| Armand | 15 Nov 2009 5:21 p.m. PST |
We know about the skills and superb quality that Nap and Wellington as militar Commanders had shown in their Era, but in your opinion, who would list next?. I liked to mention Moore, Prince Charles and Davout. Amicalement
Armand |
| DJCoaltrain | 15 Nov 2009 6:22 p.m. PST |
General Andrew Jackson. The only test of a Military Commander is winning – and he beat the British. |
| sergeis | 15 Nov 2009 7:26 p.m. PST |
Let's poke the finger at the sky- we might hit the Moon!!! |
| 21eRegt | 15 Nov 2009 9:36 p.m. PST |
There are many superior, excellent, innovative, etc. commanders throughout the wars of the Revolution and Empire, but I would not call any of the others a genius. Not sure Napoleon or Wellington truly deserve the title of genius either, but won't ignite that firestorm by trying to make a case. Andy Jackson definitely does NOT deserve to numbered among the greatest. Beating irregulars and winning a battle where almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong doesn't qualify as a proven record. A good commander certainly. Able to hold an army and a civilian population together by charisma and martial law, this isn't the same as directing armies of 100,000+ and holding together fragile alliances. Oh, lest one decry my bias, I am an American so Andy is my future president. |
| Keraunos | 16 Nov 2009 12:45 a.m. PST |
perhaps a definition of genius would be a better opening position. |
| Old Bear | 16 Nov 2009 6:45 a.m. PST |
Defining a military genius should provide pages of entertaining reading! Of course by then Armand will have gone on to another dozen or so questions of equally worthwhile quality. |
| summerfield | 16 Nov 2009 7:15 a.m. PST |
Dear All
There are a number of talented commanders. Genius is something I do not see as a useful concept. Sir John Moore [training and extricating an outnumbered army] Russian General Suvorov for his campaigns against the Turks and in Switzerland. The Prussian General Staff pairings
- Blucher and Scharnhorst
- Blucher and Gneisnau
etc… Archduke Charles who beat Napoleon at Aspern-Esling Marshal Davout and his defence of Hamburg (1813) and Paris (1814) Carnot who engineered the revolution. Baron von Rumford for the defence of Munich from the French and the Austrians. His innovative ordnance system. These all have various claims. Stephen |
Frederick  | 16 Nov 2009 7:44 a.m. PST |
I don't know about genius, but Archduke Charles got the nod from Napoleon as one of his toughest opponents, and Davout definately was one smart cookie – he wasn't called "the Iron Marshal" for nothing |
| Rudysnelson | 16 Nov 2009 12:28 p.m. PST |
I was always impressed with how Viceroy Eugene of Northern Italy was able to delay Austrian forces in 1813-14. |
| 12345678 | 16 Nov 2009 2:16 p.m. PST |
Rudy, I agree with you on that; however, it does seem that the Austrians were not trying too hard. My own set of other excellent or very good commanders would include: Suvorov
Archduke Karl (some of the time)
Davout
Massena (up to 1809)
John Moore
Nelson (as an ex-RN officer, I have to add him; although I despise him as a human being, he was a great commander!) |
| quidveritas | 16 Nov 2009 2:26 p.m. PST |
Let us not forget Suchet who did a heck of a job with limited resources in an impossible situation. mjc |
| Mike the Analyst | 19 Nov 2009 3:38 p.m. PST |
Clausewitz certainly a genius even if only learning his trade as a Chief of Staff to Thielmann at Ligny and Wavre. |
| 138SquadronRAF | 20 Nov 2009 8:44 a.m. PST |
Souvorov – for his Italian Campaign in 1799.
Sir John Moore,
French Marshals, St. Cyr, Davout, Suchet,
Archduke Karl – but he was let down by poor subordinates. The Prussian General Staff system decerves served the country from 1813 to 1870. |
builds a cutter and a corsair, both in 1/1200 scale.
