Uniforms of the Retreat from Moscow, 1812, Worth buying?

[Patrice]

If you've ever seen a bunch of Re-enactors (whatever their historical period) gathering round the campfire for breakfast on a frosty morning after a cold night you can imagine what a real "starving frozen army" could look like.

There are certainly many possibilities of skirmish scenarios, and details within the scenarios, in this context. A soldier trying to protect a horse which carries his cantiniere girlfriend, while other soldiers want to eat it and Cossacks are approaching… Soldiers taking turn to eat horse flesh and firing at some Cossacks to keep them away… etc.

Did you read "Les Mémoires du Sergent Bourgogne" it is inspiring.

[Atheling]

If you've ever seen a bunch of Re-enactors (whatever their historical period) gathering round the campfire for breakfast on a frosty morning after a cold night you can imagine what a real "starving frozen army" could look like.

 

There are certainly many possibilities of skirmish scenarios, and details within the scenarios, in this context. A soldier trying to protect a horse which carries his cantiniere girlfriend, while other soldiers want to eat it and Cossacks are approaching… Soldiers taking turn to eat horse flesh and firing at some Cossacks to keep them away… etc.

That's got Sharp Practice written all over it!

Did you read "Les Mémoires du Sergent Bourgogne" it is inspiring.

Is it available in English? If so I'll order a copy.

Darrell.

[Aaron]

You can download it for free here: http://archive.org/details/memoirsofsergean006637mbp It's a great read! One of Doyle's Colonel Gerard stories is set during the retreat also, IIRC.

[Atheling]

You can download it for free here: http://archive.org/details/memoirsofsergean006637mbp It's a great read! One of Doyle's Colonel Gerard stories is set during the retreat also, IIRC.

Ah, that's great. Thanks  .

Darrell.

[Patrice]

Some years ago they found many soldiers buried in Vilnius
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/archaeology/napoleon_army_01.shtml

Funny how these events are still in French memory. There still is an expression in French: "C'est la Bérésina", or "C'est la retraite de Russie", that people say when their preferred group/football club/association/company/political party/ etc, suffers a terrible defeat.

In my family I was often told that in June 1941 when the radio said that Germany was attacking Russia, my grandmother shouted happily: "Ils sont fichus! Ils vont faire comme Napoléon!"