The Invasion Of France 1814

Beset along the northern border of France by enemies that out-numbered him by at least five to one, where ordinary generals might have despaired, Napoleon went on to win a remarkable series of victories that recalled the rapidity of his brightest early campaigns. Although not enough to turn the tide of the Allies march on Paris, they are hugely important for the methods used by the Emperor in his last campaign before Waterloo. Turning on isolated parts of the Prussian Field Marshal Blücher’s army, composed of both Russians and Prussians, Napoleon won the battles of Champaubert, Montmirail, Château-Thierry and Vauchamps, inflicting nearly 20,000 casualties for a loss of 3,000 of his own men. However, this magic could not last... A well-known and respected writer on the Napoleonic Wars, Captain Maycock’s work is a fine addition to any bookshelf on a much neglected campaign. This book is part of the Special Campaigns series produced around the turn of the 20th century by serving or recently retired British and Indian Army officers. They were intended principally for use by British officers seeking a wider knowledge of military history. Title – The Invasion of France, 1814

Part of the acclaimed "Special Campaign" series of works intended for serious professional students of military history each volume is interspersed with strategical and tactical comments and illustrated by numerous sketches. The 1814 campaign in France was Napoleon's final campaign. Following their victory at Leipzig, Russian, Austrian and other German armies invaded France. Despite the disproportionate forces in favour of the Coalition, Napoleon managed to inflict many defeats. However, the Coalition kept advancing towards Paris, which capitulated in late March 1814. Napoleon was deposed and exiled to Elba and the victorious powers started to redraw the map of Europe. Napoleon escaped from Elba the following year leading to the last conflict in the Napoleonic Wars, the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

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The invasion of France by the allied armies after the battle of Leipsic had proved the German campaign even more disastrous than that of Russia the year before, was not only essentially the death-blow to the power of Napoleon, but was the first real taste France had had for many years of an experience she had so often previously meted out to her neighbors. In spite of all she had suffered from the conscription and from exhaustion of men and treasure in offensive war—or at least war waged outside her own territory—the great Invasion meant for her something far more terrible than any reverses she had yet undergone. Napoleon was not only not invincible, it appeared, he was not even able to defend the frontiers he had found firmly established on his accession to power. The allies had announced that they were warring not against France but against the French Emperor—"against the preponderance that Napoleon had too long exercised beyond the limits of his empire." Everywhere in France except in the official world of Paris, the once enchanted name of Napoleon had become recognized as a synonym of national disaster.