The Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine, led by Blücher in 1815, played a crucial part in the Allied victory at Waterloo, and was involved in intense fighting at Wavre and Ligny. Delving into original sources, including eyewitness accounts and regimental histories known only to German scholars, this book tells the story of the soldiers on the ground: how they were organised and drilled, their previous service; their march to the battlefield; and what they did when they got there. Also ideal for all those interested in the actual appearance of the Prussian soldiers in 1815, this colourful study combines the latest findings and expert analysis to cast new light on the fateful Waterloo campaign.
The Prussian light infantry branch was founded in the reign of Frederick the Great (1740-1786) and continued to develop from then onwards. It was the light troops of the Austrian army, the Croatian border soldiers, which so impressed Frederick in the Seven Years War that he considered it necessary to create an effective counter-force. Initially, there was a degree of reluctance amongst certain sections of the army towards this formation of light infantry. However, the Fusilier Battalions came to be regarded as elite formations, being well-trained, disciplined and carefully selected men led by young, fit and intelligent officers. This book described in detail the uniforms, organisation, training and weapons of this spectacular force.
The Prussian light infantry branch was founded in the reign of Frederick the Great (1740-1786) and continued to develop from then onwards. It was the light troops of the Austrian army, the Croatian border soldiers, which so impressed Frederick in the Seven Years War that he considered it necessary to create an effective counter-force. Initially, there was a degree of reluctance amongst certain sections of the army towards this formation of light infantry. However, the Fusilier Battalions came to be regarded as elite formations, being well-trained, disciplined and carefully selected men led by young, fit and intelligent officers. This book described in detail the uniforms, organisation, training and weapons of this spectacular force.
Irregular, semi-regular and reserve formations comprised a substantial part of the armed forces at the disposal of the Prussian Army throughout the Napoleonic Wars, particularly during the campaigns of the Wars of Liberation, 1813-15. The scale of the uprising of 1813 required the mobilization of all available forces and the utilization of all available equipment, and meant that the Prussian Army of the Wars of Liberation was very much a patchwork affair. This book examines and illustrates the reservists (or Kruemper), the Freikorps and foreign units, and the militia who fought in the Prussian Army.
Following the disastrous Russian campaign of 1812, Napoleon found himself facing a new coalition of his old enemies. This fully illustrated, detailed account explores two key battles of strategic importance for the emperor. With incredible speed he raised an army of 200,000 men and marched to join the remnants of the old Grande Armee in Germany. However, he no longer faced the brittle enemies of 1805 and 1806 and at Lützen on 2 May the inexperience of his new army began to show. Faulty reconnaissance by raw cavalry allowed Ney's Corps to be surprised by Wittgenstein's Russians. This book describes the last realistic chance Napoleon had to regain his empire by defeating the allies in Germany before Austria stirred and the tide turned even more against him.
After Prussia's dismemberment a drastic re-organisation of the entire army was necessary, and the cavalry underwent this process with the rest. At the time of the mobilisation in 1813, the somewhat reduced mounted arm was supplemented by voluntary and militia formations; and once peace was established after the First Abdication, a further re-organisation was begun. The fateful campaign of 1815 was fought with the Prussian cavalry still in the throes of this re-organisation. Packed with diagrams, illustrations and eight full page colour plates by Bryan Fosten, this book by Peter Hofschröer details the history, organisation, equipment and uniforms of the Prussian cavalry which fought in the Napoleonic wars.
Irregular, semi-regular and reserve formations comprised a substantial part of the armed forces at the disposal of the Prussian Army throughout the Napoleonic Wars, particularly during the campaigns of the Wars of Liberation, 1813-15. The scale of the uprising of 1813 required the mobilization of all available forces and the utilization of all available equipment, and meant that the Prussian Army of the Wars of Liberation was very much a patchwork affair. This book examines and illustrates the reservists (or Kruemper), the Freikorps and foreign units, and the militia who fought in the Prussian Army.
Of all the armies of the German States, that of Hanover remains of greatest interest to the British reader due to the close links between the crowns of the two states. Throughout the Napoleonic era Britain and Hanover had the same head of state, George III. Symbolic of their close relationship, the Hanoverian Army wore uniforms and used equipment largely similar to those used by the British Army. Complemented by numerous illustrations and photographs, plus eight full page colour plates, this text explores the uniforms and organization of the army of the Electorate of Hanover and the King's German Legion.
After Prussia's dismemberment a drastic re-organisation of the entire army was necessary, and the cavalry underwent this process with the rest. At the time of the mobilisation in 1813, the somewhat reduced mounted arm was supplemented by voluntary and militia formations; and once peace was established after the First Abdication, a further re-organisation was begun. The fateful campaign of 1815 was fought with the Prussian cavalry still in the throes of this re-organisation. Packed with diagrams, illustrations and eight full page colour plates by Bryan Fosten, this book by Peter Hofschröer details the history, organisation, equipment and uniforms of the Prussian cavalry which fought in the Napoleonic wars.
The origins of what would become the German General Staff of the late 19th and 20th centuries probably the most professional military machine in the world can be traced to the Prussian Army of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. This concise study, concluding the author's series of five titles on the Prussian Army of 1792–1815, covers the staff; the reforms in tactical employment of all-arms brigades (which, contrary to received opinion, pre-dated the disasters of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806); the artillery and other technical troops; and regimental colours and standards. Among the illustrations are rare diagrams from the artillery drill manual of the day.
Written by an expert on the Prussian army of the Napoleonic era, this is a fascinating insight into the 18th-century evolution of the Prussian forces into the war-winning troops of the final battles against Napoleon. Using contemporary materials including drill regulations, instructions, staff and regimental histories and after-action reports, this book provides a compelling history of Prussian tactics from 1792 until 1815. It includes studies of the professional Prussian army during the Revolutionary Wars and the mass mobilization of a conscript army that fought during the Wars of Liberation and Waterloo. Following on from the success of Osprey's other Elite Tactics volumes, this is a must-have for serious students of Napoleonic warfare, armchair generals, and wargamers alike.
The origins of what would become the German General Staff of the late 19th and 20th centuries probably the most professional military machine in the world can be traced to the Prussian Army of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. This concise study, concluding the author's series of five titles on the Prussian Army of 1792–1815, covers the staff; the reforms in tactical employment of all-arms brigades (which, contrary to received opinion, pre-dated the disasters of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806); the artillery and other technical troops; and regimental colours and standards. Among the illustrations are rare diagrams from the artillery drill manual of the day.
A fully-illustrated and detailed account of this crucial moment of conflict, from origins to the battlefield today. The battle of Leipzig was, in terms of the number of combatants involved, the largest engagement of the entire Napoleonic Wars. It was the only battle of the wars in which all Allied armies (including even the Swedes) fielded troops against Napoleon. Peter Hofschroer looks at the run-up to this crucial encounter as well as the battle itself. A wealth of background information is chronicled, including the strategies of both sides and detailed information on each of the combatant forces. The numerous battles leading up to Leipzig are also discussed, providing a fascinating and illuminating overview of the whole campaign.
Written by an expert on the Prussian army of the Napoleonic era, this is a fascinating insight into the 18th-century evolution of the Prussian forces into the war-winning troops of the final battles against Napoleon. Using contemporary materials including drill regulations, instructions, staff and regimental histories and after-action reports, this book provides a compelling history of Prussian tactics from 1792 until 1815. It includes studies of the professional Prussian army during the Revolutionary Wars and the mass mobilization of a conscript army that fought during the Wars of Liberation and Waterloo. Following on from the success of Osprey's other Elite Tactics volumes, this is a must-have for serious students of Napoleonic warfare, armchair generals, and wargamers alike.
When Frederick II (later known as Frederick the Great) came to the throne in 1740, he had three advantages for which he owed thanks to his father: a modern, well-organised state; full coffers; and a properly trained and equipped army. Under a leader as renowned as Seydlitz, the Prussian cavalry achieved the nearest to a state of perfection that it was ever going to. So great was its reputation in the Seven Years' War that Napoleon made a special point of warning his men at the beginning of the 1806 campaign to beware of the Prussian cavalry.
The acclaimed historian sheds new light on the Battle of Waterloo and the defeat of Napoleon with a focus on the Prussian Army’s critical contribution. Histories of the Waterloo campaign that brought an end to the Napoleonic Wars generally concentrate on the battle between the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington, giving Field Marshal Blücher's Prussian forces only passing attention. But in this fascinating historical analysis of the conflict, Peter Hofschröer provides a full account of the Prussians and their critical but often neglected side of the battle. Hofschröer vividly recounts the grueling Prussian advance towards the battlefield and the ferocious and decisive fight that broke out when they arrived. At every stage, he allows the reader to follow in the footsteps of the Prussian soldiers as they struggled across the Belgian countryside on that fateful day in 1815.
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.
When Frederick II (later known as Frederick the Great) came to the throne in 1740, he had three advantages for which he owed thanks to his father: a modern, well-organised state; full coffers; and a properly trained and equipped army. Under a leader as renowned as Seydlitz, the Prussian cavalry achieved the nearest to a state of perfection that it was ever going to. So great was its reputation in the Seven Years' War that Napoleon made a special point of warning his men at the beginning of the 1806 campaign to beware of the Prussian cavalry.
The Battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny are often overshadowed by the Battle of Waterloo that took place two days later. Yet the events of 16 June 1815 were crucial, as Napoleon missed his chance of achieving a decisive victory. Peter Hofschro[umlaut]er's authoritative guide to these two critical engagements tells the story of the campaign and investigates each battle in detail, and he takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the present-day battlefields. By skilful use of maps, photographs and diagrams, he describes the movements of the armies and analyses the thinking and actions of the commanders.
The Battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny are often overshadowed by the Battle of Waterloo that took place two days later. Yet the events of 16 June 1815 were crucial, as Napoleon missed his chance of achieving a decisive victory. Peter Hofschro[umlaut]er's authoritative guide to these two critical engagements tells the story of the campaign and investigates each battle in detail, and he takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the present-day battlefields. By skilful use of maps, photographs and diagrams, he describes the movements of the armies and analyses the thinking and actions of the comman.
At the beginning of this period, the battalions of the Prussian Line usually fought in a linear formation three ranks deep, overwhelming the enemy with fire before a well-timed bayonet attack. By the end, the preferred formation was eight to 12 ranks deep. The responsibility for conducting the fire-fight was now given to the skirmish elements and the artillery. The formed battalions provided support for the fire line, and conducted the decisive bayonet charge. Whatever the change, the spirit and ability of the infantry remained consistently high throughout this bloody period.
A first-class work of historical investigation.' Andrew Roberts, author of Napoleon and WellingtonThe extraordinary story of how one man's obsession to build a huge model of Waterloo - the greatest model of the greatest battle of all time - incurred the wrath of the Duke of Wellington.'A book that should be read and pondered deeply by anyone interested even vaguely in the Napoleonic wars . . . Hofschröer's impeccable research shows that the Iron Duke was guilty of self-regarding pettiness, obsessive vanity, spin-doctoring and a shameful vendetta against a man whose only crime was to tell the truth.' Daily Express'Mightily impressive.' Richard Holmes, author of Redcoat'This important book reveals what happens when a loyal subject runs up against an establishment that will stop at nothing to suppress the truth.' Guardian
The Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine, led by Blücher in 1815, played a crucial part in the Allied victory at Waterloo, and was involved in intense fighting at Wavre and Ligny. Delving into original sources, including eyewitness accounts and regimental histories known only to German scholars, this book tells the story of the soldiers on the ground: how they were organised and drilled, their previous service; their march to the battlefield; and what they did when they got there. Also ideal for all those interested in the actual appearance of the Prussian soldiers in 1815, this colourful study combines the latest findings and expert analysis to cast new light on the fateful Waterloo campaign.
Este libro analiza la ultima campana del Imperio napoleonico, desde los acuerdos suscritos por las potencias aliadas en el Congreso de Viena para oponerse al retorno de Napoleon de su exilio en la isla de Elba, hasta la ocupacion de Paris por las tropas prusianas en julio de 1815. Peter HofschC6er analiza criticamente los planes de campana de los ejercitos frances, prusiano y britanico, remarcando los errores estrategicos y tacticos de Napoleon y Wellington, y el papel determinante de las directrices de los prusianos Blucher y Gneisenau en la victoria aliada. Desmitificadora tanto del heroismo de las tropas francesas en la derrota, como del genio militar de Wellington de quien demuestra como reescribio la historia del conflicto para ocultar sus errore, replantea en funcion de material inedito procedente de los arcivos alemanes y de la correspondencia de la epoca, la vision tradicional de la batalla de Waterloo como victoria estrictamente britanica.
A fully-illustrated and detailed account of this crucial moment of conflict, from origins to the battlefield today. The battle of Leipzig was, in terms of the number of combatants involved, the largest engagement of the entire Napoleonic Wars. It was the only battle of the wars in which all Allied armies (including even the Swedes) fielded troops against Napoleon. Peter Hofschroer looks at the run-up to this crucial encounter as well as the battle itself. A wealth of background information is chronicled, including the strategies of both sides and detailed information on each of the combatant forces. The numerous battles leading up to Leipzig are also discussed, providing a fascinating and illuminating overview of the whole campaign.
The Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine, led by Blücher in 1815, played a crucial part in the Allied victory at Waterloo, and was involved in intense fighting at Wavre and Ligny. Delving into original sources, including eyewitness accounts and regimental histories known only to German scholars, this book tells the story of the soldiers on the ground: how they were organised and drilled, their previous service; their march to the battlefield; and what they did when they got there. Also ideal for all those interested in the actual appearance of the Prussian soldiers in 1815, this colourful study combines the latest findings and expert analysis to cast new light on the fateful Waterloo campaign.
The acclaimed historian sheds new light on the Battle of Waterloo and the defeat of Napoleon with a focus on the Prussian Army’s critical contribution. Histories of the Waterloo campaign that brought an end to the Napoleonic Wars generally concentrate on the battle between the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington, giving Field Marshal Blücher's Prussian forces only passing attention. But in this fascinating historical analysis of the conflict, Peter Hofschröer provides a full account of the Prussians and their critical but often neglected side of the battle. Hofschröer vividly recounts the grueling Prussian advance towards the battlefield and the ferocious and decisive fight that broke out when they arrived. At every stage, he allows the reader to follow in the footsteps of the Prussian soldiers as they struggled across the Belgian countryside on that fateful day in 1815.
When Frederick II (later known as Frederick the Great) came to the throne in 1740, he had three advantages for which he owed thanks to his father: a modern, well-organised state; full coffers; and a properly trained and equipped army. Under a leader as renowned as Seydlitz, the Prussian cavalry achieved the nearest to a state of perfection that it was ever going to. So great was its reputation in the Seven Years' War that Napoleon made a special point of warning his men at the beginning of the 1806 campaign to beware of the Prussian cavalry.
The origins of what would become the German General Staff of the late 19th and 20th centuries probably the most professional military machine in the world can be traced to the Prussian Army of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. This concise study, concluding the author's series of five titles on the Prussian Army of 1792–1815, covers the staff; the reforms in tactical employment of all-arms brigades (which, contrary to received opinion, pre-dated the disasters of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806); the artillery and other technical troops; and regimental colours and standards. Among the illustrations are rare diagrams from the artillery drill manual of the day.
Of all the armies of the German States, that of Hanover remains of greatest interest to the British reader due to the close links between the crowns of the two states. Throughout the Napoleonic era Britain and Hanover had the same head of state, George III. Symbolic of their close relationship, the Hanoverian Army wore uniforms and used equipment largely similar to those used by the British Army. Complemented by numerous illustrations and photographs, plus eight full page colour plates, this text explores the uniforms and organization of the army of the Electorate of Hanover and the King's German Legion.
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