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Although we are getting closer to a precise number for the fatalities in Napoleon’s campaigns, one key question remains unanswered: what were the causes of soldier deaths? Death in battle can take many forms. Rank-and-file soldiers were more likely to die of wounds after, rather than during, a battle, while officers, who were better cared for, were more likely to survive their wounds. To answer this question in greater detail, this article will examine the sources, analyse the modus vivendi of the different branches that made up the combat forces of the armies, and then sketch a picture of three phases: battle, campaign, and retreat. Finally, it turns to soldier deaths resulting from captivity, disease, postoperative complications, and psychological trauma.