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Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 12:57 pm

One hundred and twenty eight years ago yesterday Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperial, met his end in the Zulu War, bringing to an end the possibility of any further Bonaparte dynasty ruling France.

As though to celebrate (?) the event, Spellmount Publishers have just republished Ian Knight's 2001 book "With His Face to the Foe - The Life and Death of Louis Naploeon" in a paperback format. If you need a change from Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, I would highly recommend getting this book. Most AZW enthusiasts recognise that it is one of Ian's best literary efforts, one which is meticulously researched, unlike many of the recent batch of AZW outpourings.

Bill

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 6:12 pm

Hear hear, Bill. IK's best book.

P.

Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:22 am

I've just finished 'Anatomy Of The Zulu Army' by Ian Knight, which I think is great. Moving on to 'With His Face To The Foe'.

Can I ask this question -

Did the Prince Imperial's father turn down plans for the first Ironclad, for reasons I know not ?

I caught the tail-end of a documentary a while back and I'm sure it is he they were talking about.

I don't know if his reason(s) were the cost of such, or disbelief a ship could be made out of metal, which ended up being built during the ACW.

I can't find anything on the internet, so I may be wrong.

Please put me right on this matter.

Many thanks

Coll

Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:04 am

Coll,

Widen your internet search to include the name of John Ericsson, and you might find your answers.

Also look at La Gloire, and you discover about Napoleon III's iron-clads and their perceived threat to the U.K.

Happy hunting!

John Y.

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:42 pm

Thanks John

I had been waiting until I was going on to read WHFTTF before I asked this question.

I wasn't sure if I'd sound stupid, as I missed most of the details in the documentary.

I'll try another search.

Thanks again

Coll

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:57 am

John/Coll,

French ironclads. A fascinating story & one previously not appreciated by me - thank you for the heads up.

This forum never fails to educate!

AMB

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:31 pm

Thx John on Ericsson...I got educated too. You see we kind of were taught here that the Monitor and the CSS Virginia were the first ironclad ships but really France and England had them starting in the 1850's..(maybe not all ironclad though, right?). And it was interesting to note that Ericsson's first design wasn't like the "cheesebox on a raft" that we see today in prints but really it was kind of "half a grapefruit" resting upside down on a plate. And oh I loved this. He also had something new in his design..two mounted tubes below the waterline on both sides of the vessel capable of firing 20ft long underwater projectiles equipped with explosive heads. Something he called "hydrostatic javelins"! Interesting why he want to France with the initial offer..........he distrusted the Royal Navy and prefered to go to its enemy.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:20 pm

The University of KwaZulu-Natal Press has just published 'End of a Dynasty - The Last Days of the Prince Imperial, Zululand 1879' by Paul Deleage, translated by Fleur Webb from 'Trois Mois Chez les Zoulous', published in 1879.

Deleage, a journalist for 'Le Figaro', was sent out to southern Africa to report on the Prince Imperial's activities with the British army in Zululand and his book throws light not only on the prince but on the British officer class of the period.

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:43 pm

Stephen et al,

Further details of the Deleage book in my posting of 1 Nov 07.

AMB

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:35 pm

I've been checking around for details about Camerone, and it appears it was during the time of Napoleon III.

Apparently, he took great interest in Camerone, when he heard of the heroic stand made by a few men against the mexicans.

Am I on the right track ?

Coll

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:06 pm

A cutting of Stephen's interesting interview with Fleur Webb and the story behind its translation (Witness, 12 Nov) has just arrived from KZN. I don't know whether it appeared in the online digest of that issue, which I sometimes find difficult to get into these days, or not.

Peter

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:55 am

Coll,

Amazon have a couple of books on Camerone. I had one recommended to me by a former FFL member:The Hand of Captain Danjou: Camerone and the French Foreign Legion in Mexico, 30 April 1863 . I can't vouch for it myself, but I'm sure he would have recommended it if he didn't think it was up to scratch.

If the Prince Imperial film project I was involved in some years back had come off, then Camerone was to have been the next project.

John Y.

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:20 pm

Thanks John

Camerone - definitely a story to be told.

It seems that it isn't known about in wider circles, due to the small number of men involved. Which is a pity, I think, as the soldiers just wouldn't give in. I gather even the Mexican commander was impressed with their heroism. Rightly so.

I had been hoping to see a documentary appear sometime on the History Channel about Camerone, as many other battles have been covered.

However, I don't know if there has ever been a documentary made about it at any time. Would this be true ?

Coll