On the Napoleonic battlefield victory or defeat could still depend on the skills, reactions and personalities of individual commanders. Even under a genius such as Napoleon the dispersal of his armies on campaign, and the lack of fast...

In 1795 the Russian army was as vast as the territory from which it was drawn. The College of War calculated that the regular army amounted to 541,741 men, plus 46,601 enrolled cossacks, and at least a further 100,000 irregular cavalry...

The retreat to Corunna is one of the epic campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. Late in 1808 Sir John Moore found himself virtually alone with his small British army deep inside Spain. The armies of his Spanish allies had been overwhelmed...

Napoleon's line infantry was founded upon that of the Ancien Régime. A total re-organisation began on 1 January 1791 with the abolition of the old regimental titles, and over the next two years an increasing number of conscript and...

Throughout the wars undertaken by Frederick the Great, probably his greatest resource was his infantry. It is a mark of the king's determination that despite wars which almost destroyed both Prussia and its army (such as the Seven Years'...