Lasalle and the irreplaceable Lannes. 'As you can see, death hangs over my generals,' he reportedly told Davout, 'Who knows if, in two hours, I would not learn that you yourself had been hit.' Whatever weights we assign to these various considerations, Napoleon ended the discussion in his tent that night be stating 'enough blood has flowed.' This memorable phrase resulted in Berthier arranging the armistice with Wimpffen and the termination of the active phase of the war."