Maida and The Neapolitan Campaign - The Armies of 1806 (Orders of Battle)

In early 1806, the focus of Napoleonic ambitions in Europe shifted to southern Italy. King Ferdinand IV of Naples had joined the Third Coalition of nations ranged against France. Having aligned Sicily and Naples with Austria, Russia, Britain and Sweden, The Bourbon king found himself dangerously exposed to French wrath following Napoleon’s victory at Austerlitz. The French emperor declared the end of Bourbon rule in Naples and launched a decisive military campaign to assert French dominance.In the second week of February, the French Armée de Naples crossed into Neapolitan territory with overwhelming numbers. The Sicilian army had divided into two wings and was unable to withstand the superior French forces, retreating before making a determined stand at the Battle of Campo Tenese. The Sicilian commander, General Damas made a valiant effort but was badly defeated in the battle, leading to widespread desertion and the near-collapse of his army.A small contingent of Sicilian soldiers managed to escape the devastation inflicted in Naples, but had to be evacuated by the British Royal Navy to Sicily. Britain would train, cloth and supply the Sicilian forces to continue the struggle to regain Naples. The conflict on the Italian mainland was however, far from over. The French faced continued resistance, notably the prolonged siege of Gaeta, a key fortress whose defense slowed French advances. Additionally, the British scored a notable victory at the Battle of Maida, and a fierce insurgency erupted in Calabria, demonstrating the determination of local populations to resist French occupation.This turbulent period highlighted not only the military might of Napoleonic France but also the enduring complexities of regional loyalty and resistance. While Bourbon rule in Naples had been effectively ended, the struggle for control in southern Italy continued to challenge French ambitions, illustrating the broader difficulties faced by Napoleon in consolidating his empire.This thirty-third volume in the Orders of Battle series covers the French, British and Sicilian armies present at four of the key confrontations that took place between February and July 1806, Campo Tenese, Maida, Gaeta and Scylla. As with previous volumes in the series, an outline of the armies and a brief synopsis of the engagements are included along with a detailed representation of the corps, commanders, battalions, squadrons and artillery batteries present. Use has been made of numerous available orders of battle to ensure accuracy by cross referencing and drawing on the best elements of each to produce the most complete record. Extensive research has also been made of the uniforms worn and the flag standards carried by the individual units to give an accurate visual interpretation of the way each would have appeared on the battlefield. A scale of 1:10 has been used to help visualise a precise image of the comparative size of each unit. Finally, the text describing the units, their strength and commanders completes what it is hoped will be the most informative record available. Read more