Napoleon's Infantry and their Tactics - Building la Grande Armée: Part I

Napoleon's rampage across Europe from 1805-1807, not only humbled the Old Regimes, but it was also the signal for a completely new style of warfare. This style was not of the Emperor's making, instead owing its origins to military minds of the previous century, however it did come to a peak under his leadership. In part one of this series I delve into the tactics that set the infantry of la Grande Armée above its peers, discussing their origins, and how a culmination of events led to an ushering in of this new French style of warfare. Sources cited in order of appearance: The Art of War – Antoine-Henri Jomini The Background of Napoleonic Warfare – Robert S. Quimby Firepower: Weapons Effectiveness on the Battlefield – B. P. Hughes Destructive and Formidable: British Infantry Firepower 1642-1756 – David Blackmore From Flintlock to Rifle: Infantry Tactics 1740-1866 – Steven T. Ross The Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon – Gunther E. Rothenberg The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo – Russell F. Weighley Imperial Bayonets: Tactics of the Napoleonic Battery, Battalion, and Brigade as Found in Conemporary Regulations – George Nafziger The Art of War of Revolutionary France 1789-1802 – Paddy Griffith The Bayonets of the Republic: Motivation And Tactics In The Army Of Revolutionary France, 1791-94 – John A. Lynn Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies – Brent Nosworthy If you want to support me: https://patreon.com/ATimeofEagles?utm...