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The second strategy used by Napoleon when confronted with two or more enemy armies was the use of the central position. This allowed Napoleon to drive a wedge to separate the enemy armies. He would then use part of his force to mask one army while the larger portion overwhelmed and defeated the second army quickly.
Artillery was the most devastating weapon on the field during the Napoleonic era, and its use could leave the enemy troops demoralised. [13] Solid metal cannonballs (also known as a "round shot") were commonly used artillery ammunition. They were effective against square formations and heavily packed columns when fired almost parallel to the ...
Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars continued to use the cannon and howitzers of the previous century. These were smooth-bore, heavy, cast artillery pieces moved by limbers, usually at a slow pace. Siege artillery Siege artillery were very heavy cannon, howitzer and mortar artillery pieces used to force surrender of fortresses during a siege ...
The "12-pounder Napoleon" was widely admired because of its safety, reliability, and killing power, especially at close range. It was the last cast bronze gun used by an American army. The Union version of the Napoleon can be recognized by the flared front end of the barrel, called the muzzle swell. Confederate Napoleons were produced in at ...
French line infantry grenadier (left) and voltigeur (right) c. 1808 Cornet in imperial livery and officer of the line voltigeurs (1812). In 1804, each French Line (Ligne) and Light (Légère) infantry battalion was ordered to create one company of ninety of the best shots who would serve as elite skirmishers. [3]
Napoleon's Old Guard was the most celebrated and most feared elite military formation of its day. There were four regiments of the Old Guard infantry: 1st and 2nd each of grenadiers and chasseurs . Members of the Old Guard benefitted from a number of different privileges, including considerably increased wages from the Imperial Guard.
Napoleon seized power in 1799, establishing a military dictatorship. [35] There are numerous opinions on the date to use as the formal beginning of the Napoleonic Wars; 18 May 1803 is often used, when Britain and France ended the only short period of peace between 1792 and 1814. [36]
The Campaigns of Napoleon (1973) 1172 pp; a detailed guide to all major battles excerpt and text search; Crowdy, Terry. Napoleon's Infantry Handbook (2015) Dupuy, Trevor N. and Dupuy, R. Ernest. The Encyclopedia of Military History (2nd edition 1970) pp 730–770; Elting, John R. Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grand Armee (1988) Esdaile ...