The Hussar General: The Life of Blücher, Man of Waterloo

by Roger Parkinson

Without the timely arrival of the brave 72-year-old Blucher at the head of his Prussian army, the course of history could well have taken a dramatic turn. As well as telling the full story of Waterloo and Blucher's part in it, this book, containing letters and personal accounts, details a career which spanned the entire Napoleonic era. No other general clashed so many times with Bonaparte, and Blucher's life epitomizes the excitement and horror of this fascinating, yet bloody, period.

Genres: Military History, Biography, History

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Roger Parkinson (b 1939), military historian.

Parkinson has written several books on the Second World War, and in particular on Dunkirk, the Desert Campaign and Pearl Harbour, and has published biographies of famous commanders such as Blucher, Clausewitz, Kutuzov, Ludendorff and Zapata.

His papers include typescripts and drafts of books and articles, some of which were published under the pseudonym of Matthew Holden; notes and files on military history, including the Vietnam War, NATO and Malaya; notes and files on the War Cabinet papers; photographs; and reel-to-reel audio tape recordings.

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would probably rate this 3.5 as it does provide a good overview of the life of a man who was born to fight, and certainly did well at it. Blucher certainly wasn't political general, but fortunately, he had two good Chiefs of Staff when he needed them. He was courageous and always favored the bold approach, sometimes too much so.

I enjoyed the book as I didn't know that much about Blucher before I read it. One personal item of interest was the wounding and subsequent fate of his son, Frantz. It must have been difficult for Blucher's wife, Katharina, as well as the Field Marshal. She received all those letters, but we are never told much about she felt about those years alone.

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger Parkinson's short but highly readable biography of Field Marshal Blucher, "The Hussar General" is a great story. Originally published in 1975 and although only 264 pages in length he still manages to tell an interesting and fast paced account of this most interesting Prussian General. The book is packed with accounts of the battles and skirmishes that Blucher participated in during the battles of the French Revolutionary Wars and the later on during the Napoleonic Wars.

This is not an in-depth biography so don't expect too much detail in relation to the early life of Blucher, its mainly a military biography and covers that aspect of this great man's life adequately. To the military reader this book will provide an exciting story of a general that fought more battles against Napoleon Bonaparte than any other General. The narrative comes alive with accounts from participants in this exciting and horrifying but fascinating and bloody, period.

The book covers all his major actions and offers the reader a decent overview of his career. The story is well told and a number of maps are provided to assist the reader to follow the narrative although they are not of a high standard. Overall this is a great introduction to the life and times of General Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher.

[Robert Whelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Often relegated to little more than a footnote by British historians discussing Waterloo and the Napoleonic wars, this book is a powerful portrayal of Blucher that highlights how important a role he played in defeating Napoleon. A larger than life man; farmer, father, husband, hussar, and general. Ever urging his 'children' forwards.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waterloo is often seen (mostly by Brits) as a showdown between Napoleon and Wellington. This is unfair on the vital role played in the battle by Blücher and his Prussians. This entertaining, informative biography, is a good introduction to this colourful and underestimated character. I even wished it had been a little longer, as it contained good material on the psychological effects of constant combat and the awakening of German nationalism.

[Monty Milne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this rollicking account of the mad old Prussian hero, though I was surprised it does not mention my favourite Blucher anecdote (when taken up to the top of the Monument after a banquet given for him in London, and seeing the illuminated night time panorama of the city spread out before him, he is supposed to have said “Mein Gott, vat a place to plunder!”). Something I didn’t know is that the youthful Blucher volunteered to join the Swedish army when they occupied his home town. This is an interesting example of how national identity was much more fluid in the eighteenth century than in the nineteenth, and must give pause for thought to those who see Blucher as an icon of “German” nationalism.

Of course, he hated and despised Bonapartism and everything it stood for, and given the humiliation and destruction that Bonaparte had visited on Prussia, this was hardly surprising. The British were shocked at the brutality of the Prussian invasion of France in 1815, but had England ever been invaded by Bonaparte, maybe Wellington’s army might have been just as vengeful. The friendship and mutual esteem between Wellington and Blucher was genuine and pleasing to read about. Yes, Blucher’s contribution has been minimised in English accounts of Waterloo, and some of this is embarrassingly unjust. The truth is that neither Blucher nor Wellington could have defeated Bonaparte on his own. Europe was saved from the bloodthirsty Corsican thief not by the efforts of one man or one army, but by the combined efforts of all who valued peace and freedom. All Europe owes Blucher a debt of gratitude for that great service.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger Parkinson has put together a flowing and readable book on one of the most colourful and brave characters of the Napoleonic Wars. The author obviously respects his subject matter but manages to temper his bias by presenting an objective retelling of Blücher's life, good and bad.

The book rattles relentlessly through the many trials and tribulations of Blucher’s life. It illustrates time after time the man’s immense bravery and keen eye for battlefield tactics. Conversely, Parkinson also examines Blucher’s many flaws and weaknesses to provide a balanced viewpoint of his protagonist. What is pleasing is the way the author steps through historical events whilst remaining clearly focused on Blucher’s part in the proceedings.

This is a great read for amusement and education, highly recommend this book, especially if it is your first encounter with Herr Blucher.

[John Somers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent biography of the outstanding prussian commander of the Napoleonic Wars. Led his army to Waterloo at the age of 72 after having had his horse fall on him 2 days before and one of the craziest people ever to be given command of an army (he once became convinced that he was pregnant with an elephant & the father was a french soldier). He faced Napoleon perhaps more often than any other commander and with far more success yet is a somewhat overlooked figure in english language history book but is definitely worth finding out more about and this book gives an excellent insight into not just his actions but also his personality.

[Ian Willey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on a really interesting man.

Has made me want to read more on his battles

Ian