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

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

"A History of the Peninsular War" - Prior to Marmont taking the offensive against Wellington he had an issue with his cavalry that he had to remedy:

"The arrival of Bonnet brought up the total of Marmont's infantry to 43,000 men, and his guns to 78. The cavalry still remained the weak point: but by a high-handed and unpopular measure the Marshal succeeded, during his stay on the Douro, in procuring nearly 1,000 horses for the dismounted dragoons who were encumbering his depot at Valladolid. In the French, as in the British, Peninsular army it had become common for many of the junior officers of the infantry to provide themselves with a riding-horse; most captains and many lieutenants had them. And their seniors, chefs de bataillon and colonels, habitually had several horses more than they were entitled to. Marmont took the heroic measure of proclaiming that he should enforce the regulations, and that all unauthorized horses were confiscated. He paid, however, a valuation for each beast on a moderate scale - otherwise the act would have been intolerable. In this way, including some mounts requisitioned from doctors, commissaries, and suttlers, about 1,000 horses in all were procured. The number of cavalry fit for the field had gone up by July 15th from about 2,200 to 3,200 - a total which was only 300 less than Wellington's full strength of British sabres. It occurs to the casual observer that the horses, having never been trained to squadron drill or to act in mass, must have been difficult to manage, even though the riders were competent horsemen. This may have something to do with the very ineffective part played by the French cavalry in the next fortnight's campaign."

A History of the Peninsular War, volume V, October 1811-August 31, 1812: Valencia, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Madrid by Charles William Chadwick Oman

Sir Charles Oman highlights the disadvantages that Marshal Marmont struggled against in the Salamanca campaign in regards to his despatches to and from Madrid and other Marshals being intercepted and read by Wellington. The British were always a few steps ahead of the game and Marshal Marmont was operating in the dark in regards to reinforcements (or not) and other units movements (or not).

"A History of the Peninsular War" - I've just finished the chapters dealing with the seizure of the forts at Salamanca and the tactical manoeuvres opening the campaign between French forces under Marshal Marmont and the Anglo-Portuguese army under Wellington.

Siege of the Salamanca Forts, 17-26 June 1812:
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/...

I usually don't either MR9 but I have to complete the trilogy :)

Bloody expensive MR9, over $100 (Aust.) with postage but it was a book that I had to have.

My copy of James Arnold's latest Napoleonic book arrived express post from the US this morning:

October Triumph: Napoleon’s Invasion of Germany, 1806 by James R. Arnold

Betsy wrote: "But now I am having trouble with the Kindle version of the book. Let's hope I can carry on! 😐"

Fingers crossed Betsy!

It does take a bit of time to get into the writing style of that period eh!

I do like that quote by Foy; "The rule which obliges the soldier to ascend the steps of the military hierarchy one by one, is in fact advantageous to him; the arm wounded in the handling the musket carries the marshal's baton more nobly."

"A History of the Peninsular War" - The combat to seize the bridge over the Tagus at Almaraz:

https://www.britishbattles.com/penins...

https://www.napoleon-series.org/milit...

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/...

"A History of the Peninsular War" - Sir Charles Oman has made mention of Captain George Scovell, Wellington's cipher-secretary at headquarters, who had managed to break Napoleon's codes used in his despatches to his marshals in Spain. I quite enjoyed this book on the subject:

The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Codes: The Story of George Scovell by Mark Urban

Betsy wrote: "Have finished my first book. It was a good look at the personalities of the two great adversaries, Alexander and Napoleon . Neither comes off well, but Napoleon's 'star' had definitely begun to set..."

From one disaster to another Betsy :)

"A History of the Peninsular War, volume V" - An account of one incident as witnessed by a wounded British officer after Badajoz was taken:

" ... In passing what appeared to be a religious house I saw two soldiers dragging out an unfortunate nun, her clothes all torn: in her agony she knelt and held up a cross. Remorse seized one of the men, who appeared more sober than the other, and he swore she should not be outraged. The other soldier drew back a step and shot his comrade dead."

"A History of the Peninsular War, volume V" - A few details from the storming of Badajoz as supplied by Sir Charles Oman:

"At the same moment the advance of the Light Brigade descended in a similar fashion into the ditch farther to the left, towards Santa Maria. Many men were already at the bottom, the rest crowded on the edge, where French engineers fired the series of fougasses, mines, and powder-barrels which had been laid in the ditch. They worked perfectly, and the result was appalling - the 500 volunteers who formed the advance of each division were almost all slain, scorched, or disabled. Every one of the engineer officers set to guide the column was killed or wounded, and the want of direction, caused by the absence of any one who knew the topography of the breaches, had the most serious effect during the rest of the storm. Of the Light Division officers with the advance only two escaped unhurt."

A History of the Peninsular War, volume V, October 1811-August 31, 1812: Valencia, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Madrid by Charles William Chadwick Oman

"A History of the Peninsular War, volume V" - Just finished the chapter on the siege and subsequent storm of Badajoz in 1812. A pretty nasty affair by all accounts.

Storming of Badajoz:
https://www.britishbattles.com/penins...

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/...

I'll keep all those recommendations under consideration.

I am sure we could do a theme of the art and practice of warfare during the Napoleonic period plus a theme on the Campaigns in Germany.

We can also consider a theme on a campaign or battle of your choice which then leaves it open for the Egyptian campaign or any other that you feel like reading about.

Betsy wrote: "Am reading about the dramatic crossing of the Berezina, and the building of the life-saving bridge, "As a work of craft, this bridge was very deficient, But when one considers in what condtions it ..."

The men and their commander who constructed that bridge and kept in in operation during the crossing deserve nothing but the highest praise.

Excellent post Scott, good story about Kutuzov's eyesight! Really glad to hear you are enjoying Curtis Cate's book on the Russian campaign.

Betsy wrote: "Good things to spend your money on, and of course traveling to many of the battlefields of those conflicts. Just wish I could have made it to Borodino, Poltava, and Stalingrad."

Battlefield tours are still on my wish list and if I can squeeze one in on each trip that shouldn't annoy my wife too much.

Years of hard work and scrimping just so I could buy books, the one love in my life besides my wife and daughter :)

With 2020 nearly at an end we can start thinking about some themes for 2021. January will be a free month so folks can relax with some Christmas reading so our first theme month will be February 2021. Any suggestions for reading themes will be most welcome. At this stage I have:

A Napoleonic Battle of your choice.