With the evacuation of the English from Corunna Napoleon returned to Paris triumphant
and prepared to act on the threat posed by Austria mobilization. Austrian Archduke
Charles marched into Bavaria proclaiming a War of German liberation, while Archduke John
marched on Italy. Napoleon called up the conscripts and arrived in Donauworth with an
army of 200,000 eight days after Charles invaded Bavaria. Thus begins Napoleon’s
1809 campaign that began with the battles of
Abensberg
(20 April) and
Eckmühl
(22 April) and ended with the battles of
Aspern-Essling
(21-22 May) and
Wagram
(5-6 July).
Napoleon spent the next three years concerning himself with a new family, the Continental
System, and Russia. In Spain Napoleon’s brother Joseph failed him, Massena failed him,
Marmont failed him, and Joseph again failed him; he lost Spain to an upstart English General
who up until his entrance into Spain had only fought ‘natives’. Thus the
Peninsular War
(1807-14) for the French became the “Spanish Ulcer” as Napoleon called
it, and was probably the worse mistake of his career.
Naturally there will be many games representing the various battles, skirmishes and
other actions of Napoleon’s 1809 Austrian Campaign as well as the Peninsular War,
1807-14. The Napoleonic era has always been a great period for the wargamer, and
this theme allows for quite a cross-section of games, from formal massed European
armies to the Spanish guerilla actions, and of course, there will probably be
plenty of games involving
Sharpe’s Rifles
as well.
It is too early to determine who might be invited, but the Convention Committee
is already working on this! The Military Seminar Series will have a bevy of
speakers to represent the theme and Napoleonic era in general, as well as seminars
on other military periods and wargaming – not to be missed!
The following are some useful links explaining related background of the theme.
The 1809 Campaign:
The Peninsular War, 1807-14:
Napoleonic Wargaming Index:
Sharpe’s Rifles:
