Napoleonic Skirmishers

[Mus]

Before reading the release from WCS about COG EE I never really knew that France had special skirmishing doctrine that the Allies had to catch up with.

Can anyone suggest any serious books to read about infantry tactics and particularly skirmishing in the Napoleonic period?

[Feralkoala]

You might try Swords Around a Throne by John Elting. It is a look at the French army of the Napoleonic Wars and includes sections on each combat arm, the logistics, personnel, etc. Mine is hiding at the moment, so not sure ifitwill answer your specific question, but it is a good background on how the army was organized, led, and fought.

[gdrover]

ORIGINAL: Mus

Before reading the release from WCS about COG EE I never really knew that France had special skirmishing doctrine that the Allies had to catch up with.

Can anyone suggest any serious books to read about infantry tactics and particularly skirmishing in the Napoleonic period?

Swords Around the Throne is awesome! Great book that covers so much about the tactics of the era and the differences between the armies. Fabulous book!

Another option is:
The Battle: A New History of Waterloo by Alessandro Barbero. Even better when it comes to feeling like you're there. I had never had such a good flavor of what it must have been like to be a Napoleonic soldier on the battlefield as I did after reading this book. Unequalled!
Specifically, the understanding of the impact of skirmishers is really conveyed.

[ptan54]

David Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon

http://www.amazon.com/Campaigns-Napoleo ... 0025236601