The inaugural `From Reason to Revolution Conference' took as its
theme `Command and Leadership', which was explored in a variety of
different ways by eight speakers whose papers took in the armies of
France, Austria, Portugal, and Britain (and touched in passing on
those of Prussia and the Netherlands too), and whose geographical
remit encompassed North America, Europe, and Africa. This volume
presents the proceedings of that conference. The first three
chapters consider lower-level leadership, with a focus on ideas of
expertise and professionalism. Will Raffle explores the tensions
between local experts in New France and professional officers from
the mother country, taking as its case study the campaign for
Oswego in 1756. Tobias Roeder looks at the Habsburg officer corps
during the eighteenth century and the tensions between the dictates
imposed by the profession of arms on the one hand and the social
expectations of a gentleman on the other. Lastly, Mark Thompson
reviews a little-known body of men from the Peninsular War in the
shape of the Portuguese Army's corps of engineers. The next pair of
chapters address the opposing commanders in the Jacobite Rising of
1745, drawing some interesting parallels between two young royals
who were both obliged to rely on their own charisma and force of
character to address difficult and complex military situations. For
Charles Edward Stuart, Jacobite Prince of Wales, the challenge was
to create an army from scratch out of a collection of self-willed
and self-opinionated individuals. Arran Johnston looks at how he
did this, but also at the tensions that were inherent in the
Jacobite command structure. Conversely, Prince William, Duke of
Cumberland, inherited command of an army of regular troops but one
which had its morale at rock bottom after defeat at Falkirk, and
Jonathan Oates addresses how Cumberland was able to restore order
and self-respect to his command, and take it on to victory at
Culloden. The final three chapters jump forwards by a half-century,
to look at the events of the French Revolutionary Wars. Carole
Divall looks at the Flanders campaigns of 1793-1795, considering
the problems faced by generals on both sides and concluding that
all would have been far better off without the interference of
their respective political masters. Jacqueline Reiter, by contrast,
considers someone who was both general and politician in the shape
of John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, and her study of his role in the
1799 Helder Campaign both restores a reputation as a brigadier
unfairly sullied by Sir John Fortescue but also considers the
tensions caused by his dual role as subordinate general on the one
hand and senior cabinet minister on the other. Finally, Yves Martin
looks at the three very different personalities who successively
commanded the French Army of the Orient in Egypt, providing very
illuminating pen-portraits of three larger-than-life characters
each with pronounced strengths and weaknesses.
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