Napoleonic infantry
In the armies of the Napoleonic era the infantry formed the most numerous and arguably the most important of the 'arms'. But the winning of the battle is in the detail, the proper management of those arms. In this book Philip Haythronthwaite, one of the world's leading Napoleonic authorities, looks toward what actually happened in the battles of the period, rather than what should have occurred, according to the regulations. The infantry's weapons were examined in close detail: the use of the musket, bayonet, pike and sword, the manner in which they were used in attack and defence, exemplified by contemporary accounts and illustrations. Misconceptions are explored and questions answered: for example, why the bayonet was so highly regarded when it inflicted hardly any casualties, why the merits of the column and line are not clear-cut and how, whether in square or skirmish line, the infantry of the Napoleonic Wars actually fought. Philip Haythornthwaite's lively and informed approach to his subject offers new insights into the conduct of Napoleonic warfare. This is a book certain to fascinate both the Napoleonic enthusiast and those readers coming to the period for the first time. -- Dust jacket
Print Book, English, 2001
Cassell, London, 2001