François Marq was a modest career soldier who enrolled in the French army in April 1812. His experiences took him from the 1813 Campaign to the fields of Waterloo. He was briefly held prisoner in September of 1813 but quickly managed to escape and rejoin French forces. His descriptions of the action and the aftermath help to provide an ‘insider’s’ view of the military events. With this soldier’s account being long shrouded in obscurity, this translation grants us yet another firsthand glimpse into the life of a man who marched alongside Napoleon. Marq's recollections offer an additional, unique perspective on the Napoleonic Wars, capturing the sights, thoughts and emotions of a young soldier thrust into the midst of history's grandest stage. Written shortly after the events they depict, François’ words crackle with immediacy, transporting us to the battlefields and bivouacs of the Napoleonic era.