Good sources on foraging in Napoleonic armies?

[barbarossa2]

Anyone have any good sources (or know of them) on foraging/requisitioning/pillaging/supply in the various armies of the "Revolutionary/Napoleonic" era?

[arras]

If you mean some statistics then no. But I know that in enemy territory soldiers were allowed simply to plunder. In friendly territory (and what is friendly and what not could be pretty flexible) they usually bought food from peasants and merchants. Each soldier received pay which he could spend on food and army bought supplies also centrally for its supply train. When on move supply wagons usually dropped well behind troops so they were largely on their own. During offensives or retreats soldiers could found themselves unfed for several days.

As I understand there was not supply chain as we know it from say WWI or WWII ...or even from this game. Guns and armament could have been distributed centrally but after unit was formed and equipped in "depot" and sent to the front, other supplies like cloths and especially food was gathered locally (nobody was sending food across half of Europe). Soldiers or leading officer was provided with money to spend on food and cloths. Of course this was prone to all sorts of frauds. Soldiers also produced lot of things they needed themselves. They for example often made their replacement uniforms from fabric they bought locally (lot of soldiers learned different crafts in army). And you have to remember that service in army was usually around 20-25 years ...which meant life time. Soldiers also had to provide themselfs with most personal tools like eating kit, spur an so on. Again, they were provided with money for that.

This meant that if army spend some time in one area result could have been that it striped that area of food and other supplies. If operations took repeatedly place in the same locality (like happened in some German lands during Nap. wars) this could have been disastrous for inhabitants. On the other hand local trade and local economy could benefit quit a bit. Soldiers and Army itself bought all sorts of things ...tobacco, coffee, alcohol, etc. I was just reading that word "bistro" was invented when Russians soldiers during their stay in Paris went to local coffees and restaurants and because always been in a hurry they shouted "bystro" (means qick or fast in Russian) which Parisians adopted for themself. Army was usually companied by all sorts of merchants and providers (There was more non combatants than soldiers on campaign. If I remember correctly something like 2:1 wasn't unusual).

I was reading also good account about Swedish army during 30 years war from Peter Englund (I strongly recommend his books) and how they developed foraging system. Occupied territory was divided in to some sorts of military districts which were in turn alloted to units. Unit was then allowed to live of that district. Aim was to get as much as possible from land. Also campaigns were planed accordingly. For example army newer took the same route ...newer through lands it traveled before. If it had to return or retreat, they went through new provinces.

This played major role also in deciding where to take winter quarters. For example decisive battle of Swedo-Russian wars took place at Poltava because Swedes decided to winter (among some other things) in Ukraine, which is rich of food.

You also have to remember that unlike in games, taxes during this period were gathered exclusively in money. No grain or wool. Everything you have to pay for. Of course crown or state could own certain businesses which could produce some supplies and materials ...mines for example, armament manufactures or docks. You probably did not bought grain in Vienna to send it to Saxony. It was easier to send money and buy grain on the spot.
And last note, I was reading somewhere that foraging was mostly assigned to cavalry and armies which lacked significantly in cavalry suffered foraging problems.