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| CONTENT: Coignet’s memoirs, rightly regarded as being among the best of the Napoleonic period, create an abiding impression of life in the armies of Napoleon and are now published for the first time in paperback. An active soldier throughout the Napoleonic Wars, Coignet witnessed the major events of the era and set them down in a thoroughly readable and inspirational account that has easily withstood the test of time. He leaves a powerful yet modest record of his life and adventures and paints a vivid portrait not only of Napoleon but also of the soldiers who fought and died for him. His own lively sense of humour and remarkably detailed observations on human nature pervade the book and make for the captivating story of an individual surviving, sometimes only just, the rise and fall of empires. Coignet’s remarkable career as a soldier began first in Italy, as a conscript, in 1800, and he went on to participate in all the major campaigns. He fought at Austerlitz and Jena, was present at the taking of Madrid and of Vienna, he managed to survive both the appalling advance to and retreat from Moscow, and later fought at Leipzig. He took part in both the French and Waterloo campaigns, narrowly avoiding capture at Waterloo itself. KEY POINTS: • Gripping drama from every campaign of the Napoleonic Wars • Brilliantly written and evocative first-hand account • Frequent close-ups of Napoleon himself REVIEWS: '...One of the more superior first-hand recollections of the Napoleonic Wars.' - David Seymour, Military Illustrated. 'Generally regarded as being one of the best memoirs of the Napoleonic period.' - John S. White in The Waterloo Journal |
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