Cannons and Men: A History of Artillery

Since the fourteenth century, artillery has been at the heart of every battle that has shaped the history of France. To write an exhaustive history of it is a daunting challenge to which several volumes would barely do justice. Such a work would need to address, in detail, the evolution of equipment and weapons systems, of organisations, of employment — which has changed greatly over time — as well as the artillerymen who brought distinction to the arm and the battles in which they excelled.

More modestly, while touching on these various aspects, this synthesis aims simply to recall what every well-informed person — artilleryman or military history enthusiast — should know about French artillery. Thus, in a first part presented chronologically, it is possible to gain a complete picture of the evolution of this arm, to learn about those who shaped it and to identify the principal battles in which its role was decisive. In a second part, the history of the arm's sub-branches as they exist today highlights the various specialities within artillery, traces their evolution, and above all deepens what could only be touched upon in the first part. Finally, in a third part, the work details the histories and lineages of all the artillery formations still on today's order of battle.