What was he like, how did he live and why did he fight?
Many pages have been written about the French emperor, his great battles and the decisions of his generals, but who were the men on whose shoulders the victories of Napoleon I rested, and how did they live?
Why did a Napoleonic soldier go to war? What led him to do so if he went to war voluntarily, and how did a conscript cope with such a fate? Was he a child of the revolution, risking his life for the ideals of equality, liberty, and fraternity? Did he go into battle with the enthusiastic cry of 'Long live the Emperor!'? Did he die with those words on his lips? Or is it all just a fabrication of romantics and nostalgic storytellers?
This gripping tale of the daily experiences of ordinary infantrymen helps us understand the transformation of a young recruit into a hardened veteran. It depicts the everyday life of the barracks and the hardships of the campaign, the tribulations of battle and the horrors of field hospitals and captivity, the soldiers' dalliances as well as their obsession with duels, the workings of military justice, and the loving relationships soldiers had with their animal companions.The pages of this book feature men who were more interested in their loved ones at home, rumbling stomachs and worn-out boots than in Robespierre or Napoleon. Courage mixes with fear, times of plenty with hunger and hardship, demoralisation with enthusiasm, joy and humour. The stories of ordinary soldiers and junior officers are based primarily on contemporary memoirs, diaries and letters, including recently discovered sources.
Let the colourful narrative guide you through the lives of ordinary foot soldiers, from their more-or-less voluntary entry into the army, through training and long marches across Europe, to their participation in combat. You will soon smell the soup from a cauldron over the fire, hear the neighing of a horse tied up nearby, and more than once you will shiver from the cold of the night.
