"Napoleon's Last Army (new series of books)" Topic

Looking forward for these.

"This is a groundbreaking series of books in English by author, re-enactor, and equestrian Paul L. Dawson that use thousands of pages of French archival documents, translations of more than 200 French eyewitness accounts, and dozens of new paintings by Keith Rocco to tell the story of Napoleon's final military operations and his defeat at the battle of Waterloo. Napoleon's Last Army (NLA) is the most comprehensive study ever made of the French army in 1815, using primary source information that provides new insights into this famous campaign."

link

Some of the new plates/paintings by Keith Rocco (you can find these paintings at Keith Rocco's website).

Artwork looks stunning.

You can find more info and samples at Keith Rocco's Facebook page: link

Thanks for share mon ami Cuirassier! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Interesting concept for Crowdfunding project – who is the Game Designer for the game in the to be published Journal?

Paul Dawson certainly does good research, Rocco – though an excellent artist, isn't as good in Napoleonic uniforms as for his ACW paintings – now did they read Juhel's ground braking work??

Is that second one down French Light infantry wearing grey trousers instead of blue ones?

I signed up ;-)

von Winterfeldt,

Keith Rocco painted some plates for Juhel's book.

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Paul B,

Young Guard voltigeurs. Take a look here: link

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This one is interesting: link

From Keith Rocco's Facebook page: "This is a really interesting figure if you're a uniform addict like myself. The helmet is the curiosity as this unit, Gendarmes d'Elite, should have been refitted with their traditional bearskin bonnets as per Napoleon's direct order. As time ran out some of the unit apparently was forced to wear the Royalist helmet, stripped of its Bourbon emblems. One of these helmets was recovered from the battlefield of Waterloo. The search for the correct configuration of this helmet took the help of 5 experts, amateur and professional, on three continents….thanks guys!"

Another one from Keith Rocco's page:

"…and the WATERLOO saga continues. Here are some images of one of the latest paintings and its research for the Volume II book, "The Guard Infantry and Artillery".
Author Paul Lindsay Dawson was able to dig up a fine portrait taken from life of Captain Regnault and his service record as well, showing his participation in the Belgian Campaign of 1815. From this research I was able to paint an interpretation of M. Regnault as he would have appeared in the field.

In the right-hand column of Regnault's original service record you will find, "1815 en Belgique".

Two interesting points can be seen in the fine, period portrait of this officer. He carries a non-regulation staff sword and is wearing grey trousers, another non-regulation item. Both of these I have reproduced in my version of the Captain, including the pose he struck 200+ years ago.

The shako was recreated from an artifact recently put up for auction in France.

The rank and file of the 3rd Regiment of Tirailleurs of the Guard, of which Regnault was a part, were never issued uniform coats during the 100 Days due to shortages thus they went to Belgium wearing only greatcoats. Regnault, being an officer, was responsible for supplying his own privately made uniform thus he was completely outfitted.

Only 40 or so paintings to go!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
KR"

TAKE A LOOK AT THE PAINTINGS:

Click on the image to enlarge it: link

link

@Cuirassier

Thanks for the additional information

The artwork is terrific. I'll forgive the Gendarme d'Elite for riding anything other than a black horse, as he does look so good.

Again that story of the helmet recovered form the field of Waterloo. That was mentioned here recently when Perrys produced their new figures. I cast doubts then and still cannot find any evidence for this.

Are folk confusing this with the 1st Chasseurs who did wear a similar but less elegant helmet, a carryover from their Royal outfit? One of those was certainly retrieved

Looks interesting, but I always have trouble taking authors seriously when their professional photo has them looking lordly and very serious in their reenactment costume.

Illustration is a matter of taste as well as execution. Personally I've always loved Rocco's work so I could well be interested in these books.

Poor Dawson in his rig. He looks…splendid….imposing….substantial almost.

You have to forgive the moustache for a Grenadier a Cheval….and we are none of us able to get into the Levis we wore 30 years ago, so if he has filled out a bit……..for a young cavalryman at Waterloo…….

One of my lads wears my two old Levi denim shirts around Newcastle, nearly thirty years after I bought them. They fit him…….

deadhead

The artwork is terrific. I'll forgive the Gendarme d'Elite for riding anything other than a black horse, as he does look so good.

Again that story of the helmet recovered form the field of Waterloo. That was mentioned here recently when Perrys produced their new figures. I cast doubts then and still cannot find any evidence for this.

Are folk confusing this with the 1st Chasseurs who did wear a similar but less elegant helmet, a carryover from their Royal outfit? One of those was certainly retrieved

Well! If this chap illustrated the same, I would go with Dawson/Rocco's rendition.

But then again, he also did this rendition in campaign dress too (left picture).

Sorry about the scan quality but I did them some years ago on a canon printer scanner

Paul :)

Interested to see the pricing of these?
They do look extremely promising.

Dibble thanks for those pictures. I have often seen the first one, en grande tenue, but the briadier and trompette are new to me. The latter is a surprise, I have imagined Garde pale blue, but could imagine this, as more like a Royal uniform.

You even see them wearing a Bardin style jacket, closed at the waist, with red lapels, but I suspect that is second Respration.

My point about the helmet. Maybe I was not clear. No doubt the Gendarmes had the helmet as shown in Rocco's artwork and wore it for at least a decade after 1815. Some probably did retain the grenade brass work as shown in your picture, some removed it as in Rocco's painting, for the 100 Days. All I am questioning is whether such a helmet was ever retrieved from the battlefield. If so, where is it? I still suspect what is well documented is 1st Chasseurs Royal helmet, one of which was salvaged.

Second Respration? Take a deep breath……..I meant Restoration!
The trumpeter has Royal lace and cords still, which is perfectly possible of course!

announced for the summer 2016 now is "6th December 2016" for the first 2 about Imperial Guard at 22,92$ for the Cavalry and 25,26$ for Infantry & Artillery

I wish I could find the publisher's ad, they were offering a swatch of cloth with accurate colors if you purchased the set from them.

I wish I could find the publisher's ad

Lilian

The publishers appear to be saying that the printed copies would be available in September, while Amazon.uk appear to be offering them as available now, but with up to four weeks delivery time?

I get my copies this month. 'Imperial Guard Cavalry: 1 'Imperial Guard Infantry and Artillery: 2' Being dispatched on the 15th August, with the delivery date being 17th August.

I see that I ordered these on 17 February. and the price is £15.64 GBP per title

Paul :)

Amazon now says the first two volumes are available at £25.00 GBP each. Imperial Guard Cavalry and the Artillery.

Anyone seen these yet?

deadhead

There are no reviews, as yet, and considering Amazon state there is a 1-4 weeks delivery period, customers may still be waiting for them to arrive?

Personally, I look at them and say, yes, I want them. Then I look at my yet-to-read pile and bank statements and say no, not at the moment.

They are being "economical with the truth then".

Thanks for the warning.

Like you, I have a book pile and a lead pile and a plastic pile to address!

I hesitate to say I am still finishing off Elting (too heavy to carry across the Atlantic) and enjoying it immensely. Whether 100% accurate or not, who knows?

I'm going to get both volumes because of the Rocco paintings. I have a few of his Napoleonic prints/giclees framed in my library.

I am also fortunate to know Keith and he is 'a good man to have around' and I believe him to be the best current Napoleonic artists.

I hesitate to say I am still finishing off Elting (too heavy to carry across the Atlantic) and enjoying it immensely. Whether 100% accurate or not, who knows?

I took my copy to Guantanamo Bay in 1992 when we were engaged in the Haitian boat lift.

If you can find a copy of Napoleon Magazine (I think) from the late 90s, there is a copy of the errata list Col Elting posted for Swords. They were minor errors such as dates and for the creation of the two flanker regiments of the Imperial Guard. The Flanquer-Chasseurs were created in 1811 and the Flanquer-Grenadiers were created in 1813. Most publications, including Swords, had the order reversed and Col Elting found that error himself supported by the 'minority opinion.'

As for the material in Swords, with the exception of those few errors published by Col Elting, I have found the material both excellent and reliable and have researched some of it myself. I was very fortunate to have been given 25 volumes of the old La Sabretache from 1893 to the late 1920s which are in actuality books with thousands of pages of material from the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, many of them being primary source material such as letters, after action reports, etc.

I have found over the last 28 years since Swords was first published (and it has come out in two paperback versions since) that anyone who believes that Col Elting didn't know what he was talking about was terribly wrong. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Anyone who does not care for either Napoleon or the Grande Armee probably won't like it, and that 'attitude' has been clearly demonstrated on this forum. Some years ago, one 'critic' complained that Swords was sourced overwhelmingly with French source material. I pointed out that the book was the organizational study of the Grande Armee and most of the source material, especially the primary sourcing used, would be French. The critic really didn't get it.

did anybody read the books by Dawson, who clearly is much superior in knowledge to Elting and very good in providing sources and foot notes, additional to that a hard researcher and worker spending his time in the French archives.

I have read them (Pas de Charge and Charge the Guns. Which are both on the Waterloo campaign) and in general they are a good and refreshing read but like other authors and even though he publishes his sources, further studies of other sources should be made to help put incidents into context.

I only hope that these latest titles are as good (leaving Keith Rocco's illustrations aside that is).

When I can, I will highlight something from his Pas de Charge tome which should really intrigue.

Paul :)

By this account in Dawsons Au Pas de Charge!, Page 115-117 (page 116 is taken up with various pictures of Cuirassier re-enactors), there is an account of early in the battle.

"With the fight for La Haye Saint spilling out on the slopes of the plateau, the Lunenberg Battalion presented an irresistible target for the Cuirassiers. Michel Ordener, commanding the 1st Cuirassiers, recounts the charge as follows"

Ney gave me orders to take an English battery placed near the farm of Mount St. Jean, whose fire was the greatest evil in our lines. I made my regiment advance at the trot, putting my regiment into column by squadron at large intervals.

The Hanoverian battalion of Luenburg and the second light infantry of the King's German Legion were placed in our way, and we fell on them with the corps. I killed with my own hand three officers; their flag came into our possession.

We adressed the the same breath the English battery; we captured the 24 guns and limbers that composed the battery and had the guns spiked, and I continued the charge that carried us to the edge of the forest of Soignes.

Here I was ten feet away from a square, when one face opened a murderous fire on us. My horse was killed, struck by a bullet to the neck; protected by my armour, I could free myself.

I left my horse, and returned with my men to our lines, where after some quickly conducted first aid, I mounted a fresh horse and resumed my command.

It's intriguing that he both had had the guns spiked that he 'captured' and he got all the way to the Forest of Soignes before he encountered a Square….Hmm!

There are lots and lots of French accounts in Au Pas de Charge!, (the same goes for Charge the Guns!) and I for one think it knocks Fields tome into a cocked hat and it would also soothe the ache that Nappyist's get when they read accounts of the battle, as this one obviously reads with a French bias which is refreshing. Oh! It also uses oodles of references at the bottom of almost every page, comes in about A4 size, 264 pages, (Charge the Guns! 312) lots of illustrations and many battlefield maps similar to what you will find in Adkins tome.

Paul :)

Has anyone received these books yet? I ordered through Amazon in August, just been told that my order has been cancelled and 'the item is no longer available'.

No! And Amazon has cancelled my order on both books :(

I got these messages from Amazon:

"Hello,

We regret to report that the release of the following item has been cancelled:

Paul Dawson, illustrated by Keith Rocco "Imperial Guard Cavalry: 1 (Napoleon's Last Army)"

Our supplier has informed us that this item is no longer available. This item has now been cancelled from your order #205-0257847-1745151 and we can confirm that you have not been charged for it.

Please accept our apologies for any disappointment or inconvenience caused."

And:

"Hello,

We regret to report that the release of the following item has been cancelled:

Paul Dawson, illustrated by Keith Rocco "Imperial Guard Infantry and Artillery: 2 (Napoleon's Last Army)"

Our supplier has informed us that this item is no longer available. This item has now been cancelled from your order #205-0257847-1745151 and we can confirm that you have not been charged for it.

Please accept our apologies for any disappointment or inconvenience caused.

You may visit the product detail page(s) above to see if these item(s) are available from other sellers."

And I'm 4 king annoyed big-time!

Paul, sorry, but are you saying you think it's a good read or not? I quite like the idea of the cuirasiers reaching the forest but…

Lambert

Amazon.uk are advertising both volumes of Napoleon's Army as available. However, the cost is £108.00 GBP each and they appear only to be available from an American supplier?

However, Amazon.com are offering them available 6th December this year and can be pre-ordered for a more realistic price-$21USD and $22 USD each.

Also, the Lombardy Studios website is still advertising them.

strange

see

napoleonslastarmy.com

Marc the plastics fan

Yes I am saying that Au Pas de Charge! Is a 'very' good book.

But as the accounts are just that, some should, as those from some allied accounts, be taken with a raised eyebrow and a 'Hmm!' now and again.

Dawson has published quite a few rare and little known accounts together in this volume and comes to his conclusions from the perspective of the French but doesn't 'a' la field' go over the top with them and also leaves the reader to come to their own conclusion. He also does the same in Charge the Guns! from the British/allied perspective.

As you may know Paul Dawson loves his Grenadiers a Cheval but even with this regiment he doesn't show a hint of bias in his summary of their exploits during the battle.

I would fully recommend both Au Pas de Charge! and Charge the Guns!. They supplement Erwin Muilwijk, Gareth Glover and John Franklin's tomes admirably.

Paul :)

Thank you Gazzola, I'll try ordering again from another source. But it is deeply annoying.

Thank you Paul, I shall add those to my list, as I am always on the look out for the better Napoleonic book.

Much appreciated honest opinion – which is why I visit TMP.

Regards

Marc

I see that the initial planned serie has changed

instead of 5 volumes there will be only 4,

first two about Imperial Guard are now announced for june 2017 according to amazon

Volume 1: Imperial Guard Cavalry and Administration Battalion
Volume 2: Imperial Guard Infantry, Artillery, Engineers, Train
Volume 3: Line and Light Infantry, Artillery, Engineers, Train
Volume 4: Line Cavalry
Volume 5: A Near Run Thing—The Army of the North in 1815 (campaign study)

now this last Volume 5 has disappeared and the Volumes 3 and 4 switched

Volume 1: Imperial Guard Cavalry and Administration Battalion
Volume 2: Imperial Guard Infantry, and Foot and Horse Artillery, Engineers, Train
Volume 3: Line Cavalry, including Carabiniers, Cuirassiers, Dragoons, Chasseurs, Hussars, and Lancers
Volume 4: Line and Light Infantry, and Foot and Horse Artillery, Engineers, Train