Waterloo (1970)

 

By Thomas Payton

 Louis-Victor Baillot, fusilier de la 3e compagnie du 3e bataillon du 105e régiment d'infanterie, the last French veteran of Waterloo. Photographed in 1890 at the age of 97. He wears his Legion of Honor and his Saint Helena medal

Waterloo (1970) | Starring Rod Steiger & Christopher Plummer | Sergei Bondarchuk

 It's June the 18th that means Waterloo. Skip the beginning bit.

 

From here

French

 Voltigeur and line infantry major, end of the Empire (old army museum mannequins)

Vilnius 1812 book

 

(2021) VILNIUS 1812, Ghost of Napoleon's Grand Armee

Now published but officially launched on 1 June 2021, £35

https://kentrotman.co.uk/newbooks/vilnius-1812-ghosts-of-napoleons-grande-armee-through-their-artifacts/

160pp., 4to, 500 colour illustrations including 281 artefacts, 16 maps, 70 paintings, 22 photos., 43 uniforms, 70 uniform details & 43 tables. 2021. In 2008 my good friend Paul Richardson did an excellent brief study based on the discovery of the Vilnius massed graves of the victims of the retreat from Moscow. I am delighted to now publish for Paul and Stephen this vastly updated version. The collaboration of these two authors now results in a detailed exploration of the anthropology, buttons, uniform fragments, shakos, personal items that have survived with comparisons in many cases to the original artefacts. Also discussed in a survey of the campaign are the contribution of disease, lack of medical provision, nutrition and weather to the demise of the army. The research involved in this book is giving a greater understanding to the fate of the army and a companion volume is in preparation to explore the themes in more detail.

CONTENTS

PART I: STORY OF THE BONES 7

CHAPTER 1: DISCOVERY OF A MASS GRAVE 7-8

CHAPTER 2: STORM CLOUDS GATHER 9-14

Poland and Lithuania; The Continental System; Napoleon’s Preparations for War; Region of Operation

CHAPTER 3: RUSSIAN WEATHER IN 1812: 15-18

CHAPTER 4: THE HUMAN REMAINS 19

The Excavation; Anthropology; Origin and Diet of the Soldiers; Dental Analysis; Evidence of Trench Fever and Typhus; Conclusions

CHAPTER 5: MEDICAL 27

French Service de Sante [Medical Services]; Imperial Guard Medical Services; Officiers de Sante (Health Officers); Compagnies de Soldats d’Ambulance; Sickness; Lice and Typhus; Failure of the Medical Provision; Evacuation of the Wounded and Sick from Moscow; Hospitals in Vilnius

PART II: THE ARTIFACTS 39

CHAPTER 6: HEADWEAR 40

French Shakos; French Shako Plates; Plumes; Baden Hussar Shako; Czapska; Bearskins and Calpacs; Bicorn (Chapeau); Raupenhelm; Metal Helmets; Forage Caps.

CHAPTER 7: UNIFORMS 51

Textiles; Infantry Uniforms; Dress (Tenue); M1804 Coat (habit); Officer’s Uniforms; M1812 Bardin Coatee (habit-veste); Cavalry Uniforms; Ulan uniform; Hussar style uniform.

Buttons; Gorget; Epaulettes.

Legwear; Breeches; Gaiters; Footwear; Shoes; Boots

CHAPTER 8: EQUIPMENT 73

Cartridge Boxes (Giberne); Knapsack; Belts; Horse Harness

CHAPTER 9: IMPROVISED WINTER UNIFORM 78

CHAPTER 10: PERSONAL ARTIFACTS 80

PART III: CAMPAIGN HISTORY 83

CHAPTER 11: LIBERATION OF LITHUANIA 83

Russian Response; 24 June 1812 – Crossing the River Niemen; 28 June 1812 – Vilnius

CHAPTER 12: DUCHY OF LITHUANIA ARMY 94

Lithuanian Infantry; 18e-23e (Lithuanian) Ligne; Lithuanian Chasseurs à Piedl National Guard; Lithuanian Cavalry; 17e-20e Lithuanian Ulans; 21e Chasseurs à Cheval; Lithuanian Gendarmerie à Cheval; Horse Artillery

CHAPTER 13: VILNIUS TO MOSCOW 100

16 July-16 Aug – The Road to Smolensk; 17-18 Aug 1812 – Battle of Smolensk; Russian Reinforcements; 5-7 Sept 1812 – The Pyrrhic Victory of Borodino

CHAPTER 14: MOSCOW (14 SEPT-18 OCT 1812) 106

CHAPTER 15: RETREAT FROM MOSCOW 109

23 Oct 1812 – Blowing up the Kremlin; 24 October 1812 – Battle of Maloyaroslavets; 25 Oct-3 Nov 1812 – Desert of sand and cinders; 4 November 1812 – The First Snow; 8 Nov 1812 – Smolensk; 16-18 Nov 1812 – Krasnoi; 10-22 Nov 1812 – Provisional Cavalry Corps

CHAPTER 16: THE BEREZINA 116

19-23 Nov 1812 – Orscha to the Berezina; 23 Nov-8 Dec 1812 – Escadron Sacre; 

25-29 Nov 1812 – Bridging the Berezina; Pontoniers; Corps Impériale du Génie; Mineurs Bns; Ingénieurs Géographes; Train du Génie; Italian Engineers; Marins de la Garde; Sappers of the Imperial Guard; French Navy; Ouvriers Militaires (Naval Artificers); Naval Artillery

CHAPTER 17: THE BEREZINA TO VILNIUS 131

30 Nov-4 Dec 1812 – Ney’s Rearguard; 3-5 Dec 1812 – Victor’s Rearguard; 5 December 1812 – Napoleon Abandons his Army; 5-8 December – Rearguard of 34e (Loison) Division 133

CHAPTER 18: VILNIUS 137

6 December 1812 – Napoleon arrives; 7 December 1812 – Café Lichtenstein; 8 December 1812 – Vilnius; 9 December 1812 – Vilnius; 10 December 1812 – Departure from Vilnius; 11 December 1812 – The Russians enter Vilnius

CHAPTER 19: FROM VILNIUS TO KOVNO 150

CHAPTER 20: NAPOLEON’S MISCALCULATIONS 152

Napoleon’s political errors; Napoleon’s Ego; Napoleon’s poor choice of men; Poor reconnaissance; Confused administration and faulty staff structure

CHAPTER 21: EPITAPH 157

REFERENCES

Memoires; Scientific Papers

Rifles Mark Urban

 The charity shops are currently open and I picked this book today. The attached image was interesting.