The Two Great Retreats of History

The volume presents two classic accounts of catastrophic military withdrawals. The first follows a corps of Greek mercenaries hired by a Persian prince who, after his employer’s death, must fight and march home through hostile country, enduring betrayals, harsh mountain crossings, hunger, cold, sea voyages, mutiny, and the emergence of decisive leadership that secures a passage and attempts a settlement. The second abridges a Napoleonic campaign that ends with the occupation and burning of a great city and a desperate winter retreat characterized by severe storms, continuous rearguard actions, disastrous river crossings, massive loss and desertion, and the commander’s eventual departure from the shattered remnant.