Recognized as the most important Napoleonic source discovered in the last hundred years, the three volume memoirs of Napoleon’s Master of Horse are also exceptionally well written, and vividly portray Napoleon during his disastrous last years of power. The memoirs of one Napoleon’s most senior ministers and closest advisors, with whom he was often very candid, remained unpublished for over a century since they were left by Armand de Caulaincourt, unearthed with by Jean Hanoteau who was eminently familiar with the period, and on part of the French ministry of War’s historical section. The notes and annotations of Capitaine Hanoteau illuminate the text for both the enthusiast of the period and the general reader. The title of “Master of Horse’ perhaps in modern light does not quite reflect the position that Caulaincourt held within Napoleon’s inner circle. He was responsible for all of the transportation for Napoleon’s headquarters, the messengers that provided the eyes and ears of the campaign and furthermore he was ambassador to Russia for a number of years before hostilities commenced. A highly decorated cavalry officer before his tenure as ambassador, his advice should have been invaluable to the Emperor in assessing the huge undertaking of attacking the Russian empire, and Caulaincourt along with many others were ignored as Napoleon embarked his last invasion. Caulaincourt had much reason to be bitter as the Emperor was quite cruel to him personally, but his narrative maintains balance and although critical of Napoleon’s decisions he does not descend into recriminations. The first volume of the memoirs includes an excellent introduction to Caulaincourt and his history outside of the time-frame of the memoirs; it covers the period 1811-1812 to the point of the Grand Armée’s retreat from Moscow. Sketches of many of Napoleon’s entourage including Berthier, Duroc, Murat et. al. feature, as do the battle for Smolensk, Borodino and the great fire of Moscow. Not to be confused with the Charlotte de Sor penned “Recollections of Caulaincourt”, which are apocryphal and according to Tulard of little or no value. This edition is superior to the translated and heavily editted Libraire edition. Author – Armand Augustin Louis, marquis de Caulaincourt, Duc de Vincence (9th December 1773– 19th February 1827) Translator – Hamish Miles (????- 27th December 1937) Editor – Jean Hanoteau (17th December 1869 - 24th December 1939)

This book tells the story of the invasion of France at the twilight of Napoleon's empire. With more than a million men under arms throughout central Europe, Coalition forces poured over the Rhine River to invade France between late November 1813 and early January 1814. Three principal army groups drove across the great German landmark, smashing the exhausted French forces that attempted to defend the eastern frontier. In less than a month, French forces ingloriously retreated from the Rhine to the Marne; Allied forces were within one week of reaching Paris. This book provides the first complete English-language study of the invasion of France along a front that extended from Holland to Switzerland.

"In 1807, Napoleon had sent him as an ambassador to St. Petersburg, where Caulaincourt tried to maintain the alliance of Tilsit. His tasks were more those of a spy than an ambassador, and although Napoleon's ambition made the task a difficult one, Caulaincourt succeeded in it for some years. In 1810, Caulaincourt strongly advised Napoleon to renounce his proposed expedition to Russia. During the war he accompanied the emperor and was one of those whom Napoleon took along with him when he suddenly left his army in Poland to return to Paris in December 1812. At the beginning of 1813, following the death of general Duroc, Caulaincourt took up the position of Grand Marshal of the Palace. He was charged with all diplomatic negotiations and signed the armistice of Pleswitz, June 1813, represented France at the congress of Prague in August 1813, and at the Treaty of Fontainebleau on 10 April 1814. During the first Bourbon Restoration, Caulaincourt lived in obscure retirement. When Napoleon returned from Elba (the Hundred Days), he became his minister of foreign affairs, and tried to persuade Europe of the emperor's peaceful intentions. After the second Restoration, Caulaincourt's name was on the list of those proscribed, but it was erased on the personal intervention of Alexander I with Louis XVIII. Caulaincourt's famous memoir, "With Napoleon in Russia" was lost for years and finally unearthed after World War I. Many years of restoration followed and it was finally published for the first time in 1933"--Wikipedia.