Memoirs of Baron von Müffling: A Prussian Officer in the Napoleonic Wars (Napoleonic Library) - Hardcover

Von Müffling, Carl

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848328273 ISBN 13: 9781848328273

Publisher: Frontline Books, 2015

Synopsis

Müffling's memoirs provide an exceptional firsthand account of the Napoleonic Wars by one of Prussia's finest general staff officers. Müffling is best known in the English-speaking world as General Blücher's liaison officer in Wellington's headquarters during the Waterloo campaign, and as such he was one of the architects of the final victory over Napoleon.

However, his military career involved much more than this, proving him a brilliant general staff officer, although he was not always popular with his contemporaries. He made a major contribution to the development of the Prussian General Staff - the first to exist in the modern sense - and was also fascinated by military topography and cartography.

Müffling covers everything from his early posts in 1805 and his account of the battle of Jena in 1806 through to the Waterloo campaign in 1815 and his diplomatic role at the Congress of Aix-la-Chappelle at the end of the wars. His memoirs are a valuable primary source, as they are one of the few accounts written by a senior Prussian officer in the Napoleonic Wars to be translated into English.

Peter Hofschröer's introduction to this edition gives comprehensive biographical details for Müffling and examines the accuracy of certain parts of the memoirs. Müffling has attracted adverse criticism from historians at times; this edition of his work allows the current generation of readers to make a balanced judgment.

About this title

About the Author:

PHILIP FREDRICH CARL FERDINAND FREIHERR (BARON) VON MÜFFLING was born on 12 June 1775 in Halle, Prusia. He joined the Prussian Army in 1788, rising through the ranks from 1793 to 1795, becoming a 2nd Lieutenant in the Fusilier Battalion von Schenek. In 1803 he was appointed to the Prussian general staff, eventually rising to the rank of general field marshal. He wrote a number of important military studies. He died in 1851.

Review:

“Recommended for anyone interested in the Prussian army of the era, and the Waterloo segment is an essential first-hand account of the ‘view from HQ’.” (Steve Brown The Napoleon Series)

About this edition

• Publisher: Frontline Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1848328273
• ISBN 13: 9781848328273
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 560