White, Zack An Unavoidable Evil

Siege Warfare in the Age of Napoleon

Volume 148 of the series From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815. Sieges were the exception rather than the rule in the Napoleonic Wars. This simple fact may seem insignificant to the modern reader, but it represented a significant departure from the norms of 18th-century warfare. The more agile style of warfare made possible by Guibert's invention of the corps system and perfected by Napoleon inevitably led to a shift in strategy towards decisive battles. As a result, hundreds of books have been written about the decisive battles of this era, from Austerlitz to Salamanca to Waterloo. However, the sieges carried out during this period and their strategic and overarching significance have been largely overlooked in the historical record. More than a decade has passed since Frederick Myatt wrote a narrative study of the sieges of the Spanish War of Independence, and more than three decades since Christopher Duffy's book on the military experiences of this period. Yet scholarly interest in an in-depth examination of sieges as a means of understanding wider social, political and military issues during the Napoleonic era is growing. This collection brings together established and emerging experts on the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars from around the world to shed new light on this topic. It bridges the gap between high academic standards and public engagement, bringing together the latest insights on a neglected aspect of one of the most widely described conflicts in history. From India to Antwerp, from the Spanish War of Independence to the Ottoman Empire, sieges remained an important aspect of warfare in the Napoleonic era. Drawing on events such as the siege of Ismail, Wellington's sieges in India, and efforts to secure the French border after the war, An Unavoidable Evil illuminates the local and international implications of this form of warfare. It examines how the way sieges were conducted changed over time and how commanders attempted to overcome the challenges they posed for their soldiers, their overall strategic objectives, and the civilian population caught between the fronts.