The Battle of Marengo: The First Victory of the Century (Great Napoleonic Battles) - Hardcover

In summary, it is undoubtedly a great book. The many watercolour prints, battle scenes, paintings, masses of uniform prints and detailed orders of battle, notwithstanding the reservations over the translation and maps, make this a very worthwhile work. One could spend hours just poring over the pictures. It is strongly recommended to both the general reader and the expert . For anyone who wants to recreate the armies of Revolutionary France and Austria at the turn of the 18th Century, this book is a "must have" . * MWBG Martin Pike 27/04/2015 *

On 14 June 1800, during the second Italian campaign, Napoleon narrowly won the battle of Marengo (Piedmont). This famous battle put 28,000 French soldiers against 31,000 Austrian soldiers under the command of General Melas. At first dominated, the French had to retreat nearly seven miles back. Melas believing that victory was assured left the command to a subordinate and returned to Alessandria. The adversary's delay thus allowed Napoleon to concentrate his forces, including the corps of General Desaix, which would arrive as reinforcement. Around 5:00 in the afternoon, the violent French counterattack forced the Austrians to retreat, claiming the lives of Desaix, undoubtedly the hero of the day. This great victory leads to the French occupation of Lombardy and above all reinforces the authority of Napoleon in France. THIS BOOK IS IN ENGLISH