Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars

Rating:
Summary: an impressive first salvo
Review: Kevin Kiley's first book is a handsome volume that examines Napoleonic artillery, its theories and practices during the time when artillery began to become an equal partner in the business of battle. Its 290 pages are liberally filled with fascinating period engravings, clear maps and sixteen pages of black and white plates. Although it leans towards the French experience it also contains an abundance of material on Austrian, British, Prussian and Russian usage & mentions many more countries including the Americans at New Orleans in 1815.
Napoleon himself began as a gunner. You would expect a plethora of works focusing on the artillery of the Napoleonic Wars, but Mr Kiley's book, "Artllery of the Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815" is the first of its kind written in English.
I think it will be a landmark volume and an important part of anyone's Napoleonic library.
The book contains a panoramic view of the artillery of the period & the men who used it to such deadly effect & a detailed analysis of the science & art of gunnery of the era.
It encompasses a breadth of knowledge that pays heed to developments of the seventeenth century as well as a depth that explains how primers were made, for example. It ends with eponymous chapters on some of the great artillerists of the Age such as Smola, Senarmont, Eble, Ramsay & Drouot.
The book is peppered with primary source quotes that support the authors' views. Indeed, the work is well-supported with a cornucopia of diverse sources.
I must emphasize that the book is extremely readable. It marries a passion for the subject with a the cool technical eye of a former gunner who certainly knows the business. It will bear several readings and serve as a source of information indefinitely.
It does deal with some controversial issues. The author acknowledges such, clearly makes his case and, I daresay, the reader will make up their own mind. I found it credible.
I would recommend this book. I believe the recent rash of Osprey books on various national artilleries may prove to be a useful supplement but nowhere else will you get one volume that covers so much, so clearly, so well.


Rating:
Summary: Everthing you could want to know........
Review: This is the most comprehensive account of artillery during the Napoleonic wars I think you could hope to read (if anyone has an alternate please do review and add reference). It is a lucid and at times exciting account of the use of artillery. I think it has covered every major action of the period including some I hadn't heard of.

Not only does the book cover the engagements well, it also provides great technical details - even down to sample artillery tables from the period. Lavish illustrations are provided with descriptions of contemporary tools.

There are plenty of books on Cavalry and Infantry for this period, but their scope is far less ambitious than this work. Often by battle, country, tactical and strategic etc. The scope of this work is very ambitious, every aspect of an entire combat arm for multiple countries during a key period of history - the author has produced a great book.