John:

Thank you for that. Those mandates you quote simply describe the overarching authority of a commander-in-chief rather than the ethics and moral guidelines for exercising that authority.

"within the limits of his military jurisdiction as necessity demands and prudence dictates, restrained or enlarged by the orders of his military or supreme executive chief”

If that is the extent of the ethical compass and restraints, we don't have any reason to damn any Napoleonic commander for his actions unless he went beyond the 'restraints' of his 'supreme executive chief'. In Napoleon's position, he was that supreme executive, so was ethically allowed to do just about anything in a time of war. Wellington too was hardly restrained 'within the limits of his military jurisdiction.'

Bill