Customer Reviews

With Eagles to Glory: Napoleon and His German Allies in the 1809 Campaign (Napoleonic Library)

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I have read at least 30 books on the Campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars, and this is one of the best. Well researched and well written, it covers the participation of all the minor German states in the 1809 campaign, and includes actions which are almost always skipped over in books that concentrate on Napoleon and the French. A must for any one interested in the history of the German states in the early 1800's.

This is undoubtedly the definitive work on the armies of the Confederation of the Rhine during the Campaign of 1809. Jack Gill has masterfully told this story with verve, accuracy, wit, and a thorough knowledge of his subject.

Confronted with an invasion of his ally, Bavaria, in the spring of 1809 while still deeply involved in a campaign in Spain, Napoleon had to rely on a contingent of over 50,000 German troops from the Confederation of the Rhine to fight the Austrians. Launching their invasion without a declaration of war, the Austrians hoped to surprise and defeat the Grande Armee and Napoleon, thus reestablishing their preeminence in central Europe. What follows is a tale of high valor, professional skill, and dedication to duty of these loyal allies of Napoleon and it is a tale told with comsummate skill by the author.

Using primary source material in German from myriad sources, each country and army from the Confederation is covered from muzzle to buttplate. Organization, tactics, leadership, uniforms, and combat contributions are all covered thoroughly and this is not only the definitive work on the subject in English, but it is a superv reference work for further study.

This book has set the standard for any author hoping to write a book of this type or on this subject. In short, it is simple superb and it fills a definite void that existed in the literature of the period before its publication. It belongs on every Napoleonic bookshelf.