Napoleonic Library

Captain Jean-Roch Coignet was born a month after the American Declaration of Independence, and lived through three French Revolutions, two Republics, one Empire, and four Kingships. He writes truthfully of himself and his times in these fascinating memoirs. In the pages of his note-book, Coignet relates the ordinary soldier's views of the great campaigns and battles — Montebello and Marengo in 1800, the campaigns of Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau and Friedland in 1805-7, a brief dash into Spain in 1808, where he helped to pursue Sir John Moore, the campaign of Aspern and Wagram in 1809, the Russian invasion of 1812, with its sequels in Germany and France, and finally the dramatic conclusion at Waterloo. 'The Note-Books of Captain Coignet stand alone among French military memoirs,' wrote Sir John Fortescue. 'His record of service is remarkable, embracing as it does every campaign of Napoleon as First Consul and Emperor... In no other memoirs, perhaps, can be studied so closely the inner life of the Army which for so long was the terror of Europe.'

Albert Jean Michel de Rocca gives a riveting account of the Peninsular War from an entirely different perspective. Albert Rocca was a junior officer in Napoleon's 2nd Regiment of Hussars, and describes such early events as the march to Madrid and Napoleon's entry into the city, followed by the subsequent battles and the pursuit of Sir John Moore to Corunna. For him Spain was not just alien but totally hostile as well. Where British chroniclers of the Peninsular berate the qualities of the Spanish armies Rocca knew that his life was constantly under threat from not only the enemy armies but also from a population who would kill an unwary or isolated Frenchman in a moment. The Peninsular War was a bitter struggle by the Spaniards to liberate their country from the French invaders and in this essential memoir Albert de Rocca describes the fighting in uncompromising detail.

A powerful portrait of a complex individual. It uses Napoleons own words to show his genius, arrogance, insecurities, and frustrations. The reader will be amazed by Napoleons attention to detail, from those of pressing national interests to the mundane (such as the problem of heartbroken soldiers in his guard.) . . . This makes it an invaluable reference book that should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the period. Rob Burnham, Editor, Napoleon SeriesIn the words of Napoleon is a startling insight into the life and deeds of Napoleon I. Derived from Napoleons extensive correspondence and his other writings and recorded speech, this valuable compilation acts as a diary or journal, encompassing the whole of the emperors life. Napoleons words as recorded on a particular day are set down as entries, and these offer a unique glimpse into the major events of the Napoleonic period. The diary reveals Napoleons thoughts and actions as his great life unfolded and throws light on his attitudes to war, politics and the many varied personalities who surrounded or opposed him. As entries appear on an almost daily basis, the reader has the opportunity to trace the surging course of events as they happened, and to witness the emperor’s response to the rise and fall of his fortunes. Philip Haythornthwaite provides a fascinating introduction which analyses Napoleons words, and includes biographical sketches of the key personalities of the era.