The Retreat From Moscow: The Memoirs Of Sergeant Bourgogne 1812-1813
by Adrien Bourgogne, Adrien Bourgogne (Author)
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Considered by the majority of commentators to be the quintessential personal narrative of Napoleon's disastrous 1812 campaign in Russia. The book charts the progress of the Grande Arme?e toward it's apogee at the occupation of Moscow, followed by the great fire of Moscow and the looting of the city to the terrible retreat. During the retreat the full horror of the hunger, privation are vividly depicted, not only in Bourgogne's own sufferings, but also those of his friends and countrymen. He show more stumbles through trials that proved too much for most those around him, whilst maintaining a haunting ability to describe the torments that try him. This account written partly in captivity in 1813, after capture at the battle of Dessau in 1813 and partly from letters he sent to his family during 1812, its historical significance and value cannot be over stated. show lessTags
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This is an amazing tale of privation and arduous travel that has something akin to Sufferings in Africa: The Incredible True Story of a Shipwreck, Enslavement, and Survival on the Sahara for me. It is the story of the sergeant's travels as part of the Imperial Guard, which for much of the time meant a rear guard action out of Russia and suffering among dying stragglers nearly alone. When the remnants of Napoleon's army crossed the Berezina River in November 1812, only 27,000 effective soldiers remained; the Grand Armée had lost some 380,000 men dead and 100,000 captured. This crossing is a significant episode in the book aligned with the outline of the French invasion of Russia, but the personal tales of grim basement suffering and the show more sometime travelling companions of fellow soldiers is what makes this recollection alive. show less
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Author Information
3 Works 185 Members
Some Editions
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
The Travellers' Library (148)
The Folio Society ((558) 1985)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Retreat From Moscow: The Memoirs Of Sergeant Bourgogne 1812-1813
- Original title
- Mémoires du sergent Bourgogne
- Alternate titles
- Seersant bourgogne'i mälestused 1812-1813; Memorias del Sargento Bourgogne; Bourgogne strázsamester emlékezései az oroszországi hadjáratról
- Original publication date
- 1898
- People/Characters
- Napoleon Bonaparte; Adrien Bourgogne
- Important places
- Moscow, Russia; Russia
- Important events
- 19th century (1812); Napoleonic Wars (1803 | 1815); Napoleon's invasion of Russia (1812)
- First words
- It was in the month of March, 1812, while we were engaged against the English army commanded by Wellington, at Almeida in Portugal, that we received orders to march for Russia.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)BOQUET, of Condé.
- Original language
- French
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 940.2 — History & geography History of Europe History of Europe Europe: Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment, Napolean
- LCC
- DC235 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania France – Andorra – Monaco History of France Modern, 1515- Revolutionary and Napoleonic period, 1789-1815
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 183
- Popularity
- 178,500
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.14)
- Languages
- 7 — Dutch, English, Estonian, French, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 19
- ASINs
- 15
