Captain Blaze: Life in Napoleon's Army

by Elzéar Blaze

Captain Life in Napoleon's Army Elzéar Blaze recounts his life and experiences in Napoleon's army in a well-written, articulate and companionable style, that draws the reader in as though listening to a master storyteller in the flesh. Whereas most writers of military memoirs deliver linear accounts of their recollections, Blaze concentrates on the different aspects of the military experience-the soldiers, the food, the uniforms, the camp, the march, etc.-and spins fact and anecdote, both personal and borrowed, into a seamless monologue that evokes the very spirit of the Napoleonic period. Comrades and acquaintances are drawn in convincing detail, with all their idiosyncrasies and humour. Blaze is a different kind of French Napoleonic soldier, and this is a different kind of military memoir. For those who are fascinated by the subject it is absolutely essential, taking the reader into the heart of the times, in an intimate portrait of life in the infantry on campaign throughout Europe.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Memoir

196 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1995

Reviews

[Rob Markley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chatty interesting commentary on mainly non combatant matters

[Alaric Longward · Rating 5 out of 5]

While not a literary masterpiece, I wish to give it 5 stars. If you plan on writing Napoleonic saga, this gives you so many finer details on how the soldiers lived and what they thought about.