Russian Campaign, 1812
The Russian Campaign, 1812 chronicles the events of Napoleon's Russian campaign through the journal of the Duke of Fezensac. A professional soldier and officer, Fezensac kept his journal for family and close friends. It was first published in France in 1849 and won the high praise of literary critic Sainte-Beuve who said, "The impression that it leaves on the mind is ineffaceable."
Fezensac was familiar with both the inner circle of men under Napoleon's direct command as well as the common soldier in the field. Rather than writing a sweeping account of the massive campaign, Fezensac concentrated on telling a very personal account of what it was like to be part of the long retreat from Moscow. Lee B. Kennett's idiomatic and careful translation embodies the freshness and immediacy of the original.
M. DE FEZENSAC (Raimond-Emery-Philippe-Josephe de Montesquiou, Duke of Fezensac, 1784–1867) belonged to a distinguished noble family with a long tradition of military service. He entered the army in 1807 and participated in all the major campaigns under the Empire. He continued his career under Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis-Philippe, retiring as a lieutenant general.