This pioneering work is the first to examine Napoleon's influence on the Civil War through direct, battle-by-battle comparison. For the generation that fought the American Civil War, the wars of the early nineteenth century were not distant history-they were a professional guide. Military education at West Point and elsewhere immersed American officers in the campaigns of Europe's great commanders, and none cast a longer shadow than the Corsican general Napoleon Bonaparte. Despite decades of casual analogy, until now, no comprehensive study has ever examined how Napoleon's campaigns shaped Civil War operations on the battlefield. Through a series of clear, apples-to-apples comparisons, author Tim Smith places nine of Napoleon' campaigns alongside their closest Civil War counterparts. The result is a fresh interpretation of how the Civil War was fought. Smith argues that the war's early years were profoundly shaped by earlier models of warfare, while its final year marked a decisive break toward a more modern, industrial style of conflict. By placing these campaigns side by side, Napoleon's Long Shadow not only clarifies how Civil War commanders operated, but also challenges long-held assumptions rooted more in legend than in reality.
Timothy B. Smith teaches history at the University of Tennessee at Martin. His many books on the Civil War include Early Struggles for Vicksburg: The Mississippi Central Campaign and Chickasaw Bayou, October 25-December 31, 1862; Bayou Battles for Vicksburg: The Swamp and River Expeditions, January 1-April 30, 1863; The Union Assaults at Vicksburg: Grant Attacks Pemberton, May 17-22, 1863; and The Siege of Vicksburg: Climax of the Campaign to Open the Mississippi River, May 23-July 4, 1863, all published by Kansas.
"Civil War-era officers often referred to Napoleon, who towered over the mid-19th-century military landscape. Timothy B. Smith pairs battles from the Napoleonic wars and the Civil War to offer a compelling examination of how West Point-trained generals compared to the 'Little Corporal' in planning, execution, and outcomes. His conclusions should spark spirited and fruitful debate."-Gary W. Gallagher, John L. Nau III Professor of History Emeritus, University of Virginia "It was a common assumption in the 1860s and since that the shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte loomed over the generals of the Civil War, an assertion often echoed without much thought. Surprisingly, no one to date has taken a systematic comparative look at the similarities and differences, tactically and strategically, in the engagements of the 'Little Corporal' and commanders in Blue and Gray. Timothy Smith has conceived the wonderfully novel idea of doing just that in Napoleon's Long Shadow. Whether it be setting Shiloh side-by-side with Waterloo, or Chickamauga with Austerlitz, the similarities and contradictions he finds are eye-opening. Readers interested in the art of command will find much to ponder in this richly researched and elegantly written narrative. And many will be surprised-and some challenged-by Smith's conclusion as to who was the one true Napoleonic commander of the Civil War."-William C. Davis, Retired Professor of History at Virginia Tech, and editor of Secret History of Confederate Diplomacy Abroad
