The retreat of Napoleon's Grande Armee in Russia is one of history's most famous military campaigns. Of the 470,000 men to cross the River Nieman in June 1812, only about 80,000 returned. This book is based largely on newly unearthed military archaeological artefacts. With 1600 previously unpublished illustrations and 289 biographies of all the regiments and units, backed up with eyewitness accounts, the author has compiled a momentous contribution to our understanding of the human cost of Napoleon's disastrous Russian adventure. There were two leading consultants on this project: A.P. Sokolov, Director of the Russian State Historical Archive and Oleg Sokolov, Professor of History, a Knight of Legion of Honour order and the President of Military Historical Russian Society.