Cavalry was the queen of the Napoleonic battlefield. Surging squadrons of dragoons, dashing hussars or the awesome might of heavy cuirassiers often snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and decided the fate of kingdoms. In this dramatic and spirited history of cavalry in the Napoleonic period, Digby Smith examines how battles could be decided by the skilful use of cavalry. He outlines the development of the mounted arm - describing the various types of mounted unit, their roles and abilities - and then sets out to describe how cavalry could turn the tide of battle. By examining such key battles as Marengo, Eylau, Albuera, the crossing of the Beresina and Waterloo, Smith reveals how cavalry could be deployed in an offensive and defensive capacity or how an effective and well-timed cavalry charge could overcome almost any obstacle. The scenarios have been carefully selected to reveal how leadership, training, weather, terrain and the condition of the horses could affect the success of a charge. Replete with eyewitness accounts and tales of outstanding courage, this is a dramatic read as well as a fascinating insight into the role and performance of cavalry on the Napoleonic field of battle. AUTHOR: Digby Smith, also known to Napoleonic enthusiasts as Otto von Pivka, is a British military historian.

The son of a British career soldier, he was born in Hampshire, England, but spent several years in India and Pakistan as a child and youth. As a "boy soldier," he entered training in the British Army at the age of 16. He was later commissioned in the Royal Corps of Signals, and held several postings with the British Army of the Rhine. After a career in the British Army Signal Corps, he retired and with a friend started a company selling body armour, followed by several years working in the telecommunications industry. 16 pages of b/w plates.