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NAPOLEON AT BAY 1814

(F. LORAINE PETRE)

Introduction by David G. Chandler

In early 1814, the situation facing France was serious indeed: for preparing to cross the Rhine and put an end to the Napoleonic empire, stood enormous Russian, Prussian and Austrian armies – some 400,000 men in all.  Everywhere, Napoleon's empire was in ruins.

After two disastrous campaigns in Russia and Germany, and the loss of almost a million men, the French cause seemed doomed from the outset.  Exhausted by eleven successive years of war, by the ‘blood tax’ of conscription and the effects of the British naval blockade, France failed to respond to the emperor’s edicts raising new armies.  Of the 936,000 conscripts and reservists called forth less than 10% actually came forward.  Nevertheless, against overwhelming odds and in the face of apathy, despair and downright treachery, Napoleon took the field in January 1814.

The ten-week campaign that ensued has been hailed by many authors as one of Napoleon's most outstanding martial achievements.  Manoeuvring his vastly outnumbered troops between the approaching allied armies, he seems to have regained all his old verve and energy, and, in a dazzling succession of battles and skirmishes, he began to confuse, demoralise and repulse his opponents.

With this, the smallest and least experienced army that he had ever fielded, Napoleon inspired exhausted boys and arthritic pensioners to fight engagements worthy of the greatest days of the Grande Armée’s veterans.  But even this was not enough.  Why Napoleon's virtuosity could not turn the tide, despite his initial successes, is vividly and accurately recounted in ‘Napoleon at Bay, 1814’, the fifth of F.L. Petre’s absorbing studies of Napoleon's campaigns.

Originally published in 1914, this was also the last of the series, for the outbreak of the First World War diverted Petre’s attention to other matters.  The publication of this reprint therefore completes the series; and, as in the previous volumes, David G. Chandler of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, provides a valuable introduction for the modern reader.

First published in 1914 this 1977 edition hardback is in good overall condition with any major wear restricted to the dustjacket.  The pages are tightly bound and are free from tears, creases, and significant marks other than some light age-related discolouration to the page edges.  The dustjacket does display wear in the form of two large tears, one down the front cover, the second down the spine crease.  Both have been roughly ‘repaired’ with clear adhesive tape (see photograph).  Bumps, rubbing and minor chipping is also evident to the dustjacket edges and corners.  The book runs to 219 pages (21.5cm x 13cm), includes a general index, and two large fold-out map affixed to the back ‘paste-down’ and the final endpaper illustrating the battle maps of this 10-week campaign.