In the entire great French army there was only one officer for whom the British from Wellington's army had a deep, bright, unquenchable hatred. Among the French there were robbers, rapists, avid gamblers, duelists and rakes. All this can be forgiven, since it was not difficult to find others like them among the English. But one officer from Massena’s army committed an unprecedented, unheard of, terrible crime; It won’t be mentioned until nightfall, unless the second bottle loosens tongues. The news of this reached England, and gentlemen from the remote corners of England, who knew little about the war, blushed with rage when they heard of it, and yeomen from all counties shook their freckled fists at the sky and uttered curses. And who do you think committed this terrible act? Well, of course, our friend Brigadier Etienne Gerard from the Conflans Hussars, a dashing rider, a bully, a kind fellow, a favorite of the ladies and six brigades of light cavalry. The stories of the old campaigner Etienne Gerard introduce us to an unusually brave, resourceful officer, an incorrigible arrogant and braggart. The interweaving of the fictional with historical facts, events and names makes the story convincing. The reader's ironic smile gives way to an approving smile when the era of the Napoleonic wars and glorious exploits is expressively revealed on the pages of the book.