Napoleon's Mercenaries: Foreign Units in the French Army Under the Consulate and Empire, 1799-1814 [Hardcover]

Guy C. Dempsey Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002

This superb and comprehensive book details the foreign units which formed such an important part of Napoleon's forces. It examines each non-French unit in turn, giving an overview of the unit's origins, its organizational and combat history, its uniforms and standards, and details of the unit's eventual fate. Colorful accounts, taken from contemporary reports and memoirs, emphasize the qualities of the unit and throw light on what life was like for many of the foreign soldiers recruited into the Grande Armee. Napoleon's foreign troops varied tremendously in quality, from the excellent Vistula Legion and Swiss regiments to the more dubious battalions of foreign deserters and Spanish prisoners of war. Some units fought and flourished throughout the Consulate and Empire, whilst others lasted for just a few months. Covers Polish, German, Swiss, Italian, Spanish, and other units in the French Army and presents a combat history and details uniforms for each regiment. Napoleon's Mercenaries is the best single-volume study of this aspect of Napoleon's army and a vital reference for every Napoleonic enthusiast.

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About the Author

Guy Dempsey is a respected scholar of this period and author on the uniforms and history of the Napoleonic Era. His other books include Napoleon's Soldiers and Napoleon's Army.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Greenhill Books; First edition (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853674885
• ISBN-13: 978-1853674884
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,398,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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