The Napoleonic Wars Forum

According to the following excerpt from Notes sur l'Artillerie dictées par Napoleon à St. Helene au Baron Gourgaud (1875 excerpt from Revue d'Artillerie) , Napoleon was inspired by the capture of Shrapnel ammunition at the Battle of Albuera to order General Eblé to study these weapons (possibly with a view to replicating them): "NOTE C. Sur le sens à attribuer au mot: Grenade. Par ce nom, Napoléon a sans doute voulu désigner les obus pleins de balles de plomb inventés par Shrapnel et essayés en Angleterre dès 1803. Un obusier anglais et deux caissons remplis de ces projectiles ayant été pris à la bataille d'Albuera (16 mai 1811), l'Empereur avait fait ordonner (lettre du 22 août 1811) au général Eblé, président intérimaire du Comité, de faire entreprendre des expériences pour déterminer le mode de chargement de ces obus à balles; il attachait dès lors une grande importance à leur propriété d'éclater au bout de leur course et de porter au loin la mitraille." I have looked without success for the August 22, 1811 letter to Eblé in Napoleon's official correspondence and several other compilations of his letter and decisions. I would consequently appreciate assistance in locating a copy of this letter.

Very interesting discussion on Napoleon's 'greatest' battles and some bold choices. I agree with another commentator that the 1814 campaign as a whole probably deserves some sort of look in but what about Friedland? Less memorable than Eylau perhaps but an excellent example of the corps system in action. Lannes pinning Bennigsen in place allowing concentration of force, Napoleon arrives, surveys the scene, turns the Russian left and then Lannes and Mortier finish off a crushing victory by punching through the weakened centre. And not forgetting that in the aftermath the French gain the Ionian Islands, Russia joins the Continental System, Prussia is carved up, Napoleon creates Westphalia for his brother and the Duchy of Warsaw. Clobbering victory, big diplomatic pay-off. None of it lasts of course but then again... what does? Finally, big battles are all well and good but what are the really interesting little battles where BIG things happen? I'm thinking of the river assault at Porto, Mortier being surprised by a Russian night attack on the Danube at Dürenstein, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia being killed in single combat at Saalfeld, the British taking their first eagle at Barrosa (which incidentally inspired the naming of the Australian wine region Barossa – misspelled you'll note) and the KGL breaking two French squares at Garcia-Hernandez. Any others?

Napoleon's Marshals: Boney's Boys in Spain. In the first of two episodes looking at Napoleon's most senior commanders who served during the Peninsular War, I speak to Josh Provan from Adventures In Historyland about the careers of Soult, Massena, Victor and Ney. https://anchor.fm/the-napoleonicist/episodes/Napoleons-Marshals-Boneys-Boys-in-Spain---Part-1-emt3ck