| dogsbollox | 08 May 2009 8:39 a.m. PST |
napoleon personally presented IIRC 8 Legions d'Honeur to oficers of the Neapolitan 2nd light horse in Germany in 1813 and about the same number to members of the Elite Regt during the same period. |
| dogsbollox | 08 May 2009 8:45 a.m. PST |
in my opinion infantrymen were by and large the same all over, It is officers that make a difference. Give them a great general and they will be great and a bad one and they will be as bad, by and large. Compare and contrast all those peninsular vets in the war of 1812 sans Wellington and the same men, when with wellington, in the peninsula. |
| GJM FIGURINES | 08 May 2009 11:22 a.m. PST |
well said dogs…….electrifiying leadership and a large
dose of charisma always helped the Neapolitans.
Murat proved that by his presence……but even he couldnt
stop the rout at Tolentino.!! |
| dogsbollox | 09 May 2009 3:17 a.m. PST |
No he couldnt and it wasnt helped by most of his generals disappearing off to one of their numbers nearby country estate for a leisurely weekend, leaving their troops without even informing their subordinates. Despite this the regiments, by and large, reformed of their own volition and continued as a fighting force. I would agree with ged that reading General Pepes memoirs give a completely different view of the Neapolitan troops to that held by many who simply spout ill informed comments about them.
I am sure Napoleon didn't hand out Legion d'Honeurs without good reason , especially to non french troops. |
| Steven H Smith | 09 May 2009 5:01 p.m. PST |
Memoirs of General Pépé: Comprising the Principal Military and Political Events of Modern Italy by Guglielmo Pepe. 3 vols. Published by R. Bentley, 1846: Vol 1:
link
link Vol 2:
link
link Vol 3:
link
link |
| GJM FIGURINES | 10 May 2009 3:36 a.m. PST |
thanks for that Steven as i only have the worley publications reprint and (it does cover the Napoleonic period in full i believe) im after originals another good book (books) are colletas "history of Naples" volumes one and two which i have dogs!!
i also have in my possesion "pietro colletta " la campagne d
italia di gioacchino murat in italian and need time to translate
finally "life of col macerone " is also nestled on my bookcase and are two sumptous volumes !! and make
mouthwatering reading!!! dogs if you wish we can e-mail each other with exchange
of any information time permitting for both of us of course best regards
Ged
GJM FIGURINES |
| GJM FIGURINES | 10 May 2009 1:50 p.m. PST |
ps dogs you may have sent it to me already…..oops!! |
| Steven H Smith | 10 May 2009 2:46 p.m. PST |
Gioachino Murat in Italia by Francesco Guardione. 2 edition. Published by Successori Le Monnier, 1899. 203 p: link |
| Steven H Smith | 10 May 2009 2:51 p.m. PST |
Campagne des Autrichiens contre Murat en 1815: précédée d'un coup d'oeil sur les négociations secrètes qui eurent lieu à Naples depuis la paix de Paris, 1814, jusqu'au commencement des hostilités : des détails sur la conjuration de Milan, du 25 avril 1815, et sur le meurtre du Ministre Prina … by Constant de Vilar, Guillaume Anne de Constant-Rebecque de Villars, V C de Br Published by Aug. Wahlen et Comp., 1821. 229 pages: link |
| GJM FIGURINES | 10 May 2009 2:53 p.m. PST |
two cracking books there Steven…………you dont have copies do you? |
| Steven H Smith | 11 May 2009 8:11 a.m. PST |
|
| GJM FIGURINES | 11 May 2009 11:51 a.m. PST |
Steven any idea where i could obtain copies?? (originals) |
looks at a multi-period building.