The Exploits of Baron de Marbot

This book is absolutely wonderful. Baron de Marbot lived a life full of dashing adventure. He fought throughout the Napoleonic Wars including the Italian campaigns prior to 1800, at Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau, Friedland, Spain, Aspern-Essling, Wagram, Russia (he was not at Borodino or Moscow), the retreat back from Russia, Leipzig, right up to and including Waterloo in 1815. That is 16 years of fighting. He was heavily disappointed by Napoleon's final defeat, loyal to the end. He was, through much of his career, an aide-de-camp to several of Napoleon's marshals, but in those days this was hazardous duty, as it meant delivering written orders across active battlefields under heavy fire. He was wounded many times, once so severely he was stripped and left for dead. The writing here is light and breezy, a joy to read, and highly entertaining. I always looked forward to returning to it after having to put it down. Those of you who have wallowed through the horrible and depressing (and largely fictitious) "Forgotten Soldier" and "All Quiet on the Western Front" will marvel at the contrast this book presents. Baron de Marbot was a man who was PROUD to be a soldier, HONORED to serve Napoleon (although he occasionally lightly criticizes him), and EAGER to fight for GLORY and for France. He describes as ". . . one of the finest days of my life" his personally leading a successful assault over the ramparts at Ratisbon while Napoleon watched. His personal opinions of those with whom he served are especially delicious. Here are many of Napoleon's famous marshals: Augereau, Bessieres, Massena, Lannes (for whom Marbot had particular affection), Oudinot, and St. Cyr all the subject of Marbot's praise and/or criticism. Fascinating. What a different view of war as a human activity this book presents. It's a refreshing palate cleanser after Sajer and Remarque.

All the history I've read about the Napoleonic Wars was a bird's eye view of grand maneuvers, but it's very difficult for a 21st century person to fathom what life must have been like in the inscrutably proper world of musket lines and lace. In this memoir, we find that the bygone culture of peasants and nobles fighting with sabers, muskets, and horses could still very much be populated by human beings not much unlike ourselves. Marbot's memoirs consist of two components: one is his own research into the events of the war, and reads much like a normal history book. Of much greater interest to us, however, is his personal recollections and stories, which is much like meeting the man in person over a beer and having him spew his opinions and experiences to you. Unfortunately, this edition does not retain as much of this personal flavor, instead choosing to retain the drier historical stuff that can be "ascertained". This is a pity, as there is a great deal we can learn about the times from Marbot's stories and rumors, inaccurate as some may be. The proper tone of this book masks from the reader the horrors that we read in today's memoirs, so it is left up to your imagination to grasp the full meaning of what "despair" or a "piteous sight" might refer to. The original is much less dry and bursts with period detail, although, much like what you might hear in a bar, is more suspect in its accuracy. It was also translated by a deeply biased Englishman, who is so fierce when he "corrects" every mention of English conduct in the footnotes that you begin to wonder just how trustworthy his translation might be. Being from another century, you will also encounter fierce anti-Semitism in a grand total of about 4 of the book's 700 pages, along with a derogatory remark slur on blacks, but this is to be expected reading a book from a less PC century.

I bought this book after reading "...Brigadier Gerard," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which was based upon the life of thisman, Baron de Marbot. I'll have you know that I found it every bit as entertaining and fascinating as the "...Brigadier Gerard" book...even moreso for knowing that this fellow de Marbot really existed. When I read "...Brigadier Gerard," I was thinking how amazing some of the adventures were, or how fortunate he had been in this situation or in that one, but when I read about de Marbot, and of his incredible exploits, I was truly mesmerized. The coincidences..the simple twists of fate, the turns of fortune, the moments of chance...Hard to believe that this fellow experienced such awesome adventures... And all the while, amidst these adventures, we are kept abreast of the latest military tactics, the conditions of the land, the townsfolk and the soldiers, of all ranks during a period that seemed not to rest from battle... I tell you it is just a breathtaking piece of work (and for a female to say that is something indeed! ) When I read this book I swear it felt so real that I could easily imagine the sounds of voices or of artillery fire, or of horses hooves pounding or sabres clashing...Even scents came alive..The scent of a grassy knoll, or of a smoldering fire, or even that of the decaying flesh of men and animals...I could see the uniforms becoming more and mroe soiled and tattered with wear and with time...I could see troops moving silently through shallow streams in the dead of night; the moonlight spread across the ground like a sheet...I could see men's breaths when the air turned cold, and I could feel their struggle within when they knew that the end was near, but dared to keep the field. This book simply pulls you in and doesn't let go. But that is quite alright. You won't WANT it to let go. It is every bit as much of a page-turner as "...Brigadier Gerard" was, and it gave me a sense of history that I failed to find in any of the booksI studied in college. Marbot so intimately describes his friends, enemies, family, and fellow soldiers, that they became not only real to me, but almost familiar to me. Additionally, It did me well to remember a time when battles were fought in a much different manner than they are today... When words like Honor and Integrity and Duty and Loyalty were of paramount importance, and had substance,...They were not merely breath with sound. I cannot say enough positive things about this book, and to keep at it here would be like beating a dead horse. Let me just say this: If you are ever at a point where you just can't seem to decide on which direction you would like to go in with your next good read, try this one while you are working it out... More likely than not, when you are done, you will kick yourself for not having gotten it sooner. ( And try "... Brigadier Gerard " too! I have reviewd this as well...!! )

I'm a Napoleonic novice,and many things in this book are completely foreign to me, but this narrative gallops right along. This edited version makes me long for the full version. The author appears to write with both candor and a very dry sense of humor (I find myself wincing and laughing-I hope not inappropriately) about incredibly brutal battle exploits as well as about the behind-the-scenes politics. The author's sense of practicality, tempered with his sense of honor makes for a very appealing perspective on the events of the era. Further, it's truly amazing what the soldiers of that era had to deal with, just in terms of physical hardships (at least by today's standards). This book has served to seriously whet my appetite to read and to learn more about this period in history.