MARSHAL JEAN LANNES IN THE BATTLES OF SAALFELD, PULTUSK, AND FRIEDLAND, 1806 TO 1807: THE APPLICATION OF COMBINED ARMS IN THE OPENING BATTLE
ROBERT E. EVERSON,
The French Army corps during the Napoleonic era was a combined arms organization, designed as a self-sustaining combat unit which could operate independently from the rest of the army. One corps was designated as the advanced guard to the French army's main body and acted as the unit which would make first contact with the enemy's army. This corps developed the situation while other corps would attempt to maneuver to the rear of the enemy force and consequently fight a major battle under Napoleon's control. The advanced guard corps which made first contact, would fight an opening battle which could last many hours until reinforcements arrived. The corps under Marshal Lannes in 1806 to 1807 fought three opening battles. During each battle the corps conducted their security and reconnaissance while moving toward the enemy, seized their initial positions on the impending battlefield and fought as a combined arms organization for the duration of the opening battle. This study shows how each of the branches; artillery, infantry, and cavalry, interacted in the opening battle. This study also reveals how Marshal Lannes established a combined arms advanced guard element within his corps each time he moved the corps as the advanced guard for the French Army. Although this advanced guard element was not a doctrinal organization for the French Army, the elements mission was strikingly similar to the larger corps acting as an advanced guard, but on a reduced scale.
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA284591.pdf
It always makes me wonder why military officers could write much better works 120 years ago, also well researched essays, which still hold the test of time.
I figured you'd have something to say about this. 😉
Gotta love these US Army guys and their "command and control" and "combined arms" mantras, augmented by the same-old-same-old secondary sources. They continue to use 20th/21st century military terminology and shoehorn the Napoleonic military world into it in the usual hamfisted way that we see too often.
And of course the "committee" who oversees and approves these theses are equally clueless.
The best thing this major had to say in 166 pages of general nonsense is that a more thorough analysis is needed on this topic--but he'd better leave Jean-Boy out of that claim!--and it would be much facilitated if the putative author could read French. Of course, he doesn't mention the absolute requirement of spending time in real archives. I noticed he cites an MA thesis--equally short on valid sources and conclusions--by a former student at Texas A&M. Said student came to FSU, intending to write his dissertation on Lannes, but for various reasons, he left the summer before I arrived. I quickly discovered this person had literally stolen every book and journal I would have used, so I did what any Napoleonic scholar would do--I went after him and provided enough proof to launch an investigation by the FBI, and then a couple of years in federal prison. The moral here is, of course, that you don't mess with me and Jean-Boy, or we will get you. Some links to this particular tale, in case you thought I was kidding:
https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/01/14/man-gets-prison-in-library-thefts/
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/935/719/283099/
One corps was designated as the advanced guard to the French army's main body and acted as the unit which would make first contact with the enemy's army.No, it would depend the corps system was much more flexible like that any corps in the "first" line could become all of a sudden advance guard funtion, but it wasn't any longer the classic advance guard of 18th century military.