The 'Mexican Adventure' was a tragedy of the first order, born of a romantic view of Mexico shared by many Europeans. This school of thought took for granted that most Mexicans were barely capable of governing themselves and that a 'generous intervention' could only be beneficial to all concerned. The Mexican conservatives, who had recently lost power, encouraged this tendency; they managed to convince Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie of France that, with French help, a great Catholic Latin empire could be established south of the United States. This empire would be ruled by the currently unemployed Archduke Maximilian of Austria with his wife, the Belgian Princess Charlotte; and would be a strong ally - some would say a puppet - of France. French troops would easily sweep away opposition and march into Mexico City. For the French Emperor it would be a master stroke: a vast new vassal empire in America, promising new markets, a 'civilising mission', and of course la gloire - just what the French Second Empire needed to recall the glories of the First, and boost public opinion in favour of the regime. René Chartrand examines the organisation, weapons and uniforms of the forces who fought on both sides of the conflict in a text accompanied by numerous contemporary photographs and illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook.

• Introduction
• Chronology
• The french intervention
• The republican army
• The french army
• The imperial mexican army
• Foreign contingents
• Conclusion
• The plates

Auteur
René Chartrand was born in Montral and educated in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. A senior curator with Canada's National Historic Sites for nearly three decades, he is now a freelance writer and historical consultant for cinema and historic sites restorations. He has written numerous articles and books including almost 20 Osprey titles and the first two volumes of Canadian Military Heritage. Also a student of wines, he currently lives in Hull, Quebec, with his wife and two sons.
Illustrateur
Richard Hook is one of the world's greatest military illustrators and has contributed to more than 30 Osprey titles. He is also an authority on the native peoples of North America, a subject for which he has had a life-long passion.