NAPOLEON’S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812. PART TWO For those officers who survived the revolutionary zeal of the Terror, however, prospects were excellent. In the pre-revolutionary army Napoleon could have expected to serve for fifteen years as a lieutenant, and, if he was both lucky and very able, reach the rank of major before retirement on half pay after thirty years. As it was he became a captain after only seven years and would shortly be promoted further. It was the siege of Toulon that first brought Napoleon’s abilities to the attention of the revolutionary high command. In 1793 with Austrian and Prussian counter revolutionary armies closing in, France declared war on Great Britain (and on just about everyone else). Coincidentally there were royalist risings in Marseilles, Lyon and the Vendée on the west coast and, in August 1793, in the Mediterranean port of Toulon. The British were swift to capitalise on this and a squadron of the Royal Navy, commanded by Admiral Hood, duly entered Toulon and landed troops.
NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA - PART TWO
NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA - PART TWO
NAPOLEON'S INVASION OF RUSSIA - PART TWO
NAPOLEON’S INVASION OF RUSSIA IN 1812. PART TWO For those officers who survived the revolutionary zeal of the Terror, however, prospects were excellent. In the pre-revolutionary army Napoleon could have expected to serve for fifteen years as a lieutenant, and, if he was both lucky and very able, reach the rank of major before retirement on half pay after thirty years. As it was he became a captain after only seven years and would shortly be promoted further. It was the siege of Toulon that first brought Napoleon’s abilities to the attention of the revolutionary high command. In 1793 with Austrian and Prussian counter revolutionary armies closing in, France declared war on Great Britain (and on just about everyone else). Coincidentally there were royalist risings in Marseilles, Lyon and the Vendée on the west coast and, in August 1793, in the Mediterranean port of Toulon. The British were swift to capitalise on this and a squadron of the Royal Navy, commanded by Admiral Hood, duly entered Toulon and landed troops.