"Books on 18th century combat" Topic

I am looking for book recommendations similar to Nosworthy's that describe 18th century combat at the detailed level.

Me too…

I might have a go at that as well

Isn't there something by someone called Duffy?

When you say "similar to Nosworthy's" do you have his Anatomy of Victory: Battle Tactics 1689-1763?

Depending on which particular bits of 18th century warfare interests you, I would suggest, albeit somewhat Anglocentrically, and with the caveat that the 18th century involved a lot of warfare that evolved markedly throughout the period:

Redcoats: The British Soldier and War in the Americas, 1755-1763 by Stephen Brumwell

With Zeal and With Bayonets Only: The British Army on Campaign in North America, 1775–1783 by Matthew H. Spring

Military Experience in the Age of Reason
by Christopher Duffy (and all his other wonderful books on the Prussian and Austrian armies, the '45 and anything else that takes your fancy).

Blenheim Preparation: The English Army On The March To The Danube Collected Essays by David G. Chandler

There is also a Fighting Techniques of book that covers this period.

The Art of War in the Age of Marlborough also by Chandler is very good for the WSS as well.

Isn't there something by someone called Duffy?

Ya think!!!

Stuart Reid's book on the Flintlock Musket is quite useful for minor tactics: link

Quimby's Background of Napoleonic Warfare is quite good for explaining some of the mechanics (although concentrating on the French Army).

When you say "similar to Nosworthy's" do you have his Anatomy of Victory: Battle Tactics 1689-1763?

I do, that's why I hope something similar exists.

The only part of warfare I am looking for, as stated, is combat and only at the detailed level. I'm not looking for organisations, logistics, campaigns, operational warfare, the high-level descriptions etc just the detailed blow-by-blow descriptions of what happened in combat. More or less a description of what actually happened at the battalion down to soldier's level. Something like a D-Day veteran's youtube interview.

You won't find a book that only gives that, but James Falkner's great and glorious days has some good descriptions of battle down to disenbolwed soldiers getting stepped on by their own soldiers.

Or Duffy's Prussias glory gives a again a few good down in the dirt descriptions of battles.

@Schwartz

Isn't there something by someone called Duffy?

Ya think!!!

Thanks, I'll try and not let my stroke damage or my cancer damage interfere with my suggestions.

You can find a bunch of period books in French and German if you can read any downloadable from the net.

Any particular time period from the 18th century?

Any particular time period from the 18th century?

SYW to AWI but also any books that do analysis of horse and musket warfare. I saw this title "Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon" and am looking for something similar for the mid 18th century.
link

I have the standard works like Duffy and Chandler.

I might buy the Horace St Paul books. I'll add the others mentioned here plus maybe the Horace St Paul books. I can read French. German no, but if in digital form can be translated. A lot of references I'd like to read are in that old "gothic" font which I forget the correct name of.

he"re you go

Jomini analysis of Fredo
link

Colin "L'Infanterie au XVIIIe siècle: la tactique"
link

Guibert includes a review of the "recent" ways which means late XVIIIth century!
t1
link
t2
link
t3
link
and another one even… tome4…

even a Turkish one!
link

books.google.com/books/download
La tactique et discipline selon les nouveaux reglemens prussiens:1759
/La_tactique_et_discipline_selon_les_nouv.pdf?id=Emsh8Cu7OmQC&hl=en&capid=AFLRE70xl_tFj5lv7X7cH1f7Y4JiQBqWEwmIWKRVrLVoiaQJEU-wzrCOTq5zf9ixVl-AfdeaMt3DdcaSoHvScRkiCy53-dB6fQ&continue=https://books.google.com/books/download/La_tactique_et_discipline_selon_les_nouv.pdf%3Fid%3DEmsh8Cu7OmQC%26output%3Dpdf%26hl%3Den

Books on Google Play

Tactique françoise ou la tactique rendue à ses vrais principes et au génie militaire de la nation françoise
Dupuy-Lauron Didot, 1792
link

Elémens de tactique: for Louis XV troops. detailed manoeuvering.
link

Essai sur la tactique de l'infanterie:1761
link

Grande tactique, et manoeuvres de guerre suivant les principes de Frederic 2
link

Systeme militaire de la Prusse et principes de la tactique actuelle 1788, comte de Mirabeau
link

marquis de Silva "Pensees sur la tactique" with analysis of some SYW battles.
link

hope it works.

Jcfrog, thanks for the links. I shall use them.

Your links reminded me that years ago I downloaded a lot of 18th C military texts from one of the library pay sites when they had free access for a week or so. They were loaded with info. I don't know if I still have them or even if the hard disks I used would still be readable.