The History of the Campaigns in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798, and 1799, in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, &c.
Illustrated with sixteen maps and plans of the countries and fortresses
London, 1812
This work is an early 19th-century English military history describing the major campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars during the decisive years 1796–1799 across Europe. It presents a broad strategic and operational narrative of the conflicts between Revolutionary France and the Coalition powers in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and adjacent theaters, drawing together multiple fronts into a single continuous account of the war.
Volume 1 focuses on the development of the campaigns in Central Europe and the early stages of the wider conflict escalation following the initial Coalition wars. It describes French and Allied operations along the Rhine frontier, the shifting balance of power in southern Germany, and the coordination problems faced by Coalition armies operating against France’s increasingly mobile and centralized military system.
A defining feature of the work is its extensive use of sixteen maps and plans, which illustrate troop movements, fortified positions, terrain features, and the layouts of key fortresses and battlefields. These visual materials are central to the book’s purpose, allowing readers to follow complex multi-theater operations across large geographical regions.
The narrative covers the interconnected nature of the campaigns in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, showing how French victories under commanders such as Bonaparte, Moreau, and Jourdan placed sustained pressure on Austrian and allied forces. It also reflects early British military historical interpretation of the Revolutionary Wars, emphasizing operational movement, strategic coordination, and the structural weaknesses of Coalition warfare.
