The Great Invasion of 1813-14

The Great Invasion of 1813-14

The novel tells the story of a group of French peasants who resist Napoleon's rule and fight against his army during the winter of 1813-14. The narrative focuses on the struggles and hardships faced by the peasants, their daily lives, and their acts of bravery and defiance in the face of overwhelming odds.

By Erckmann-Chatrian · First published 1862 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adventure · 28 chapters · 87,519 words

First lines

If you would like to know the story of the Great Invasion of 1814, just as it was told me by the old huntsman, Frantz du Hengst, you must come with me to the village of Charmes, in that province of France called the Vosges. About thirty little houses, with stuccoed fronts, and their roofs covered with dark green moss, are dotted along the borders of the Sarre; you can see their gables round which the ivy creeps and the honeysuckle twines -- the honeysuckle withered now, for winter is near -- the beehives closed with wisps of straw, the little gardens, the wooden palings, the hedge-rows that divide them from each other. To the left, on a high mountain, stand the ruins of the ancient castle of Falkenstein, destroyed two hundred years ago by the Swedes. It is now nothing but a heap of ruins, over-run with brambles and weeds. The approach to it is by an old, worn pathway, called a _schlitte_[1] road, of which you can catch a glimpse through the fir-trees.

What this Textopian page supports

The Great Invasion of 1813-14 is listed on Textopian as a novel by Erckmann-Chatrian, dated 1862 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Good citation fit

Discussion starters

Similar titles

Genres

Tags

Historical Fiction · War Novel · Napoleonic Wars · French History · Military Fiction · Invasion · European History · 19th Century · Literary Classic · Adventure · Action · Drama

Contents

More by Erckmann-Chatrian