Accounts of the men of the First Empire

Under the Eagles by A. J. Doisy De Villargennes
Voices of 1812 by Arthur Chuquet

Writings of the experiences of Napoleon's foot and horse soldiers which have been translated into English are few. There are several that have become well known and well regarded, but this book contains a delightful collection of lesser known works. With De Villargennes we experience war in the Peninsula, but the remaining episodes contain first hand accounts which all deal with the shared experience of the Emperor's disastrous advance into and retreat from Russia. Here are Oriot the Cuirassier and others telling their stories across time for today's student of the military history of the Napoleonic Age.