Commentaries on the War in Russia and Germany in 1812 and 1813
London: John Murray, 1850. First Edition. Octavo. Item #024068
383 pp, (1) pp. directions for the 28 maps and 16 pp. publisher's catalog printed in red and black dated January 1850. A sharp, firsthand military account by one of Britain's perceptive observers of the Napoleonic campaigns. Sir George Cathcart served as aide-de-camp to his father, the British ambassador in Russia, placing him in a rare position to witness Napoleon's disastrous invasion and the shifting alliances that shaped the fate of Europe. His Commentaries, written with a soldier's clarity and a diplomat's eye, trace the great campaign from the Russian retreat through the renewed struggle in Germany, offering detailed impressions of the Russian court, military movements (with maps and plans), strategic missteps, and the unraveling of the Grande Armée. Part memoir, part campaign history, the work stands out for its immediacy, its closely observed portraits of commanders and statesmen, and its assessment of the political and military consequences of 1812-1813. A valuable primary source for Napoleonic studies and a classic of early-19th-century military literature. Bound by Cottage Bindery (not signed) in full deep red morocco, raised bands with compartments lettered and decorated in gilt, top edge gilt, renewed marbled and plain endpapers. A very handsome copy in cloth covered slipcase.
Price: $425.00