Fourteen-year-old Henri Carle had heard about Napoleon’s great victories his whole life. By 1811, France ruled the continent of Europe and the name Napoleon struck fear in the hearts of those that faced him. When France prepares to march to Russia with 500,000 men, young Henri has no idea that the army he had attached himself to will be reduced to a beaten rabble of barely 20,000 within six months.
During the buildup and the ill-fated Russian campaign of 1812, Henri goes from a shy boy who is unprepared for life on his own to a confident and courageous soldier. As he is maturing and becoming a man, the army is disintegrating around him. They face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in a desperate struggle to reach home. Utilizing actual incidents and events from the invasion and disastrous 500-mile retreat, this fictional account, as seen through Henri’s eyes, brings a crucial turning point in history to life.
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