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Warfare in the Age of Napoleon-Volume 1: The Revolutionary Wars Against the First Coalition in Northern Europe and the Italian Campaign, 1789-1797
The first volume of a major work on warfare in the Napoleonic age
The author of this substantial multi-volume history, Theodore A Dodge, was not only an historian of stature and note but also a soldier. He wrote several well regarded histories of the campaigns and battles of the Civil War and other works of military history. Perhaps his most outstanding achievement was a series of books, published under the umbrella title 'the Art of War,' focusing on different historical periods as typified by their most notable military commanders-including the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal and Caesar in the ancient world and the wars of the 17th and 18th century as fought by great captains including Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick and Marlborough. This volume is part of his in depth study of the Napoleonic period, which in its entirety was comprised of four huge volumes that benefited from the inclusion of almost 800 small scale uniform drawings, portraits of notable personalities and numerous theatre, campaign and battlefield maps. This retitled Leonaur edition has been revised to form volumes of approximately equal size reformatted to enable us to enlarge all the illustrations and maps for the benefit of the reader. This series is an excellent history of the campaigns and battles of the Napoleonic Age but it goes far beyond the historical record. Dodge critically examines the strategies and tactics of all the military commanders in such a clear and authoritative manner that the student of military history can clearly understand the errors of those about to suffer defeat and the expertise-or in the case of Napoleon Bonaparte, the military genius-of the victors. This is an invaluable guide to warfare in the age of Napoleon and is highly recommended.
In this first in the series Dodge considers the beginning of the Revolutionary Wars and the structures, tactics and strategies of those who fought them. The Siege of Toulon and the campaigns in Italy are covered in detail including notable engagements at Castiglione, Arcole, Rivoli and others. This volume concludes as the war turns to Massena's campaign in Austria.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
The author of this substantial multi-volume history, Theodore A Dodge, was not only an historian of stature and note but also a soldier. He wrote several well regarded histories of the campaigns and battles of the Civil War and other works of military history. Perhaps his most outstanding achievement was a series of books, published under the umbrella title 'the Art of War,' focusing on different historical periods as typified by their most notable military commanders-including the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal and Caesar in the ancient world and the wars of the 17th and 18th century as fought by great captains including Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick and Marlborough. This volume is part of his in depth study of the Napoleonic period, which in its entirety was comprised of four huge volumes that benefited from the inclusion of almost 800 small scale uniform drawings, portraits of notable personalities and numerous theatre, campaign and battlefield maps. This retitled Leonaur edition has been revised to form volumes of approximately equal size reformatted to enable us to enlarge all the illustrations and maps for the benefit of the reader. This series is an excellent history of the campaigns and battles of the Napoleonic Age but it goes far beyond the historical record. Dodge critically examines the strategies and tactics of all the military commanders in such a clear and authoritative manner that the student of military history can clearly understand the errors of those about to suffer defeat and the expertise-or in the case of Napoleon Bonaparte, the military genius-of the victors. This is an invaluable guide to warfare in the age of Napoleon and is highly recommended.
In this first in the series Dodge considers the beginning of the Revolutionary Wars and the structures, tactics and strategies of those who fought them. The Siege of Toulon and the campaigns in Italy are covered in detail including notable engagements at Castiglione, Arcole, Rivoli and others. This volume concludes as the war turns to Massena's campaign in Austria.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
428 pages, Hardcover
First published June 20, 2011
About the author
Theodore Ayrault Dodge
141 books42 followersTheodore Ayrault Dodge was an American officer and military historian. He fought as an Union officer in the American Civil War, and lost his leg at the Battle of Gettysburg; as a writer, he devoted his writings to both the American Civil War and the great generals of Ancient and European history.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
July 18, 2026
Good overview of the War of the First Coalition, and especially Napoleon’s Italian Campaign. Dodge, the former Adjutant of I believe the 119th New York, seriously injured at the Battle of Gettysburg, and from them out of the War Between the States, went on to be a very serious military historian. His prior military experience, especially as an officer, and as someone who was part of the command structure, gave him a valuable insight into the topic in question.
Dodge was a very capable writer, writing in a typical, mid to late 19th century American fashion, somewhat more understated, and straightforward than Victorian prose, but certainly more nuanced, and high brow than today's even academic language, he manages to convey well the strategic and operational arts of war, though somewhat falls flat in his description of battles, or the tactical art of warfare.
Though his description of the three day Battle of Arcole really stood out as a great piece of descriptive prose, lasting quite a few pages, his treatment of the battles is sometimes uneven, largely because he telescopes outwards to ensure that the focus is on the bigger picture. His treatment of the politics, and diplomatic maneuvering, albeit taking a backseat to the military dimensions, gives enough context to know why the armies of Europe are on the march.
Clearly, as most American soldiers, on both sides of the late Civil War, he deeply admires Napoleon, but does not hesitate to critique him when he erred, or to analyze who he could have done differently, through the lens of someone attached to command in wartime, himself.
His discussion, early in the book, on the art of war of the period sets the stage perfectly for how the Napoleonic and Revolutionary Wars were Revolutionary for warfare as a whole, as well. And he sets that discussion within a deeper context of the prior century and a half of continental military history that you can actually see well how that evolution occurred.
On the few occasions when he illustrates points with allegorical comparisons to the War Between the States, he manages to showcase how much of the broader art of modern warfare Americans understood. Not to mention, as mainly a Civil War historian, I always found those observations of his quite endearing.
Overall, a good overview of the War of the First Coalition. Obviously, as a reprint of a book over a hundred years old, this is a tad dated, hence three as opposed to four stars. Read this six volume set after you have already immersed yourself in the current findings, and evidence. But do read them. I quite heartily recommend them.
Dodge was a very capable writer, writing in a typical, mid to late 19th century American fashion, somewhat more understated, and straightforward than Victorian prose, but certainly more nuanced, and high brow than today's even academic language, he manages to convey well the strategic and operational arts of war, though somewhat falls flat in his description of battles, or the tactical art of warfare.
Though his description of the three day Battle of Arcole really stood out as a great piece of descriptive prose, lasting quite a few pages, his treatment of the battles is sometimes uneven, largely because he telescopes outwards to ensure that the focus is on the bigger picture. His treatment of the politics, and diplomatic maneuvering, albeit taking a backseat to the military dimensions, gives enough context to know why the armies of Europe are on the march.
Clearly, as most American soldiers, on both sides of the late Civil War, he deeply admires Napoleon, but does not hesitate to critique him when he erred, or to analyze who he could have done differently, through the lens of someone attached to command in wartime, himself.
His discussion, early in the book, on the art of war of the period sets the stage perfectly for how the Napoleonic and Revolutionary Wars were Revolutionary for warfare as a whole, as well. And he sets that discussion within a deeper context of the prior century and a half of continental military history that you can actually see well how that evolution occurred.
On the few occasions when he illustrates points with allegorical comparisons to the War Between the States, he manages to showcase how much of the broader art of modern warfare Americans understood. Not to mention, as mainly a Civil War historian, I always found those observations of his quite endearing.
Overall, a good overview of the War of the First Coalition. Obviously, as a reprint of a book over a hundred years old, this is a tad dated, hence three as opposed to four stars. Read this six volume set after you have already immersed yourself in the current findings, and evidence. But do read them. I quite heartily recommend them.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review