The Destruction of the Imperial Army Volume 4

The fourth and concluding volume in this series - The Destruction of the Imperial Army - takes an in-depth look at events between the humiliating French surrender at Sedan and the ignominious submission of Bazaine and the Army of the Rhine at Metz as, seemingly, a succession of disasters befell Napoleon’s once proud and invincible forces.

French fortunes appeared to be at their nadir following the raising of the white flag over the walls of Sedan, but the worst was yet to come. The unsavoury infighting between the French generals at Sedan seeking to apportion blame for their defeat in battle and Napoleon’s equally humiliating interview with Bismarck and the Prussian King was partially offset by General Uhrich’s courageous, albeit ultimately futile, defence of Strasbourg. However, such sacrifice could not compensate for Bazaine’s frankly incomprehensible behaviour at Metz. His inexplicable failure to break through the besieging German lines at the two day battle of Servigny/Noisseville and his equally underhand behaviour during ensuing negotiations with the German commander, Prince Charles, le friends and adversaries - and the marshal had many antagonists amongst the French ranks - simply bewildered.

As with previous volumes, the narrative draws heavily on the French official history and Lehautcourt’s exhaustive studies, enlivened by quotes from all the major participants and eyewitnesses which provide fresh insights into the final days of this momentous campaign, which resulted in the downfall of the Second Empire and the birth of the third Republic

The book concludes with chapters on French and German tactics, weapons and warfighting, and as with previous volumes in the series, includes extensive orders of battle, casualty lists and appendices, the extensive text being complemented by numerous photographs and illustrations, period maps and copies of tactical plates taken from contemporary French and German training manuals.

Download maps 1-4 click here.
Download maps 5-7 click here.
Download maps 8-12 click here.
Download plates 1-9 click here.
Download plates 10-17 click here.

"It is almost with a touch of sadness that I am writing about the final instalment in Grenville Bird’s tremendous accomplishment in bringing to life these few weeks in the summer of 1870  that saw the end of the Imperial France of Napoleon III. I am also very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to review and comment on the entire four-volume series. So The Destruction of the Imperial Army Volume 4: Catastrophe: Sedan, Strasbourg and Metz 1870 is another epic, and an absolute whopper of a book, drawing on yet more contemporary documents and correspondence; again, much of which has never been published in English.....This is a fitting final volume in what has been for me an absolutely wonderful series. I am now hoping that the author will not rest on his laurels but will now examine the Republican  phase of the war in as much detail. Please....." Carryingsonupthedale blog