The Russian History of the War of 1813 Volume 2

Available for the first time in English, Bogdanovich’s Russian History of the War of 1813 continues where the History of the War of 1812 left off. In describing the events of 1813, the author strives to give an accurate portrayal of one of the most important years in European history and pays tribute to the service of the Russian army in the liberation of Germany. Russia, of course, could not defeat Napoleon alone. But the Russians, having begun the war in Prussia and the Duchy of Warsaw without the assistance of allies, managed to draw Prussia into their cause, and eventually Austria, Sweden and Britain.

This book will appeal to those interested in Napoleonic military history, as well as to wargamers and gives a fascinating insight into the surprisingly cosmopolitan Russian army officers of that era. Although Bogdanovich had access to Russian state archives and private papers, he also makes extensive use of published German and French memoirs and histories in order to provide additional context and balance. Volume 1 covered the period from the Russian invasion of the Duchy of Warsaw up to the Armistice of June 1813. Volume 2 covers from the resumption of hostilities in August 1813 until the Coalition advance to the Rhine by December 1813, from the Battle on the Katzbach to the climactic Battle of Leipzig and on to the Battle of Hanau.

High-resolution colour versions of the maps included in this volume can be downloaded here

"This second volume of Modest Ivanovich Bogdanovich’s The Russian History of the War of 1813 carries on the job of telling the story of the campaign from a point of view we don’t get nearly often enough. A lot of the credit has to go to Peter G. A. Phillips’ translation, which manages to keep the nineteenth‑century feel of the original without making it heavy or hard work to read. One of the book’s biggest strengths is how clearly Bogdanovich explains events that are often rushed through or told mainly from French or German perspectives....If like me you are interested in the later Napoleonic Wars, coalition warfare, or Russian military history more generally, this volume is well worth your time. It fills in a lot of gaps, offers a perspective that is often pushed into the background, and does so in a way that is detailed, balanced, and genuinely engaging." carryingsonupthedale.com Blog