"Military professional and historian John R. Elting paints an exciting, detailed picture of the magnificent human fighting force, Napoleon's Grande Armee. Colorfully details every facet of life in Napoleon's army including rations, pay, mud and disease, mobile hospitals, loot, camp followers, and more."
"This authoritative, comprehensive, and enthralling book describes and analyzes Napoleon's most powerful weapon -- the Grande Armee which at its peak numbered over a million soldiers. Elting examines every facet of this incredibly complex human machine: its organization, command system, logistics, weapons, tactics, discipline, recreation, mobile hospitals, camp followers, and more. From the army's formation out of the turmoil of Revolutionary France through its swift conquests of vast territories across Europe to its legendary death at Waterloo, this book uses excerpts from soldiers' letters, eyewitness accounts, and numerous firsthand details to place the reader in the boots of Napoleon's conscripts and generals. In Elting's masterful hands the experience is truly unforgettable."
'A masterpiece: quite simply, John Elting's fine book is the best I have ever read on the subject.'-David Chandler.
'The master has not lost his touch. Colonel Elting's Swords Around a Throne now takes first place among the books, in any language, on Napoleon's great military establishment, the Grand Army.'-Hugh Bonar.
'Without doubt, Colonel Elting has written the definitive work on the Grande Armee. And it is superb reading, by turns anecdotal, descriptive, or analytical, with narrative segments that roll like cavalry charges. Elting is a master historian.'-Owen Connelly.
'Col John Elting's book will immediately become the most authoritative volume in the English language on Napoleon's Grand Armee. This massive study is packed full of information and details about the creation and operation of each component of Europe's greatest army-from headquarters to the commissariat to the postal system. In all, a brilliant contribution of immense value to any scholar or buff of the Napoleonic period.'-Donald Horward.
'Colonel Elting, drawing on his vast experience both as a soldier and a military author, examines Napoleon's army from its revolutionary origins to the last days of the empire, looking at officers and men, the various arms and their equipment, administration and supporting services, as well as daily life in camp and on campaign. Based on massive research, Elting has written a definitive work that fills a major gap in the literature and will become must reading for military historians, buffs, and wargamers alike.'-Gunther Rothenberg.
@Kevin F. Kiley I’m sorry, you must have misunderstood our relationship. Unless it has slipped my mind, I don’t recall signing up for a course or registering for your class. I will therefore neatly sidestep your attempt to treat me as your student rather than treating me as an equal. I’m sure though that is quite unintentional on your part (old habits die hard after all) so I’ll take your apology as read and move on. If a reviewer had a student/teacher relationship or even friendship with the authority, it would be unreasonable to expect complete impartiality. We would be pretty poor user of sources if we did not. However, my relationship with the work is that of a consumer, a paying customer. That brings a different perspective. It’s not the author’s fault of course that the work was not updated or revised, but the work was of it’s time. I don’t think it’s reasonable to point out to modern consumers
Full of myth and legends, in case you like a good read and edutainment - like for a novel, then go for it, in case of a serious study you will soon find a lot of unsourced bias.
Where in Swords is the comment regarding the Armee du Nord as 'Napoleon's finest?' I cannot find it in Chapter XXXII-'Les Cent Jours' which covers the reorganization of the French army after Napoleon's return from Elba and the formation of the Armee du Nord. Perhaps the comment can be pointed out?
And since the volume has over 800 footnotes and over 500 named references in the text, I don't see that the book is 'relatively sparsely (by modern standards) footnoted work. How many footnotes are 'required' by 'modern standards?'
Perhaps 1,000? Two or three per page? One for every sentence, phrase and clause? Perhaps you can illustrate your comment with a valid illustration?
Perhaps this will be of assistance:
What Are Footnotes and How Do You Use Them? | Scribendi
I don’t comment on the main body of this relatively sparsely (by modern standards) footnoted work, as my main area of interest is the hundred days. His assessment of the Armée du Nord is not borne out by more modern research, such as that carried out by Paul L Dawson and others. His assertion of it being ‘Napoleon’s finest’ no longer stands up to examination. Much of the accepted narrative of the day he follows has been refuted by @Gareth Glover ‘s “Myth and Reality”. A little dated. Still deserves a place in your bookshelf, but should be used with care.