The Armies of 1866 Volume 1: Organisation, Armament and Flags

By Nigel James Smith

An analysis of 1866 warfare detailing organization, training, leadership, and weaponry across German, Italian, and minor states, with orders of battle and flag details.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Wars of 1866 was the pivotal moment in modern European History, as their outcomes redrew the political map of Europe, and Prussia replaced Austria as the dominant power in Central Europe. Italy was finally unified, and German unification would follow in the next five years.

This could not have been achieved without a revolution in the fields of military technology and the way in which the armies were led, trained and fought.

Drawing on a wide range of German, Italian and English sources, this book examines the nuts and bolts of how the armies on both sides were led, how their troops were trained and organised, and with what weapons they fought. Included are details of the armies of all the minor German States and the nascent Italian Army.

The work contains extensive orders of battle of the troops that fought in Italy, Bohemia and Western Germany and for the first time in English, full details of the flags and standards of all the armies.

With extensive illustrations, photographs and tables, The Armies of 1866 is an essential resource for military historians and specialists interested in this critical period of military and political history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 180672250X
• ISBN13: 9781806722501
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Helion & Company
• Length: 260 Pages