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diff --git a/2401.txt b/2401.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e717ee --- /dev/null +++ b/2401.txt @@ -0,0 +1,21935 @@ +Project Gutenberg's etext, The Memoirs of General the Baron de Marbot +Translated by Oliver C. Colt + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +The Memoirs of General the Baron de Marbot + +Translated by Oliver C. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + +The Memoirs of General the Baron de Marbot +Translated by Oliver C. Colt + +THE MEMOIRS OF GENERAL THE BARON DE MARBOT. + +Translated by Oliver C. Colt + + +Volume 1. + +Table of contents + +Chap. 1. Origins of my family. My father joins the bodyguard. The +de Certain family. Life at Lariviere. Episode in infancy. + +Chap. 2. Outbreak of revolution. My father's attitude. He rejoins +the army. I go to Mlle. Mongalvi. My life as a boarder. + +Chap. 3. My father is posted to Toulouse. He takes me with him. +The convoy of aristocrats. Life at Toulouse. I am taken to +Soreze. + +Chap. 4. Life at Soreze. Early hardships. Visit of representative +of the people. + +Chap. 5. I join my family in Paris. My father is given command of +the 17th division in Paris. He refuses to join with Sieyes and +hands the command to Lefebvre. + +Chap. 6. My father is posted to Italy. How my career is begun. I +become a Hussar. + +Chap. 7. My father leaves. Meeting with Bonaparte at Lyon. An +adventure on the Rhone. The cost of a Republican banquet. I am +presented to my commanding officer. + +Chap. 8. Arrival at Nice. My mentor Pertelay. I become a true +Hussar. I join the "clique". My first duel. We rustle some +cattle. The "Clique". + +Chap. 9. How I get immediate promotion. The capture of 17 enemy +Hussars. + +Chap. 10. Campaign in Piedmont. General Macard. Capture of enemy +cannons. I am promoted to Sous-lieutenant. I become aide de camp +to my father. + +Chap. 11. Retreat of the right wing of the army to Genoa. My +father wounded. The siege. My friend Trepano. Death of my father. +Famine and fighting. + +Chap. 12. Episodes in the siege. Fate of Austrian captives. + +Chap. 13. Napoleon crosses the St. Bernard. Massena yields. +Marengo. I return to my family. My extreme prostration. + +Chap. 14. I am temporary aide de camp to Bernadotte. We go to +Tours. + +Chap. 15. At Brest and Rennes. I am posted to the 23rd Chasseurs, +in Portugal. Journey from Nantes to Salamanca. We form the right +wing of the Spanish army. Return to France. + +Chap. 16. On the road from Bayonne to Toulouse. The inspection. + +Chap. 17. The events at Rennes. My brother Adolphe is involved +and is sent to prison. Death of my brother Theodore. + +Chap. 18. The school at Versailles. My mother's brothers. + +Chap. 19. Preparations for invasion of Britain. I become aide de +camp to Augereau. + +Chap. 20. Augereau. + +Chap. 21. From Bayonne to Brest. 1804. Pichegru. Death of Duc +d'Enghien. Bonaparte becomes emperor. + +Chap. 22. 1805. Institution of Legion of Honour. Camp at +Boulogne. I am made lieutenant. Death of my brother Felix. +Russia and Austria declare war. + +Chap. 23. The army heads for the Rhine. Mission to Massena. +Jellachich surrenders. The Hungarian Colonel. + +Chap. 24. The march to Vienna. The battle at Dirnstein. Lannes +and Murat bluff their way across the Danube. + +Chap. 25. Hollabrunn. I bring the flags captured at Breganz to +the Emperor. The danger of a white lie. + +Chap. 26. The Prussian Ambassador. Austerlitz. I save a Russian +sergeant. + +Chap. 27. Meeting of the Emperors. Return to my unit. Darmstadt +and Frankfurt. + +Chap. 28. Mission to Prussia. Situation in Prussia. + +Chap. 29. State of Prussian army. Wurtzberg. Saalefeld and death +of Prince Louis. Augereau and his former companions. + +Chap. 30. Jena. The Cure. Auerstadt. The behaviour of Bernadotte. + +The entry into Berlin. + +Chap. 31. Demoralisation of Prussians. Origin of the house of +Rothschild. With Duroc to the King of Prussia. Graudentz. The +army at the Vistula. + +Chap. 32. Crossing of the Ukra. Various encounters. Cantonments +on the banks of the Vistula. + +Chap. 33. 1807. Made Captain. Eylau. Destruction of Augereau's +corps. + +Chap. 34. My part in the battle of Eylau. My mare Lisette. I +escape death by a miracle. Return to Warsaw and Paris. + +Chap. 35. Missions for the Emperor. I join Marshal Lannes. +Hostilities resumed June 11th. + +Chap. 36. Battle of Friedland. I escape from dangers. Treaty of +Tilsitt. + +Chap. 37. Mission to Dresden. An unwitting smuggler. An incident +at Mainz. Paris and La Houssaye. + + + +Introduction. General, later the Baron, Marbot, came from a +family which might be described as landed gentry. His father +served in the bodyguard of Louis XV and later in the Republican +army. Marbot himself was a soldier from the age of 17 and fought +in the wars of the Republic and the campaigns of Napoleon. His +memoirs were written for his family and his intimate circle, +without thought of publication, and it was not until after his +death in 1854 that his family were persuaded to offer the +manuscript to publishers. + +This is not a meticulously researched historical document, but +the reminiscences of an old soldier, writing of events which took +place many years earlier and I suspect that like most of us when +we try to recall things that happened forty years ago his memory +was a trifle indistinct. + +By far the greater part of his narrative has the ring of truth, +but in my opinion there are places where his imagination has +embroidered the facts. This is particularly so when it comes to +some of his personal adventures. He also,in my view, describes as +real, events in which he did not take part and which may be no +more than popular rumour. + +It has to be remembered that there were no inquisitive war +correspondents attached to the "Grande Armee" and news was what +was written in Napoleon's bulletins. + +As an example of the kind of thing which raises a question in my +mind, in his opening chapter he says that he was a very sturdy +infant and that the only illness he ever suffered from was +small-pox. This does not seem probable; an outbreak of small-pox +in the family would be a disastrous occurrence, it is a disease +with a high mortality and could not be dismissed as a childish +complaint. He also goes on to describe how his head got stuck in +the cat-hole, but in the original he claims that his face turned +blue and that he was being strangled when his father removed the +door from its hinges to extricate him. Anyone who has attempted +to remove a door from its hinges knows that you cannot do so +without opening the door and using at least a screwdriver. It is +also an operation which is difficult to perform single-handed and +with a small child stuck in it even more so. He says that he was +about three or four at the time, and the long-term memory does +not start developing in a child until around the age of four. I +think it more than likely that that good Baron has a false +recollection derived from being told of these goings on by his +mother and truly believes that he remembers them. A misdiagnosis +of small-pox would not be surprising given the inadequate state +of medical knowledge and practice of the time. + +I do not doubt that he ran great danger and was seriously injured +at Eylau, but there are elements in his recital which although +they enhance the drama and would pass muster with the lay reader, +are open to criticism by anyone with a medical training. He says +that while he was attempting to release the "Eagle" from its +standard, a bullet passed through his hat without touching his +head. As a result of this he claims that he found himself +paralysed and unable to use his legs to urge his horse forward, +although he remained mentally perfectly clear. He says that the +passage of the bullet close to his head caused bleeding from his +nose and ears and even from his eyes, signs which a clinician +would regard as probably indicating a serious fracture of the +base of the skull. + +I am not a neurologist, but I can think of no neurological injury +which would produce the type of paralysis which he describes +except a high lesion of the spinal cord. What is more, within a +few moments he is in the saddle of a galloping horse and I cannot +imagine that anyone suffering from a form of paralysis could +remain there for very long. + +The thoughtful reader may also wonder how the soldier who robbed +him as he lay unconscious could suppose that he was dead, an +unconscious person is quite plainly breathing. + +Could it be that having been rendered unconscious as a result of +the fall from his horse, he has some degree of retrograde amnesia +and has invented details to fill the gaps in his memory, or could +it be that writing, as he was, for his family and friends, he was +indulging in a little pardonable exaggeration. + +In spite of these reservations the story he tells is full of life +and interest, and gives a vivid impression of war as it was +fought then, including all its horrors and disasters. + +In this translation I have not deviated from the gist of events, +but I have taken the liberty of making a variety of omissions and +emendations, with the aim of adding credibility to some of the +events, such as those noted above. I have also prefaced some of +his anecdotes, which he retails as fact, with the words "It is +believed that..." or something to that effect. + +The campaigns can be followed by the use of a good atlas, but +unfortunately the many upheavals which Europe has undergone since +those days has resulted in many of the names of places being +changed. The curious reader may well find maps dealing with the +Napoleonic wars in any well stocked public library. + +All translation requires some degree of paraphrase. What sounds +well in one language may sound ridiculous if translated literally +into another. I have endeavoured to produce a version of these +memoirs acceptable to the English-speaking reader, whether I have +succeeded or not only the reader can say. + +Oliver C. Colt + + +THE MEMOIRS OF GENERAL THE BARON DE MARBOT. + +Translated by Oliver C. Colt + +Chap. 1. + +I was born on the 18th August 1782 at my father's Chateau of +Lariviere, in the beautiful valley of Beaulieu, on the borders of +Limousin and Quercy--now the department of Correze--where my +father owned a considerable property. + +The family of Marbot was of noble origin, although for a long +time they had not preceded their name by any title. To use a then +current expression, they lived nobly, that is to say on the +income from their estates, without engaging in any form of +employment. They were allied to and joined in the society of +several of the important families of the district. + +I mention this because, at a time when the nobility were so +haughty and powerful, it shows that the family had a social +position of considerable standing. + +My father was born in 1753. He had a rather fiery temperament, +but he was so good-hearted that, after a first outburst, he +always sought to make one forget any hasty words which he might +have uttered. He was a fine figure of a man, very tall and well +built, with handsome, manly features. + +My grandfather had become a widower when my father was still at +school. His house was run by one of his elderly cousins, the +oldest of the demoiselles Oudinet of Beaulieu. She gave +unstinting care to my grandfather, who, having become almost +blind as a result of a flash of lightning, which had struck near +him, no longer went out of his manor. Thus my father, when he +reached manhood, faced by an infirm old man and an aunt devoted +to his least wishes, could have played fast and loose with the +family fortune. He did not, however, abuse his position, but as +he had a great fancy for a military career, he accepted a +proposal which was made to him by colonel the Marquis d'Estresse, +a neighbour and close friend of the family, which was to have him +enrolled in the bodyguard of the king, Louis XV. + +Being under the auspices of the Marquis d'Estresse, he was +received in a number of houses; notably that of +lieutenant-general the Comte de Schomberg, the inspector-general +of cavalry, who, recognising my father's worth, had him posted to +his regiment of dragoons as captain, and took him as his +aide-de-camp. + +On the death of my grandfather my father was still unmarried, and +his fortune, as well as his place in the Royal Bodyguard, put him +in a position to choose a wife, without the likelihood of being +refused. + +There lived at that time, in the Chateau de Laval de Cere, about +a league from Lariviere, a family of noble rank but without much +money, named de Certain. The head of this house was stricken by +gout and so his affairs were managed by Madame de Certain, an +admirable woman, who came from the noble family of de Verdal, who +claim to have Saint Roch amongst the kinsfolk of their ancestors +on the distaff side, a Verdal, so they say, having married a +sister of the Saint at Montpellier. I do not know how much truth +there is in this claim, but before the Revolution of 1789, there +was, at the gateway of the old chateau of Gruniac, owned by the +de Verdals, a stone bench, which was greatly venerated by the +inhabitants of the nearby mountains, because, according to +tradition, St. Roch, when he came to visit his sister, used to +sit on this bench, from where one can view the countryside, which +one cannot do from the chateau, which is a sort of fortress of +the gloomiest kind. + +The de Certains had three sons and a daughter, and as was the +custom at that time they added to their family name that of some +estate. Thus the eldest son was given the name Canrobert: this +eldest son was, at the time of which I write, Chevalier de St. +Louis and a captain in the infantry regiment of Penthievre; the +second son who was called de L'Isle was a lieutenant in the same +regiment; the third son, who had the surname La Coste served, +like my father, in the Royal Bodyguard; the daughter was called +Mlle. Du Puy,and she was my mother. + +My father became a close friend of M. Certain de La Coste, and it +would have been difficult to do otherwise, for quite apart from +the three months which they spent in quarters at Versailles +during their period of duty, the journeys which they made +together, twice a year, were bound to make a bond between them. + +At that time public coaches were very few in number, dirty, +uncomfortable, and travelled by very short stages; also it was +considered not at all fashionable to ride in them. So, gentry who +were old or in poor health travelled by carriage, while the young +and officers in the armed forces went on horseback. There was an +established custom among the Bodyguard, which today would seem +most peculiar. As these gentlemen did only three months on duty, +and as in consequence the corps was split into four almost equal +sections, those of them who lived in Brittany, the Auvergne, +Limousin and other parts of the country where there were good +small horses had bought a number of these at a price not +exceeding 100 francs, which included the saddle and bridle. On a +fixed day all the Bodyguards from the same province, who were +called to go and take up their duties, would meet, on horseback, +at an agreed spot and the cheerful caravanserai would take the +road for Versailles. + +They made twelve to fifteen leagues each day, sure of finding +every evening, at an agreed and reasonable price, a good lodging +and a good supper at the inns previously arranged as stopping +places. They went happily on their way, talking, singing, putting +up with bad weather or heat as they did with accidents and +laughing at the stories which all, in turn, had to tell as they +rode along. + +The group grew in size by the arrival of Bodyguards from the +provinces through which they passed until, at last, the various +parties arrived from all parts of France to enter Versailles on +the day on which their leave expired, and, in consequence, at the +moment of departure of those guards whom they had come to +relieve. Then each of these latter bought one of the ponies +brought by the new arrivals, for which they paid 100 francs, and +forming fresh groups they took to the road for their paternal +chateaux, where they turned the horses out to grass for nine +months, until they were taken back to Versailles and handed over +to other comrades-in-arms. + +My father, then, was a close friend of M. Certain de La Coste, +who shared the same quarters and belonged, like him, to the +company de Noailles. On their return to the country they saw much +of each other, and he made the acquaintance of Mlle. Du Puy. +Mlle. Du Puy was pretty and high spirited, and although she would +have little in the way of dowry, and although several rich +matches were offered to my father, he preferred Mlle. Du Puy, and +he married her in 1776. + +We were four brothers: the eldest Adolphe, myself the second, +Theodore the third and Felix the last. There was a gap of about +two years between our ages. + +I was very sturdy and suffered only some minor illnesses, but +when I was about three, I had an accident which I can still +remember. + +Because I had a rather turned-up nose and a round face, my father +called me "pussy-cat". It needed no more than this to give a +small child the desire to imitate a cat; so it was my greatest +pleasure to go about on all fours, mewing. I was also in the +habit of going up to the second floor of the chateau to join my +father in a library, where he spent the hottest hours of the day. +When he heard the "miaow" of his little cat, he came and opened +the door and gave me a picture-book to look at while he continued +his reading. These little sessions gave me infinite pleasure. One +day, however, my visit was not so well received as usual. My +father, perhaps absorbed in his book, did not open the door for +his little cat. In vain, I redoubled my "miaows" in the most +appealing tone which I could produce. The door remained closed. +Then I saw, at floor level, an opening called a cat-hole, which +is present in all the chateaux of the Midi, at the bottom of the +doors, to allow cats free access. This route seemed, naturally, +to be for me: I put my head through, but that was as far as I +could go. I then tried to withdraw my head, but my head was stuck +and I could go neither forward nor back, but I was so much +identified with my role as a cat that instead of speaking, to let +my father know my predicament, I "miaowed" at the top of my +voice, like a cat that is angry, and it appears that I did so in +such a natural tone that my father thought that I was playing, +but suddenly the "miaows" became weaker, and turned into crying +and you may imagine my father's concern when he realised what had +happened. It was only with great difficulty that I was freed and +carried, half unconscious, to my mother, who thinking I was +injured was much distressed. + +A surgeon was sent for, who proceeded to bleed me, and the sight +of my own blood and the crowd of all the inhabitants of the +chateau, gathered about my mother and me, made such a vivid +impression on my young imagination that the event has remained +for ever fixed in my memory. + +Chap. 2. + +While my childhood was rolling by peacefully, the storm of +revolution which had been growling in the distance, drew ever +nearer, and it was not long before it broke. We were in 1789. + +The assembly of the States General stirred up all manner of +passions, destroyed the tranquillity enjoyed by the province in +which we lived and introduced divisions into all families, +particularly into ours; for my father, who for a long time had +railed against the abuses to which France was subjected, +accepted, in principle, the improvements which were mooted, +without foreseeing the atrocities to which these changes were +going to lead; while his three brothers-in-law and all his +friends rejected any innovation. This gave rise to animated +discussions, of which I understood nothing, but which distressed +me because I saw my mother in tears as she tried to keep the +peace between her brothers and her husband. For my part, although +I did not understand what was going on, I naturally took sides +with my father. + +The Constituent Assembly had revoked all feudal rents. My father +possessed some of these which his father had purchased. He was +the first to conform to the law. The peasantry who had been +waiting to make up their minds until my father gave them a lead, +refused to continue paying these rents once they knew what he had +done. + +Shortly after this, France having been divided into departments, +my father was named administrator for the Correze and then a +member of the Legislative Assembly. + +My mother's three brothers, and nearly all the nobility of the +county had hurriedly emigrated. War seemed to be imminent, so, to +persuade all citizens to take up arms, and also, perhaps, to find +out up to what point they could count on the populace, the +government arranged for the rumour to be spread throughout all +the communes of France, that the "Brigands" led by the emigres, +were coming to destroy all the new institutions. The tocsin was +rung by all the churches; everyone armed themselves with whatever +they could lay hands upon; a National Guard was organised; the +country turned into an armed camp while it waited for these +imaginary "Brigands" who, in every commune, were said to be in +the one next door. Nothing ever appeared, but the effect +remained: France found herself in arms and had shown that she was +prepared to defend herself. + +We children were then alone in the country with our mother. This +alert, which was called "The day of fear" surprised me and would +probably have alarmed me, had I not seen my mother remain so +calm. I have always thought that my father had discreetly warned +her of what was about to happen. + +All went well at first, without any excess on the part of the +peasants, who, in our part of the country, retained much respect +for the ancient families; but soon, stirred up by demagogues from +the towns, the country-dwellers invaded the houses of the nobles, +under the pretext of looking for hidden emigres, but in fact to +exact money and to seize the title deeds of feudal rents, which +they burned in a big bonfire. From the height of our terrace, we +saw these ruffians, torches in their hands, running towards the +Chateau d'Estresse, from which all the men had emigrated and +which was occupied only by women. These were my mother's best +friends, and so she was greatly upset by this spectacle. Her +anxiety was redoubled by the arrival of her own aged mother, who +had been driven out of her chateau, which was declared national +property because of the emigration of her three sons...! + +Up until then, my father's property had been respected; largely +because his patriotism was known, and because, to give further +proof of it, he had taken service in the army of the Pyrenees as +captain in the Chasseurs des Montagnes, at the end of his term in +the legislative assembly. But the revolutionary torrent swept +over everyone; the house at St. Cere, which my father had bought +ten years before, was confiscated and declared national property +because the deed of sale had been signed privately and the seller +had emigrated before ratifying the deal before a notary. My +mother was given a few days to remove her linen, then the house +was put up for auction and was bought by the president of the +district who had himself arranged for its confiscation! + +At last, the peasants, stirred up by some agitators from +Beaulieu, came in a body to my father's chateau and insisted, +though with some politeness, that they had to burn the deeds of +feudal rents which we still had, and make sure that emigres were +not concealed in the chateau. + +My mother received them with fortitude, handed over the deeds and +pointed out to them that, knowing her brothers to be sensible +people, they should not suppose that they would emigrate only +then to come back to France and hide in her chateau. + +They accepted the correctness of this line of reasoning, ate and +drank and having burned the deeds in the centre of the courtyard, +they left without doing any further damage, shouting "Long live +France and citizen Marbot!" And charging my mother to write to +him to say that they liked him very much and that his family was +quite safe among them. + +In spite of this assurance, my mother felt that her position as +the sister of emigres might expose her to a great deal of +unpleasantness from which even her position as the wife of a +defender of the country would not protect her. She decided to go +away for the time being. She told me later that she took this +step because she was convinced that the revolutionary storm would +last only for some months. There were many people who thought +this! + +My grandmother had had seven brothers, all of whom, as was usual +in the Verdal family had been soldiers and knights of St. Louis. +One of them, a former battalion commander in the infantry +regiment of Penthievre, had married, on retirement, the rich +widow of counsellor of the parliament of Rennes. My mother +decided to go and stay with her and was counting on taking me +with her, when I was smitten by a number of large and very +painful boils. It was impossible to travel with a child of eight +in such a state, and my mother was in great perplexity. She was +extricated by a worthy lady, Mlle. Mongalvi, who was much devoted +to her and whose memory will always be dear to me. Mlle. +Mongalvi lived at Turenne and ran boarding establishment for +young ladies of which my mother had been one of the first +occupants. She offered to take me into her house for the few +months of my mother's absence. My father's agreement having been +obtained, I left and was installed there. "What!" you may say, "A +boy amongst young ladies?" Well yes, but do not forget that I was +a quiet, peaceable, obedient child, and I was only eight years +old. + +The boarders who stayed with Mlle. Mongalvi, where my mother had +once been one of them, were young persons of some sixteen to +twenty years of age; the youngest being at least fourteen, and +were sensible enough to let me mingle with them. + +On my arrival, all this little feminine flock gathered about me +and received me with such cries of pleasure and warm caresses +that, from the first instant, I thought myself lucky to have made +this trip. I figured that it would not last long and I believe +that, secretly, I even regretted that I would have only a short +time to spend with these nice young ladies, who did everything to +please me and argued as to who was to hold my hand. + +However, my mother left and went to stay with my uncle. Events +moved forward rapidly. The terror bathed France in blood. Civil +war broke, out in the Vendee and in Brittany. Travel there became +absolutely impossible, so that my mother, who had thought to +spend two or three months at Rennes, found herself stuck there +for several years. + +My father continued on active service in the Pyrenees and in +Spain, where his ability and courage had raised him to the rank +of divisional general; while I, having gone as a boarder for a +few months, stayed for some four years, which were for me years +of much happiness, clouded only, from time to time, by the memory +of my parents; but the good Mlles. Mongalvi and their boarders +would then redouble their kindness, to dispel those thoughts +which now and then saddened me. I was spoiled beyond belief by +the mistresses and the boarders; I had only to wish for something +to obtain it. There was nothing too good or too fine for me. My +health recovered completely. I was clean and fresh, so they vied +with one another to cuddle me. During recreation, which took +place in a vast enclosure, where there was a fine garden, with +paddocks, vines and arbours, the young ladies would crown me and +garland me with flowers, then placing me on a little litter +covered with roses, they would take it in turns to carry me while +they sang. At other times I would play prisoners base with them, +having the privilege of always catching but never being caught. +They would read stories to me and sing songs. They competed to do +something for me. + +I recall, that on hearing of the horrible execution of Louis XVI, +Mlle. Mongalvi had all the boarders on their knees, to recite +prayers for the repose of the soul of the unfortunate king. The +indiscretion of any one of us could have brought down disaster on +her head, but all the pupils were of an age to understand, and I +felt that it was something I should not talk about; so no one +knew anything about it. I stayed in this pleasant retreat until +November 1793. + +Chap. 3. + +When I was eleven and a half years old, my father was given +command of a camp which was set up at Toulouse. He took advantage +of a few days leave to come and see me and to arrange his +affairs, which he had not been able to do for several years. He +came to Turenne, to the house of one of his friends, and hurried +to my lodging. He was in the uniform of a general officer, with a +big sabre, his hair cut short and unpowdered and sporting an +enormous moustache, which was in remarkable contrast to the +costume in which I was used to seeing him when we lived +peacefully at Lariviere. + +I have said that my father, in spite of his stern masculine +looks, was a kind man, and particularly toward children, whom he +adored. I saw him again with the keenest transports of delight, +and he overwhelmed me with caresses. He stayed for several days +at Turenne; he warmly thanked the good mesdames Mongalvi for the +truly maternal care they had taken of me; but when he asked me a +few questions, it was easy for him to see that though I had a +good knowledge of prayers and litanies and lots of hymns, my +remaining education was limited to some notions of history, +geography, and spelling. He considered also, that, being now in +my twelfth year, it was not possible to leave me in a boarding +establishment for young ladies, and that it was time to give me +an education which was more masculine and more extensive. He had +resolved therefore, to take me with him to Toulouse, to where he +had also brought Adolphe, and to place us both in the military +college of Soreze, the sole great establishment of this kind +which the revolutionary turmoil had left standing. + +I left, after bidding a tender farewell to my young friends. We +headed for Cressensac, where we were joined by Captain Gault, my +father's aide-de-camp. While the coach was being got ready, +Spire, my father's old servant, who knew that his master intended +to travel day and night, made up packages of food. + +At this moment a new spectacle was presented to me: a mobile +column, composed of gendarmes, national guards and volunteers, +entered the town of Cressensac with a band playing at its head. I +had never seen anything like it, and it seemed to me quite +superb, but I was unable to understand why, in the midst of all +these soldiers, there was a dozen coaches filled with old men, +women and children, all of whom looked extremely sad. This sight +infuriated my father. He drew back from the window and, striding +about with his aide-de-camp, whom he could trust, I heard him +burst out, "These miserable members of the convention have ruined +the revolution which could have done so much good. There you see +yet more innocent people who are being thrown into gaol because +they are landowners or are related to emigres; it is disgusting!" + +Why, you may ask, did my father continue to serve a government +which he despised? It was because he thought that to confront the +enemies of France was honourable, but did not mean that the +military condoned the atrocities which the convention committed +in the interior of the country. + +What my father had said, had interested me in the people in the +coaches. I gathered that they had been, that morning, seized from +their chateaux and were being led away to the prisons of +Souilhac. They were old men, women and children, and I was +wondering to myself how these frail people could present any +danger to the country, when I heard several of the children +asking for food. One lady begged a national guard to let her get +out to go and buy something to eat. He refused her, rudely, and +when the lady produced an "assignat" and pleaded with him to go +and buy some bread, he replied, "Do you take me for one of your +former lackeys?" This brutality angered me. I had noticed that +Spire had placed in the pockets of the coach, a number of +bread-rolls in the centre of which was a sausage; I took two of +these rolls, and drawing near to the coach holding the child +prisoners, I threw them in, when the guards were not looking. The +mothers and the children made signs to me of such gratitude that +I resolved to give food to all the other prisoners, and piece by +piece, I gave them all the provisions which Spire had made for +the two days journey to Toulouse, which we were about to make. We +left, at last, without Spire having any suspicion of the +distribution which I had just made. The little prisoners blew me +kisses and their parents waved to me; but no sooner were we some +hundred paces from the post-house than my father, who had been in +haste to get away from a spectacle which distressed him, and had +not wished to eat at the inn, felt hungry, and asked for the +provisions. Spire pointed to the pockets in which he had placed +them. My father and M. Gault rummaged through all the interior of +the coach, but found nothing. My father grew angry with Spire, +who from the height of his seat, swore by all the saints that he +had stuffed the coach with food for two days. I was somewhat +embarrassed; however, I did not want poor Spire to be blamed any +longer, so I admitted what I had done. I expected to be scolded +for acting without authority, but my father put his arm round me +in the most affectionate manner, and many years after he still +spoke with pleasure of my conduct on this occasion. + +From Cressensac to Toulouse the road was full of volunteers, +going to join the army of the Pyrenees, and making the air ring +with patriotic songs. I was charmed by this bustling spectacle +and would have been happy had it not been for my physical +suffering. I had never made a long journey by coach before, and I +was sea-sick throughout the trip, which decided my father to stop +every night to allow me some repose. I arrived at Toulouse +feeling very tired, but the sight of my brother, from whom I had +been parted for four or five years, gave me so much joy that I +very soon recovered. + +My father, with the rank of divisional general, commanding the +camp situated at Miral, close to Toulouse, was entitled to a +billet, and the municipality had assigned to him the fine town +house of Resseguier, whose owner had emigrated. Madame de +Resseguier and her son had retreated to the most distant rooms, +and my father gave orders that the strictest regard was to be +given to their unhappy position. + +My father's house was much frequented. Every day there were +visitors, and he had a great deal of expense, for although at +that time a divisional general received eighteen rations of all +kinds, and his aides-de-camp a similar amount, it was not enough. +He had to buy a host of things and as the state gave to a general +officer what it gave to a sous-lieutenant, that is eight francs a +month in cash, the rest being made up in assignats, the value of +which diminished daily, and as my father was very generous, +entertained many of the officers from the camp, had numerous +domestic servants (at that time called servitors), had eighteen +horses, a coach, a box at the theatre etc...He spent the savings +which he had accumulated at Lariviere, and it was from the time +of his re-entry into military service that the decline of his +fortune began. + +Although the "Terror" was now at its height and class distinction +was greatly weakened in France, from whence all good manners +seemed to have removed themselves forever, my father knew so well +how to impose them on the many officers who came to his quarters, +that the most perfect politeness ruled in his salon and at his +table. + +Among the officers employed at the camp, my father had taken a +great liking to two, who were invited more often than the others. + +One was named Augereau and was the adjutant-general, that is to +say colonel of the general staff, the other was Lannes, a +lieutenant of Grenadiers, in a battalion of volunteers from the +department of Gers. + +They became Marshals of the Empire and I have been aide-de-camp +to both of them. + +At this period Augereau, after escaping from the prison of the +Inquisition at Lisbon, had come to fight in the Vendee, where he +was noticed for his courage and his quality of leadership. He was +an excellent tactician, a skill which he had learned in Prussia, +where he had served for a considerable time in the Foot-guards of +Frederick the Great; hence his nick-name of "The Big Prussian." +He had an irreproachable military turn-out, spick and span, +curled and powdered, with a long pig-tail, big, highly polished +riding boots and withal, a very martial bearing. This smart +appearance was the more remarkable because, at this time it was +not something on which the French army could pride itself, being +almost entirely made up of volunteers not used to wearing uniform +and very careless of their grooming. However nobody made fun of +Augereau about this, for he was known to be a brave and +accomplished duelist, who had given even the celebrated +Saint-George, the finest swordsman in France, a run for his +money. + +I have said that Augereau was a good tactician; because of this, +my father had appointed him to direct the training of the +battalions of new levees, of which the division was largely +composed. These men came from Limousin, Auvergne, the Basque +country, Quercy, Gers and Languedoc. Augereau trained them well, +and in so doing he was unaware that he was laying the foundations +of his own future fame, for these troops, which my father then +commanded, formed later the famous Augereau division which did +such fine things in the Pyrenees and in Italy. + +Augereau came almost daily to my father's house, and seeing that +he was appreciated, he devoted to him a friendship which never +wavered and of which I felt the benefit after the death of my +mother. + +As for Lieutenant Lannes, he was a very lively young Gascon, +intelligent and cheerful, without education or training but +anxious to learn at a time when no one else was. He became a very +good instructor, and since he was very vain, he accepted with the +greatest delight the praises which my father lavished on him, and +which he deserved. By way of recompense, he spoiled, as much as +he could, his general's children. + +One fine morning, my father received the order to strike his camp +at Miral and to lead his division to join the army corps of +General Dugommier, which was laying siege to Toulon, which the +English had captured in a surprise attack. My father then said to +me that it was not in a school for young ladies that I would +learn what I needed to know; that I needed more serious studies +and in consequence he was taking me, the next day, to the +military college of Soreze, where he had already arranged a place +for me and my brother. I was thunderstruck! Never to go back to +my friends with the Mesdames Mongalvi? That seemed impossible! + +The road was covered with troops and guns, which my father passed +in review at Castelnaudary. This spectacle, which a few days +earlier would have delighted me, now failed to lessen the anxiety +which I felt about the teachers in whose presence I was about to +find myself. + +We stayed overnight at Castelnaudary, where my father learned of +the evacuation of Toulon by the English (18th Dec 1793), and was +ordered to go with his division, to the eastern Pyrenees. +Whereupon he decided to deposit us, the very next day, at Soreze, +to stay there for a few hours only, and to set off immediately +for Perpignon. + +On leaving Castelnaudary, my father ordered the coach to stop at +a famous tree under which the Constable Montmorency had been +taken prisoner by the troops of Louis XIII, following the defeat +of the supporters of Gaston d'Orleans, who had rebelled against +his brother. He chatted about this event with his aides-de-camp, +and my brother-- who was already well informed--took part in the +conversation. As for me, I had only the vaguest notions of the +general history of France and knew nothing of the details. It was +the first time I had heard of the battle of Castelnaudary, of +Gaston, of his revolt and of the capture and execution of the +Constable de Montmorency. I realised that my father did not ask +me any question on the subject because he was quite certain that +I would be unable to reply. This made me feel ashamed, and I +concluded that my father was right in taking me to the college to +be educated. My regrets then changed into a resolution to learn +all that I needed to know. + +Nevertheless, my heart sank at the sight of the high sombre walls +of the cloister in which I was to be enclosed. I was eleven years +and four months old when I entered this establishment. + +Chap. 4. + +I shall now give you a brief history of the college of Soreze, as +I had it from Dom Abal, a former vice principal, whom I saw often +in Paris during the Empire. + +When, under Louis XV, it was resolved to clear the Jesuits out of +France, their defenders claimed that they alone knew how to +educate children. The Benedictines, sworn enemies of the Jesuits, +wished to prove that this was not so; but as it did not suit +them, although they were studious and learned, to turn themselves +into schoolmasters, they selected four of their houses to be +turned into colleges, among which was Soreze. There they placed +those members of the order who had the most aptitude for +teaching, and who could, after working for several years, retire +to other monasteries of the order. The new colleges prospered, +Soreze in particular stood out, and the crowd of pupils, who +hurried there from all parts, made a larger number of teachers +necessary. The Benedictines attracted there many learned laymen, +who established themselves, with their families, in the little +town in which the monastery was situated. The children of these +lay teachers, who attended the college free as day pupils, +formed, later, a nursery of masters of all the arts and sciences. +Eventually the ability to give lessons at a very reasonable cost +led to the setting up of several boarding houses for young +ladies, and the little town became remarkable in that its +citizens, even the simple merchants, had an extended education +and practised all the fine arts. A crowd of foreigners, +principally English, Spanish and American, came to stay there, in +order to be near their sons and daughters during their education. + +The Benedictine order was, in general, made up of very easy-going +men; they mixed with the world and entertained often, so they +were well liked; something that was very useful to those at +Soreze when the revolution broke out. + +The Principal at that time was Dom Despaulx, a man of the highest +integrity, but who, being unwilling to subscribe to the "civic +oath" then exacted from the clergy, retired and spent several +years in retreat, from where he was later called by the Emperor +to fill one of the highest positions in the university. + +All the other Benedictines at Soreze took the oath: Dom Ferlus +became Principal and Dom Abal Vice-Principal, and the college, in +spite of the revolutionary upheavals, continued to operate, +following the excellent start which it had been given by Dom +Despaulx. + +Later, however, a law having been passed requiring the +secularising of the monks and the sale of their property, the +days of the college seemed numbered; but many of the most +important men in the country had been educated there, and they +wanted it to be there for their children; the inhabitants of the +town, even the labourers and peasants, respected the good fathers +and realised that the destruction of the college would result in +the ruin of the area. So an arrangement was made whereby Dom +Ferlus would become the owner of the college and the immense +property which belonged to it. Nobody attended the auction, and +the Principal became, at a very modest price, the owner of the +huge monastery and the land which it owned. The administrators +of the department gave him plenty of time to pay. Everyone lent +him assignats which he repaid with some loads of wood; the vast +farms of the estate furnished food for the college and, lacking +money, Dom Ferlus paid the external teachers in provisions, which +suited them very well at a time when famine was rife in France. + +On the death of Dom Ferlus, the college passed into the hands of +his brother Raymond Ferlus, a former Oration, now married, a +third-rate poet and man of little capacity. The college went into +decline when the restoration of 1814 allowed back the Jesuits, +who were determined to wreak revenge on the Benedictines by +destroying the edifice which the latter had erected on the ruins +of their order. + +The university took sides with the Jesuits. M. Raymond Ferlus +handed over the college to his son-in-law, M. Bernard, a former +artillery officer who had been one of my contempories. He knew +nothing about running such an establishment, and, besides that, a +host of other good colleges sprang up as rivals, and Soreze, +losing its importance from day to day, became one of the most +mediocre institutions of learning. + +I return now to the time when I was at Soreze. I have told you +how Dom Ferlus saved the college from ruin, and how, upheld by +the care of this enlightened man, it was the only great +establishment of its kind left standing by the revolution. The +monks adopted lay clothing and the appellation "Citizen" replaced +that of "Dom." Apart from that, nothing essential was changed in +the college and it continued to exist peacefully in a corner of +France, while the country was most cruelly being torn to pieces. +I say that nothing essential had changed because the studies +followed their usual course, and there was no breakdown of order, +but it was impossible that the feverish agitation which reigned +outside should not be felt in the college. I will say also that +Dom Ferlus, with diplomatic skill, presented the appearance of +approving of what he could not prevent. The walls therefore were +covered with Republican slogans. It was forbidden to use the word +"Monsieur". The pupils went to the dining hall or on walks, +singing the Marseillaise or other Republican hymns; and as they +heard continually of the achievements of our armies, in which +some of the older pupils were even enrolled as volunteers, and as +they were brought up in a military atmosphere, (since, even +before the revolution, Soreze was a military college, where one +learned drill, horse-riding, fortification, and so on), all this +youth had, for some time, adopted a warrior-like stance and +spirit which had led to a slackening of good manners. Added to +which the uniform contributed greatly to give them a very strange +aspect. The scholars wore big shoes, which were cleaned only +every ten days, stockings of grey thread, plain brown trousers +and jacket, no waistcoat, shirts undone, and covered with stains +of ink and red pencil, no tie, nothing on the head, the hair in a +pig-tail, often undone, and the hands....! Like those of a +coal-heaver. + +Imagine me, clean, polished, dressed in clothes of fine cloth, +neat and tidy, thrown into the midst of seven hundred urchins, +got up as imps, and who, on hearing a shout of "Here are some new +ones!" left their games and came, in a mob to gather round us, +staring as if we were strange animals. + +My father embraced us and left...! I was in a state of utter +despair! Here I was, alone, alone for the first time in my life, +my brother being in the upper school while I was in the lower. We +were in the middle of winter. It was very cold, but according to +school rules, the pupils were never allowed a fire! + +Nevertheless, the pupils at Soreze were well fed, especially for +that time; for in spite of the famine which was sweeping France, +the good administration of Dom Ferlus provided an abundance of +food. The everyday fare was certainly all that could be desired +for school-children. However the supper seemed to me to be most +niggardly, and the sight of the dishes put before me disgusted +me: but had I been offered ortolans, I would not have been +tempted, my heart was so full. The meal finished as it had begun, +with a patriotic song. We knelt down at the couplet of the +Marseillaise which begins "Amour sacre de la patrie"...Then we +filed out, as we had come in, to the sound of a drum, and we went +to the dormitories. + +The pupils of the upper school had each his own room, in which he +was shut in for the night; those of the lower school slept four +to a room, of which each angle contained a bed. I was put with +Guiraud, Romestan and Lagarde, who were my companions at table, +and almost as new as I was. I was quite happy with this. They had +seemed to me to be nice children, which, in fact, they were. But +I was taken aback when I saw the smallness of my bed, the +thinness of the mattress, and what displeased me most, the iron +bed-stead. I had never seen anything like it. However everything +was very clean, and in spite of my dismay I slept soundly, worn +out by the shocks to my system which I had suffered on this +fateful day. + +The next morning, the drum beat reveille, making a horrible noise +in the dormitories, which I thought was quite atrocious; but how +do you think I felt when I saw that, while I was asleep, someone +had removed my beautiful clothes, my fine stockings and my pretty +shoes, and had replaced them by the coarse garments and heavy +footwear of the school? I wept with rage. + +Having told you of the first impressions which I experienced on +my entry into the college, I shall spare you the recital of all +the torments to which I was exposed during the next six months. I +had been too pampered by the mesdames Mongalvi not to suffer +mentally and physically in my new position. I became very +depressed, and had my constitution been less robust, I should +have become ill. This period was one of the most unhappy in my +life. In the long run, however, work and familiarity enabled me +to cope with the situation. I was very fond of the lessons in +French literature, in geography, and above all, in history, and I +made progress in these subjects. I became passable at Latin and +mathematics and at horsemanship and fencing. I was an expert at +fire-arms drill and took much pleasure in the manoeuvres of the +school battalion which was commanded by a retired captain. + +At the time when I entered the college, the convention was +imposing its blood-stained sceptre over France. Representatives +of the people, on various missions, infested the provinces, and +almost all of these who were of any importance in the Midi came +to visit Soreze, whose title of "Military Academy" sounded +pleasing to their ears. + +Citizen Ferlus had a particular talent for persuading them that +they must maintain an establishment devoted to educating a +numerous youth, "The hope of the country". So he obtained all +that he wanted. Often they would send us great bundles of +brushwood, destined to supply the army, our Principal having +persuaded them that we were a part of it, and were, in effect, +its nursery. + +These Representatives were received and fˆted like Sovereigns. On +their arrival, all the pupils were dressed in their military +uniforms; the battalion was paraded before them; a guard was +mounted at every gate as if in a military barracks. Little +tableaux were enacted which exuded the purest patriotism; one +sang national hymns, and when they visited the classes, +particularly those of history, an occasion was always found to +produce some tirade on the excellence of Republican government +and the patriotic virtues which derived from it. I can remember, +in this regard, an occasion when Representative Chabot, a former +Capuchin, questioned me on Roman history. He asked me what I +thought of Coriolanus, who finding himself wronged by his fellow +citizens, forgetful of his former services, withdrew to the +country of the Volscians, sworn enemies of the Romans. Dom Ferlus +and the teachers feared greatly that I might approve of the +Roman's conduct, but I blamed him, saying that a good citizen +must never bear arms against his country, nor dream of any +vengeance against her, no matter how justified his discontent. +The representative was so pleased with my answer that he patted +me on the back, and complemented the head of the college and the +teachers on the sound principles which they inculcated in their +pupils! + +This little success did not diminish the dislike I had for these +representatives. The actions of the convention filled me with +horror. Young as I was, I had, already, enough sense to realise +that it was not necessary to wallow in French blood in order to +save the country, and that the guillotinades and massacres were +appalling crimes. + +I shall not discuss here the system of oppression which ruled, +then, in our unhappy country; this is a matter of history; but I +may say that however strong the colours used to paint the horrors +of which these terrorists were capable, the picture will be less +lurid than the reality. Perhaps the most surprising thing is the +stupidity of the masses, who allowed themselves to be dominated +by men, the greater part of whom lacked any ability: for whatever +may have been said, almost all the members of the convention were +of more than ordinary mediocrity and their boasted unanimity +arose from the fear they had of one another, since in their +anxiety to avoid being guillotined themselves, they agreed with +anything which the ringleaders proposed. + +I saw, during my exile in 1815, many members of the convention +who like me were forced to leave France. They were completely +lacking in back-bone, and assured me that they voted for the +death of Louis XVI and a host of odious decrees solely to save +their own skins. The memory of these times has convinced me that +the worst form of government is that by the masses. + +Chap. 5. + +I reached the age of sixteen in August 1798. Six months later, +towards the end of February, I left the college of Soreze. + +My father had a friend named M. Dorignac, who offered to take me +with him to the capital. It took us eight days to reach Paris, +where we arrived in March 1799, on the day when the Odeon theatre +was burned down for the first time. The flames were visible far +off on the Orleans road, and I thought, in my simplicity, that +the light came from furnaces operating in the city. My father, at +that time, occupied a fine mansion in the Faubourg-St-Honore +road, number 87, on the corner with the little Rue Vert. I +arrived there at dinner time: all the family were gathered there. +It would be impossible for me to describe the joy which I felt at +seeing them all together! This was one of the happiest days of my +life! + +We were now in the spring of 1799. The Republic still existed, +and the government was now composed of the Directorate of five +members, and two chambers, one of which was called the Council of +Elders, and the other the Council of Five Hundred + +My father entertained many members of society. There I made the +acquaintance of his intimate friend, General Bernadotte, and some +of the outstanding men of the period, such as Joseph and Lucien +Bonaparte, and also Napper-Tandy, the Irish leader, who had taken +refuge in France. At my mother's house I frequently saw Madame +Bonaparte and sometimes Madame De Sta‰l, already celebrated for +her literary works. + +I had been in Paris for only about a month, when the term of the +legislature expired. It was necessary to hold new elections. My +father, fed up with the constant wrangling of political life, and +regretting that he was not taking any part in the army's +achievements, declared that he would no longer accept nomination +as a deputy, and that he wished to return to active service. +Events turned out in his favour. On the assembly of the new +Chambers there was a change of minister. General Bernadotte +became minister for war. He had promised my father that he would +send him to the army of the Rhine, and my father was about to set +off for Mainz, when the directory, learning of the defeat +suffered by the army of Italy, commanded by Scherer, appointed as +his successor, General Joubert, who commanded the 17th division, +(now the 1st,) in Paris. + +This post having now become vacant, the directory, realising that +its great political importance required that it should be filled +by someone of capacity and determination, instructed the minister +for war to offer it to my father. My father who had resigned from +the legislature only to resume active service, turned the offer +down; but on Bernadotte showing him the letter of appointment, +already signed, and saying that as a friend, he begged him to +accept, and as a minister, he ordered him, my father gave in, and +the next day he went to install himself in the headquarters of +the Paris division, situated, at that time in the Quai Voltaire, +at the corner of the Rue de Saint-Peres, and which has since been +demolished. My father took as his chief of staff his old friend +Col. Menard. I was delighted by all the military suite with which +my father was surrounded. His headquarters were never empty of +officers of all ranks. A squadron of cavalry, a battalion of +infantry and six field-guns were stationed before his portals, +and one saw a crowd of orderlies coming and going. This seemed to +me much more entertaining than the exercises and translations of +Soreze. + +France, and in particular Paris, were, at this time, in a state +of much agitation. We were on the brink of catastrophe. The +Russians, commanded by the celebrated Souwaroff, had just entered +Italy, where our army had suffered a major defeat at Novi, where +General Joubert had been killed. The victor, Souwaroff, was +heading for our army of Switzerland, commanded by Massena. + +We had few troops on the Rhine. The peace conference begun at +Rastadt had broken down and our ambassadors had been +assassinated; now all Germany was arming once more against us, +and the Directory, fallen into disfavour, had neither troops nor +the money to raise them. In order to procure funds it decreed a +forced loan, which had the effect of turning everyone against it. +All hopes were pinned on Massena's ability to stop the Russians +and prevent them from entering France. The directory, impatient, +sent him courier after courier, ordering him to join battle; but +this latter-day Fabius, unwilling to risk the safety of his +country, was waiting for some false move, on the part of his +impetuous adversary, to give him the opportunity for victory. + +At this point, I shall relate an anecdote which demonstrates on +how fine a thread sometimes hangs the destiny of states and the +reputation of generals. The directory, exasperated to see that +Massena did not obey the repeated commands to engage in battle, +resolved to relieve him of his post; but, as it was feared that +this general would take no notice of the order and simply stuff +it in his pocket, if it was sent by an ordinary courier, the +minister for war was ordered to send a staff-officer, charged to +deliver, publicly, to Massena his demotion, and to give to his +chief of staff, Cherin, the official letter which would confirm +him as commander-in-chief of the army. + +When the minister told my father, in confidence, about these +plans, my father disapproved, saying that it would be dangerous, +on the eve of a decisive action, to deprive the army of +Switzerland of a general in whom it had confidence, and give the +command to a general who was more used to administration than the +direction of troops in the field. In addition, the position of +the armies might change; and he thought it essential that the +mission was given to a man with enough wisdom to assess the state +of affairs, and who would not hand Massena his dismissal on the +eve of, or in the middle of a battle. + +My father, eventually persuaded the minister to give the task to +M. Gault, his aide-de-camp, who, under the ostensible pretext of +going to see if the suppliers had delivered the number of horses +stipulated in their contract, would proceed to Switzerland with +the authority to retain or to hand out the order for the +dismissal of Massena, and the installing of general Cherin, +according to the circumstances which might lead him to judge +whether this would be useful or dangerous. This was an enormous +responsibility to confide to the prudence of a simple captain, +but M. Gault fully justified the faith my father had in him. + +Arriving at the headquarters of the army of Switzerland five days +before the battle of Zurich, he found the troops so full of +confidence in Massena, and Massena himself so calm and +determined, that he had no doubts of success, and, maintaining +the deepest silence about his secret powers, he took part in the +battle of Zurich and then returned to Paris, without Massena +suspecting that this modest captain had in his hands the +authority which could have deprived him of the glory of one of +the finest victories of the century. + +Had Massena been rashly dismissed, this would probably have led +to the defeat of General Cherin and the invasion of France by the +Russians, followed by the Germans, and perhaps finally to the +overrunning of Europe. General Cherin was killed at Zurich, +without being aware of the intentions of the government towards +him. + +The victory of Zurich, although, it prevented the advance of the +enemy into the country, gave the Directory only a momentary +respite. The government was everywhere crumbling; no one had +confidence in it. The treasury was bankrupt; the Vendee and +Brittany were in open revolt; the interior stripped of troops; +the Midi in turmoil; the chamber of deputies squabbling among +themselves, and with the executive. In short, the state was on +the verge of disaster. + +Everyone in politics recognised that a major change was necessary +and inevitable; but although all agreed on this point, opinions +differed as to the remedy to be employed. The old Republicans, +who upheld the constitution of year III, then still in force, +believed that it would be sufficient to change several members of +the Directory. Two of them were removed and replaced by MM. +Gohier and Moulins; but this was the feeblest of palliatives for +the calamities which afflicted the country, and it continued to +be shaken by anarchy. + +It was then that several members of the Directory, amongst whom +was the well-known Sieyes, thought, as did many of the deputies +and the great majority of the public, that to save France it was +necessary to put the reins of government in the hands of someone +resolute and already distinguished by services given to the +state. It was realised, also, that this would have to be a +soldier who had great influence in the army, and who was able, by +re-arousing national enthusiasm, to lead our banners to victory +and chase away the foreigners who were preparing to cross our +frontiers. + +To speak like this was to point to General Bonaparte, but at this +moment he was in Egypt, and the need was pressing. Joubert had +been killed in Italy. Messena, though famous for several +victories, was an excellent general at the head of an army in the +field, but in no way a politician. Bernadotte did not seem to +have the capacity or the wisdom to repair the country's fortunes. +The eyes of the reformers then turned to General Moreau; although +the weakness of his character and his indecisive conduct on the +18th Fructidor raised some fears about his ability to govern. It +is certain, however, that lacking an alternative, he was asked to +head the party which intended to overthrow the Directory, and was +offered the title of President or Consul. Moreau, a good fighting +soldier, lacked political courage, and perhaps doubted his own +ability to cope with affairs in such a mess as were those of +France. Also he was self-centered and indolent and worried little +about the future of the country, preferring the repose of private +life to the agitation of politics. He refused the offer and +retired to his estate of Grosbois, to devote himself to hunting, +of which he was passionately fond. + +Abandoned by the man of their choice, Sieyes and those with him, +who wished to change the form of the government, not feeling +themselves to be sufficiently strong or popular to achieve their +aim without the support of a general whose name would rally the +army to their side, were forced to turn their thoughts to General +Bonaparte. The leader of this enterprise, Sieyes, flattered +himself that, having been placed in power, Bonaparte would busy +himself with the management and re-organising of the army, and +leave to him the conduct of the government, of which he would be +the master and Bonaparte but the nominal head. Events showed how +badly he was mistaken. + +Imbued with this notion, Sieyes, through the intermission of the +Corsican deputy, Salicetti, sent a reliable secret agent to +Egypt, to inform General Bonaparte of the troubled state of +France, and propose to him that he should come back and place +himself at the head of the government. Having no doubt that +Bonaparte would accept readily and return promptly to Europe, +Sieyes put everything in motion to assure the execution of the +coup d'etat which he was planning. + +It was easy for him to convince his fellow director, +Roger-Duclos, that their power was slipping away daily, and that +the country being on the brink of complete disorganisation, the +public welfare, and their personal interests, demanded that they +should take part in the establishment of a strong government, in +which they would contrive to place themselves in a less +precarious and more advantageous position. + +Roger-Duclos promised his agreement to the proposed changes; but +the other three directors, Barras, Gohier and Moulins were +unwilling to give up their positions, so Sieyes and the leaders +of his party resolved to go over their heads, and to sacrifice +them after the event. + +However, it would be difficult, not to say dangerous, even with +the presence of General Bonaparte, to overthrow the Directorate, +change the constitution and establish a new government, without +the support of the army, and, above all, that of the division +which occupied Paris. To be able to rely on this, it was +necessary to be sure of the co-operation of the minister for war +and of the general commanding the 17th division. + +President Sieyes then sought to win over Bernadotte and my +father, by having them sounded out by several deputies who were +their friends and also supporters of Sieyes's plans. I have +learned since that my father replied to the vague overtures which +were put to him on behalf of the crafty Sieyes by saying that he +agreed that the country's misfortunes demanded a drastic remedy, +but that, having sworn to maintain the constitution of year III, +he would not use the authority he had over his troops to lead +them to its overthrow. He then went to Sieyes and handed in his +resignation as commander of the Paris division, and requested a +posting to a division on active service. Sieyes hastened to fall +in with his wishes, being only too glad to get rid of a man whose +devotion to what he saw as his duty, might abort the projected +coup. The minister, Bernadotte followed my father's example, and +was replaced by Dubois-Crance. + +President Sieyes was, for some days, at a loss to find a +successor to my father. In the end, he gave the command to +general Lefebvre, who, having recently been wounded in the army +of the Rhine, was at that moment in the capital. Lefebvre was a +former sergeant in the Guards, a brave soldier, a good, +workmanlike general, provided that he was closely supervised, but +credulous in the extreme, with no understanding of the political +situation in France. So, by careful use of the words "Glory," +"Motherland," and " Victory, " One could be sure of making him do +whatever one wished. This was just the sort of commander that +Sieyes was looking for. He did not even take the trouble to win +him over, or to warn him of what was about to happen, so sure was +he that on the day Lefebvre would not resist the influence of +General Bonaparte, and the cajoleries of the president of the +directorate. + +He had made an accurate assessment of Lefebvre, for on the 18th +Brumaire, he placed himself and all his troops under the command +of General Bonaparte, to march against the Directorate and the +Councillors, to throw down the established government and create +the Consulate. This action made him, later, one of the Emperor's +greatest favourites. He was made a marshal, Duke of Danzig and +senator and was showered with riches. + +I have rapidly outlined these events, because they explain some +of the reasons which led my father to Italy: a move which had +such a profound effect on his destiny and mine. + +Chap. 6. + +After handing over his command to General Lefebvre, my father +returned to his house in the Faubourg St. Honore and busied +himself with preparations for his departure to Italy. + +A man's destiny is often influenced by the smallest of events. My +father and mother were very friendly with M. Barairon, the +director of registration, and one day, when they were going to +dine with him, they took me along. The talk was of my father's +coming departure, and the progress of my two younger brothers. At +last, M. Barairon asked, "And Marcellin, what are you going to +make of him?" "A sailor," replied my father, "Captain Sibille has +agreed to take him with him to Toulon." Then the good Mme. +Barairon, towards whom I have always felt the warmest gratitude, +observed to my father that the French navy was in complete +disarray, that the poor state of the country's finances would not +allow its rapid refurbishment, and, furthermore, its inferiority +vis-…-vis the English navy was such that it would spend most of +its time in harbour. She said that she could not think why he, a +divisional general, would put his son into the navy, instead of +placing him in a regiment, where the name and services of his +father would make him welcome. She ended by saying, "Take him to +Italy, sooner than send him to die of boredom, in a vessel shut +up in Toulon harbour." + +My father, who had been briefly enticed by Capt. Sibille's +proposition, was too intelligent not to appreciate Mme. +Barairon's reasoning. "Well then," he asked me, "Do you want to +come to Italy with me and serve in the army?" I put my arms round +him and accepted, with a joy which my mother shared, for she had +not been in favour of my father's first idea. + +As, at that time, there was no military academy, and one could +join the army only as a private soldier, my father took me right +away to the municipality of the first arrondissment, in the Place +Beauvau, and had me enlisted in the 1st Hussars, (formerly the +Bercheny), who were part of the division which he was going to +command in Italy. It was September the 3rd, 1799. + +My father took me to a tailor, who had the job of making official +army uniforms, and ordered for me a complete outfit for a Hussar +of the 1st. As well as all the arms and equipment. + +There I was!....A soldier!.....And was I not happy? But my +happiness was somewhat lessened when I reflected that this was +going to upset my brother Adolphe, two years older than me, and +still stuck in college. I then had the idea that I would not tell +Adolphe about my enlistment without telling him, at the same +time, that I wanted to spend with him the period which would have +to pass before my departure. I then asked my father if he would +allow me to be installed close to Adolphe, at Sainte-Barbe, until +the day when we would take the road for Italy. My father +understood the reason for my asking, and thought well of me for +it. He took me, the next day to stay with a M. Lanneau. + +Can you imagine my arrival at college?...It was a recreation +period. All games stopped. All the pupils, big and small, +surrounded me. They vied with each other to touch part of my +equipment....In short, the Hussar was a complete success! + +The day of the departure arrived....I said farewell to my mother +and my three brothers with the greatest sadness, in spite of the +pleasure I felt on starting a military career. + +Chap. 7. + +After my father had accepted a command in Italy, a division +became vacant in the army of the Rhine, which he would have +preferred; but an inescapable fate drew him towards the country +where he would find his grave. + +One of his compatriots, and a personal friend, M. Lacheze, whom I +might call his evil genius, had for a long time been French +consul at Leghorn and Genoa, where he had business interests. +This wretched man, in order to lure my father to Italy, was +forever painting the most exaggerated picture of the country's +beauties, and pointing out the credit which might be gained by +dealing successfully with the difficult situation in the army +there, whereas there would be little opportunity to acquire +distinction in the army of the Rhine, where all was well. My +father was swayed by this specious reasoning, and believing that +there was more merit in going to the more dangerous post, he +persisted in his intention of going to Italy, in spite of the +objections of my mother, who had a secret presentiment which made +her wish for my father to go to the Rhine. This presentiment was +not false. She never saw her husband again! + +To his present aide-de-camp, Captain Gault, my father now added +another officer, M. R*** who had come to him from his friend +General Augereau. M. R*** had the rank of major. He was a member +of a Maintenon family and had some ability and some education, +which he very rarely employed; for in a stupid manner, which was +then quite common, he swaggered about, forever cursing and +swearing, and talking of running people through with his sabre. +This bully-boy had only one virtue, very rare at this time: he +was always turned out with the greatest elegance. My father, who +had taken on M. R*** without knowing anything about him, now much +regretted it; but he could not send him back without upsetting +his old friend, Augereau. Although my father disliked him, he +thought, perhaps rightly, that a general should make use of the +military qualities of an officer, without worrying too much about +his personal manners; but, as he did not care to have the company +of M. R*** on a long journey, he had given him the job of taking +his coaches and horses from Paris to Nice, having under his +orders the old stud-groom, Spire, a highly responsible man, used +to the management of stables. The stable was large: my father had +fifteen horses, which with those of his aide-de-camp and of his +chief-of-staff and his assistants, together with those for the +wagons and so on, made up a fairly large group of which R*** was +the leader. + +They left a month before we did. + +My father took in his coach the fatal M. Lacheze, Captain Gault +and me. Colonel Menard, the chief-of- staff, followed, with one +of his assistants, in a post-chaise. A big rascal, my father's +valet, went ahead as a courier. We travelled in uniform. I had a +fine forage cap which pleased me so much that I wore it all the +time, but, as I put my head out of the coach window frequently, +because the coach made me travel-sick, it so happened that during +the night, when my companions were asleep, the cap fell into the +road. The coach, drawn by six vigourous horses, was going at top +speed. I did not dare have it stopped and so I lost my cap. A bad +omen! But I was to suffer far worse things in the terrible +campaign which we were about to undertake. This incident upset me +a good deal, but I said nothing about it for fear of being +chaffed about the way the new soldier was looking after his kit. + +My father stopped at Macon, at the house of an old friend. We +spent twenty-four hours there and then continued our journey to +Lyons. We were not more than a few leagues from there, and were +changing horses at the post-house of Limonest, when we noticed +that all the postilions had decorated their hats with tricolour +ribbons, and that there were flags of the same colours hanging +from all the windows. We asked the reason for this demonstration, +and were told that General Bonaparte had just arrived in +Lyons...! + +My father, who was certain that Bonaparte was still in the depths +of Egypt, treated this news as absurd, but he was taken aback +when, having sent for the post master, who had just returned from +Lyons, he was told, "I saw General Bonaparte, whom I know very +well, because I served under his command in Italy. He is staying +in some hotel in Lyon, and has with him his brother Louis, +Generals Berthier, Lannes and Murat, as well as a great, number +of officers, and a Mameluke." + +This could hardly have been more positive; however the revolution +had given rise to so many falsehoods, and factions had been so +cunning in inventing stories which would serve their ends, that +my father was still in doubt when we entered the suburbs of Lyon. +All the houses were draped with flags. Fireworks were going off. +The crowd filled the streets to the point of preventing our coach +from moving. There was dancing in the public squares and the air +rang with cries of "Vive Bonaparte. Saviour of the country!" It +was evident that Bonaparte was indeed in Lyon. My father said, "I +was well aware that he was to be sent for, but I did not think it +would be so soon. The coup has been well organised, and there are +great events to come. I feel sure that I was right to leave +Paris. At least, in the army I can serve the country without +taking part in a coup, which, however necessary, I find +repugnant." Having said this, he fell into a deep reverie, which +lasted for the long time it took us to work our way through the +crowds to the hotel where our rooms had been prepared. + +The nearer we got to the hotel, the thicker the crowd became, and +when we reached the door we saw that it was hung about with +Chinese lanterns and guarded by Grenadiers. It was here that +General Bonaparte was staying, in rooms that had been booked a +week before for my father. + +Although quick-tempered, my father did not say a word when the +hotelier, who had been compelled to obey the orders of the +municipality, came with some embarrassment to make his excuses. +The inn-keeper having added that he had arranged for our +accommodation at another hotel....very good, though of second +grade....and run by one of his relatives, my father simply asked +Capt. Gault to tell the postilion to take us there. + +When we arrived, we were met by our courier, a lively fellow, +who, heated by the long journey he had just made and the numerous +drinks he had downed at each post-house had complained most +loudly when he found that the rooms booked for his master had +been given to General Bonaparte. The latter's aides-de-camp +hearing this uproar and learning the cause, went to warn their +master that General Marbot had been displaced to make room for +him, and, at the same time, General Bonaparte saw through his +open window my father's two coaches pull up at the door. + +He had not been aware, until then, of the shabby way in which my +father had been treated; and as General Marbot, recently +commandant of Paris, and now a divisional commander in Italy was +too important a man to be treated unceremoniously, and also as +General Bonaparte had good reason to make himself popular with +everybody, he ordered one of his officers to go down straight +away and ask General Marbot to come, as a fellow soldier, and +share his accommodation. Then, seeing the coaches leave before +his aide-de-camp could speak to my father, Bonaparte went +immediately, on foot, to offer his regrets in person. + +The crowd which followed him set up a great noise of cheering, +which, as it drew near our hotel, should have warned us, but we +had heard so much since coming to the town that it did not occur +to one of us to look out of the window. We were all in the +drawing-room where my father was striding up and down, deep in +thought, when the valet-de-chambre, opening the double doors, +announced, "The General Bonaparte." + +On entering, he hurried to embrace my father, who received him +very politely, but coolly. They had known each other for a long +time. + +The explanations about the lodgings could be disposed of in a few +words between two such people, and so they were. They had much +else to talk about; so they went alone into the bedroom, where +they remained in conference for more than an hour. + +During this time, the officers who had come with General +Bonaparte chatted with us in the drawing-room. I never tired of +examining their martial appearance, their sun-bronzed faces, +their strange uniforms and their Turkish sabres, hung from cords. +I listened with interest to their stories of the campaign in +Egypt, and the battles which were fought there. I took pleasure +in hearing them talk of such celebrated places as the Pyramids, +the Nile, Cairo, Alexandria, Acre, the desert and so on. What +delighted me most, however, was the sight of the young Mameluke, +Rustum. He had stayed in the ante-chamber, where I went several +times to admire his costume, which he showed me willingly. He +already spoke reasonable French, and I never wearied of asking +him questions. + +General Lannes recalled having let me fire his pistols, when, in +1793, he was serving under my father in the camp at Miral. He was +very friendly toward me, and neither of us then foresaw that one +day I should be his aide-de-camp, and that he would die in my +arms at Essling. General Murat came from the same region as we +did, and as he had been a shop-assistant to a silk merchant at +Saint-Cere during the period when my family spent the winter +there, he had often come to the house, bringing purchases to my +mother. My father, also, had rendered him a number of services, +for which he was always grateful. He gave me a hug, and reminded +me that he had often held me in his arms, when I was an infant. + +General Bonaparte and my father having come back into the room, +they presented to one another the members of their suites. +Generals Lannes and Murat were old acquaintances of my father, +who welcomed them with great affability. He was a little distant +with General Berthier, whom, however he had seen before, when he +was in the bodyguard and Berthier was an engineer. + +General Bonaparte, who knew my mother, asked me, very politely, +for news of her. He complimented me most warmly on having, while +yet so young, taken up a military career, and taking me gently by +the ear, which was always the most flattering caress which he +bestowed on those with whom he was pleased, he said to my father, +"One day this will be a second General Marbot." This prediction +came true, although at that time I had no expectation of it. +However I was very proud of these words. It takes so very little +to make a child feel pleased with himself. + +When the visit was over, my father disclosed nothing of what had +been said between him and General Bonaparte; but I learned later +that Bonaparte, without stating his objectives clearly, had +sought, by the most adroit cajolements, to win my father over to +his side, and that, my father had always dodged the issue. + +Disgusted at seeing the people of Lyon running in front of +Bonaparte, as if he was already the sovereign of France, my +father declared that he wanted to leave at dawn the next day; but +as his coaches needed some repairs, he was forced to spend an +entire day at Lyon. I profited from this to have a new forage cap +made, and, enchanted with this purchase, I took no notice of the +political conversations, about which, to tell the truth, I +understood little. + +My father went to return the visit he had received from General +Bonaparte. They walked alone for a very long time in the hotel's +little garden, while their suites remained respectfully at a +distance. We saw them sometimes gesture with warmth, and at other +times speak more calmly; then Bonaparte, with a wheedling look, +went up to my father and put his arm through his in a friendly +fashion, probably so that the officials who were in the courtyard +and the many spectators who hung out of neighbouring windows +might conclude that General Marbot agreed with the plans of +General Bonaparte; for this crafty man neglected nothing to +achieve his aims. + +My father came away from this second conversation even more +pensive than he had been after the first, and on coming back to +the hotel, he ordered our departure for the next day. +Unfortunately, the next day, General Bonaparte was to make an +excursion round the town to inspect the heights suitable for +fortification, and all the post-horses were reserved for him. I +thought that at this blow my father would become angry, but he +contented himself by saying, "There is the beginning of +omnipotence." And told his staff to see if they could hire any +horses, so keen was he to get away from the town and from the +sights which offended him. No spare horses could be found. Then +Col. Menard, who was born in the Midi, and knew the district +perfectly, observed that the road from Lyon to Avignon was in +such a poor state of repair that the coaches might be badly +damaged if they attempted it, and it would be better to embark +them on the Rhone, the descent of which would offer us an +enchanting spectacle. My father, who was no great lover of the +picturesque, would, at any other time, have rejected this advice, +but as it gave him the opportunity to leave the town a day +earlier, he agreed to take to the Rhone. + +Col. Menard then hired a large boat, the coaches were put on +board, and the next day, early in the morning, we all embarked: a +decision which was very nearly the end of us. + +It was autumn. The water was very low. All the time the boat +touched and scraped along the bottom. One feared that it might be +torn open. We slept the first night at Saint-Peray, next at Tain, +and took two days to get as far down as the junction with the +Drome. There we had much more water, and went along rapidly; but +a dangerous high wind called the Mistral hit us when we were +about a quarter league above the bridge known as Pont +Saint-Esprit. The boatmen were unable to reach the bank. They +lost their heads, and set themselves to praying instead of +working, while a furious wind and a strong current were driving +the boat towards the bridge! We were about to crash against the +pier of the bridge and be sunk, when my father and all of us, +taking up boat-hooks, hurried forward to fend off from the pier +which we were about to strike. + +The shock was so severe that it knocked us into the thwarts, but +the push had changed the direction of the boat, which, by a +miraculous piece of good fortune, shot through under the arch. +The boatmen then recovered a little from their terror and resumed +some sort of control of their boat; but the Mistral continued, +and the two coaches offering a resistance to the wind made any +manoeuvre almost impossible. At last, six leagues above Avignon, +we went aground on a very large island, where the bow of the boat +dug into the sand in such a way that it would not be possible to +get it out without a gang of labourers, and we were listing over +so far that we feared being swamped at any moment. We put some +planks between the boat and the shore and, with the help of some +rope, we all got ashore without accident, though with some +difficulty. + +There could be no thought of re-embarking in the very high +wind,(although without rain), and so we pushed on into the +interior of the island, which we thought at first was +uninhabited; but eventually we came across a sort of farm, where +we found some good folk who made us very welcome. We were dying +of hunger, but it was impossible to go back to the boat for food, +and all we had was a little bread. + +We were told that the island was full of poultry, which was +allowed to run wild, and which the peasants shot, when they +wanted some. My father was very fond of shooting, and he needed +some relaxation from his problems, so we borrowed guns from the +peasants, some pitch-forks and sticks, and we set off on a hen +shoot. We shot several, though it was not easy to hit them as +they flew like pheasants. We also picked up many of their eggs in +the woods. When we returned to the farm, we lit a big fire in the +middle of a field, around which we set up a bivouac, while the +valet, helped by the farmer, prepared the eggs and the chickens +in a variety of ways. We supped well and then bedded down on +some hay, no one daring to accept the beds which the good +peasants offered us, as they seemed to us to be far from clean. + +By day-break the wind had dropped, so all the peasants and the +boatmen took spades and picks, and after several hours of hard +work they got the boat afloat, enabling us to continue our +journey towards Avignon, which we reached without any further +accidents. Those that had befallen us were so embroidered in the +telling, that the rumour reached Paris that my father and all his +staff had been drowned. + +The approach to Avignon, particularly when one comes down the +Rhone, is very picturesque. The old Papal Chateau; the ramparts +by which the city is surrounded; its numerous steeples and the +Chateau de Villeneuve rising opposite, combine to make a fine +prospect. At Avignon we met Mme. Menard and one of her nieces, +and we spent three days in the town, visiting the charming +outskirts, including the fountain of Vaucluse. My father was in +no hurry to leave, because M. R*** h d written to say that the +very hot weather,still persisting in the Midi,had forced him to +slow the pace of his march and my father did not wish to arrive +before his horses. + +From Avignon we headed for Aix, but when we reached Bompart, on +the banks of the Durance, which, at that time, was crossed by a +ferry, we found the river so swollen by flood, that it would not +be possible to cross for at least five or six hours. We were +debating whether to return to Avignon, when the operator of the +ferry, a gentlemanly sort of person, who owned a charming little +castle on the height some five hundred paces from the river bank, +came and begged my father to rest there until the coaches could +be embarked. He accepted, hoping that it would be for a few hours +only; but it appeared that there had been heavy storms in the +Alps, where the Durance has its source, for the river continued +to rise all day, and we were compelled to accept lodging for the +night, which was offered most cordially by the owner of the +castle. The weather being fine we spent the day walking. It was a +break in our travels which I enjoyed. + +The next day, seeing that the flood-water was running even more +rapidly than the evening before, our host, who was a devout +Republican, and who knew the river well enough to judge that we +would not be able to cross for twenty-four hours, hurried off, +unknown to us, to the little town of Cavaillon, which is about +two leagues from Bompart, on the same bank of the river. He had +gone to inform all the "Patriots" of the locality that he had in +his house divisional General Marbot. He then returned to the +castle, where, an hour or so later, we saw the arrival of a +cavalcade composed of the keenest "Patriots" of Cavaillon, who +had come to beg my father to accept an invitation to a banquet, +which they offered him in the name of all the notables of the +town, "Always so staunchly Republican." + +My father, who found these sort of occasions far from agreeable, +at first refused; but these "Citoyens" were so insistent, saying +that everything had been organised and that the guests had +gathered, that my father gave in and went off to Cavaillon. + +The best hotel had been decked with garlands, and was graced by +the presence of the local dignitaries from the town and its +outskirts. After an interminable number of compliments, we took +our places at a table laden with the most exclusive dishes. Above +all, there were ortolans, birds which thrive well in this part of +the country. + +A great many toasts were drunk. Virulent speeches were made, +denouncing the "Enemies of liberty" and the dinner did not end +until ten o'clock in the evening. It was a little late to return +to Bompart, and anyway, my father could not with politeness leave +his hosts the moment the meal was over. He decided then to spend +the night at Cavaillon, and the rest of the evening was passed in +rather noisy talk. Eventually, one by one, the guests went home +and we were left alone. + +The next morning, M. Gault asked the inn-keeper how much my +father owed for his part in the immense feast of the night +before, which he assumed was a communal meal in which each paid +for his own share. The inn-keeper presented him with a bill of +more than 1500 francs. The good "Patriots" not having paid a +single sou!...We were told that though some had expressed a wish +to pay, the great majority had replied that this would be "An +insult to General Marbot"....! + +Capt. Gault was furious at this procedure, but my father, who at +first could not get over his astonishment, burst into laughter, +and told the inn-keeper to go and collect the money at Bompart, +to where we returned straight away, without saying a word of this +to the chatelaine; whose servants we tipped handsomely, and then, +taking advantage of the fall in the water level, we at last +crossed the Durance and made our way to Aix. + +Although I might not yet be of an age to discuss politics with my +father, what I had heard him say led me to believe that his +Republican ideas had been much modified over the preceding two +years, and what he had experienced as a supposed guest of honour +at Cavaillon had severely shaken them, but he did not display any +ill-feeling on the subject of this banquet, and was even amused +at the anger of M. Gault, who said repeatedly, "I am not +surprised that, in spite of their cost, these scoundrels produced +so many ortolans, and ordered so many bottles of good wine! " + +After spending a night at Aix, we left for Nice. This was the +last stage of our journey. While we were travelling through the +mountain and the beautiful forest of Esterel, we encountered the +Colonel of the 1st Hussars, who, escorted by an officer and +several troopers, was taking some lame horses, returned by the +army, back to the depot at Puy-en-Velay. This colonel was named +M. Picart and had been given his command because of his +administrative ability. He was sent frequently to the depot to +arrange for the equipment of men and horses, which he then +forwarded to the fighting units, where he appeared but rarely and +did not stay for long. + +When he saw Col. Picart, my father had the coach stopped and got +out, and after presenting me to my colonel, he took him on one +side, and asked him to name an intelligent and well educated +non-commissioned officer who might be made my mentor. The Colonel +named Sergeant Pertelay. My father made a note of the name, and +we continued on our way to Nice; where we found M.R*** settled in +an excellent hotel, with our coaches and horses in first-class +order. + +Chap. 8. + +The town of Nice was full of troops, among which was a squadron +of the 1st Hussars, to which regiment I belonged. In the absence +of its colonel, the regiment was commanded by a Major Muller. On +learning that the divisional general had arrived, Muller came to +see my father, and it was agreed between them that, after a few +days rest, I should begin my service in the seventh company, +commanded by Capt. Mathis. + +Although my father was very good to me, I was so much in awe of +him that I was very shy in his presence, a shyness which he +thought was greater than was really the case; he said I should +have been a girl, and often called me madamoiselle Marcellin, +which annoyed me very much, especially now that I was a Hussar. +It was to overcome this shyness, that my father wished me to +serve in the ranks, and in any case, as I have already said, one +could not join the army except as a private soldier. My father, +it is true, could have attached me to his personal staff, since +my regiment was part of his division, but, quite apart from the +notion which I have described above, he wanted me to learn how to +saddle and bridle my own horse and to look after my arms and +equipment; also, he did not want his son to enjoy the least +privilege, as this would have had a bad effect on the rest of the +troops. It was already enough that I was to be allowed to join a +squadron without undergoing a long and wearisome period of +training at the depot. I passed several days with my father and +his staff, travelling about the district round Nice, which was +very beautiful, but the moment for my entry into the squadron +having arrived, my father asked Major Muller to send him Sergeant +Pertelay. + +Now, there were two brothers of this name in the regiment, both +of them sergeants, but having nothing else, physically or +mentally in common, the elder being something of a scamp, while +the younger was thoroughly respectable. It was this latter whom +the colonel had intended to appoint as my mentor, but in the +short time which he and my father had spent together, Col. Picart +had forgotten, when naming Pertelay, to add the younger: +furthermore, this Pertelay was not in the part of the squadron +which was stationed in Nice, while the elder was in the very +company, the seventh, which I was about to join. + +Major Muller believed that the colonel had named the elder to my +father and that this wild character had been chosen to open the +eyes of an innocent and shy young man, which I then was. So he +sent us the elder Pertelay. + +This example of the old type of Hussar was a rowdy, quarrelsome, +swashbuckling, tippler, but also brave to the point of +foolhardiness; for the rest, he was completely ignorant of +anything that was not connected with his horse, his arms and his +duties in the face of the enemy. Pertelay the younger, on the +other hand, was quiet, polite, and well-educated. He was a +handsome man and just as brave as his brother, and would surely +have gone far had he not, while still very young, been killed in +action. + +Now to return to the elder. He arrived at my father's quarters, +and what did we see? A fine fellow, very well turned out it is +true, but with his shako tipped over one ear, his sabre trailing +on the ground, his red face slashed by an immense scar, +moustaches six inches long, which, stiffened by wax, curled up +into his ears, two big plaits of hair, braided from his temples, +which, escaping from his shako, hung down to his chest, and with +all this an air...! An air of rakishness which was increased by +his speech, which was rattled out in a sort of Franco-Alsatian +patois. This last did not surprise my father, as he knew that the +1st Hussars were the former regiment of Bercheny, which in +earlier days recruited only Germans, and where, until 1793, all +the orders were given in German, which was the language generally +used by the officers and men, almost all of whom came from the +provinces bordering the Rhine. My father was however exceedingly +surprised by the style and manner of my proposed mentor. + +I learned later that he had hesitated to put me in the hands of +this bravo, but M. Gault having reminded him that Colonel Picart +had described him as the best N.C.O.in the squadron, he decided +to try it. So off I went with Pertelay, who, taking me by the arm +without ceremony, came to my room, showed me how to pack my kit +into my valise, and conducted me to a small barracks, situated in +a former monastery, and now occupied by a squadron of the 1st +Hussars. + +My mentor made me saddle and unsaddle the pretty little horse +which my father had bought me; then he showed me how to put on my +cloak and my arms, giving me a complete demonstration, and having +decided that he had explained to me all that was necessary, he +thought it time to go for dinner. My father, who wished me to eat +with my mentor, had given us extra money to meet the expense. + +Pertelay took me to a small inn, which was crammed with Hussars, +Grenadiers and soldiers of every sort. We were served with a +meal, and on the table was placed an enormous bottle of red wine +of the most violent nature. Pertelay poured me a glassful. We +clinked glasses. My man emptied his and I raised mine without +putting it to my lips, for I had never drunk undiluted wine and I +found the smell of this liquid disagreeable. I admitted this to +my mentor, who shouted, in a stentorian voice, "Waiter! Bring +some lemonade for this boy who never drinks wine." A gale of +laughter swept through the room. I was mortified, but I could not +bring myself to taste this wine, and as I did not dare to ask for +water, I dined without a drink. + +A soldier's apprenticeship has always been hard going. It was +particularly so at the time of which I write. I had, therefore, +some unhappy experiences to suffer. A thing I found unbearable +was the requirement to share my bed with another Hussar. The +regulations allotted only one bed for two soldiers. N.C.O.s alone +were allowed to have a bed each. On the first night which I spent +in the barracks, I had already gone to my bed when a tall, +ungainly Hussar, who arrived an hour after the others, approached +it, and seeing that it was occupied, he unhooked a lantern and +stuck it under my nose to examine me more closely. Then he got +undressed. As I watched him, I had no idea that he intended to +get in beside me; but I was soon disillusioned, when he said to +me roughly, "Shove over, conscript!" And got into the bed, taking +up three-quarters of it, and began to snore loudly. I was unable +to sleep a wink, largely because of the revolting odour arising +from a large package which my comrade had placed under the +bolster, to raise his head. I could not think what this could be, +so to find out, I slid my hand gently toward this object and +found it to be a leather apron impregnated with cobbler's wax, +which shoemakers use to treat their thread. My amiable bed +companion was one of the men employed by the regimental +bootmaker. I was so disgusted that I got up, got dressed, and +went to the stables where I bedded down on a heap of straw. The +next day I told Pertelay of my misadventure, and he reported it +to the sub-lieutenant commanding the platoon. He was a +well-educated man named Leisteinschneider (in German, a +stone-worker) who was later killed in action. He understood how +painful it must be for me to have to sleep with a bootmaker, and +he took it on himself to arrange for me to have a bed in the +N.C.O's room, something which pleased me greatly. + +Although the revolution had produced a great relaxation in the +general turn-out of troops, the 1st Hussars had kept theirs +exactly as it was when they were Bercheny's Hussars; so except +for the physical differences imposed by nature, all troopers had +to resemble one another in their appearance, and as the regiments +of Hussars of that period had not only pig-tails, but long +plaited tresses which hung from their temples and turned-up +moustaches, it was the rule that everyone belonging to the +regiment must have moustache, pig-tail and tresses. Now, as I had +none of these things, my mentor took me to the regimental +wig-maker where I bought a false pig-tail and tresses, which were +attached to my own hair, already fairly long, as I had let it +grow since my enlistment. These embellishments embarrassed me at +first but I got used to them in a few days, and it pleased me to +imagine that they gave me the appearance of a seasoned trooper. +It was a different matter when it came to the moustache I had no +more of a moustache than a girl, and as a hairless face would +have spoiled the ranks of the squadron, Pertelay, as was the +custom of Bercheny, took a pot of black wax, and with his thumb +he gave me an enormous curling moustache, which covered my upper +lip and reached almost to, my eyes. The shakos of the time did +not have a vizor, so that, when I was on guard duty, or during an +inspection, when one has to remain perfectly still, the Italian +sun, shining hotly onto my face, sucked the moisture out of the +wax of which my moustache was made, and, as it dried it pulled at +my skin in a most disagreeable manner. However, I did not blink. +I was a Hussar! A word that had for me an almost magical +significance; besides which, having engaged in a military career, +I understood very well that my first duty was to obey the +regulations. + +My father and part of his division were still in Nice, when we +heard of the events of the 18th Brumaire, the overthrow of the +Directorate and the establishment of the Consulate. My father had +too much contempt for the Directorate to regret its downfall, but +he feared that, intoxicated by power, General Bonaparte, after +re-establishing order in France, would not restrict himself to +the modest title of consul, and he predicted to us that in a +short time he would aim to become king. My father was mistaken +only in the title, four years later Napoleon made himself +emperor. + +Whatever his misgivings about the future, my father congratulated +himself on not having been in Paris on the 18th Brumaire, and I +believe that had he been there he might well have opposed the +actions of General Bonaparte, but in the army, at the head of a +division facing the enemy, he was content to adopt the passive +obedience of the soldier. He even rejected proposals, which were +made to him by a number of generals and colonels, to march on +Paris at the head of their troops. "Who," he said to them, "will +defend our frontiers if we abandon them? And what will become of +France if, to the war against foreigners, we add the calamity of +civil strife?" By these wise observations he calmed down the +hot-heads; but he was, nonetheless, very disturbed by the coup +which had just taken place: he adored his country and would have +greatly preferred that it could have been saved without being +submitted to the yoke of a dictator. + +I have said that my father's principle reason for making me +enlist as a lowly Hussar had been to rid me of the simple notions +of a schoolboy, which had not been changed by my short +acquaintance with the world of Paris. The result exceeded his +expectations, for living amongst swaggering Hussars, and having +as a mentor a sort of brigand who laughed at my innocence, I +began to howl with the wolves, and for fear that I might be +mocked for my timidity, I became a real devil. This, however, was +not enough for me to be accepted into a sort of brotherhood, +which under the name of the clique, had members in all the +squadrons the 1st Hussars. + +The clique was made up of all the biggest rogues, but, at the +same time, some of the bravest men in the regiment. The members +of the clique supported one another against all opposition, +particularly in the face of the enemy. They called themselves the +Jokers, and recognised one another by a notch cut into the metal +of the first button on the right hand row of the pelisse and +dolman. The officers were aware of the existence of the clique, +but as its worst crimes were limited to the adroit theft of +chickens or sheep, or some trick played on the local inhabitants, +and as the Jokers were always at the forefront in any action, +they turned a blind eye. I was young and feckless, and I longed +desperately to belong to this raffish society, which I thought +would raise my standing amongst my comrades; but it was in vain +that I frequented the salle-d'armes to practice swordsmanship and +the use of the pistol and carbine, and that I dug my elbows into +anyone who got in my way: allowed my sabre to trail on the ground +and tipped my shako over one ear, the members of the clique +regarded me as a child and refused to admit me to their society. +However, an unforeseen event led to my being accepted +unanimously. + +The army of Italy was at this time in Liguria and spread out on a +front of more than sixty miles in length, the right of which was +in the Gulf of Spezzia, beyond Genoa, and the left at Nice and +Var, that is to say on the frontier of France. We had, therefore, +the sea at our backs, and we faced Piedmont, which was occupied +by the Austrian army, from which we were separated by that branch +of the Apennines which runs from Var to Gavi: a bad position, in +which the army ran the risk of being cut in two, which, in fact, +happened some months later. + +My father, having been ordered to concentrate his division at +Savona, a small town, by the sea, ten leagues towards France from +Genoa, set up his headquarters in the bishop's palace. The +infantry was spread out among the market towns and villages of +the neighbourhood to keep watch on the valleys from which emerged +the roads which led to Piedmont. The 1st Hussars, who had come +from Nice to Savona, were encamped on a plain known as the +Madona. The outposts of the enemy were at Dego, four or five +leagues from us, on the forward slopes of the Apennines, whose +summits were covered in snow, whereas Savona and its surroundings +enjoyed the mildest of climates. + +Our encampment would have been delightful if the rations had been +more plentiful; but there was at that time no main road from Nice +to Genoa; the sea was covered by English warships, so the army +had to live on what could be brought by detachments of mules +along the Corniche, or by small boat-loads, which could slip +unnoticed along the coast. These precarious supplies were +scarcely enough to provide, from day to day, sufficient food to +support the troops; but, happily, the country produced plenty of +wine, which enabled them to bear their privations with more +resignation. + +One fine day I was walking along the beach with my mentor when we +came on a "taverna," where there was a charming garden planted +with orange and lemon trees, under which were tables at which sat +soldiers of all kinds. He suggested that we went there, and +although I had never overcome my distaste for wine, I agreed, +simply to please him. + +In those days the cavalryman's belt did not have a hook, so that +when we went on foot, it was necessary to hold up the scabbard of +the sabre with one's left hand, and one could allow the end to +trail on the ground. This made a noise on the pavement, and +looked rather dashing, so of course I had to adopt this way of +doing things. Thus it happened that as we went into this garden, +the end of my scabbard came in contact with the foot of an +enormous horse-gunner, who was sprawled on his chair with his +legs sticking out. The horse artillery had been formed at the +beginning of the revolutionary wars from men taken from the +companies of Grenadiers, who took advantage of the occasion to +get rid of their most troublesome characters. The men of the +flying artillery, as it was then called, were known for their +dash, but also for their love of quarreling. + +The one whose foot the end of my scabbard had touched, shouted to +me in a very rude tone of voice, "Hussar, your sabre drags too +much!" I was going to walk on without saying any thing, when +master Pertelay, nudging me with his elbow, whispered, "Tell him +to come and lift it up." So I said to the gunner "Come and lift +it up then!" "That will be easy!" he replied. Then, at another +whisper from Pertelay, "I'd like to see you do it!" I said. On +these words, the gunner, or this Goliath, for he was at least six +feet tall, sat up straight with a threatening air... But my +mentor pushed himself between him and me. All the gunners who +were in the garden came to support their comrade, but a crowd of +Hussars gathered beside Pertelay and me. There was a lot of angry +shouting with everyone talking at once; I thought there was going +to be a general melee. However as the Hussars were in a majority +of at least two to one, they took the matter the more calmly, +while the gunners realised that if they started something they +would get the worst of it, so in the end the giant was made to +understand that in brushing his foot with my scabbard, I had in +no way insulted him, and that should be the end of the matter. + +During the tumult, however, a trumpeter from the artillery, of +about twenty years of age, had offered me some insults, and in my +indignation I had pushed him so roughly that he had fallen into a +muddy ditch. It was agreed that this lad and I should fight a +duel with our sabres. + +We left the garden, followed by all the assistants, and found +ourselves by the edge of the sea, on fine solid sand, ready for +battle. Pertelay knew that I was quite a good swordsman; however +he gave me some words of advice on how I should attack my +adversary, and fastened the hilt of my sabre to my hand with a +large handkerchief, which he rolled round my arm. + +My father hated duelling. Not only because of his own conclusions +about this barbarous custom, but also, I believe, because in his +youth, when he was a member of the bodyguard, he had acted as +second for a comrade of whom he was very fond, and who was killed +in a duel over the most trivial matter. However that may be, when +my father took command, he ordered the police to arrest anyone +caught engaging in swordplay and bring them before him. + +Although the trumpeter and I both knew of this order, we had, +nevertheless, taken off our dolmans and taken up our sabres. I +had my back to the town of Savona, my adversary was facing it, +and we were about to begin our combat when I saw the trumpeter +duck to one side, pick up his dolman and make off at top speed. + +"Coward!....Runaway!" I shouted, and was about to, pursue him +when two iron hands grasped me by the collar. I turned my head +and found myself facing some eight to ten police! I understood +then why my antagonist had cleared off, followed by all the +assistants, including master Pertelay, whom I saw disappearing +into the distance, as fast as their legs could carry them, for +fear of being arrested and brought before the General. + +There I was! Disarmed and a prisoner! I picked up my dolman, and +looking very sheepish, followed my captors, to whom I had not +given my name, as they led me to the Bishop's palace where my +father was installed. He was at that moment with General Suchet, +who had come to Savona to confer with him on service matters. +They were walking in a gallery which overlooked the courtyard. +The police put me up before General Marbot, without any idea that +I was his son. The sergeant explained why I had been arrested. +Then my father, looking very severe, gave me a lively dressing +down, after which admonition, he said to the sergeant, "Take this +Hussar to the citadel." I left without saying a word, and without +General Suchet, who did not know me, suspecting that the scene he +had just witnessed had taken place between a father and his son. +It was not until the next day that he learned the truth, and he +has often spoken to me since, with laughter, about the episode. + +On my arrival at the citadel, an ancient Genoese building +situated near the harbour, I was locked into a big room lit by a +high window, which faced toward the sea. I recovered slowly from +my fright. The reprimand which I had received seemed to me to be +deserved; however I was less concerned at having disobeyed the +General than I was at having upset my father. I passed the rest +of the day sadly enough. + +In the evening, an old ex-soldier of the Genoan force brought me +a jug of water, a piece of ration bread, and a bale of straw, on +which I lay down, without being able to eat. I could not go to +sleep; at first because I was too upset, and later because of the +arrival of some large rats, which ran about me and soon made off +with my piece of bread. I was lying in the dark, a prey to my sad +reflections, when, at about ten o'clock, I heard the bolts of my +prison being drawn and I saw Spire, my father's old and faithful +servant. He told me that after my despatch to the citadel, Capt. +Gault, Col. Menard, and all my father's officers had asked him to +pardon me. The General had agreed, and had sent him, Spire, to +find me and take the order for my release to the governor of the +fort. I was taken before the governor, General Buget, an +excellent man, who had lost an arm in battle. He knew me and was +very fond of my father. He felt it his duty, after giving me back +my sabre, to give me a long lecture, to which I listened +patiently, but which made me reflect that I would get a much +worse telling-off from my father. I did not have the courage to +face this and decided to evade it, if that were possible. At +last we were let out of the gates of the citadel. The night was +dark, and Spire went in front with a lantern. As we walked +through the narrow twisting streets, the good fellow, delighted +to be bringing me back, recounted all the comforts which would +await me at headquarters. "But," he said, "you must expect a +severe ticking-off from your father." This last remark put an end +to my doubts, and in order to let my father's anger cool off, I +decided it would be better not to appear before him for a few +days and that I would return to my bivouac at Madona. I could +easily have slipped away without playing any trick on poor Spire; +but fearing that he might be able to pursue me by the light of +his lantern, I gave it a kick which sent it flying ten paces from +him, and ran off while the good man, groping for his lantern, +shouted, "Ah...! You little blighter! I shall tell your father!" + +After wandering for some time in the deserted streets, I found at +last the road to Madona, and made my way to the regimental camp. +All the Hussars thought I was in prison. As soon as one of them +recognised me by the light of the fires, I was surrounded and +questioned. There was much laughter when I described how I had +got away from Spire. The members of the clique were so satisfied +with my behaviour that they decided unanimously to admit me into +their society, which was preparing an expedition to go, that very +night, to the gates of Dego and steal a herd of cattle which +belonged to the Austrian army. The French Generals and even the +corps commanders were obliged to ignore these raids, which, in +the absence of regular rations, the soldiers carried out beyond +the advance posts in order to obtain food. In each regiment the +boldest soldiers had formed marauding bands who were marvellously +skilled at finding out where supplies were being assembled for +the enemy, and using ruse and audacity to lay hands on them. + +A rascally horse-dealer had told the clique that a herd of cattle +which he had sold to the Austrians was in a meadow a quarter of a +league from Dego, and now sixty Hussars, armed only with their +carbines, were on their way to capture it. Avoiding the main +road, we went several leagues into the mountain by winding and +atrociously rough tracks. We surprised five Croats, who had been +left to guard the herd, asleep in a shed. To prevent them from +going to waken the garrison at Dego, we tied them up and left +them there. We drove away the herd without a shot being fired and +returned to the camp, tired out, but delighted to have played +such a successful trick on the enemy, and at the same time +acquired some food. + +This event illustrates the already wretched condition of the army +of Italy, and demonstrates to what a state of disorganisation +such neglect will bring troops; whose officers are obliged not +only to tolerate these sort of expeditions, but to take advantage +of the supplies they procure without seeming to know whence they +come. + +Chap. 9. + +Happy in my military career, I had not even reached the rank of +corporal when I was raised immediately to that of sergeant. This +is how it came about. + +On the left of my father's division was that commanded by General +Seras, whose headquarters were at Finale. This division, which +occupied the part of Liguria where the mountains are steepest, +was composed solely of infantry, the cavalry being unable to +operate, except in small detachments, on the few open spaces +which at this point separate the shore of the Mediterranean from +the mountains of Piedmont. General Seras, having been ordered to +push forward with the greater part of his division to reconnoitre +the area of Mount Santa-Giacomo, beyond which there were several +valleys, wrote to my father requesting the loan of a detachment +of fifty Hussars for this expedition; a request which could not +be turned down. So my father agreed and named Lt. +Leisteinschneider as commander of this detachment, of which my +platoon was a part. + +We left Madona to make our way to Finale. There was, at that +time, only a very bad road along the sea coast, known as the +Corniche. The lieutenant badly injured his foot as a result of a +fall from his horse, and so the command passed to the next in +seniority who was a sergeant named Canon, a handsome young man, +capable and well-trained, and full of self-assurance. + +General Seras, at the head of his division, advanced next day +onto the snow-clad slopes of Mount Santa-Giacomo, where we +encamped. He had intended to go forward the next day, with he +almost certain expectation of making contact with the enemy; but +in how great a number? On this subject the General had absolutely +no information, and as his orders from the commander-in-chief +were to reconnoitre the Austrian positions at this point of the +line, but not to engage in combat if he found the enemy in +strength, General Seras reflected that if he advanced his +infantry division into the middle of the mountains, where often +one could not see enemy troops until one found oneself face to +face with them at a bend in a gorge, he might be led, in spite of +his wishes, into a major battle against superior forces, and +obliged to carry out a dangerous retreat. + +He decided therefore to proceed with caution, and to push out, +three or four leagues in front of him, an advance party which +could probe the country and, most importantly, take some +prisoners, from whom he hoped to get some information; for the +peasantry either knew nothing or would not talk. As a small body +of infantry would be endangered if he advanced them too far, and +as, also, men on foot would take too long to return with the +information which he so urgently needed, it was to the fifty +Hussars that he gave the task of going ahead and exploring the +terrain. Then, as the country was very broken, he gave a map to +our sergeant, briefed him, in front of the detachment and sent us +off, two hours before daylight, repeating that it was essential +that we went ahead until we made contact with the enemy outposts, +from which he would very much like us to capture a few prisoners. + +Sergeant Canon managed his detachment according to the book. He +sent out a small advance-guard, put scouts on the flanks and took +all the precautions usual in partisan warfare. When we had gone +some two leagues from the camp, we came on a large inn. Our +sergeant questioned the inn-keeper and was told that, a good +hour's march away, was a body of Austrian troops, the size of +which he did not know, though he knew that the leading regiment +contained some very unpleasant Hussars, who had maltreated a +number of the local inhabitants. + +Having gathered this information, we set off once more, but +hardly had we gone a hundred paces, when Sergeant Canon, writhing +on his horse, declared that he had the most dreadful pain and +could not go any further. He handed the command to Sergeant +Pertelay, who was next in seniority. Pertelay, however pointed +out that he was an Alsatian and was unable to read French, and +could not, in consequence, understand the map or the written +instructions given by the general. He did not wish to accept the +command. All the other sergeants, old Bercheny Hussars, refused +for the same reason, as did the corporals. In vain, as a matter +of duty, I offered to read the general's instructions and explain +our route on the map for any of the sergeants who would take +over; they all refused anew; then, to my great surprise, these +old sweats turned to me and said "Take command yourself. We'll +follow you and obey all your orders." + +The rest of the party expressed the same wish, and it was clear +that if I refused, we would go no further and the honour of the +regiment would be blemished; for it was essential that the +general's orders were carried out, above all when it was perhaps +a matter of avoiding a disaster for his division. So I accepted +the command, but not without asking Sergeant Canon if he felt +able to continue. At which point he began to complain once more, +left us and returned to the inn. I promise you I thought he was +really ill, but the men of the detachment, who knew him better, +made some very disparaging remarks about him. + +I think I can say, without boasting, that nature has endowed me +with a good stock of courage. I might even add that there was a +time when I enjoyed facing danger. My military record and the +thirteen wounds I have received in the wars are, I believe, +sufficient proof. So, on taking command of fifty men, placed +under my orders in such extraordinary circumstances,--me, a +simple Hussar, seventeen years of age--I resolved to prove to my +comrades that if I had neither experience nor military talent, I +was at least brave; and placing myself resolutely at their head I +set off in the direction where I knew we would encounter the +enemy. + +We had been marching for a long time when our scouts spotted a +peasant who was trying to hide. They hastened to capture him and +bring him back. I questioned him. He came, it seemed, from four +or five leagues away, and claimed that he had not seen any +Austrian troops. I was sure he was lying, either from fear or +from cunning, because we were very close to the enemy +cantonments. I remembered then that I had read in a book about +partisan warfare, which my father had given me to study, that to +persuade the inhabitants of a country in which one is fighting to +talk, it is sometimes necessary to frighten them. So I roughened +my voice, and, trying to give my boyish face a ferocious look, I +shouted, "What! You rascal! You have been wandering about in a +country occupied by a great body of Austrian troops, and you +claim you have seen nothing? You are a spy! Come on lads, let's +shoot him right away." + +I ordered four Hussars to dismount, indicating to them not to +harm the fellow, who, finding himself held by the troopers whose +carbines had just been loaded in front of him, was overcome by +such terror that he swore that he would tell me all he knew. He +was a servant in a monastery, who had been given a letter to take +to relatives of the Prior, and he had been told that if he ran +into the French, he was not to tell them where the Austrians +were; but now that he was forced to speak, he told us that a +league from us there were several regiments of the enemy billeted +in the villages, and that about a hundred of Barco's Hussars were +in a hamlet which was only a short distance away. Questioned +about the defensive precautions taken by these Hussars, he said +that before one reached the houses, they had posted a +picket-guard which was in a garden surrounded by hedges, and that +when he went through the hamlet, the remainder were preparing to +water their horses at a little pond on the far side of the +buildings. + +Having received this information, I had now to make a plan of +action. I wished to avoid passing the picket-guard who, being +entrenched behind hedges, could not be attacked by cavalry, while +the fire from their carbines would perhaps kill several of my men +and give warning of our approach. To do this required that we go +round the hamlet, so as to reach the pond, and fall, +unexpectedly, on our enemies. But how were we to pass without +being seen? I then ordered the peasant to lead us on a detour, +and promised to set him free as soon as we reached the other side +of the hamlet, which we could see: when he refused to do so, I +had him taken by the scruff of the neck by one Hussar while +another held a pistol to his ear, which made him change his mind. +He guided us very well; some large hedges hid our movements, and +we got completely round the village to see, at the edge of a +small pond, the Austrian squadron peacefully watering their +horses. All the riders were carrying their arms, which is the +usual practice for outposts, but those in command had neglected a +precaution which is essential in war, that is, to allow only one +troop at a time to unbridle their horses and enter the water, +while the remainder stay on the bank ready to repel any attack. +Confident that there were no French about and relying on the +watchfulness of the guard posted at the entry to the village, the +enemy commander had thought this precaution unnecessary. This was +to be his downfall. + +When I was some five hundred paces from the pond, I ordered the +peasant to be released, who ran off as fast as his legs could +carry him; then, sabre in hand, and having forbidden my comrades +to utter any war-cry, I advanced at full gallop on the enemy +Hussars, who did not see us until a moment before we arrived at +the pond. The pond's banks were too high for the horses to climb +out, and there was only one practicable way in, which was the one +that served as the village drinking place. It is true that this +was a wide area, but there were more than a hundred horsemen +crowded together there, all with their bridles in their hands and +their carbines slung, so unconcerned that some of them were +singing. You may imagine their surprise! + +I attacked them immediately with carbine fire, which killed +several, wounded many and knocked out a lot of their horses. The +confusion was total! Nevertheless, their captain, rallying some +men who were nearest to the outlet, tried to force a passage to +get out of the water, and opened fire on us, which although not +sustained, wounded two of my men; they then engaged us, but +Pertelay having killed the captain with a blow from his sabre, +the rest crowded back into the pond. To escape from the carbine +fire, many tried to reach the other bank; several lost their +footing and a good number of men and horses were floundering in +the water. Those who reached the other side found that their +horses could not clamber up the steep edge and so they abandoned +them, and pulling themselves up by the aid of trees growing along +the bank, they fled in disorder into the countryside. + +The twelve men of the picket-guard came running at the sound of +firing. We attacked them with the sabre and they also took to +flight. However there remained about thirty men still in the +pond, afraid to try to escape because we occupied the only way +out. They shouted to us that they were surrendering; I accepted +this and as they came to the bank, made them throw down their +arms. Most of these men and horses were wounded, but as I wished +to have some trophy from our victory, I chose seventeen horses +and riders who were fit, and placing them in the middle of the +detachment,I abandoned the rest and went off at the gallop, going +round the village, as before. + +It was just as well that I made a rapid retreat, for as I had +foreseen, the fugitives had run to warn the nearby troops who had +already been alerted by the sound of gunfire, and within half an +hour there were five hundred horsemen on the banks of the little +pond and some thousands of infantrymen close behind them. We, +however, were two leagues away, our wounded having been able to +sustain a full gallop. We stopped for a short time on top of a +hill to bandage their wounds, and we laughed to see in the +distance several enemy columns following our trail, since we knew +that they had no hope of catching us, because in their fear of +falling into an ambush they were feeling their way forward very +slowly. Being now out of danger, I gave Pertelay two of the +best-mounted troopers and sent him off post-haste to inform +general Seras of the success of our mission; then marshalling the +detachment into good order, with our prisoners in the centre and +well guarded, I set off at a slow trot down the road to the inn. + +It would be impossible for me to describe the joy of my +companions and the praises which they heaped on me during this +journey. It could be summed up in these words, which in their +minds was the highest commendation, "You are truly worthy to +serve in Bercheny's Hussars, the finest regiment in the world." + +Meanwhile, what had been happening at Santo-Giacomo during my +absence? After several hours of waiting, General Seras, impatient +for news, saw some smoke on the horizon; his aide-de-camp put his +ear to a drum placed on the ground, a common expedient in +wartime, and heard the distant sound of gunfire. General Seras +was uneasy, and having no doubt that the cavalry detachment was +at grips with the enemy, he took a regiment of infantry with him +as far as the inn. When he arrived there, he saw, under the +cart-shelter, a Hussar's horse tied up to the rail; it was +Sergeant Canon's. The inn-keeper appeared and was questioned. He +replied that the sergeant of Hussars had gone no further than the +inn, and had been, for several hours, in the dining room. The +General went in, and what did he find but Sergeant Canon asleep +by the fireside with, in front of him, an enormous ham, two empty +bottles and a coffee cup! The wretched sergeant was woken up; he +attempted once more to make the excuse of a sudden indisposition, +but the accusing remains of the formidable meal which he had just +eaten, gave the lie to his claims of illness, so General Seras +was very short with him. The General's anger was increasing at +the thought that a detachment of fifty cavalrymen handed over to +the command of a young soldier had probably been wiped out by the +enemy, when Pertelay and the two troopers who were with him +arrived at the gallop to announce our victory and the approaching +arrival of seventeen prisoners. As General Seras, in spite of +this happy outcome, continued to berate Sergeant Canon, Pertelay +said to him, in his bluff outspoken way, "Don't scold him, mon +General, he's such a coward that if he'd been in charge we +wouldn't have succeeded!" A remark which did nothing to improve +the awkward position of Sgt. Canon, who was now placed under +arrest. + +I arrived in the midst of these goings-on. General Seras broke +poor Sgt. Canon, and made him take off his chevrons in front of a +regiment of infantry and fifty Hussars. Then, coming to me, whose +name he did not know, he said, "You have carried out successfully +a mission which would normally be given only to an officer. I am +sorry that the powers of a divisional commander do not allow me +to promote you to sous-lieutenant, only the commander-in-chief +can do that, and I shall ask him to, do so, but in the meantime I +promote you to sergeant." He thereupon ordered his aide-de-camp +to announce this in front of the detachment. In order to carry +out this formality, the aide-de-camp had to ask my name, and it +was only then that General Seras learned that I was the son of +his comrade, General Marbot. I was very pleased about this, +because it demonstrated to my father that favouritism had nothing +to do with my promotion. + +Chap. 10. + +The information which General Seras obtained from the prisoners +having decided him to push forward, he ordered his division to +come down from the heights of Mont Santa-Giacomo, and to encamp +that evening near to the inn. The prisoners were sent to Finale, +and as for the horses they belonged by rights to the Hussars. +They were all of good quality, but, according to the custom of +the time, which was aimed at favouring poorly mounted officers, +captured horses were always sold for five louis. This was a fixed +price and was paid in cash. As soon as the camp was established +the sale began. General Seras, the officers of his staff, the +colonels and battalion commanders of the regiments in his +division soon took up our seventeen horses, which produced the +sum of 85 louis. This was handed over to my detachment, who, not +having had any pay for six months, were delighted with this +windfall, for which they gave me the credit. + +I had some money, so I did not pocket my share from the sale of +the horses, but to celebrate my promotion, I bought from the +inn-keeper two sheep, an enormous cheese and a load of wine, with +which my detachment had a feast. This was one of the happiest +days of my life. + +General Seras, in his report to General Championet included a +most flattering reference to my conduct, and said the same sort +of thing to my father; so when, several days later, I brought the +detachment back to Savona, my father welcomed me with the +greatest show of affection. I was highly delighted; I rejoined +the camp where all the regiment was united; my detachment had +arrived there before me and had told of what we had done, giving +me always the leading part in our success, so I was heartily +welcomed by the officers and soldiers and also by my new +comrades, the non-commissioned officers, who handed me my +sergeant's stripes. + +It was on this day that I met the younger Pertelay for the first +time, he had come back from Genoa, where he had been stationed +for some months. I became friendly with this excellent man, and +regretted not having had him as my mentor at the beginning of my +career, for he gave me much good advice, which steadied me up and +made me break away from the wild men of the clique. + +The commander-in-chief, Championet, intended to carry out some +operations in the interior of Piedmont, but having very little in +the way of cavalry, he ordered my father to send him the 1st +Hussars, who could no longer stay at Madon, in any case, because +of the shortage of fodder. I parted from my father with much +regret and left with the regiment. + +We went along the Corniche as far as Albenga. We crossed the +Apennines, in spite of the snow, and entered the fertile plains +of Piedmont. The commander-in-chief fought a number of actions in +the area round Fossano, Novi and Mondovi, some of which were +successful and others not. + +In one of these actions I had the opportunity of seeing +Brigadier-general Macard, a soldier of fortune whom the +revolutionary upheavals had carried almost straight from the rank +of trumpet-major to that of general! He was a good example of a +type of officer created by luck and their personal courage who, +although displaying much bravery before the enemy, were +nevertheless incapable of occupying effectively a senior position +because of their lack of education. + +This extraordinary character, a veritable colossus, was well +known for one peculiarity. When about to lead his troops in a +charge against the enemy, it was his custom to shout "Let's go! +I'll put on my animal dress." Then he took off his uniform, his +jacket and shirt and retained only his plumed hat, his leather +breeches and his big boots! Thus, naked to the waist, he +displayed a torso almost as hairy as that of a bear, which gave +him a very strange appearance indeed. Once in his animal dress, +as he called it, General Macard, sabre in hand, hurled himself at +the enemy horsemen, swearing like a pagan; but it so happened +that he rarely reached any of them, for at the unexpected and +terrible sight of this kind of giant, half naked and covered in +hair rushing toward them uttering the most fearsome yells the +enemy often fled in all directions, not knowing if they had to +deal with a man or some extraordinary wild beast. + +General Macord was entirely ignorant, which sometimes amused the +more educated officers under his command. One day one of them +came to ask permission to go into a neighbouring town to order a +pair of boots. "Parbleu!" said the general, "This has come at +just the right time; since you are going to the bootmaker, sit +down and take the measurements of my boots and order a new pair +for me." The officer, much surprised, said that he could not take +the measurements as he had no idea how to do this, having never +been a boot-maker. "What!" exclaimed the general loudly, "I see +you sometimes spend whole days sketching and drawing lines +opposite the mountains and when I ask what you are doing, you say +you are measuring the mountains. How is it that you can measure +objects which are more than a league away, and yet you cannot +measure a pair of boots which are under your nose? Come on, take +the measurements quickly and no more nonsense." The officer +assured him that this was impossible. The general insisted; +swore; got angry; and it was only with great difficulty that +other officers, attracted by the noise, were able to put an end +to this ridiculous scene. The general could never understand how +a man who could measure mountains could not measure a pair of +men's boots. + +You should not think, as a result of this anecdote, that all the +general officers in the army of Italy were like the good general +Macord. Far from that, they contained in their number many men +distinguished by their education and manners; but at this time +there were still some senior officers who were completely out of +place in the higher ranks of the army. They were being weeded out +little by little. + +The 1st Hussars took part in all the battles fought at this time +in Piedmont, and suffered many losses in encounters with the +Austrian heavy cavalry. After some marching and countermarching, +and a series of almost daily minor engagements, General +Championet, having concentrated the centre and left of his army +between Coni and Mondovi, attacked, at the end of December, +several divisions of the enemy army. + +The encounter took place on a plain dotted with small hills and +clumps of trees. The 1st Hussars, attached to General Beaumont's +brigade, were positioned on the extreme right of the French army. +As the number of officers and men who make up a squadron is laid +down in the regulations, our regiment, having suffered casualties +in the previous affairs, instead of putting four squadrons into +the line could put only three; but having done this, there were +some thirty men left over, of which five were sergeants. I was +one of this number, as were both the Pertelays. We were formed +into two sections and Pertelay the younger was put in command. +General Beaumont merely instructed him to scout on the right +flank of the army, and act as the situation seemed to require. We +then left the regiment and went to explore the countryside. + +In the meanwhile, a fierce battle commenced between the two +armies, and an hour later, when we were returning to our own +lines without having spotted anything on the flank, young +Pertelay saw, opposite us, and consequently on the extreme left +of the enemy line, a battery of eight guns whose fire was raking +the French ranks. Very unwisely, this Austrian battery, in order +to have a better field of fire, had advanced onto a small hillock +some seven or eight hundred paces in front of the infantry +division to which it belonged. The commander of this artillery +believed that he was quite safe because the position he occupied +dominated the whole French line, and he thought that if any +troops set out to attack him, he would see them and would have +time to regain the safety of the Austrian lines. He had not +considered that a little clump of trees, close to where he was, +could conceal a party of French troops, and had thought no more +about it. But young Pertelay resolved to lead his men there, and +from there to fall upon the Austrian battery. + +Pertelay, knowing that on the battlefield no one takes much +notice of a single horseman, explained his plan to us, which was +for us to go individually, making a detour by a sunken road, to +arrive one by one behind the wood on the left of the enemy +battery, and from there to make a sudden assault on it, without +the fear of cannon-balls, because we would be approaching from +the side. We would capture the guns and take them to the French +lines. The first part of this plan was executed without the +Austrian gunners noticing; we reached the back of the little +wood, where we re-formed the sections. Pertelay put himself at +our head. We went through the wood, and sabre in hand, threw +ourselves on the enemy battery at the moment when it was +directing a murderous fire on our troops. We sabred some of the +gunners, but the rest hid under their ammunition wagons, where +our sabres could not reach them. As instructed by Pertelay, we +did not kill or wound the men on the limbers, but forced them at +sword point to make their horses pull the guns toward the French +lines. This order was obeyed in respect of six guns whose riders +had remained on horseback, but the riders for the two other guns +had dismounted, and although some of the Hussars took the horses +by the bridle, they refused to move. + +The enemy infantry were running to the aid of their battery; +minutes seemed like hours to us; so young Pertelay, satisfied to +have captured six guns, ordered us to leave the others and to +head, with our booty, at the gallop, for the French lines. + +This was a prudent measure, but it proved fatal to our leader, +for hardly had we begun our retreat, when the gunners and their +officers emerged from their hiding places under the wagons, +loaded the two guns which we had not taken with grape-shot and +discharged a hail of bullets into our backs. + +You can well imagine that thirty horsemen and six artillery +pieces, each drawn by six horses and ridden by three transport +riders, all proceeding in a state of disorder, presented a target +which the grape-shot could hardly miss. We had two sergeants and +several Hussars killed or wounded, as well as two of the +transport riders. Some of the horses were also put out of action, +so that most of the teams were so disorganised that they could +not move. Pertelay, keeping perfectly cool, ordered the traces +of the dead or injured horses to be cut and Hussars to take the +place of the dead transport riders, and we continued quickly on +our way. However, the commander of the Austrian battery made use +of the few minutes we had taken to do this to direct a second +volley of grape-shot at us, which caused further casualties, but +we were so resolved not to abandon the six guns which we had +captured that we repaired the damage as well as we could, and +kept on the move. We were already in touch with the French lines +and out of the range of grape-shot, when the enemy artillery +officer changed projectiles and fired two cannon-balls at us, one +of which shattered the back of poor young Pertelay. + +However, our attack on the Austrian battery and its outcome had +been seen by the French generals who moved the line forward. The +enemy drew back, which allowed the remnants of the 1st Hussars to +revisit the area where our unfortunate comrades had fallen. +Almost a third of the detachment were killed or wounded. There +were five sergeants at the beginning of the action; three had +perished; there remained only Pertelay the elder and myself. The +poor fellow was wounded but suffered almost more mentally, for he +adored his brother, whom we all bitterly regretted. While we were +paying him our last respects and picking up the wounded, General +Championet arrived with General Suchet, his chief-of-staff. The +commander-in-chief had witnessed the actions of the platoon. He +gathered us round the six guns which we had just captured, and +after praising the courage with which we had rid the French army +of a battery which was causing them the most grievous losses, he +added that to reward us for having saved the lives of so many of +our comrades, and contributed to the day's success, he intended +to use the power which a recent decree of the First Consul had +given him to award "Armes d'honneur" and that he would award +three sabres of honour and one promotion to sous-lieutenant to +the detachment, who should decide amongst themselves who the +recipients should be. We then regretted even more keenly the loss +of young Pertelay, who would have made such a fine officer. + +The elder Pertelay, a corporal and a Hussar were awarded the +sabres of honour, which, three years later gave the right to the +Cross of the Legion of Honour. It remained to be decided which of +us would be sous-lieutenant. All my comrades put my name forward, +and the commander-in-chief, recalling that General Seras had +written to him about my conduct at Santa-Giacomo, designated me +sous-lieutenant...! I had been a sergeant for only a month! I +have to admit, however, that during the capture of the guns, I +had done no more than the rest of my companions; but as I have +already said, these good Alsatians did not feel that they had the +qualities to take command and become officers. They were +unanimous in choosing me, and General Championet, as well as +noting the favourable comments of General Seras, was perhaps also +glad to be able to please my father. + +My father, however, was less than pleased with what he considered +to be my over-rapid promotion, and he wrote to me instructing me +to refuse it. I would have obeyed; but my father had written in +the same strain to General Suchet, the chief-of-staff, and this +latter had replied that the commander-in-chief would be very put +out to find that one of his divisional generals had taken it upon +himself to disapprove of a promotion which he had made. My father +then authorised me to accept, and I was gazetted sous-Lieutenant +in December 1799. + +I was one of the last officers promoted by General Championet, +who, not being able to remain in Piedmont in the face of superior +forces, was compelled to re-cross the Apennines and lead his army +back to Liguria. He was greatly distressed to see his force +breaking down, because he was not given enough supplies to +support it, and he died two weeks after he had made me an +officer. My father, who was now the most senior divisional +general, was made provisional commander-in-chief of the army of +Italy, whose headquarters were at Nice. He therefore went there +and immediately sent back to Provence the few remaining cavalry, +as there was no longer any fodder in Liguria. So the 1st Hussars +went back to France, but my father kept me behind to become his +aide-de-camp. + +While we were at Nice, my father received an order from the war +ministry to go and take command of the advance guard of the army +of the Rhine, where his chief-of-staff Col. Menard would join +him. We were very pleased at this, since want of supplies had +reduced the army of Italy to such a state of disorder that it +seemed impossible that it could be kept in Liguria. My father was +not sorry to be leaving an army which was disintegrating, and was +likely to be pushed back across the Var and into France. He +prepared to move as soon as General Massena, who had been +nominated to replace him, had arrived. He sent M. Gault, his +aide-de-camp, to Paris to buy maps and make various preparations +for our operations on the Rhine. But fate had decreed otherwise, +and my unfortunate father's grave was destined to be in Italy. + +When Massena arrived he found no more than the shadow of an army: +the soldiers, without pay and almost without clothing and +footwear, existing on a quarter of the normal ration, were dying +of malnutrition as well as an epidemic of disease, the result of +the intolerable privations which they were suffering. The +hospitals were full but had no medicines. Some groups of +soldiers, and even whole regiments, were daily abandoning their +posts and heading for the bridge across the Var, where they +forced a passage to get into France and spread themselves over +Provence, although saying that they were willing to return if +they were given food! The generals were unable to remedy this +appalling state of affairs. They became, daily more discouraged, +and all were requesting leave or retiring on the grounds of +ill-health. Massena had expected that he would be joined in Italy +by several of the generals who had helped him to defeat the +Russians in Switzerland, among them, Soult, Oudinot and Gazan, +but none of them had yet arrived, and it was essential to do +something about the serious situation. + +Massena, who was born in La Turbie, a village in the little +principality of Monaco, was one of the most crafty Italians that +ever existed. He did not know my father, but he decided on their +first meeting that he was a big-hearted man who loved his +country, and, to persuade him to stay, he played on these +sensitive areas, his generosity and his patriotism, suggesting to +him how much nobler it would be for him to continue to serve in +the unhappy army of Italy rather than go to the Rhine. He said +that he would take the responsibility for the failure to carry +out the orders given to my father by the government if he would +agree to stay. My father, beguiled by these speeches and not +wishing to leave the new commander in a mess, consented to remain +with him. He did not doubt that his chief-of-staff, Col. Menard, +his friend, would also give up the idea of going to the Rhine; +but this was not to be. Menard stuck to the order he had been +given, although he was assured that it would be cancelled if he +wished. My father felt very badly about this desertion. Menard +hurried off to Paris, where he took the job of chief-of-staff to +general Lefebvre. + +My father went to Genoa, where he took command of the three +divisions which composed the right wing of the army. Despite all +the shortages, the winter carnival was quite gay in the town, the +Italians being so pleasure-loving! We were lodged in the +Centurione Palace, where we spent the end of the winter +1799-1800. My father had left Spire at Nice with the greater part +of his baggage. He now took on Col. Sacleux as his +chief-of-staff, an admirable man, a good soldier, with a very +pleasant personality, if somewhat solemn and serious-minded. He +had as his secretary a young man by the name of Colindo, the son +of a banker, Signor Trepano of Parma, whom he had picked up after +a series of adventures too long to relate here, who became my +very good friend. + +Early in the spring of 1800, my father was told that General +Massena intended to give the command of the right wing to General +Soult, who had just arrived, and was much my father's junior, and +he was ordered to go back to Savona and head his old division, +the third. My father obeyed, though his pride was hurt by this +new posting. + +Chap. 11. + +A serious situation was developing in Italy. Massena had received +some reinforcements; he had established a little order in his +army, and the campaign of 1800, which led to the memorable siege +of Genoa and the battle of Marengo, was about to begin. + +The snows which covered the mountains separating the two armies +having melted, the Austrians attacked us, and their first efforts +were directed upon my father's division, the third, stationed at +the right of the French line, which they wished to separate from +the centre and the left by driving them back from Savona to +Genoa. + +As soon as hostilities commenced, my father and Col. Sacleux sent +all the non-combatants to Genoa; Colindo was among them. As for +me, I was thoroughly enjoying myself, exhilarated as I was by the +sight of marching troops, the noisy movements of artillery and +the excitement of a young soldier at the prospect of action. I +was far from suspecting that this war would become so terrible +and would cost me so dear. + +My father's division, fiercely attacked by greatly superior +forces, defended for two days positions at Cadibone and +Montenotte, but eventually, seeing themselves on the point of +being outflanked, they had to retire to Voltri, and from there to +Genoa, where they shut themselves in, together with the two other +divisions of the right wing. + +I had heard all the well-informed generals deploring the +circumstances which forced our separation from the centre and the +left, but I had at that time so little understanding of the +principles of warfare that I took no notice. I understood well +enough that we had been defeated, but as I personally had +overcome, before Montenotte, an officer of Burco's Hussars, and +taking the plume from his shako, had fastened it proudly to the +head-band of my bridle, it seemed to me that I was like a knight +of the middle-ages returning laden with the spoils of the +infidel. + +My childish vanity was soon crushed by a dreadful event. During +the retreat, and at a moment when my father was giving me an +order to take, he was hit by a bullet in the left leg, which had +been wounded once before, in the army of the Pyrenees. The injury +was serious, and my father would have fallen from his horse if he +had not leaned on me. I took him out of the battle area. His +wound was dressed. I shed tears as I saw his blood flow, but he +tried to calm me, saying that a soldier should have more courage. +My father was carried to the Centurione Palace in Genoa, where he +had lived during the preceding winter. Our three divisions having +entered Genoa, the Austrians blockaded it by land, and the +English by sea. + +I can hardly bring myself to describe the sufferings of the +garrison and the population of Genoa during the two months for +which this siege lasted. Famine, fighting and an epidemic of +typhus did immense damage. The garrison lost ten thousand men out +of sixteen thousand, and there were collected from the streets, +every day, seven or eight hundred of the bodies of the +inhabitants, of every age, sex, and condition, which were taken +behind the church of Carignan to an immense pit filled with +quick-lime. The number of victims rose to more than thirty +thousand. + +For you to understand just how badly the lack of food was felt by +the inhabitants, I should explain that the ancient rulers of +Genoa, in order to control the populace, had from time immemorial +exercised a monopoly over grain, flour and bread, which was +operated by a vast establishment protected by cannons and guarded +by soldiers, so that when the Doge or the Senate wished to +prevent or put down a revolt, they closed the state ovens and +reduced the people to starvation. Although by this time the +constitution of Genoa had been greatly modified and the +aristocracy now had very little influence, there was not, however +a single private bakery, and the old system of making bread in +the public ovens was still in operation. Now, these public +bakeries, which normally provided for a population of a hundred +and twenty thousand souls, were closed for forty-five days out of +the sixty for which the siege lasted. Neither rich nor poor could +buy bread. The little in the way of dried vegetables and rice +which was in the shops had been bought up at the beginning of the +siege at greatly inflated prices. The troops alone were given a +small ration of a quarter of a pound of horse flesh and a quarter +of a pound of what was called bread. This was a horrible mixture +of various flours, bran, starch, chalk, linseed, oatmeal, rancid +nuts and other evil substances. General Thibauld in his diary of +the siege described as "Turf mixed with oil." + +For forty five days neither bread nor meat was on sale to the +public. The richest were able (at the start the siege only,) to +buy some dried cod, figs and some other dried goods such as +sugar. There was never any shortage of wine, oil and salt, but +what use are they without solid food? All the dogs and cats in +the town were eaten. A rat could fetch a high price! In the end +the starvation became so appalling that when the French troops +made a sortie, the inhabitants would follow them in a crowd out +of the gates, and rich and poor, women, children and the old +would start collecting grass, nettles, and leaves, which they +would then cook with some salt. The Genoese government mowed the +grass which grew on the ramparts, which was then cooked in the +public squares and distributed to the wretched invalids, who had +not the strength to go and find for themselves and prepare this +crude dish. Even the soldiers cooked nettles and all sorts of +herbage with their horse flesh. The richest and most +distinguished families in the town envied them this meat, +disgusting as it was, for the shortage of fodder had made nearly +all the horses sick and even the flesh of those dying of disease +was distributed. + +During the latter part of the siege, the desperation of the +people was something to fear. There were cries that, as in 1756 +their fathers had massacred an Austrian army, they should now try +to get rid of the French army in the same way; and that it was +better to die fighting than to starve to death, after watching +their wives and children perish. These threats of revolt were +made more serious by the fact that if they were carried out, the +English by sea and the Austrians by land would have rushed to +join their efforts to those of the insurgents, and would have +overwhelmed us. + +Amid such dangers and calamities of all sorts, Massena remained +immovable and calm, and to prevent any attempt at an uprising, he +issued a proclamation that French troops had orders to open fire +on any gathering of more than four people. Regiments camped in +the squares and the principal streets. The avenues were occupied +by cannon loaded with grape-shot. It being impossible for them to +come together, the Genoese were unable to revolt. + +It may seem surprising that Massena was so determined to hold on +to a place where he could not feed the inhabitants and could +scarcely maintain his own troops; but Genoa was, at that time, of +great importance. Our army had been cut in two. The centre and +the left wing had retired behind the Var. As long as Massena +occupied Genoa, he kept part of the Austrian army occupied in +besieging him and prevented them from employing all their forces +against Provence. + +Massena knew also that the First Consul was assembling at Dijon, +Lyon, and Geneva, an army of reserve, with which he proposed to +cross the Alps by the St. Bernard pass, to enter Italy and to +surprise the Austrians by falling on their rear while they were +directing their efforts at taking Genoa. We therefore had the +greatest interest in holding the town for as long as possible. +These were the orders of the First Consul, and were subsequently +justified by events. + +To return to the siege. When he heard that my father had been +brought to Genoa, Colindo Trepano hurried to his bedside, and it +was there that we met once more. He helped me most tenderly to +care for my father, for which I am even more beholden to him +because, in the midst of these calamities my father had no one +about him. All his staff officers had been ordered to go and +attend the commander-in-chief; soon rations were refused to our +servants, who were forced to go and take up a musket and line up +with the combatants to have a right to the miserable ration which +was distributed to the soldiers. No exception was made, apart +from a young valet, named Oudin, and a young stable-lad, who +looked after the horses; but Oudin deserted us as soon as he knew +that my father had typhus. + +My father fell ill with this dreadful disease, and at a time when +he was in the greatest need of care, there was no one with him +except me, Colindo and the stable lad Bastide. We did our best to +follow the doctor's instructions, we hardly slept, being +endlessly busy massaging my father with camphorated oil and +changing his bedclothes and linen. + +My father could take no nourishment except soup and I had nothing +with which to make it but rotten horse-meat. My heart was +breaking. + +Providence sent us some help. The huge buildings of the public +ovens were next to the walls of the palace where we were living. +The terraces were almost touching. It was on the immense terraces +of the public ovens that the crushing and mixing took place of +all sorts of chicken food which was added to the rotten flour to +make the garrison's bread. The stable lad Bastide had noticed +that when the workmen of the bakery left the terraces, they were +invaded by horde of pigeons who had their nests in the various +church towers of the town, and were in the habit of coming to +pick up the small amounts of grain which had spilled onto the +flagstones. Bastide, who was a very clever lad, crossed the +narrow space which separated the terraces, and on that of the +public ovens he set up snares and other devices with which he +captured pigeons which we used to make soup for my father, who +found it excellent, compared to that made from horse. + +To the horrors of famine and typhus were added those of a +merciless and unceasing war, for the French troops fought all day +on land against the Austrians, and when nightfall put an end to +the Austrian assaults, the English, Turkish, and Neapolitan +fleets, which were protected by darkness from the port's cannons +and the batteries on the coast, drew close to the town, into +which they hurled a great number of bombs which did fearful +damage. + +The noise of the guns and the cries of the wounded and dying +reached my father and greatly disturbed him. He lamented his +inability to place himself at the head of the men of his +division. This state of mind worsened his condition. He became +more gravely ill from day to day, and progressively weaker. +Colindo and I did not leave him for a moment. Eventually, one +night when I was on my knees by his bedside, sponging his wound, +he spoke to me, perfectly lucidly, and placed his hand +caressingly on my head, saying, "Poor child, what will happen to +him, alone and without support in the horrors of this terrible +siege?" Then he mumbled some words, among which I could +distinguish the name of my mother, dropped his arms and closed +his eyes... + +Although very young and without much length of service, I had +seen many dead on various battlefields, and above all on the +streets of Genoa; but they had fallen in the open, still in their +clothes, which gave them a very different appearance to someone +who had died in bed. I had never witnessed this last sad +spectacle and I believed that my father had fallen asleep. +Colindo knew the truth but had not the heart to tell me, so I was +not aware of my error until some time later, when M. Lacheze +arrived and I saw him pull the sheet over my father's face, +saying, "This is a dreadful loss for his family and friends". +Only then did I understand that my father was dead. + +My grief was so heartbroken that it touched even General Massena, +a man not easily moved, particularly in the present situation +when he had need of such resolution. The critical position in +which he found himself drove him to behave toward me in a way +which I thought atrocious, although now I would do the same in +the same circumstances. + +To avoid anything that could lower the morale of the troops, +Massena had forbidden any funeral ceremonies, and as he knew that +I had been unwilling to desert the mortal remains of my +much-loved father, and thought it was my intention to go with him +to his graveside, he feared that his troops might be adversely +affected by the sight of a young officer, scarcely more than a +boy, following, in tears, his father's bier. So he came the next +day before dawn to the room where my father lay, and taking me by +the hand, he led me under some pretext or other to a distant +room, while, on his orders, twelve Grenadiers, accompanied only +by one officer and Col. Sacleux, took the body in silence, and +placed it in a provisional grave on the rampart facing the sea. +It was only after this mournful ceremony was over that General +Massena told me of it and explained his motives for this +decision. I was overcome by misery. It seemed to me that I had +lost my poor father for a second time; that he had been deprived +of my last services. My protests were in vain and there was +nothing I could do but go and pray by my father's grave. I did +not know where it was, but Colindo had followed the burial party, +and he led me there. This good young man gave me the most +touching evidences of sympathy, and this at a time when everyone +thought only of themselves. + +Nearly all the officers of my father's staff had been killed or +carried off by typhus. Out of the eleven which we were at the +start of the campaign, there remained only two; the commandant +R*** and me! But R*** was interested only in himself, and instead +of offering support to his general's son, he lived alone in the +town. M. Lacheze abandoned me also. Only the good Col. Sacleux +showed any interest in me, but having been given the command of a +brigade, he was constantly outside the walls combatting the +enemy. I stayed alone in the huge Centurione Palace with Colindo, +Bastide, and the ancient concierge. + +A week had scarcely passed since my father's death when General +Massena, who needed a large number of officers in attendance +because some were killed or wounded almost every day, ordered me +to come and serve as aide-de-camp, as did R*** and all the +officers on the staff of those generals who were dead or unable +to mount a horse. I obeyed. I followed the general all day in +battle, and when I was not detained at headquarters, I went back +to the Palace, and at nightfall, Colindo and I, passing among the +dying and the dead bodies of men, women, and children which +littered the streets, went to pray at my father's tomb. + +The famine in the town continued to worsen. An order went out +forbidding any officer from having more than one horse, the rest +were to be butchered. There were several of my father's left and +I was most unhappy at the thought of these poor beasts being +killed. I managed to save their lives by proposing that I should +give them to officers of the general staff in exchange for their +worn out mounts, which I then sent to the butchery. These horses +were later paid for by the state, on production of an order for +their delivery. I have kept one of these orders as a curiosity; +it bears the signature of General Oudinot, Massena's +chief-of-staff. + +The cruel loss which I had just suffered, the position in which I +found myself, and the sight of the truly horrible scenes in which +I was involved every day, taught me more in a short time than I +would have learned in a number of happier years. I realised that +the starvation and disaster of the siege had made egoists of all +those who a few months before had been smothering my father with +attention. + +I had to find within myself the courage and resource not only for +my own needs but to look after Colindo and Bastide. The most +pressing requirement was to find something for them to eat, since +they were given no food from the army stores. I had, it is true, +as an officer, two rations of horse meat and two rations of +bread, but all this added together did not amount to more than a +pounds weight of very bad food, and we were three! We very rarely +caught pigeons now, for their numbers had infinitely diminished. + +In my position as aide-de-camp to the commander-in- chief, I was +entitled to a place at his table, where once a day was served +some bread, some roast horse and some chick peas; but I was so +embittered at General Massena having deprived me of the sad +consolation of attending my father's burial, that I could not +bring myself to sit down at his table, although all my comrades +were there and a place was reserved for me. But at last the wish +to help my two unfortunate companions decided me to go and eat +with the commander-in-chief. From then on Colindo and Bastide had +each a quarter of a pound of horse meat and the same amount of +bread. As for me, I did not have enough to eat, for the portions +served at the general's table were exceedingly small, and I was +worked hard. Often I had to lie on the ground to stop myself from +fainting. + +Providence came once more to our aid. Bastide had been born in +the region of Cantal, and he had met, the previous winter, +another Auvergnian whom he knew, and who was living in Genoa +where he had a small business. Bastide went to visit this friend, +and was surprised, on entering the house, to smell the odour +which floats around a grocer's shop. Bastide remarked on this and +asked his friend if he had some food. His friend admitted that he +had, and begged Bastide to keep this a secret, since all food +found in private hands was confiscated and taken to the army +stores. The shrewd Bastide then offered to arrange the purchase +of any surplus provisions by someone who would pay cash and would +keep the secret inviolate. He came to tell me of his discovery. +My father had left me some thousands of francs, so I bought, and +brought back to our dwelling at night, a quantity of dried cod, +cheese, figs, sugar, chocolate etc. All of which was extremely +expensive, and the Auvergnian had most of my money. However I was +happy to pay whatever he asked, for I heard daily at general +headquarters suggestions that the siege would continue and the +famine get worse. Sadly, this in fact happened. My joy at having +procured some food was increased by the thought that I had +thereby saved the life of my friend Colindo, who, without it, +would have assuredly died of starvation, for he knew no one in +the army except me and Col. Sacleux, who was shortly to be struck +down by a dreadful misfortune. + +Massena, attacked on all sides, seeing his troops worn down by +continual battle and famine, forced to hold down a large +population, driven to despair by hunger, found himself in a most +critical position, and believed that to maintain good order in +the army he needed to impose iron discipline. So any officer who +did not execute his orders immediately was dismissed, under the +power which the law gave at that time to the commander-in-chief. + +Several examples of this kind had already been made when, during +a sortie which we had pushed forward some six leagues from the +town, the brigade commanded by Col. Sacleux was not in position +at the time ordered in a valley where it was meant to block the +passage of the Austrians, who thus escaped. + +The commander-in-chief, furious at seeing his plans come to +nothing, dismissed poor Col. Sacleux by publishing his dismissal +in an order of the day. Sacleux may well not have understood what +was expected of him, but he was a very brave man. Assuredly he +would have blown his brains out, had he not been determined to +restore his honour. He took up a musket and joined the ranks as a +private soldier! He came to see us one day, Colindo and I were +sore at heart to see this excellent man dressed as a simple +infantryman. We said our good-byes to Sacleux who, after the +surrender of the town, was restored to his rank of colonel at the +request of Massena himself, who had been impressed by Sacleux's +courage. But the following year, when peace had been made in +Europe, Sacleux, perhaps wishing to rid himself completely of the +stigma with which he had been so unjustly branded, asked to be +posted to the war in Santa-Dominica, where he was killed at the +moment when he was about to be promoted to brigadier-general! +There are men who, in spite of their merits, have a cruel +destiny; of which he was an example. + +Chap. 12. + +I shall discuss only briefly the conduct of the siege or blockade +which we sustained. The fortifications of Genoa consisted at that +time of a plain wall, flanked by towers; but what made the place +well suited for defence was the fact that it is surrounded at a +short distance by mountains, the summits and flanks of which are +dotted with forts and strong-points. The Austrians continually +attacked these positions. When they took one, we went to retake +it, and the next day they came to take it again. If they managed +to do so, we went to chase them out once more. There was an +endless shuttling back and forth, with varying results, but in +the end, we remained in control of the terrain. These encounters +were often very fierce. In one of them, General Soult, who was +General Massena's right hand man, was climbing up Monte Corona at +the head of his men to retake a fort of that name, which we had +lost the day before, when his knee was struck by a bullet at a +moment when the enemy, who greatly outnumbered his party, were +running down from the top of the mountain. It was impossible with +the few troops we had at this point to resist the avalanche, and +a retreat was called for. The soldiers carried General Soult for +some way, on their muskets, but the intolerable pain which he +suffered decided them that he should be left at the foot of a +tree, where his brother and one of his aides-de-camp stayed with +him to protect him from being attacked by the first enemy troops +to arrive. Luckily there were among these some officers who had +much respect for their illustrious prisoner. + +The capture of General Soult having encouraged the Austrians, +they pushed us back to the city wall, which they were preparing +to attack when a heavy storm darkened the blue sky, which we had +had since the beginning of the siege. The rain fell in torrents. +The Austrians halted and most of them sought shelter in the +blockhouses or under the trees. Then General Massena, one of +whose principal gifts was the ability to turn to advantage the +unforeseen incidents of warfare, addressed his men, rekindled +their spirit, and having reinforced them with some troops from +the town, he ordered them to fix bayonets and led them, at the +height of the storm, against the erstwhile victorious Austrians +who, taken by surprise, retired in disorder. Massena pursued them +with such effect that he cut off some three thousand Grenadiers, +who laid down their arms. + +This was not the first time that we had taken numerous prisoners, +for the total of those we had captured since the beginning of the +siege amounted to more than eight thousand; but having no food +for them, Massena had always sent them back, on the condition +that they would not be used against us for a period of six +months. Although the officers held religiously to their promise, +the wretched soldiers, who went back to the Austrian camp +ignorant of the undertaking that their leaders had made on their +behalf, were transferred to other regiments and forced to fight +against us once more. If they fell again into our hands, +something that often happened, they were once more sent back and +transferred anew; so that there were very many of these men who, +on their own admission, had been captured four or five times. +Massena, angered at the lack of good faith on the part of the +Austrian generals, decided that this time he would retain both +officers and men of the three thousand Grenadiers whom he had +captured; and so that the duty of guarding them would not fall on +his troops, he had the unfortunate prisoners loaded into floating +hulks moored in the middle of the harbour with the guns of the +harbour mole aimed at them. He then sent an envoy to General Ott, +who commanded the Austrian troops before Genoa, to reproach him +for his failure to keep his word, and to warn him that he did not +consider himself bound to give the prisoners more than half the +ration of the French soldier; but that he would agree to an +arrangement which the Austrians might make with the British, +whereby vessels might bring, every day, food for the prisoners, +and not leave until they had seen it eaten, so that it could not +be thought that Massena was using this pretext to bring in food +for his own men. The Austrian general who may have hoped that a +refusal would compel Massena to send back the three thousand +soldiers, whom he probably intended to use again, turned down +this philanthropic proposal, and Massena then carried out his +threat. + +The French ration was composed of a quarter of a pound of +disgusting bread and an equal amount of horse flesh; the +prisoners were given only half this amount! This was fifteen days +before the end of the siege. For fifteen days, these poor devils +remained on this regime!. Every two or three days Messena renewed +his offer to the enemy general; he never accepted, perhaps out of +obstinacy, or perhaps because the English admiral, Lord Kieth, +was unwilling to employ his long-boats for fear, it is said, that +they would bring typhus back to the fleet. However that may be, +the wretched Austrians were left howling with rage and hunger in +their floating prison. It was truly appalling! In the end, having +eaten their boots and packs, and perhaps some dead bodies, they +nearly all died of starvation! There were hardly more than seven +or eight hundred left when the place was surrendered to our +enemies. The Austrian soldiers, when they entered the town, +hurried to the harbour and gave food to their compatriots with so +little caution that many of them died as a result. + +I have described this horrible episode, firstly as an example of +the sort of ghastly event which war brings in its train, but +principally to brand with shame the conduct and lack of good +faith of the Austrian general, who forced soldiers who had been +captured and released on parole, to take up arms against us once +more, although he had promised to send them back to Germany. + +In the course of the fighting which took place during the siege, +I ran into a number of dangers but I shall limit myself to +mentioning two of the more serious. + +I have already said that the Austrians and the English took it in +turns to keep us constantly in action. The first attacked us at +dawn, on the landward side, and we fought them all day; at night, +Lord Kieth's fleet would begin its bombardment, and try, under +cover of darkness, to seize the harbour; which forced the +garrison to keep a keen look-out on the seaward side, and +prevented it from having any rest or relaxation. Now, one night, +when the bombardment was more violent than usual, the +commander-in-chief was warned that the light of Bengal flares +burning on the beach had disclosed numerous boat loads of English +soldiers heading for the harbour breakwater. Massena, his staff, +and the squadron of guides which went everywhere with him, +immediately mounted their horses. We were about a hundred and +fifty to two hundred horsemen when, passing through a little +square called Campetto, the general stopped to speak to an +officer who was returning from the harbour. Someone shouted "Look +out for bombs!" And at that moment, one fell onto the crowded +square. + +I and several others had pushed our horses under a balcony which +overhung the door of an hotel, and it was on this balcony that +the bomb fell. It reduced the balcony to rubble, and bounced onto +the road, where it exploded with a fearful bang in the middle of +the square, which was lit for an instant by its malevolent light, +after which there was complete darkness. One expected many +casualties. There was the most profound silence, which was +broken by the voice of General Massena, asking if anyone was +hurt. There was no reply, for by some miracle, not one of the +horses or men had been hit by the flying fragments. As for those +who, like me, had been under the balcony, we were covered with +dust and bits of building material, but nobody was injured. + +I have said that the English bombarded us only at night. However, +one day, when they were celebrating some occasion or other, their +ships, dressed overall, approached the town in broad daylight, +and amused themselves by hurling at us a large number of +projectiles. Those of our batteries which were in the best +position to reply to this fire, were located near the breakwater +on a big bastion in the form of a tower, known as the Lanterne. +The general ordered me to take a message to the officer in charge +of this battery, instructing him to direct all his efforts on an +English brig, which had insolently anchored a short distance from +the Lanterne. Our gunners fired with such accuracy that one of +our large bombs fell on the English brig, piercing it from deck +to keel so that it sank almost immediately. This so infuriated +the English admiral that he had all his guns trained on the +Lanterne, on which they now opened a violent fire. My mission +being completed, I should have returned to Massena; but it is +rightly said that young soldiers, not recognising danger, +confront it more coolly than those with more experience. The +spectacle of which I was a witness, I found very interesting. The +platform of the Lanterne was floored with flagstones and was the +size of a small courtyard. It was equipped with twelve cannons on +enormous wooden mountings. Although it may be very difficult for +ship at sea to aim its fire with sufficient accuracy to hit such +a small target as was the platform of the Lanterne, the English +managed to land several bombs there. As these bombs descended, +the gunners took shelter behind or underneath the massive timbers +of the gun mountings. I did the same; but this shelter was not +entirely safe, because the flagstones presented a great +resistance to the bombs, which, being unable to bury themselves, +rolled unpredictably about the platform in all directions, and +the fragments from their explosion could pass under or behind the +mountings. It was, therefore, absurd to stay there when, like me, +one was not obliged to do so. But I experienced a fearful +pleasure, if one can describe it thus, in running here and there +with the gunners whenever a bomb fell, and emerging with them as +soon as the fragments from its explosion had settled. It was a +game which could have cost me dear. One gunner had his legs +broken, others were wounded by bomb fragments, lumps of metal +which did terrible damage to anything they hit. One of them +sliced through the thick timber baulk of a mounting behind which +I was sheltering. However, I remained on the platform until Col. +Mouton, who later became Marshal the Comte de Lobeau, and who, +having served under my father, took an interest in me, while +passing, caught sight of me. He came over to the Lanterne and +ordered me sharply to come down and return to my post beside +General Massena. He added, "You are still very young, but you +should realise that, in war, it is stupid to expose yourself to +needless danger. Would you be any better off if you had a leg +smashed for no good reason?" + +I never forgot this lesson, and I have often thought of the +difference it would have made to my life, if I had lost a leg at +the age of seventeen. + +Chap. 13. + +The courage and tenacity with which Massena had defended Genoa +would have very important results. Major Franceschi, sent by +Massena to contact the First Consul, had managed to slip through +the enemy fleet at night, both in going and coming. On arriving +back in Genoa he said that he had left Bonaparte descending the +St. Bernard at the head of the army of reserve. Field-marshal +Melas was so convinced of the impossibility of bringing an army +across the Alps, that while part of his force, under General Ott +was blockading us, he had gone with the remainder fifty leagues +away, to attack General Suchet on the Var. This gave the First +Consul the opportunity to enter Italy without resistance, so that +the army of reserve had reached Milan before the Austrians had +ceased to regard its existence as imaginary. The First Consul, +once in Italy, would have liked to go straight away to the aid of +the town's brave garrison, but to do that it was necessary for +him to unite all the elements of his force, such as the artillery +and military supplies, whose passage across the Alps had proved +extremely difficult. This delay gave Marshal Melas the time to +hurry with his main force from Nice in order to oppose Bonaparte, +who was then unable to continue his march towards Genoa without +defeating the Austrian army. + +While Bonaparte and Melas were engaged in marches and +countermarches in preparation for a battle which would decide the +destiny of France and Italy, the garrison of Genoa found itself +reduced to its last extremity. The typhus epidemic was raging. +The hospitals had become ghastly charnel houses; starvation was +at its worst. Nearly all the horses had been eaten, and though +for a long time the soldiers had had no more than half a pound of +rotten food daily, the distribution for the following day was not +assured. There was absolutely nothing left when, on the 15th +Prairial Massena gathered all his generals and colonels together +and announced that he had decided to attempt a breakout with +those remaining men who were fit for duty, to try to reach +Livorno; but his officers declared unanimously that the troops +were no longer in a state to engage in combat, or even a simple +march, unless they were given sufficient food to restore their +strength, and the stores were completely empty! General Massena +then considered that, having carried out the orders of the First +Consul and facilitated his entry into Italy, that it was his duty +to save the remains of a garrison which had fought so valiantly, +and which it was in the country's interest to preserve. He +therefore resolved to treat for the evacuation of the place, for +he would not allow the word capitulation to be uttered. The +English admiral and General Ott had, for more than a month, been +making proposals for a parley, which Massena had always turned +down; but now, compelled by circumstance, he told them that he +would accept. The conference took place in the little chapel +which is situated in the middle of the bridge of Conegliano, and +which is, as a result, between the sea and the French and +Austrian lines. The French, English, and Austrian staffs occupied +each end of the bridge. I was present at this most interesting +event. + +The foreign generals treated Massena with much respect and +consideration, and although he demanded favourable conditions, +Admiral Kieth said more than once that the defense had been so +heroic that they did not wish to refuse them. It was then agreed +that the garrison would not be made prisoners, that they could +retain their weapons and could go to Nice, and that having +reached there they would be free to engage in further +hostilities. + +Massena, who realised how important it was that the First Consul +should not be led into making any false move because of his +anxiety to go to the aid of Genoa, asked that the negotiations +should permit the safe passage of two officers through the +Austrian lines, whom he proposed to send to Bonaparte to inform +him of the evacuation of the town by the French. General Ott +opposed this because he intended to leave with some twenty-five +thousand men of the blockading force to go and join Field-marshal +Melas, and he did not want these French officers to warn General +Bonaparte of his movements. But Admiral Kieth overruled this +objection. The treaty was about to be signed when, from far away, +in the midst of the mountains, came the distant sound of gunfire. +Massena held up his pen, saying, "That is the First Consul, who +has arrived with his army." The foreign commanders were much +taken aback, but after a long pause it was realised that the +sound was that of thunder, and Massena appended his signature. + +It is to be regretted that the garrison and its commander were +deprived of the fame which would have been theirs if they had +been able to hold Genoa until the arrival of Bonaparte; and +furthermore, Massena would have liked to hold out for a few more +days, to delay the departure of General Ott's men to join in the +battle, which was inevitable, between the First Consul and +Field-marshal Melas. In the event, General Ott was unable to join +the main Austrian army until the day after the battle of Marengo, +the result of which might have been very different if the +Austrians, whom we had great difficulty in overcoming, had had +twenty-five thousand more men with which to oppose us. The +Austrians took possession of Genoa on the 16th Prairial(May) +after a siege which had lasted two whole months. + +Massena, as has been said, considered it so important that the +First Consul was informed immediately about the situation that he +had demanded a safe conduct for two aides-de-camp, so that if any +thing untoward befell one of them, the other could carry his +despatch. As it would be useful if an officer going on such a +mission spoke Italian, Massena chose a Major Graziani, an Italian +who was in the French service, but being a most suspicious man, +Massena feared that a foreigner might be corrupted by the +Austrians and delay his journey, so he sent me to make sure that +he made all possible haste. This precaution was unnecessary as +Major Graziani was a man of probity who knew the urgency of his +mission. + +On the 16th Prairial we departed from Genoa where I left Colindo, +whom I expected to collect in a few days time, as we knew that +the First Consul's army was not very far away. Major Graziani and +I reached it the next day at Milan. + +General Bonaparte spoke to me with sympathy about the loss which +I had suffered, and promised that he would be a father to me if I +behaved myself well, a promise which he kept. He asked us endless +questions about the events which had occurred in Genoa, and about +the strength and movements of the Austrian forces we had come +through to reach Milan; he kept us by him, and had horses +provided for us from his stable, since we had travelled on post +mules. + +We followed the First Consul to Montebello and then to the +battlefield of Marengo, where we were employed to carry his +orders. I shall not go into any details about this battle, where +I ran into no danger; one knows that we were on the brink of +defeat, and might have fallen if General Ott's men had arrived in +time to take part in the action. The First Consul, who feared +that he might see them appear at any moment, was very anxious, +and did not relax until our cavalry and the infantry of General +Desaix, of whose death he was still unaware, had ensured victory +by overwhelming the Grenadiers of General Zach. Seeing that the +horse which I was riding was slightly wounded on a leg, he took +me by the ear, and said, laughing, "I lend you my horses, and +look what happens to them!" Major Graziani having died in 1812, I +am the only French officer who was present at the siege of Genoa +and the battle of Marengo. + +After this memorable affair, I went back to Genoa, which the +Austrians had left as a result of our victory at Marengo. There I +rejoined Colindo and Major R***. I visited my father's grave, +then we embarked on a French brig, which in twenty-four hours +carried us to Nice. Some days later, a ship from Leghorn brought +Colindo's mother, who had come in search of her son. This fine +young man and I had come through some very rough times together, +which had strengthened the friendship between us, but our paths +were divergent and we had to part, albeit with much regret. + +I have said earlier, that about the middle of the siege, +Franceschi, carrying despatches from General Massena to the First +Consul, had reached France by passing through the enemy fleet at +night. He took with him the news of my father's death. My mother +had thereupon nominated a council of guardians, who sent to the +aged Spire, who was at Nice with the coach and my father's +baggage, an order to sell everything and return to Paris, which +he then did. There was now nothing to detain me on the banks of +the Var, and I was in a hurry to rejoin my dear mother; but this +was not so easy; public coaches were, at the time, very scarce; +the one that ran from Nice to Lyon went only every second day and +was booked up for several weeks by sick or wounded officers, +coming, like me, from Genoa. + +To overcome this difficulty, Major R***, two colonels, a dozen +officers and I decided to form a group to go to Grenoble on foot, +crossing the foothills of the Alps by way of Grasse, Sisteron, +Digne and Gap. Mules would carry our small amount of baggage, +which would allow us to cover eight to ten leagues every day. +Bastide was with me and was a great help to me, for I was not +accustomed to making such long journeys on foot, and it was very +hot. After eight days of very difficult walking, we reached +Grenoble, from where we were able to take coaches to Lyon. It was +with sorrow that I saw once more the town and the hotel where I +had stayed with my father in happier times. I longed for and yet +dreaded the reunion with my mother and my brothers. I fancied +that they would ask me to account for what I had done with her +husband and their father! I was returning alone, and had left him +in his grave in a foreign land! I was very unhappy and had need +of a friend who would understand and share my grief, while Major +R***, happy, after so much privation, to enjoy once more, +abundance and good living, was madly jolly, which I found most +wounding; so I decided to leave for Paris without him; but he +claimed, now that I had no need of him, that it was his duty to +deliver me to the arms of my mother, and I was forced to put up +with his company as far as Paris, to where we went by mail coach. + +There are scenes which are perhaps better left to the +imagination, so I shall not attempt to describe my first +heartbreaking meeting with my widowed mother and my brothers. You +can picture it for yourselves. + +My mother had a rather pretty country house at Carriere, near the +forest of Saint-Germain. I spent two months there with her, my +uncle Canrobert, who had returned from emigration, and an old +knight of Malta, M. d'Estresse, a friend of my late father. +Adolphe was not in Paris, he was in Rennes with Bernadotte, the +commander-in-chief of the army of the west, but my younger +brothers and M. Gault came to see us from time to time. In spite +of the kindness and shows of affection which were lavished on me, +I fell into a state of sombre melancholy, and my health +deteriorated. I had suffered so much, physically and mentally! I +became incapable of doing any work. Reading which I had always +loved became insupportable. I spent the greater part of the day +alone in the forest, where I lay in the shade absorbed in my +sorrowful reflections. In the evenings, I accompanied my mother, +my uncle, and the old knight on their usual walk along the bank +of the Seine; but I took very little part in the conversation, +and hid from them my sad thoughts, which revolved always about my +poor father, dying for want of proper care. Although my condition +alarmed my mother, Canrobert, and M. d'Estresse, they had the +good sense not to make matters worse by any remarks which would +have only irritated a sick mind, but they sought gradually to +chase away the unhappy memories which were so affecting me by +bringing forward the holidays of my two younger brothers, who +came to live with us in the country. The presence of these two +children, whom I dearly loved, eased my mind of its sorrows, by +the care I took to make their stay at Carriere a happy one. I +took them to Versailles, to Maisons and to Marly, and their +childish happiness slowly brought back to life my spirits which +had been so cruelly crushed by misfortune. Who could have thought +that these two children, so lovely and full of life would soon be +no more? + +Chap. 14. + +The end of the autumn of 1800 was approaching; my mother went +back to Paris, my young brothers went back to school, and I was +ordered to join Bernadotte at Rennes. + +Bernadotte had been my father's best friend, and my father had +helped him in various ways on many occasions. In recognition of +the debt owed to my family, he had written to me saying that he +had reserved a place for me as his aide-de-camp. I received this +letter at Nice when I returned from Genoa, and on the strength of +it, I refused an offer from General Massena to take me on as a +permanent aide-de-camp, and to allow me to spend several months +with my mother before joining him and the army of Italy. + +My father had arranged that my brother Adolphe should continue +his studies in order to enter the polytechnic; so he was not a +soldier when my father died; but on hearing this sad news, he +rebelled at the thought that his younger brother was already an +officer, and had been in action, while he was still on a school +bench. He gave up the studies required for the technical arms, +and opted to join the infantry instead, which allowed him to +leave school. + +He was presented with a good opportunity. The government had +ordered a new regiment to be raised in the department of the +Seine. The officers for this regiment were to be selected by +General Lefebvre, who, as you know, had replaced my father in +command of the Paris division. General Lefebvre was only too +pleased to do something for the son of one of his old companions +who had died in the service of his country; he therefore awarded +my brother the rank of sous-lieutenant in this new unit. So far, +so good! But instead of going to join his company, and without +waiting for my return from Genoa, Adolphe hurried off to General +Bernadotte, who, without further ado, handed the vacant post to +the first brother to arrive, as if it was the prize in a race! So +when I went to join the general staff at Rennes, I learned that +my brother had been gazetted as permanent aide-de-camp, and I was +only a supernumerary, that is to say temporary. I was very +disappointed, because, had I expected this, I would have accepted +the proposal made by General Massena. But this opportunity had +now passed. It was in vain that General Bernadotte assured me +that he would obtain an increase in the establishment of his +aides-de-camp, I did not think this likely, and was convinced +that I would soon be moved elsewhere. + +Bernadotte's staff was made up of officers who nearly all reached +senior positions; four were already colonels. The most +outstanding was, undoubtedly, Gerard. He was very clever, brave +and had a natural talent for warfare. He was under the command of +Marshal Grouchy at Waterloo, and gave him some sound advice, +which could have led us to victory. Out of the eleven +aides-de-camp attached to Bernadotte's staff, two became +marshals, three lieutenant-generals, four were brigadiers and one +was killed in action. + +In the winter of 1800, Portugal, backed by the English, had +declared war on Spain, and the French government had resolved to +support the latter. In consequence, troops were sent to Bayonne +and Bordeaux, and the companies of Grenadiers who belonged to +various regiments scattered throughout Brittany and the Vendee +were gathered together at Tours. This corps d'elite was intended +to be the nucleus of the so-called army of Portugal, which +Bernadotte was destined to command. The general had to move his +headquarters to Tours; to where had to be sent all his horses and +equipment, as well all that was required for the officers +attached to his service. But the general, partly to receive his +final orders from the First Consul and partly to take Madame +Bernadotte back, had to go to Paris; and as it was customary in +these circumstances during the absence of the general for the +officers of his staff to be permitted to go and take leave of +their families, it was decided that all the permanent aides could +go to Paris, and that the supernumeraries would go to Tours with +the baggage to supervise the servants, pay them every month, +arrange with the supply commission for the distribution of +forage, and the allotment of lodgings for the great number of men +and horses. This disagreeable duty fell to me and my fellow +supernumerary Lieutenant Maurin. + +In the depths of winter and the most atrocious weather, we made +on horseback the long eight days journey from Rennes to Tours, +where we had all sorts of difficulties in setting up the +headquarters. We had been told that we would not be there for +much more than a fortnight, but we stayed there, bored stiff, for +six weary months, while our comrades were disporting themselves +in the capital. That was a foretaste of the unpleasant duties +which fell to me as a supernumerary aide-de-camp. So ended the +year 1800, during which I had undergone so much mental and +physical suffering. + +The town of Tours had many inhabitants, and there were many +diversions; but although I received many invitations I did not +accept any of them. Fortunately my time was fully occupied in +looking after the large collection of men and horses, without +which the isolation in which I lived would have been +insupportable. The number of horses belonging to the +commander-in-chief and the officers of his staff amounted to more +than eighty, and all were at my disposal. I rode two or three +every day, and went for some long rides round Tours, which +although solitary, had for me much charm, and gave me gentle +solace. + +Chap. 15. + +The First Consul now changed his mind about the army of Portugal. + +He gave the command to his brother-in-law, General Leclerc, and +kept General Bernadotte in command of the army of the west. In +consequence, the general staff, which my brother and the other +aides-de-camp had just joined at Tours, was ordered to return to +Brittany and betake itself to Brest, where the commander-in-chief +was to be stationed. It is a long way from Tours to Brest, but +the weather was fair, we were a young crowd, and the trip was +great fun. I was unable to ride on horseback, because of an +accidental injury to my hindquarters, so I rode in one of the +commander-in-chief's coaches. We found him awaiting us at Brest. + +The harbour at Brest held at that time not only a great number of +French vessels, but also the Spanish fleet, commanded by Admiral +Gravina, who was later killed at Trafalgar. When we arrived in +Brest, the two allied fleets were expected to take to Ireland, +General Bernadotte and a large invading force of French and +Spanish troops; but while we awaited this expedition,--which +never actually took place--the presence of so many army and naval +officers greatly animated the town of Brest. The +commander-in-chief, the admirals and several of the generals +entertained daily. The troops of the two nations mingled on the +best of terms, and I made the acquaintance of several Spanish +officers. + +We were thoroughly enjoying ourselves at Brest, when the +commander-in-chief decided it would be a good idea to move his +headquarters to Rennes, a dismal town, but more in the centre of +his command. We had hardly arrived there when what I had foreseen +happened. The First Consul cut the number of aides-de-camp +allotted to the commander-in-chief. He was allowed only one +colonel, five officers of lower rank and no additional officers. +As a result I was told that I was to be posted to a regiment of +light cavalry. I would have resigned myself to this, if it had +been to return to the first Hussars, where I was known and whose +uniform I wore; but it was more than a year since I had left the +regiment, and I had been replaced, so I was ordered to join the +25th Chasseurs, who had just gone to Spain and were on the +frontier with Portugal around Salamanca and Zamora. I felt +increasingly bitter about the way I had been treated by General +Bernadotte, for without his false promises I would have been an +aide-de-camp to Messena and regained my place in the 1st Hussars. + +So I was much discontented....But one must obey. Once I had got +over my resentment--which does not last long at that age--I could +not wait to get on the road and leave General Bernadotte, of whom +I thought I had good reason to complain. I had very little money. +My father had often lent money to Bernadotte, in particular when +he bought the estate of Lagrange; but although he knew that, +scarcely recovered from an injury, I was about to cross a large +part of France and all of Spain and, what is more, had to buy a +new uniform, he never offered to advance me a sou; and not for +anything in the world would I have asked him to do so. Very +luckily for me my mother had, at Rennes, an elderly uncle, M. de +Verdal of Gruniac, a former major in the infantry of Ponthievre, +with whom she had spent the first years of the revolution. This +old man was a little eccentric, but very good-hearted; not only +did he advance me the money which I desperately needed, but he +gave it to me out of his own pocket. + +Although, at this period, the Chasseurs wore the same dolman as +the Hussars, theirs was green. I was foolish enough to shed a few +tears when I had to discard the Bercheny uniform, and renounce +the name of Hussar to become a Chasseur! + +My farewell to General Bernadotte was somewhat cool; however he +gave me letters of introduction to Lucien Bonaparte, our +ambassador at Madrid, and to General Leclerc, our commander in +Portugal. + +On the day of my departure, all the aides-de-camp joined me in a +farewell luncheon; then I set out with a heavy heart. I arrived +at Nantes after two days of travel, dog tired, with a pain in my +side, and quite sure that I would not be able to stand riding on +horseback the four hundred and fifty leagues which I had to cover +to reach the frontier of Portugal. By chance, however, I met in +the house of an old acquaintance from Soreze, who lived in +Nantes, a Spanish officer named Don Raphael, who was on his way +to join his regimental depot at Estramadura. We agreed to travel +together, and that I would be guide as far as the Pyrenees, after +which he would take over. + +We went by stage-coach through the Vendee, where almost all the +market towns and villages still bore the marks of fire although +the civil war had been over for two years. These ruins made a +sorry spectacle. We passed through La Rochelle, Rochefort and +Bordeaux. From Bordeaux to Bayonne we rode in a sort of "Berlin" +which never went at faster than a walking pace over the sands of +Landes, so we often got out and walked alongside until we would +stop to rest under a group of pine trees. Then, sitting in the +shade, Don Raphael would take up his mandolin and sing. In this +way we took six days to reach Bayonne. + +Before crossing the Pyrenees, I had to report to the general +commanding Bayonne. His name was General Ducos, an excellent man, +who had served under my father. Out of concern for my safety, he +wished to delay my entry into Spain for a few days, because he +had just heard that a gang of robbers had plundered some +travellers not far from the frontier. Even before the War of +Independence and the Civil Wars, the Spanish character, at once +both adventurous and lazy, had given them a noticeable taste for +brigandage, and this taste was encouraged by the splitting up of +the country into several kingdoms which once formed independent +states, each with its own laws, usages, and frontiers. Some of +these states imposed customs duties, some, such as Biscay and +Navarre, did not; and the result was that the inhabitants of the +customs-free countries constantly tried to smuggle dutiable goods +into those whose frontiers were guarded by lines of armed and +active customs officers. The smugglers, on their part, had, from +time immemorial, formed bands, which employed force when cunning +was insufficient, and whose occupation was not considered in any +way dishonourable by the majority of Spaniards, who saw it as a +just war against the imposition of customs. Preparing their +expeditions, collecting intelligence, posting armed guards, +hiding in the mountains, where they lie about smoking and +sleeping, such is the life of the smugglers, who, as a result of +the large profits to be made from a single operation, can live in +comfortable idleness for several months. However, when the +customs officers, with whom they have frequent skirmishes, have +been victorious and confiscated their goods, these Spanish +smugglers, reduced to extremes, think nothing of becoming +highwaymen, a profession which they pursue with a certain +magnanimity, since they never kill travellers, and always leave +them the means to continue their journey. They had just done as +much to an English family, and General Ducos, who wished to spare +us the disagreeable experience of being robbed, had for this +reason decided to delay our departure; but Don Raphael assured +him that he knew enough about the habits of Spanish robbers to be +certain that the safest time to travel in a province was just +after a gang had committed some offence, because they then +cleared off and hid for a while. So general Ducos allowed us to +leave. + +Draught-horses were at this time unknown in Spain, where all +coaches, even the king's, were drawn by mules. There were no +stage-coaches, and in the post-houses nothing but saddle horses. +So that even the greatest of noblemen, who had their own coaches, +were forced when they travelled to hire harness mules and go by +short stages. The comfortably off took light carriages, which did +not go more than ten leagues a day. The ordinary people attached +themselves to caravanserais of donkey-men, who carried baggage in +the same way as our carters, but no one travelled alone, partly +for fear of robbers, and partly because of the mistrust with +which a solitary traveller was regarded. After our arrival in +Bayonne, Don Raphael, who was now in charge, said to me that as +we were not such grandees that we could hire a coach, nor so poor +that we had to join the donkey-men, there remained only two +possibilities, either we rode on horseback or we took a seat in a +carriage. Travelling on horseback, of which I have done so much, +did not seem suitable, as we would have no means of carrying our +baggage, so it was decided that we should go by carriage. + +Don Raphael bargained with an individual who agreed to take us to +Salamanca for 800 francs a head, and to lodge us and feed us on +the way, at his own expense. This was double what a similar +journey would have cost in France, and I had already spent a lot +of money to get to Bayonne; but that was the price, and as there, +was no other way for me to join my new regiment, I had to accept. + +We left in an enormous and ancient four-wheeled carriage, in +which three of the seats were occupied by a citizen of Cadiz, his +wife and daughter, while a Benedictine Prior from the university +of Salamanca completed the party. + +Everything was new to me on this trip. Firstly, the harnessing, +which greatly surprised me. The team consisted of six splendid +mules, of which, to my astonishment, only the two on the shaft +had bridles and reins, the remaining four went freely, guided +only by the voices of the coachman and his "Zagal" who, agile as +a squirrel, sometimes went for more than a league on foot, +running beside his mules, which were at full trot, then, in a +blink of an eye he would climb up on to the seat beside his +master, only to get down and then up again; which he did twenty +times a day; going round the coach and the harness to make sure +that nothing was out of order, and while doing all this, singing +to encourage his mules, each one of which he called by name. He +never struck them, his voice alone being enough to urge on any +mule which was not pulling its weight. + +These activities, and in particular the man's singing, I found +most entertaining. I also took a lively interest in what was said +in the coach, for, although I did not speak Spanish, what I knew +of Italian and Latin enabled me to understand much of what my +fellow passengers were saying, to whom I replied in French, which +they understood reasonably well. I did not smoke, but the five +Spaniards, even the two ladies and the monk, soon lit up their +cigars. We were all in good spirits. Don Raphael, the ladies, and +even the fat monk sang together. + +Normally we left in the morning. We stopped from one o'clock to +three, to dine, rest the mules, and allow the heat of the day to +pass, during which time one slept; what the Spanish call the +siesta. Then we went on to our night stop. The meals were +sufficiently plentiful, but the Spanish cuisine seemed to me, at +first, to taste awful, however I got used to it; but I could +never have got used to the horrible beds which we were offered at +night in the pousadas or inns. They were really disgusting, and +Don Raphael, who had just spent a year in France was forced to +agree. To avoid this unpleasantness, on the first day of my +arrival in Spain, I asked if I could sleep on a bale of straw. +Sadly, I discovered that such a thing as a bale of straw was +unknown in Spain, because, instead of threshing the sheaves of +corn they have them trampled under foot by mules, which breaks +the straw into short bits, scarcely as long as a finger. But I +had the bright idea of filling a large cloth sack with this short +straw, which I placed in a barn and slept on covered by my cloak; +thus avoiding the vermin with which the beds and the rooms were +infested. In the morning I emptied the sack and put it in the +coach and each evening I refilled it so that I had a clean +palliasse. Don Raphael followed my example. + +We crossed the provinces of Navarre, Biscay and Alava, country of +high mountains; then we crossed the Ebro and entered the immense +plains of Castile. We passed through Burgos and Valladolid, and +arrived, at last, after a journey lasting fifteen days, at +Salamanca. + +There, not without regret I parted from my good travelling +companion, whom I was to meet once more in the same part of the +world, during the War of Independence. General Leclerc was at +Salamanca. He received me kindly, and even proposed that I should +stay with him as a supernumerary aide-de-camp, but my recent +experience had taught me that although the post of aide-de-camp +offers one more freedom and comfort than regimental duty, this is +only when one is on the establishment. As a supernumerary you are +landed with all the unpleasant jobs, and you have only a very +precarious position. I therefore turned down the favour which I +was offered and asked to go and join my regiment. It was a good +thing that I took this step, because, the following year, the +general, having been given the command of the expedition to Santa +Dominica, took with him, on his general staff, a lieutenant who +had accepted the post which I had turned down, and all these +officers and the general died of yellow fever. + +I joined the 25th Chasseurs at Salamanca. The colonel was M. +Moreau, an old officer and a very fine fellow. He gave me a warm +welcome, as did my new comrades; and in a few days I was on the +best of terms with everybody. I was introduced to the town's +society, for at that time the presence of the French was highly +acceptable to the Spanish, and completely opposite to what it +became later. In 1801 we were their allies. We had come to fight +for them against the Portuguese and the English, so we were +treated as friends. The French officers were billeted with the +wealthiest inhabitants and there was competition to have them. We +were received everywhere. We were overwhelmed by invitations. +Being thus admitted into the family life of the Spaniards, we +learned more, in a short time, about their way of living than +officers who came to the peninsula during the War of Independence +could have learned in several years. + +I was billeted in the home of a university professor, who had +given me a very nice room looking out onto the handsome Salamanca +square. My regimental duties were not very onerous and left me +plenty of leisure time, which I used to study the Spanish +language, which is, in my opinion, the most elegant and beautiful +in Europe. It was at Salamanca that I saw, for the first time, +the famous General Lasalle. He sold me a horse. + +The fifteen thousand French troops sent to Spain with General +Leclerc formed the right wing of the Spanish Grand Army, which +was commanded by the "Prince de la Paix" and we were therefore +under his orders. This man (Emmanuel Godoy) was the queen's +favourite and was, in effect, the king. He came to revue us on +one occasion. He seemed to me to be very pleased with himself, +and although he was small and undistinguished looking, he was not +lacking in charm and ability. + +Godoy started the army moving, and our regiment went to Toro and +then to Zamora. I was sorry to leave Salamanca at first, but we +were as well received in other towns, particularly in Zamora, +where I stayed in the house of a rich merchant who had a superb +garden, where a numerous society would gather in the evenings to +make music and pass part of the night in conversation amid groves +of pomegranates myrtles and lemon trees. It is difficult to +appreciate fully the beauties of nature if one has not +experienced the delicious nights of the southern countries. + +We had, however, to tear ourselves away from the pleasant life +which we were leading to go and attack the Portuguese. We crossed +the border: there were a few small engagements which all went our +way: the French troops went to Viseu, while the Spanish came down +the Tagus and reached Alantejo: we expected to enter Lisbon soon, +as conquerors. But the Prince de la Paix, who had, without much +reflection, called the French troops into the peninsula, now, +also without much reflection, took fright at their presence, and +to get rid of them he concluded, without the knowledge of the +First Consul, a peace treaty with the Portuguese, which he +cunningly had ratified by the French ambassador, Lucien +Bonaparte. This greatly annoyed the First Consul, and caused, +from that day, a rift between the two brothers. + +The French troops stayed for several months longer in Portugal, +until the beginning of 1802; then we returned to Spain and +successively to our previous charming stations of Zamora, Toro +and Salamanca, where we were always made welcome. + +On this occasion I went through Spain on horseback with my +regiment, and had no longer any need to avoid the verminous beds +of the pousadas, since we were lodged each evening with the most +respectable citizens. A route march, when one makes it with one's +own regiment and in good weather, is not without a certain charm. +One has a constant change of scene, without being separated from +one's comrades; one sees the countryside in the greatest detail; +we talk as we travel, we dine together, sometimes well, sometimes +badly, and one is in a position to observe the customs of the +inhabitants. + +One of our pleasures was to watch in the evenings the Spaniards, +shedding their usual lethargy, dance the fandango and the bolero +with a perfection of grace and agility, even in the villages. +The colonel offered them the use of his band, but they, quite +rightly, preferred the guitar, the castanets, and a woman's +voice; an accompaniment which gave the dance its national +characteristics. These improvised dances, in the open air, +engaged in by the working class in the towns as well as in the +country, gave us so much pleasure, even as spectators, that we +were sorry to leave them. + +After more than a month on the road, we recrossed the Bidassoa, +and although I had happy memories of my stay in Spain, it was +with pleasure that I saw France once more. + +Chap. 16. + +At this period, regiments were responsible for their own +remounts, and the colonel had been authorised to buy sixty horses +which he hoped to procure, bit by bit, in French Navarre, while +he was taking the regiment to Toulouse, where we were to form the +garrison. But, for my sins, we arrived at Bayonne on the day of +the town fair, and the place was full of horse-copers. The +colonel arranged a deal with one of them, who provided all the +horses the unit needed straight away. The dealer could not be +paid immediately because the funds provided by the ministry would +take a week to arrive. The colonel then ordered that an officer +should remain behind in Bayonne, to receive this money and pay +the supplier. I was picked for this wretched task, which landed +me later in a most disagreeable situation, though at the time I +saw only that I had been deprived of the pleasure of travelling +with my comrades. However, in spite of my feelings, I had to obey +orders. + +To make it easier for me to rejoin the unit, the colonel decided +that my horse should go with the regiment, and that after I had +completed my mission, I should take the stage-coach to Toulouse. +I knew several former pupils from Soreze who lived in Bayonne and +who helped me to pass the time agreeably. The funds provided by +the ministry arrived and I paid them out and was now free from +all responsibility and ready to rejoin my regiment. + +I had a cotton dolman, braided in the same material, and with +silver buttons. I had had this strange costume made when I was on +Bernadotte's staff, since it was the fashion there to wear this +uniform when travelling in hot weather. I decided to wear this +outfit on the journey to Toulouse, as I was not with my regiment, +so I packed my uniform in my trunk and took it to the +stage-coach, where I booked my seat and, unfortunately, paid in +advance. + +The coach was due to leave at five in the morning, so I told the +porter at the hotel where I was staying to come and waken me at +four, and the rascal having promised to do so, I went to bed +without further ado. But he forgot; and when I opened my eyes, +the sun was shining into the room and it was after eight +o'clock...! What a disaster...! I was dumbfounded, and having +cursed and upbraided the negligent porter, I had to think what I +could do. The first difficulty was that the stage-coach ran only +every second day, but that was not the major problem, which was +that though the regiment had paid for my seat because I was on +duty, they were not obliged to pay twice, and I had been stupid +enough to pay for the whole journey in advance; so that if I took +a new seat it would be at my own expense. Now at this time +stage-coach fares were very costly, and I had very little money, +and also, what was I to do for forty-eight hours in Bayonne, when +all my belongings were on the coach...? I resolved to make the +journey on foot. + +I left the town without delay, and set off bravely on the road to +Toulouse. I was lightly clad, and had nothing but my sabre, which +I carried on my shoulder, so I covered the first stage briskly +enough and spent the night at Peyrehorade. + +The next day was a day of disaster. I intended to go as far as +Orthez, and had already made half the journey when I was +overtaken by one of these terrible storms which one has in the +Midi. Rain mixed with hail fell in torrents, beating on my face; +the road, already bad, became a morass in which I had the +greatest difficulty in walking in boots with spurs; a chestnut +tree near to me was struck by lighting.... No matter, I walked on +with stoic resignation. But, behold....! In the midst of the +storm I saw coming toward me two mounted gendarmes. You can +easily imagine how I looked after paddling for two hours in the +mud, dressed in my cotton breeches and dolman. The gendarmes +belonged to the station at Peyrehorade, to which they were +returning, but it seemed that they had lunched very well at +Orthez, for they were somewhat drunk. The older of the two asked +me for my papers; I gave him my travel permit, on which I was +described as a sous-lieutenant of the 25th Chasseurs. "You! A +sous-lieutenant?" shouted the gendarme, "you're too young to be +an officer!" But read the description," I said, "and you will +see that it says that I am not yet twenty years old. It is exact +in every point." "That may be," he replied, "but it is a forgery; +and the proof of that is that the Chasseur's uniform is green and +you are wearing a yellow dolman. You are an escaped conscript, +and I am arresting you." "All right," I said, "but when we get to +Orthez and I see your lieutenant, I can easily prove that I am an +officer and that this travel document is genuine." + +I was not much worried by this arrest; but now the older gendarme +said that he did not intend to go to Orthez. He belonged to the +station at Peyrehorade, and I must follow him there. I said that +I would do nothing of the kind, and that he could require this +only if I had no papers, but as I had shown him my travel permit, +he had no right to make me go back, and that it was his duty, +according to the regulations, to accompany me to my destination, +which was Orthez. + +The younger gendarme, who was less full of wine, said that I was +right. A lively dispute then broke out between the two of them. +They hurled insults at one another and in the middle of the +tempest which was all around us, they drew their sabres and +charged furiously together. I was afraid I might be injured in +this ridiculous combat, so I got into one of the huge ditches +which ran along each side of the road, and although I was in +water up to my waist, I climbed up onto the bordering field, from +where I watched the two warriors skirmishing to get the better of +one another. + +Fortunately, the heavy, wet cloaks which they were wearing clung +round their arms, and the horses, frightened by the thunder, +would not go near each other, so that the riders could manage +only a few ill directed blows. Eventually the older gendarme's +horse fell, and he landed in the ditch. When he got out,covered +in mire, he found that his saddle was broken and that he would +have to continue his journey on foot; so he set out, after +telling his companion that he was now responsible for the +prisoner. Left alone with the more sensible of the two gendarmes, +I pointed out to him that if I had anything to hide, it would be +easy for me to make off into the country, as there was a large +ditch between us which his horse could not cross, but that I +would surrender myself to him since he had agreed not to make me +go back. So I continued on my way, escorted by the gendarme, who +was beginning to sober up. We had some conversation, and it +became apparent that the fact that I had surrendered, when it +would have been easy for me to run away, made him begin to think +that I might be what I said I was. He would have let me go had he +not been put in charge of me by his companion. He became more and +more accommodating, and said he would not take me all the way to +Orthez, but would consult the Mayor of Puyoo, which we were going +to pass through. + +My arrival was that of a malefactor: all the villagers, who had +been driven back to the village by the storm, were at their doors +and windows to see the criminal in the charge of the gendarme; +however, the Mayor of Puyoo was a good, stout, sensible peasant, +whom we found in his barn, threshing corn. As soon as he had read +my travel permit, he said, gravely, to the gendarme, "Set this +young man at liberty at once. You have no right to arrest him. An +officer on a journey is designated by his documents, not by his +clothes." Could Solomon have produced a better judgement? The +good peasant did not stop at that, he wanted me to stay with him +until the storm had passed and he offered me food. Then, while we +were talking, he told me that he had once seen at Orthez a +general whose name was Marbot. I told him that this was my +father, and described him. Then the good man, whose name was +Bordenave became even more solicitous and wanted to dry my +clothes and offered me a bed for the night; but I thanked him and +went on my way to Orthez, where I arrived at nightfall, +completely worn out. The next day it was only with great +difficulty that I could put my boots on, partly because they were +wet and partly because my feet were swollen. + +However I managed to drag myself as far as Pau, and being unable +to go any further, I stayed there all day. I could find no other +means of transport but the mail coach, and although the seats +were very expensive, I took one as far as Gimont, where I was +welcomed with open arms by M. Dorignac, a friend of my father, +with whom I had spent several months after I left Soreze. I +rested for a few days with his family, then I took a stage-coach +to Toulouse. I had spent four times the cost of the seat which I +had lost through the negligence of the hotel porter at Bayonne. + +On my arrival at Toulouse I was going to look around for +somewhere to live, but the colonel told me that he had arranged a +place for me with one of his friends, an elderly doctor named M. +Merlhes, whose name I shall never forget, because this worthy man +and his numerous offspring were so good to me. During the two +weeks I stayed with them, I was treated as a member of the family +rather than as a boarder. + +The regiment was up to strength and well mounted. We had many +exercises which I found very interesting; though I sometimes +found myself up before squadron commander Blancheville, an +excellent officer, an old soldier from whom I learned to work +with precision, and I owe much to him. Blancheville, before the +revolution, had been on the staff of the gendarmes of Luneville. +He was very well educated and took a great interest in young +officers whom he thought capable of learning, and compelled them +to study whether they liked it or not. As for the others, whom he +called the block-heads, he simply shrugged his shoulders when +they did not know their drill or made mistakes during exercises, +but he never punished them for it. There were two or three +sous-lieutenants whom he had picked out, they were MM. Gavoille, +Dumonts and me. In our case he would not suffer an incorrectly +given order, and punished us for the slightest mistake. As he was +a very good fellow, when off duty we risked asking him why he +treated us so severely. "Do you think I am so stupid that I would +try to wash a black man white?" He replied, "Messers so and so +are too old and lacking in talent to make it worth my while to +try to improve them. As for you who have all that is required to +succeed, you need to study, and study you shall!" I have never +forgotten this reply, and I made use of it when I became a +colonel. In fact old Blancheville had drawn our horoscopes +accurately, Gavoille became a lieutenant-colonel, Dumonts a +brigadier-general and I a divisional general. + +On my arrival at Toulouse, I had exchanged the horse which I had +bought in Spain for a delightful mount from Navarre. Now, it so +happened that the prefect had arranged a race meeting in +celebration of some fˆte or other, and Gavoille, who was a great +lover of racing, had persuaded me to enter my horse. One day, +when I was exercising my horse on a grass track, as he took a +tight curve at full speed, he collided with the projecting wall +of a garden and fell stone dead. My companions thought I had +been killed or at least seriously injured, but by a miraculous +piece of good luck I was unhurt. When I had been picked up, and +saw my poor horse lying motionless, I was very upset, and went +back sadly to my billet, where I confronted the realisation that +I would have to buy another horse, and would have to ask my +mother for the money to do so, although I knew she was very +hard-up. + +Comte Defermon, a minister of state and one of our trustees, was +opposed to the sale of those properties which still belonged to +us, because he foresaw that peace would increase the value of +land. He considered, rightly, that they should be retained and +creditors paid off gradually by rigid economy. This is one of the +greatest obligations we owe to the good M. Defermon, the most +sincere of my father's friends, and one for whose memory I have +the deepest respect. + +When my request for money to buy a new horse was submitted to the +council of trustees, General Bernadotte, who was one of them, +burst out laughing, saying that it was a good try and that the +excuse was well chosen, and suggesting that my application was +what now-a-days would be called a "con", but, fortunately my +request was backed up by a letter from the colonel, and M. +Defermon stated that he did not believe me capable of trying to +obtain money by trickery. He was quite right in this, for +although I had an allowance of only 600 francs, my pay of just 95 +francs a month and a lodging allowance of 12 francs, I never had +a penny of debt; something I have always regarded with horror. + +I bought a new horse, which was not as good as the Navarrais, but +the general inspections, which had been reintroduced by the First +Consul, were approaching, and it was essential that I was quickly +remounted, the more so because we were to be inspected by General +Bourcier, who had the reputation of being a stern disciplinarian. + +I was detailed to go with thirty men to form an escort for him. +He welcomed me warmly and spoke of my father, whom he had known +well, which, however, did not prevent him from putting me on a +charge the following day. The way in which this came about is +quite amusing. + +One of our captains, named B***, was a very good-looking lad, and +would have been one of the most handsome men in the army if his +calves had been in harmony with the rest of his person; but his +legs were like stilts, which looked very odd in the tight +breeches, called Hungarians, which were then worn by the +Chasseurs. To get over this blemish, Captain B*** had acquired +pads made in the shape of calves, which completed his fine +appearance. You will see how these calves got me into trouble, +but they were not the only cause. + +The regulations laid down that the tails of officer's horses +should be left flowing, as were the tails of the trooper's +horses. Our colonel, M. Moreau, was always perfectly mounted, +but all his horses had their tails cut, and as he feared that +General Bourcier--a stickler for the rules--would take him to +task for setting a bad example to his officers, he had, for the +time of the inspection, had false tails fitted to his horses +which were so realistic that, unless one knew, one would think +them natural. This was all very fine. We went on manoeuvres, to +which General Bourcier had invited General Suchet, the inspector +of infantry, and General Gudin, the commander of the territorial +division, and was accompanied by a numerous and brilliant staff. + +The exercises were very long. Almost all the movements, carried +out at the gallop, ended with several charges at top speed. I was +in command of a section in the centre of Captain B***'s squadron, +and it was next to the captain that the colonel took up his +position. They were therefore a couple of paces in front of me +when the generals came to congratulate Colonel Moreau on the fine +performance of his troops. But what did I then see?.... The +extreme rapidity of the movements had deranged the accessories +added to the turn-out of both the colonel and Captain B***; the +false tail of the colonel's horse had come adrift, the centre +part, made of a pad of tow, was hanging down nearly to the ground +and the hairs were spread over the horse's crupper in a sort of +peacock's tail. As for Captain B***'s calves, they had slipped +round to the front, and could be seen as large lumps on his +shins, which produced a somewhat bizarre effect, while the +captain sat up proudly on his horse, as if to say "Look at me! +See how handsome I am!" + +One has little gravity at the age of twenty. Mine was unable to +resist the grotesque spectacle in front of me, and in spite of +the presence of no less than three generals, I was unable to stop +myself from bursting into laughter, however much I tried. The +inspecting general, not knowing the reason for my hilarity, +called me out of the ranks to reprimand me, but to reach him I +had to pass between the colonel and Captain B***, and my eyes +were once more directed to this cursed tail and the new calves +sported by the captain, and I again burst out laughing. I was +then put under open arrest. The generals must have thought I was +crazy, but as soon as they had gone, the officers of the regiment +gathered round the colonel and Captain B***, and soon realised +what had happened. They laughed as I had done, but in easier +circumstances. + +In the evening, the commandant Blancheville attended a reception +given by Madame Gudin. General Bourcier, who was also there, +having brought up the subject of what he called my escapade, M. +Blancheville explained the reasons for my unseemly laughter, an +explanation which gave rise to much amusement. The laughter was +increased by the entry of Captain B***, who having adjusted his +false calves, had come to display himself in this brilliant +society, without suspecting that he was one of the reasons for +their hilarity. General Bourcier, appreciating that if he could +not help laughing at a description of the sight which had greeted +my eyes, it was natural enough that a young sous-lieutenant could +not contain himself when confronted with this ridiculous +spectacle, cancelled my arrest and sent someone to look for me. +My arrival rekindled the laughter, which was increased by the +sight of Captain B***, who alone was unaware of the cause, going +from person to person asking what it was all about, while +everyone gazed at his calves. + +Chap. 17. + +Let us now turn to more serious matters. The Treaty of Luneville +had been followed by the Peace of Amiens, which put an end to the +war between France and England. The First Consul decided to +profit from the tranquility of Europe and the freedom of the sea +to despatch a large body of troops to Dominica, which he wished +to recover from the control of the blacks led by +Toussaint-Louverture, a man who, without being in open revolt +against the French, nevertheless adopted an air of great +independence. General Leclerc was to be in command of this +expedition. This general was a capable officer who had fought +successfully in Egypt and Italy; but his principal distinction +was that he had married Pauline Bonaparte, the First Consul's +sister. Leclerc was the son of a miller from Pontoise, if one can +describe as a miller, a very rich mill owner who had a +considerable business. The miller had given the best of +educations to his son and also to his daughter, who married +General Davout. + +While General Leclerc was preparing for his departure, the First +Consul concentrated in Brittany those troops which he had +earmarked for the expedition, and these troops naturally came +under the command of the commander-in-chief of the area, which +was Bernadotte. + +It is well known that there was always a great rivalry between +the troops of the Rhine army and those of the army of Italy. The +former were greatly attached to General Moreau, and did not care +for General Bonaparte, whose elevation to the head of government +they had witnessed with regret. For his part, the First Consul +had a great liking for the soldiers who had fought with him in +Italy and Egypt, and, although the breach with Moreau was not yet +openly declared, he considered that it would be in his interest +to remove to as far away as possible troops devoted to this +general. In consequence, the troops selected for the expedition +to Dominica were almost all taken from the army of the Rhine. +These men, however were perfectly happy to find themselves in +Brittany, under the command of Bernadotte, a former lieutenant of +Moreau's who had almost always served with them on the Rhine. + +The expeditionary force was to comprise eventually some forty +thousand men. The army of the west proper consisted of a similar +number, so that Bernadotte, whose command extended to cover all +the departments between the mouth of the Gironde and that of the +Seine, had for a time under his orders an army of eighty thousand +men, of whom the majority were more attached to him than to the +head of the consular government. + +If General Bernadotte had had more strength of character, the +First Consul would have regretted putting him in such a powerful +position; for I can say today, as an historical fact which will +harm no one, that Bernadotte plotted against the government of +which Bonaparte was the head. I shall give some details about +this conspiracy which were never known to the public, and perhaps +not even to General Bonaparte himself. + +Generals Bernadotte and Moreau, jealous of the elevated position +of the First Consul, and dissatisfied with the small part he gave +them in public affairs, had resolved to overthrow him, and place +themselves at the head of the government in conjunction with a +civil administrator or an enlightened magistrate. To achieve this +aim, Bernadotte, who, it must be said, had a talent for making +himself liked by both officers and men, went about the provinces +of his command, reviewing troops and using every means to +increase their attachment to him. Enticements of all sorts, +money, promises of promotion, were employed among the junior +officers, while secretly he denigrated the government of the +First Consul to the seniors. Having sown disaffection amongst +most of the regiments, it would not have been difficult to push +them into revolt; particularly those destined for the +expeditionary force, who regarded it as a sort of deportation. + +Bernadotte had as chief of staff Brigadier-general Simon, a +competent but rather colourless officer. His rank put him in a +position to correspond daily with unit commanders, and he used it +to make his office the centre of the conspiracy. A battalion +commander named Foucart was at that time attached to General +Simon, who made him his principal agent. Foucart, using the +excuse of official duties, travelled from garrison to garrison +organising a secret league, which was joined by almost all the +colonels and a crowd of senior officers, who were turned against +the First Consul by accusations that he aspired to royalty; +something, it seems, that he had not yet considered. + +It was agreed that the garrison of Rennes, composed of several +regiments, would begin the movement, which would spread like a +trail of gunpowder into all divisions of the army: and as it was +necessary that in this garrison there should be one unit which +would start things off and get the rest moving, the 82nd Line +regiment was brought to Rennes. This regiment was commanded by +Colonel Pinoteau, an energetic and capable man, very brave, but +something of a hothead, although he appeared outwardly +phlegmatic. He was a follower of Bernadotte and one of the most +enthusiastic of the conspirators. He promised to deliver his +regiment, where he was extremely popular. + +Everything was ready for the explosion when Bernadotte, lacking +resolve and aiming, like a true Gascon, to have a catspaw to pull +his chestnuts from the fire, persuaded General Simon and the +other principal conspirators that it was essential that he should +be in Paris when the army of Brittany proclaimed the deposition +of the consul, so that he would be in a position to seize +immediately the reins of government, in association with General +Moreau, with whom he was going to confer about the matter. In +reality, Bernadotte wished not to be compromised if the attempt +failed, while maintaining himself in a position to take advantage +of any success, and General Simon and the other conspirators were +blind enough not to see through this ruse. The day of the armed +uprising was then agreed, but the man who should have led it, +because he had organised it, had cunningly absented himself. + +Before Bernadotte left for Paris, a proclamation had been drawn +up, addressed to the people of France as well as to the army. +Several thousand copies of this were to be stuck up on the day of +the event. A bookseller in Rennes, introduced by General Simon +and by Foucart into the conspiracy, had undertaken to print this +proclamation himself. This ensured that the proclamation would be +ready for use in Brittany, but Bernadotte wanted to have a large +number of these posters in Paris, for it was important to spread +them throughout the capital and to send them to all the provinces +as soon as the army of the west had made its move against the +government, and as there was a risk of discovery if an approach +was made to a Paris printer, Bernadotte devised a method of +acquiring a large number of posters without compromising himself. +He told my brother Adolphe, who was his aide-de-camp, that he was +authorised to accompany him to Paris, and that he was to bring +his horse and his carriage in anticipation of a long stay. My +brother was delighted, and having packed his personal effects +into the lockers of the carriage, he instructed his servant to +bring the carriage, unhurriedly, to Paris while he went there by +stage-coach. + +As soon as my brother had left, General Simon and Commandant +Foucart, delaying, under some pretext or other, the departure of +my brother's servant, opened the carriage lockers and took out +the personal possessions, which they replaced by packets of the +proclamation. Then, having closed everything up, they sent poor +Joseph on his way, without any suspicion of what he was carrying. + +However, the First Consul's police had got wind of something +brewing in the army of Brittany, but without knowing exactly what +was going on or who was involved. The minister of police thought +it was his duty to inform the prefect of Rennes who was a M. +Mounier, and by the most extraordinary chance the prefect +received this despatch on the very day when the revolt was due to +break out, during a parade at Rennes, at mid-day. It was now +eleven-thirty! + +The prefect, to whom the minister had given no positive +information, thought that in order to obtain some, he could do no +better,in the absence of the commanding general, than to consult +his chief of staff. He therefore asked General Simon to come to +his office, and showed him the ministerial despatch. General +Simon, believing that all had been discovered, then foolishly +lost his head. + +He told the prefect that there was indeed a vast conspiracy in +the army, in which he had, unfortunately, played a part, of which +he now repented; and thereupon he disclosed all the plans of the +conspirators, and named the leaders; adding that in a few minutes +the troops gathered on the parade ground, at a signal from +General Pinoteau, were going to proclaim the overthrow of the +consular government! + +You may imagine M. Mounier's astonishment, and the concern he +felt at being in the presence of a culpable general who, though +at first thrown into confusion, might recover himself and +recollect that he had eighty thousand men under his command, of +whom eight to ten thousand were at this moment gathered not far +from the prefecture. The position in which M. Mounier found +himself was critical, but he extricated himself adroitly. + +The general commanding the gendarmerie, Virion, had been ordered +by the government to put together at Rennes a body of unmounted +gendarmes, for the formation of which every regiment had supplied +some Grenadiers. These soldiers, having no unifying bonds, +escaped, in consequence, from the influence of the colonels of +the regiments, and recognised only the orders of their new +leaders, those of the gendarmerie who, in accordance with the +regulations, obeyed the instructions of the prefect. M. Mounier +now sent for General Virion, telling him to bring all the +gendarmes. Meanwhile, fearing that General Simon might change his +mind and leave him to go and place himself at the head of his +troops, he soothed him with honeyed words, assuring him that his +repentance and his confession would mitigate his offence in the +eyes of the First Consul, and persuaded him to hand over his +sword and go to the Tour Labat with the gendarmes who had at that +moment arrived in the courtyard. So now the prime mover in the +revolt was in prison. + +While this was going on at the prefecture, the troops assembled +at the Place D'armes were awaiting the hour of the parade which +would also be that of the beginning of the revolt. All the +colonels were in the secret, and had promised their support +except the commander of the 79th, M. Goddard, who it was hoped +would follow the rest. + +From what a slender thread hangs the destiny of empires! +Pinoteau, a strong and determined man, was due to give the signal +which his regiment, the 82nd, already drawn up in battle +formation on the square, was impatiently awaiting; but Pinoteau, +with Foucart, had been busy all morning arranging for the +despatch of proclamations, and in their preoccupation he had +forgotten to shave. Mid-day arrived. Colonel Pinoteau realising +that he was unshaven, hurried to put this right; but while he was +engaged in this operation, General Virion, escorted by a large +number of gendarmes, burst into the room, seized his sword and +declared him a prisoner. He was taken to the tower to join +General Simon. A few minutes later and Colonel Pinoteau would +have been at the head of ten thousand men, and would undoubtedly +have succeeded in starting the revolt. But taken thus by surprise +he could do nothing but surrender to force. + +Having made this second arrest, Virion and the prefect sent an +aide-de-camp to the parade ground to tell Colonel Goddard of the +79th that they had a communication for him from the First Consul. +As soon as he arrived, they told him of the discovery of the +conspiracy and the arrest of General Simon and Colonel Pinoteau, +and persuaded him to unite with them in putting down the +rebellion. Having agreed to this, Colonel Goddard returned to the +parade ground without telling anyone what he had learned, and +taking his battalion to the Tour Labat, he joined the battalion +of gendarmes who were guarding it. Also there were the prefect +and General Virion, who arranged for ammunition to be distributed +to the loyal troops. They then awaited events. + +Meanwhile, the officers of the regiments which were assembled on +the parade ground, surprised at the sudden departure of the 79th, +and not understanding why General Pinoteau was late, sent to his +home, where they were told that he had been arrested and sent to +the tower. They were told at the same time of the arrest of +General Simon. + +This put the cat among the pigeons. The officers of the various +units got together; Commandant Foucart proposed that they should +march immediately to free the two prisoners and carry on with the +movement. This suggestion was received with acclamation, +particularly from the 82nd, who worshipped Colonel Pinoteau. They +hurried to the Tour Labat, but found it surrounded by four +thousand gendarmes and the battalion of the 79th. The assailants +were undoubtedly the more numerous, but they had no ammunition +and if they had had any, many of them would have been reluctant +to fire on their comrades, simply to make a change in the members +of the government. General Virion and the Prefect addressed them +and urged them to return to their duty. The soldiers hesitated, +and seeing this, none of the officers dared to order a bayonet +attack, which was the only action which remained possible. +Gradually the regiments stood down, and returned one by one to +their barracks. Commandant Foucart, left alone, was taken to the +tower, along with the unfortunate printer. + +On learning that the insurrection at Rennes had failed, all the +officers of the other regiments of the army of Brittany disavowed +it; but the First Consul was not taken in by their protestations, +he brought forward the date of their embarkation for Dominica and +the other islands of the Antilles, where nearly all of them died, +either in the fighting or of yellow fever. + +As soon as he had heard the first confessions of General Simon +and before the situation was fully under control, M. Mounier had +sent a despatch rider to the government, and the First Consul now +considered whether he should have Bernadotte and Moreau arrested. +However, he suspended this measure for lack of any evidence, and +to get hold of some, he ordered the examination of any travellers +coming from Brittany. + +While all this was going on, the good Joseph arrived at +Versailles in my brother's carriage, and much to his surprise, +found himself seized by the gendarmerie, and, in spite of his +protests, brought before the minister of police. On learning that +the carriage which this man was driving belonged to one of +Bernadotte's aides-de-camp, the minister, Fouche, had all the +lockers searched and found them full of proclamations, in which +Bernadotte and Moreau, after denouncing the First Consul in +violent terms announced his fall and their accession to power. + +Bonaparte, furious with these two officers, demanded their +presence. Moreau told him that as he, Moreau,had no authority +over the army of the west, he would accept no responsibility for +the conduct of the regiments of which it was composed; and one +has to admit that this was a valid objection. It however worsened +the position of Bernadotte, who, as commander-in-chief of the +troops assembled in Brittany, was responsible for maintaining +good order and discipline amongst them; but not only had his army +engaged in conspiracy, but his chief-of-staff was a leader in the +enterprise. The rebel proclamations bore Bernadotte's signature, +and more than one thousand copies of this document had just been +found in a carriage belonging to his aide-de-camp. The First +Consul thought that such evident proofs would flatten and +confound Bernadotte; but he was dealing with a true Gascon, as +devious as they come! + +Bernadotte expressed surprise...indignation! He knew +nothing...absolutely nothing! General Simon was a villain and so +was Pinoteau! He defied anyone to produce the original +proclamation bearing his signature! Was it his fault if some +lunatic had arranged for his name to be printed at the foot of a +proclamation which he utterly and completely rejected. As for the +wicked originators of all these plots, he would be the first to +demand their punishment. + +Bernadotte had indeed contrived to get everything directed by +General Simon, without giving him a single word in writing which +might compromise himself, and had left himself in a position in +which he could deny everything if, in the event of the plot +failing, General Simon should accuse him of being a participant. +The First Consul, though convinced of Bernadotte's guilt, had no +solid evidence to go on, and his council of ministers concluded +that it would not be feasible to bring charges against a general +who was so popular in the country and the army. Sadly, these sort +of considerations did not apply to my brother Adolphe. One fine +night they came to my mother's house to arrest him, and this at a +time when the poor woman was already overburdened with grief. + +M. de Canrobert, her eldest brother, whom she had managed to have +taken off the list of emigres, was living peaceably with her when +he was picked out by a policeman as having been present at some +gathering whose aim was the restoration of the previous +government. He was taken to the Temple Prison, where he was +detained for eleven months. My mother was taking every possible +step to prove his innocence and obtain his liberty when she was +struck by another terrible disaster. + +My two younger brothers were pupils at the French Military +School. This establishment had a huge park and a fine country +house in the village of Vanves, not far from the banks of the +Seine; and in the summer the pupils went there to pass some of +their holidays, when those who had behaved well were allowed to +bathe in the river. Now it so happened that, because of some +student peccadillo, the headmaster had deprived the whole school +of the pleasure of swimming; however my brother Theodore loved +swimming, so he and some of his friends decided to go swimming +without the knowledge of their masters. While the pupils were +spread about the park playing, they went to an isolated spot +where they climbed over the wall and, on a very hot day, they ran +to the Seine, into which they jumped, bathed in perspiration. +They were scarcely in the water, however, when they heard the +college drum beating for dinner. Fearing that their escapade +would be discovered by their absence from the refectory, they +dressed hurriedly and rushed back by the way they had come, to +arrive, breathless, at the start of the meal. In such +circumstances, they should have eaten little or nothing, but +schoolboys are heedless, and they ate as much as usual, with the +result that they nearly all became ill. Theodore was particularly +affected, and was taken to my mother's house desperately ill with +pneumonia. + +It was while she was going from the bedside of her mortally +afflicted son to her brother's prison, that they came to arrest +her first-born. An appalling situation for any mother. To make +matters worse, poor Theodore died. He was eighteen years old, +charming and handsome. I was desolated to hear of his death, for +I was very fond of him. These dreadful misfortunes which, one +after another, assailed my mother, impelled those who were my +father's true friends to exert themselves on her behalf. A +leading figure among them was M. Defermon, who worked almost +daily with the First Consul, and who rarely failed to intercede +for Adolphe and his widowed mother. Eventually, General Bonaparte +said to him one day, that although he had a low opinion of +Bernadotte's common sense, he did not believe that he was so +lacking in judgement that in conspiring against the government, +he would take into his confidence a twenty-one year old +lieutenant; and besides that, General Simon had stated that it +was he and Commandant Foucart who had put the proclamations in +young Marbot's carriage, so that, if he was to blame at all, it +was only to a very small extent. However, he, the First Consul, +was not willing to release the aide-de-camp until Bernadotte came +in person to ask him to do so. + +When she heard of this decision taken by the First Consul, my +mother hastened to Bernadotte's house and begged him to take the +necessary step. He promised solemnly to do but the days and weeks +rolled past without him doing anything. Eventually, he said to my +mother, "What you are asKing of me will be extremely painful, but +no matter, I owe this to the memory of your husband, as well as +to the interest I have in your children. I shall go this very +evening to see the First Consul and I shall call at your house +after leaving the Tuileries. I am certain I shall be able to +announce the release of your son." + +One can imagine with what impatience my mother waited during this +long day! Every coach she heard made her heart beat. But at last +it struck eleven o'clock and Bernadotte had not appeared. My +mother then went round to his house, and what do you suppose she +was told?....That General Bernadotte and his wife had left, to +take the waters at Plombieres, and would not be back for two +months! In spite of his promises, Bernadotte had left Paris +without seeing the First Consul. Devastated, my mother wrote to +General Bonaparte. M. Defermon, who undertook to deliver the +letter, was so indignant at the conduct of General Bernadotte +that he could not resist telling the First Consul how he had +behaved toward us. "That," said the First Consul, "is the sort of +thing I would expect!" + +M. Defermon, Generals Mortier, Lefebvre and Murat then urged that +my brother should be freed; observing that if he had been unaware +of the conspiracy, it was unjust to keep him in prison, and even +if he had known something about it, he could not be expected to +carry tales about Bernadotte, whose aide-de-camp he was. This +reasoning impressed the First Consul, who set my brother at +liberty and sent him to Cherbourg, to join the 49th Line +regiment, as he did not wish him to continue as aide-de-camp to +Bernadotte. + +Bonaparte, who had a very long memory, probably had engraved, +somewhere in his head, the words, "Marbot. Aide-de-camp of +Bernadotte. Conspiracy of Rennes." So my brother was never again +looked on with favour, and some time later he was sent to +Pondichery. + +Adolphe had spent a month in prison; Commandant Foucart was there +for a year. He was cashiered and ordered to leave France. He took +refuge in Holland, where he lived miserably for thirty years on +earnings from French lessons, which he was reduced to giving, as +he had no personal fortune. + +At last, in 1832, he thought to return to his native country, and +during the siege of Anvers I saw, one day, come into my room, a +sort of elderly schoolmaster, very threadbare; it was Foucart, I +recognised him. He told me that he did not have a brass farthing! +While I offered him some assistance, I could not help reflecting +on the bizarre workings of fate. Here was a man who in 1802 was +already a battalion commander, and whose courage and ability +would have certainly carried him to the rank of general, if +Colonel Pinoteau had not decided to shave at the moment when the +conspiracy of Rennes was due to come to a head. I took Foucart to +Marshal Gerard, who also remembered him, and together we +presented him to the Duc d'Orleans, who gave him a job in his +library, at a salary of 2400 francs. He lived there for fifteen +years. + +As for General Simon and Colonel Pinoteau, they were imprisoned +in the Isle de Re for five or six years. Eventually, Bonaparte, +having become Emperor, set them free. Pinoteau had been +vegetating for some time in Rufec, his birthplace, when, in 1808, +the Emperor, who was on his way to Spain, having stopped there to +change horses, Pinoteau presented himself boldly before him and +requested to be re-engaged in military service. The Emperor, who +knew that he was an excellent officer, then placed him in command +of a regiment, which he led faultlessly throughout the wars in +Spain, so that after several campaigns, he was promoted to the +rank of brigadier-general. + +General Simon also returned to military service. He was in +command of an infantry brigade in Massena's army when we invaded +Portugal. At the battle of Busaco, where Massena made the mistake +of mounting a frontal attack on the Duke of Wellington's army, +which was in position on the heights of a mountain with a very +difficult approach, Poor Simon, wishing, no doubt, to redeem +himself and to make up for the time he had lost towards +promotion, charged bravely at the head of his brigade, overcame +every obstacle, clambered up the rocks under a hail of bullets, +broke through the English line and was first into the enemy +entrenchments. But, there, a bullet fired at close range +shattered his jaw at the moment when the English second line +drove back our troops, who were thrown down into the valley with +considerable losses. The enemy found the unfortunate general +lying in the redout among the dead and dying. His face was hardly +recognisable as human. Wellington treated him with much respect, +and as soon as he could be moved, he sent him to England as a +prisoner of war. He was later permitted to return to France. But +his terrible injury barred him from any further service. The +Emperor gave him a pension, and one heard no more of him. + +Chap. 18. + +After the unhappy events which had just befallen her, my mother +longed to re-unite her three remaining sons around her. My +brother, having been ordered to join the expeditionary force +which was being sent to India under the command of General +Decaen, was given permission to spend two months with my mother; +Felix was at the Military School, and a piece of good fortune +brought me also to Paris. + +The School of Cavalry was then at Versailles; every regiment sent +there an officer and a non-commissioned officer, who, after +completing their studies, returned to their unit to act as +instructors. Now it so happened that at the moment when I was +about to ask for permission to go to Paris, the lieutenant who +had been at the School had completed the course, and the colonel +proposed to send me to replace him. I accepted this with +pleasure, for not only would it allow me to see my mother again, +but it would ensure that for eighteen months I would be living +only a short distance from her. + +My preparations were soon made. I sold my horse and taking the +stage-coach, I left the 25th Chasseurs, to which I was never to +return; although not being aware of this at the time, my +farewells to my comrades were lighthearted. + +On my arrival in Paris, I found my mother greatly upset, not only +on account of the cruel loss which we had just suffered, but also +over the imminent departure of Adolphe for India, and the +detention of my uncle Canrobert, which continued indefinitely. + +We spent a month together as a family, at the end of which my +elder brother had to report to Brest, where he was soon embarked +for Pondichery in the "Marengo." As for me, I went to settle in +at the School of Cavalry, whose barracks were in the great +stables of Versailles. + +I was lodged on the first floor, in apartments which had once +been occupied by the Prince de Lambesc, the master of horse. I +had a very big bedroom and an immense "salon" which looked out +over the Avenue de Paris and the parade-ground. I was at first +astonished that the most recently arrived pupil should be so well +housed, but I soon learned that no one wanted this apartment +because its huge size made it glacially cold, and few of the +officer pupils could afford to keep a fire going. Happily I was +not entirely without means. I had a good stove put in, and with a +big screen, I made in this vast apartment a little room, which I +furnished modestly, since all we were issued with was a table, a +bed, and two chairs, which were quite out of place in the +enormous space of my quarters. So I made myself reasonably +comfortable until the return of spring, when the place seemed +quite charming. + +Although we were called pupils, you should not suppose that we +were treated as students. We were allowed every freedom, too much +freedom in fact. We were commanded by an old colonel, M. Maurice, +whom we hardly ever saw, and who did not take part in anything. +On three days in the week we had civilian horsemanship, under the +celebrated equestrians Jardin and Coupe, and we went there when +it suited us. In the afternoon, an excellent veterinarian, M. +Valois, ran a course on the care of horses; but no one compelled +us to study with any diligence. The other three days were devoted +to military matters. In the morning, military horsemanship, +taught by the only two captains in the school, and in the +afternoon, drill, also taught by them. Once this parade was +finished, the captains disappeared and each student went his own +way. + +You will appreciate that it took a keen desire to learn, to get +anywhere in a school so badly run; however most of the students +made progress because, being destined to become instructors in +their respective regiments, their self-respect made them fear not +being up to the task. So they worked reasonably hard, but not as +hard as one would as a schoolboy. As for behaviour, the staff +took no interest in it. As long as the students caused no trouble +in the establishment itself, they were allowed to do as they +pleased. They came and went at all hours. They were subject to no +role call. They ate in hotels, if it suited them, slept out, and +even went to Paris without asking permission. The +non-commissioned pupils had a little less liberty. Two +moderately strict sergeants were in charge of them, who insisted +that they were back by ten o'clock at night. + +Each of us wore the uniform of his regiment, so that a gathering +of the whole school presented an interesting sight, as when, on +the first day of every month, we paraded in full dress in order +to draw up the pay roll; then you could see the uniforms of all +the French cavalry regiments. + +As all these officers belonged to different units, and were +thrown together only for the duration of the course, there could +not exist between them the close fellowship which is one of the +features of regimental life. We were too numerous (ninety) for +there to be a bond between all. There were coteries but no union. +I did not feel any need to socialise with my new comrades. I left +every Saturday for Paris, where I spent the next day and most of +Monday with my mother. There were at Versailles two old friends +of my mother, from Rennes; the Comtesses de Chateauville, a pair +of very respectable and well educated elderly ladies, who +entertained only a select society. I went two or three times a +week to spend an evening with them. The remaining evenings I +employed in reading, which I have always greatly enjoyed, for if +school sets a man on the road to education, he must get there by +himself through reading. How pleasant it was, in the midst of a +very harsh winter, to come back to my quarters after dinner, make +up a good fire and there, alone, ensconced behind my screen and +beside my little lamp, to read until eight or nine o'clock; then +to go to bed, in order to save wood, and continue reading to +midnight. In this way I re-read Tacitus and Xenophon and many of +the classical Greek and Roman authors; I revised the history of +Rome and of France, and the principle countries of Europe. My +time, shared between my mother, my work at the school, a little +good society and my beloved books, passed very agreeably. + +I began the year 1803 at Versailles. Spring introduced some +changes into my way of life. Each of the officers at the school +was provided with a horse, so I devoted some of my evenings to +taking long rides in the magnificent woods which surround +Versailles, Marly, and Meudon. + +During May, my mother was made very happy by the release of her +eldest brother from the Temple prison, and the return to France +of the other two, de l'Isle and de la Coste, who, having been +struck off the list of emigres came to Paris. + +The eldest of my mother's brothers, M. de Canrobert was a very +pleasant, sensible man. He entered the service at a very young +age, as a sous-lieutenant in the infantry of Ponthievre, and, +under Lieutenant-general De Vaux, fought in all the campaigns of +the war in Corsica, in which he distinguished himself. After the +conquest of that country, he served out the twenty-four years +which earned him the Cross of St. Louis. He was a captain when he +married Mlle. Sanguinet and then retired to the Chateau of Laval +de Cere. + +Having become the father of a son and a daughter, M. de Canrobert +was living happily in his manor when the revolution broke out in +1789. He was forced to emigrate to escape the scaffold, with +which he was threatened, all his possessions were confiscated and +sold, his wife was imprisoned with her two young children. My +mother obtained permission to visit her unhappy sister-in-law, +and found her in a cold, damp tower, stricken by a fever, which +carried off, that very day, her young daughter. By dint of +requests and supplications, my mother managed to obtain the +release of her sister-in-law; but she died a few days later from +the illness she had contracted in prison. My mother then took +charge of the young boy, named Antoine. He was sent in turn to +college and then to the military school, where he was one of +their brightest pupils. Finally he became an infantry officer and +was killed, bravely, on the field of battle, at Waterloo. My +uncle was one of the first of the emigres who, under the +consulate, were given permission to return to France. He +recovered some part of his estate, and married again, this time +to one of the daughters of M. Niocel, an old friend of the +family. + +M. Certain de l'Isle, the second of my mother's brothers, was one +of the most handsome men in France. At the time of the revolution +he was a lieutenant in the regiment of Ponthievre, in which were +also serving his elder brother and several of his uncles. He took +the same course as nearly all his comrades and emigrated in +company with his younger brother, Certain de la Coste, who was in +the King's bodyguard. After leaving France the two brothers +stayed always together. They retreated first to the country of +Baden, but their tranquility was soon disturbed: the French +armies crossed the Rhine, and as all emigres who fell into their +clutches were shot, by order of the Convention, the brothers were +forced to hide hurriedly in the interior of Germany. Lack of +money compelled them to travel on foot, which soon became too +much for poor La Coste. They had great difficulty in finding +lodgings, as everywhere was occupied by Austrian troops. La Coste +became ill. His brother supported him. In this way they reached +a little town in Wurtemberg, where they found a bed in a low +class tavern. At daybreak they saw the Austrians leaving, and +they were told that the French were about to occupy the town. La +Coste, unable to move, urged de l'Isle to look to his own safety +and to leave him to the care of Providence; but de l'Isle +declared solemnly that he would not abandon his sick brother. + +However two French volunteers arrived at the inn with a +requisition for lodgings. The inn-keeper took them to the room +occupied by my two uncles, whom he told that they would have to +leave. It has been said, quite rightly, that during the +Revolution, the honour of France took refuge in the army. The two +soldiers, seeing that La Coste was ill, told the landlord that +not only did they wish to keep him with them, but that they +wanted a large room which was on the first floor, where they +would establish themselves with my two uncles. In enemy country, +the victor being the master, the inn-keeper obeyed the two French +volunteers, who, during the two weeks in which their battalion +was billeted in the town, took great care of Messers La Coste and +de l'Isle, and even let them share in the good meals which their +host was obliged to provide in accordance with the usages of war; +and this comfortable regime, coupled with rest, restored to some +extent, the health of La Coste. + +When they left, the volunteers, who belonged to a battalion from +the Gironde, wishing to give their new friends the means of +passing through the French columns without being arrested, took +from their uniforms the metal buttons which bore the name of +their battalion, and attached them to the civilian clothing worn +by my uncles, who could then pass themselves off as sutlers. With +this new form of passport, they went through all the French +cantonments without rousing any suspicion. They reached Prussia, +and settled down in the town of Hall, where De l'Isle was able to +give French lessons. They lived there peacefully until 1803, when +my mother managed to have them struck of the list of emigres, and +they returned to France after twelve years of exile. + +Chap. 19. + +Let us now return to Versailles. While I was on the course at the +school of cavalry, great events were under way in Europe. England +having broken the Treaty of Amiens, hostilities recommenced. The +First Consul resolved to take the initiative by leading an army +onto the soil of Great Britain, a daring and difficult +undertaking, but not impossible. To put it into operation, +Napoleon, who had just seized Hanover, the private property of +the English monarchy, stationed on the coasts of the North Sea +and the Channel, several army corps, and ordered the construction +and assembly, at Boulogne and neighbouring ports, of an immense +number of barges and flat-bottomed boats, on which he proposed to +embark his troops. + +All the armed forces were set in motion for this war. I regretted +that I was not involved; and being destined to carry back to my +regiment the knowledge I had acquired at the school, I saw myself +condemned to spend several years in the depot with a whip in my +hand, making recruits trot round on elderly horses, while my +comrades were fighting at the head of troops which I had trained. +I did not find this prospect very pleasant, but how was it to be +changed? A regiment must always be fed with recruits, and it was +certain that my colonel, having sent me to the school of cavalry +to learn how to train these recruits, would not deprive himself +of the services which I could render in this respect, and would +keep me out of the fighting squadrons. One day, however, as I was +walking down the Avenue de Paris, with my drill manual in my +hand, I had a brilliant idea, which totally changed my destiny +and contributed greatly to my promotion to the rank which I now +occupy. + +I had just learned that the First Consul, having fallen out with +the court of Lisbon, had ordered the formation, at Bayonne, of an +army corps destined to enter Portugal under the command of +General Augereau. I knew that General Augereau owed some of his +advancement to my father, under whose command he had served in +the camp at Toulouse and in the Pyrenees, and although what I had +experienced at Genoa after the death of my father had not given +me a high opinion of the gratitude of mankind, I resolved to +write to him and, having explained the predicament in which I +found myself, ask him to extricate me by taking me on as one of +his aides-de-camp. + +Having written this letter, I sent it to my mother, to see if she +approved. She not only approved, but knowing that Augereau was in +Paris, she decided to take the letter to him herself. Augereau +received the widow of his old friend with the greatest +consideration; he immediately took his carriage and went to the +War Ministry, and that same evening he handed to my mother my +appointment as aide-de-camp. Thus a wish, which twenty-four hours +earlier had seemed a dream, became a reality. + +The following day I hurried to Paris to thank the general. He +received me most kindly, and ordered me to join him at Bayonne, +to where he was now going. It was now October, I had completed +the first course at the school of cavalry and had little interest +in starting on the second; so I was happy to leave Versailles, +for I felt sure that I was starting on a new career, much more +advantageous than that of a regimental instructor. I was quite +right in thinking this, for nine years later I was a colonel, +while those I had left at the school had hardly reached the rank +of captain. + +I reported promptly to Bayonne and took up my post as an +aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief. He was installed a +quarter of a league from the town in the fine Chateau de Marac, +in which the Emperor lived some years later. I was made very +welcome by General Augereau and by my new comrades, his +aides-de-camp, nearly all of whom had served under my father. +This general staff, although it did not give to the army as many +general officers as that of Bernadotte, was nevertheless very +well made up. General Danzelot who was the chief-of-staff, was a +highly capable man who later became the governor of the Ionian +islands and then Martinique. His second in command was Colonel +Albert, who at his death was general aide-de-camp to the Duc +d'Orleans. The aides-de-camp were Colonel Sicard, who died at +Heilsberg, Major Brame, who retired to Lille after the Peace of +Tilsit, Major Massy, killed as a colonel at Moscow, Captain +Chevetel and Lieutenant Mainville, the first of whom retired to +his estate in Brittany and the second ended his career in +Bayonne. I was the sixth and youngest of the aides-de-camp. + +Finally the staff was completed by Dr. Raymond, who helped me +greatly at Eylau, and Colonel Augereau, a half-brother of the +general; a very quiet man, who later became a lieutenant general. + +Chap. 20. + +The greater part of the generals who made a name for themselves +in the early wars of the revolution having sprung from the lower +ranks of society, it has been supposed, wrongly, that they had +received no education, and that they owed their success solely to +their fighting ability. Augereau, in particular, has been very +badly judged. He has been represented as boastful, hard, noisy +and nasty. This is an error, for although he had a stormy youth, +and fell into some political misconceptions, he was kind, polite +and affectionate, and I can assure you that of the five marshals +under whom I have served, it was he who did most to lessen the +evils of war, who was most considerate toward the local populace +and who treated his officers best, among whom he lived like a +father among his children. It is true that he had a most +irregular life, but before passing judgement you must consider +the conditions which existed at the time. + +Pierre Augereau was born in Paris in 1757. His father had an +extensive business in the fruit trade and had acquired a large +fortune, which allowed him to give his children a good education. + +His mother was born in Munich, and she had the good sense to +speak nothing but German to her son, who, as a result spoke it +perfectly; something he found most useful in his travels, and +also during the wars. + +Augereau was good-looking, large and well built. He loved all +physical activities, at which he excelled. He was a good horseman +and a fine swordsman. When he was seventeen his mother died, and +one of her brothers who worked in the office of Monsieur (the +king's brother) arranged for him to join the Carabiniers, of whom +Monsieur was colonel in chief. + +He spent several years at Saumur, where the Carabiniers were +usually garrisoned, and where his efficiency and good conduct +soon raised him to the rank of sergeant. Sadly, there was at this +time a craze for duels. The reputation which Augereau had as an +excellent swordsman compelled him to engage in several, for it +was a great point among duelists not to accept that anyone was +their superior; gentlemen, officers and soldiers fought for the +most futile of reasons. It so happened that when Augereau was on +leave in Paris, the celebrated fencing master Saint-George, +seeing him pass, said, in the presence of several swordsmen, +there is one of the finest blades in France. Upon this, a +sergeant of Dragoons named Belair, who claimed to be next to +Saint-George in ability, wrote to Augereau saying that he would +challenge him to fight unless he recognised the writer's +superiority. Augereau having replied that he would do nothing of +the sort, they met on the Champs-Elysees where Belair received a +penetrating sword-thrust. He subsequently recovered and having +left the service, he married and became the father of eight +children, for whom he was unable to provide. So in the first days +of the Empire it occurred to him to approach his old adversary, +now a marshal. This man, whom I knew, was something of an +original character; he presented himself before Augereau with a +little violin under his arm, and said that as he had nothing to +give his eight children for dinner, he would make them dance a +quadrille to cheer them up, unless the marshal could put him in +the way of providing a more substantial meal. Augereau recognised +Belair, invited him to a meal, gave him some money and a few days +later arranged for him to have a good job in the transport +department. He also placed two of his sons in school. Conduct +which requires no commentary. + +Not all the duels which Augereau fought ended like this. As a +result of an absurd custom, there existed an inveterate hatred +between some units, the cause for which was buried in the past +and often hardly known, but which, handed down from age to age, +resulted in duels every time the units met. In this way the +Gendarmes of Luneville and the Carabiniers had been at war for +half a century, though they had not seen one another in this long +period of time. At last, at the beginning of the reign of Louis +XVI, they found themselves in the same camp at Compiegne; +whereupon, to show themselves no less brave than their +forefathers, the Carabiniers and the Gendarmes decided to fight, +and their determination was such that the officers thought it +wiser to look the other way. However, to avoid too much +bloodshed, it was agreed that there would be only one duel; each +unit would select a combatant who would represent them, and after +that there would be a truce. The Carabiniers chose their twelve +best swordsmen, among whom was Augereau, and it was agreed that +the defender of the regimental honour should be chosen by lot. +On that day fate was more blind than usual, for it selected a +sergeant by the name of Donnadieu, who had five children. +Augereau observed that the name of a father of a family should +not have been included in the draw, and asked if he might replace +his comrade. Donnadieu declared that as his name had been chosen +he would go forward. Augereau insisted, and this battle of +generosity was ended only by the members of the meeting accepting +Augereau's proposal. The name of the combatant chosen by the +Gendarmes would soon be known and after that it was merely a +matter of arranging for the two adversaries to meet, when a +simulated quarrel would serve as a motive for the encounter. + +Augereau had a fearsome opponent, an excellent swordsman, a +professional duelist, who as a warm-up, awaiting the contest, had +killed two sergeants of the Guards, on the days previously. +Augereau, without allowing himself to be intimidated by the +reputation of this bravo, went to the cafe where he knew he was +to appear, and while awaiting him sat down at a table. The +Gendarme arrived, and when his opponent had been pointed out to +him, he pulled aside his coat-tails, and sat down insolently on +the table, his backside not a foot from Augereau's face. Augereau +was drinking a cup of very hot coffee at the time and he gently +eased back the opening, called the ventouse, which existed then +at the back of a cavalryman's leather breeches, and poured the +steaming liquid onto the the buttocks of the impudent Gendarme, +who turned round in a fury! The quarrel having now been engaged +upon, they went outside, followed by a crowd of Gendarmes and +Carabiniers. As they went along, the ferocious Gendarme, to mock +the man whom, he felt confident, would be his victim, asked +Augereau, in a bantering tone, whether he would prefer to be +buried in the town or in the country. "The country" replied +Augereau, "I have always liked the open air." "Fine," said the +gendarme, and, turning to his second, he said, "Put him with the +other two I killed yesterday and the day before." This was not +very encouraging, and anyone but Augereau might have been put +out, but determined to sell his life dearly, he defended himself +with such skill that his adversary lost his temper and made a +false move, which allowed Augereau, who had remained calm, to run +him through, saying that it was he who would be buried in the +country. + +The camp being ended, the Carabiniers returned to Saumur, where +Augereau was peacefully continuing his military service when a +disastrous event precipitated him into a life of high adventure. + +A young officer of exalted birth, but with a very nasty temper, +having found something to complain about concerning the grooming +of horses, rounded on Augereau, and in an access of rage offered +to strike him with his riding whip in front of the whole +squadron. Augereau indignantly seized the officer's whip and +threw it away, whereupon the latter, in a fury, drew his sword +and confronted Augereau, saying, "Defend yourself!" Augereau +restricted himself at first merely to parrying, but having been +slightly wounded, he made a riposte and the officer fell dead. + +The general, Comte de Malseigne, who commanded the Carabiniers in +the name of Monsieur, was soon told of this affair, and although +eye-witnesses agreed in saying that Augereau, provoked by the +most unjustifiable attack, had legitimately defended himself, the +general, who favoured Augereau, thought it would be wiser to get +him out of the way. To do this he called on a Carabinier named +Papon, a native of Geneva whose term of service was due to expire +in a few days, and invited him to give his travel permit to +Augereau, promising to give him another one later. Papon agreed +to this, and Augereau was always most grateful to him, for when +he arrived in Geneva, he learned that the court-martial, in spite +of the evidence of the witnesses, had condemned him to death for +raising his sword against an officer. + +The Papon family had a business which exported a large number of +watches to the east. Augereau decided to go with a representative +whom they were sending there, and travelled with him to Greece, +to the Ionian islands, to Constantinople and the shores of the +Black Sea. + +He was in the Crimea when a Russian colonel, guessing from his +bearing that he had been a soldier, offered him the rank of +sergeant. + +Augereau accepted, and served for several years in the Russian +army, which the famous Souwaroff commanded in a war against the +Turks, and was wounded in the assault on Ismailoff. + +When peace was made between the Porte and Russia, the regiment in +which Augereau was serving was ordered to go to Poland; but he +did not wish to stay any longer with the semi-barbarous Russians, +so he deserted and went to Prussia, where he served at first in +the regiment of Prince Henry, and then, on account of his height +and good looks, he was posted to the famous guards of Frederick +the Great. He was there for two years, and his captain had led +him to hope for promotion, when one day the king, who was +reviewing his guards stopped in front of him and said, "There is +a fine looking Grenadier!....Where does he come from?" "He is +French sire," came the reply. "Too bad," said Frederick, who had +come to detest the French as much as he had once liked them. "Too +bad. If he had been Swiss or German we could have made something +of him". + +Augereau, from then on, was convinced he would get nowhere in +Prussia, since he had heard it from the lips of the king himself, +and so he resolved to leave the country. This was a very +difficult matter, because as soon as the desertion of a soldier +was signalised by the firing of a cannon, the population set off +in pursuit of him, in the hope of obtaining the promised reward, +and the deserter when captured was invariably shot. + +In order to avoid this fate and to regain his liberty, Augereau, +who knew that a good one third of the guards, foreigners like +himself, had only one wish, and that was to get out of Prussia, +spoke with some sixty of the most daring, to whom he pointed out +that a single deserter had no chance of escape, since it required +only two or three men to arrest him, so that it was essential to +leave in a body with arms and ammunition for defence. This is +what they did, under the leadership of Augereau. + +This determined group of men, attacked on their way by peasants, +and even a detachment of soldiers, lost several of their company, +but killed many of their adversaries, and in one night they +reached a small area of the country of Saxony which is not more +than ten leagues from Potsdam. Augereau went to Dresden, where he +gave lessons in dancing and fencing, until the birth of the first +Dauphin, the son of Louis XVI, an event which the government +celebrated by granting an amnesty to all deserters, which allowed +Augereau not only to return to Paris, but to rejoin the +Carabiniers, his sentence having been quashed, and General de +Malseigne having insisted that he was one of the finest N.C.O.s +in the corps. + +In 1788, the King of Naples, feeling the need to put his army on +a good footing, requested the King of France to send him a number +of officers and N.C.O.s to act as instructors, whom he undertook +to promote to a rank above their present one on their arrival. +Augereau was included in this party and was promoted to +sous-lieutenant. He served there for several years, and had just +been promoted to lieutenant, when he fell in love with the +daughter of a Greek merchant. When her father refused his consent +to the union, the two lovers were married in secret, and +embarking on the first vessel they found about to leave, they +went to Lisbon, where they lived peacefully for some time. + +It was now the end of 1792; the French Revolution was spreading +rapidly, and all the sovereign heads of Europe feared the +introduction of these new principles into their states, and were +suspicious of everything French. Augereau has often assured me +that during his stay in Portugal he never said or did anything +which could alarm the government, nevertheless, he was arrested +and incarcerated in the prison of the Inquisition. + +He had been languishing there for several months, when Madame +Augereau, his wife, a woman of courage, saw come into the harbour +a ship flying the tricolour. She went on board to give the +captain a letter, informing the French government of the +arbitrary arrest of her husband. The captain, although not a +naval officer, went boldly to the Portuguese ministry and +demanded the release of his compatriot; failing which, he said +that he would declare war in the name of France. Whether the +Portuguese believed this, or whether they realised that they had +acted unjustly, they set Augereau free, and he and his wife went +back to Havre in the ship of the gallant captain. + +On his arrival in Paris, Augereau was designated captain, and was +sent to the Vendee, where by his advice and example he saved the +army of the incompetent General Ronsin, which gained him the rank +of battalion commander. Sick of fighting his fellow Frenchmen, +Augereau asked to be posted to the Pyrenees, and was sent to the +camp at Toulouse commanded by my father, who, recognising his +ability, made him adjutant-general, (That is colonel of the +general staff), and showed him many marks of affection, something +which Augereau never forgot. Having become general, he +distinguished himself in the wars in Spain and Italy, and in +particular, at Castiglione. + +On the eve of this battle, the French army, beset on all sides, +found itself in a most critical position, and the +commander-in-chief, Bonaparte, called a council of war; the only +one he ever consulted. All the generals, even Massena, proposed +a retreat, but Augereau, having explained what, in his opinion, +could be done to get out of the situation, said, "Even if you all +go, I shall stay here and will attack the enemy, with my +division, at dawn." Bonaparte, impressed by the arguments which +Augereau had put forward, then said that he would stay with him. +After which there was no more talk of retreat, and the next day a +brilliant victory, due in large part to the courage and tactical +skill of Augereau, established, for a long time, the position of +the French army in Italy. Bonaparte was always mindful of this +day, and when, as Emperor, he created a new nobility, he named +Augereau Duc de Castiglione. + +When General Hoche died, Augereau replaced him in the army of the +Rhine. After the establishment of the consulate, he was put in +charge of an army composed of French and Dutch troops which +fought the campaign of 1800 in Franconia, and won the battle of +Burg-Eberach. + +When peace had been declared, he bought the estate and chateau of +La Houssaye. I may say, in regard to this purchase, that there +has been much exaggeration of the fortunes of some generals of +the army of Italy. Augereau, after having held for twenty years +the rank of commander-in-chief, or of marshal, and having enjoyed +for seven years a salary of two hundred thousand francs, and an +award of twenty-five thousand francs, due to his Legion of +Honour, left at his death an income of no more than forty-eight +thousand francs. + +There was never a man more generous, unselfish and obliging. I +could give a number of examples, but will limit myself to two. +General Bonaparte, after his elevation to the consulate, created +a large unit of Guards, the infantry portion of which was placed +under the command of General Lannes. Lannes was a distinguished +soldier, but had no understanding of administration. Instead of +conforming to the tariff laid down for the purchase of clothing, +fabrics and other items, nothing was too good for him; so that +the suppliers of clothing and equipment to the guards, delighted +to be able to deal by mutual agreement with the manufacturers, +(in order to get back-handers,) and believing that their +malversations would be covered by the name of General Lannes, the +friend of the First Consul, made uniforms in such luxurious style +that when the accounts were drawn up, they exceeded by three +hundred thousand francs the sum allowed by the ministerial +regulations. The First Consul, who had resolved to restore order +to the finances, and to compel commanders not to go beyond the +permitted expenditure, decided to make an example. In spite of +his affection for Lannes, and his certainty that not a centime +had gone into his pocket, he held him responsible for the deficit +of three hundred thousand francs, and gave him no more than eight +days to pay this sum into the Guard's account, or face +court-martial. + +This uncompromising ruling had an excellent effect in putting an +end to the extravagance which had got into unit accounting, but +General Lannes, although he had recently married the daughter of +a senator, had no hope of making this payment. When General +Augereau heard of the fix in which his friend found himself, he +went to his lawyer, drew out the sum required, and instructed his +secretary to pay it into the Guard's account, in the name of +General Lannes. When the First Consul heard of this, he warmly +approved of what Augereau had done, and to put Lannes in a +position to pay him back, he had him sent to Lisbon as +ambassador, a very lucrative post. + +Here is another example of Augereau's generosity. He was not a +close friend of General Bernadotte, who had bought the estate of +Lagrange, for which he expected to pay with his wife's dowry; but +there was some delay in the transfer of this money, and his +creditors were pressing him, so he asked Augereau to lend him two +hundred thousand francs for five years. Augereau having agreed to +this, Madame Bernadotte took it on herself to ask what rate of +interest he would expect. He replied that although bankers and +businessmen required interest on money which they lent, when a +marshal was in the happy position of being able to help a +comrade, he should not expect any reward but the pleasure of +being of service. That is the man whom some have represented as +being hard and avaricious. At this moment, I shall say nothing +more about the life of Augereau, which will unroll itself in the +course of my story, which will show up his faults as well as his +fine qualities. + +Chap. 21. + +Let us now go back to Bayonne, where I had just joined Augereau's +staff. The winter, in this part of the country, is very mild; +which allowed us to train and exercise troops in preparation for +an attack on the Portuguese. However, the court of Lisbon having +conceded all that the French government required, we gave up the +idea of crossing the Pyrenees, and General Augereau was ordered +to go to Brest and take command of the 7th army corps, which was +earmarked for an invasion of Ireland. + +General Augereau's first wife, the Greek, being in Pau, he wished +to visit her and take his leave of her, and he took with him +three aides-de-camp, of which I was one. + +Normally, a commander-in-chief had a squadron of "Guides", a +detachment of which always escorted his carriage, as long as he +was in a part of the country occupied by troops under his +command. Bayonne did not yet have any "Guides," so they were +replaced by a platoon of cavalry at each of the post-houses +between Bayonne and Pau. These came from the regiment which I had +just left, the 25th Chasseurs; so that from the carriage in which +I was taking my ease, beside the Commander in Chief, I could see +my former companions trotting beside the door. I did not take any +pride in this, but I must admit that when we came to Puyoo, where +you saw me arrive two years previously on foot, bedraggled and +in the hands of the gendarmerie, I was weak enough to put on an +air, and to make myself known to the worthy mayor, Bordenave, +whom I presented to the commander-in-chief to whom I had told the +story of what had happened to me in this commune in 1801; and as +the brigade of gendarmes from Pyrehorade had joined the escort to +Pau, I was able to recognise the two who had arrested me. The +old mayor was sufficiently malicious to inform them that the +officer whom they saw in the commander-in-chief's fine carriage +was the same traveller whom they had taken for a deserter, +although his papers were in order, and the good fellow was, at +the same time, very proud of the judgement he had given on this +occasion. + +After a stay of twenty-four hours at Pau, we returned to Bayonne, +from where the general despatched me and Mainville to Brest, in +order to prepare his headquarters. We took seats in the +mail-coach as far as Bordeaux; but there, owing to the lack of +public transport, we were forced to take to the hacks of the +posting houses, which of all means of travelling, is surely the +most uncomfortable. It rained. The roads were appalling. The +nights pitch dark; but in spite of this, we had to press on at +the gallop, as our mission was urgent. Although I have never +been a very good horseman, the fact that I was accustomed to +riding, and a year spent in the riding school at Versailles, gave +me enough assurance and stamina to drive on the dreadful screws +which we were forced to mount. I got well enough through this +apprenticeship in the trade of courier, in which, you will see +later, I had to perfect myself; but it was not so with Mainville, +so we took two days and two nights to reach Nantes, where he +arrived bruised and worn out and incapable of continuing to ride +at speed. However we could not leave the commander-in-chief +without lodgings when he arrived at Brest, so it was agreed that +I would go on ahead, and that Mainville would follow later by +coach. + +On my arrival, I rented the town house of M. Pasquier, the +banker, brother of the Pasquier who had been chancellor and +president of the house of peers. Mainville and several of my +comrades came to join me a few days later, and helped to make the +necessary arrangements for the commander-in-chief to maintain the +sort of state expected of him. + +We began the year 1804 at Brest. The 7th Corps was made up of two +divisions of infantry and a brigade of cavalry; as these troops +were not encamped but were billeted in the neighbouring communes, +all the generals and their staffs stayed in Brest, where the +anchorages and the harbour were packed with vessels of all sorts. +The admirals and senior officers of the fleet were also in the +town, and other officers came there every day, so that Brest +afforded a most animated spectacle. Admiral Truguet and the +commander-in-chief held a number of brilliant receptions, scenes +that have often been the prelude to war. + +In February General Augereau left for Paris, to where the First +Consul had summoned him to discuss with him the plan for the +invasion of Ireland. I went with him. + +On our arrival in Paris, we found a very tense political +situation. The Bourbons, who had hoped that in taking the reins +of government, Bonaparte would support them, and would be +prepared to play the part that General Monk had once played in +England, when they discovered that he had no intention of +restoring them to the throne, resolved to overthrow him. To this +end they concocted a conspiracy which had as its leaders three +well known men, although of very different character. These were +General Pichegru, General Moreau and Georges Cadoudal. + +Pichegru had taught Bonaparte mathematics at the college of +Brienne, but he had left there to join the army. The revolution +found him a sergeant in the artillery. His talent and courage +raised him rapidly to the rank of general. It was he who achieved +the conquest of Holland, in the middle of winter, but ambition +was his downfall. He allowed himself to be seduced by agents of +the Prince de Conde, and entered into correspondence with the +Prince, who promised him great rewards and the title of +"Constable" if he would use the influence which he had with the +troops to establish Louis XVIII on the throne of his forefathers. + +Chance, that great arbiter of human destiny, decreed that +following a battle in which French troops, commanded by Moreau, +had defeated the division of the Austrian General Kinglin, the +latter's supply wagon was captured, which contained letters from +Pichegru to the Prince de Conde. It was taken to Moreau, who was +a friend of Pichegru, to whom he owed some of his promotion, and +who concealed his discovery as long as Pichegru retained his +influence; but Pichegru having become a representative of the +people in the house of elders, where he continued to favour the +Bourbons, was arrested with several of his colleagues. Whereupon +Moreau hurriedly sent to the directorate the documents which +incriminated Pichegru, and led to his deportation to the wilds of +Guyana. + +Pichegru contrived to escape from Guyana to America, from whence +he went to England; where having no longer any need for secrecy, +he put himself openly in the pay of Louis XVIII and aimed at the +overthrow of the consular government. However, he could not +pretend that, deprived of his rank, banished and absent from +France for more than six years, he could any longer wield as much +influence over the army as General Moreau, the victor of +Hohenlinden, and on this account, very popular with the troops, +of whom he was the inspector-general. Pichegru, then, out of +devotion to the Bourbon cause, agreed to forget the reasons he +had for disliking Moreau, and to unite with him for the triumph +of the policy to which he was committed. Moreau, who was born in +Brittany, was studying law at Rennes when the revolution of 1789 +broke out. The students, young and turbulent, elected him as +their leader, and when they formed a battalion of volunteers, +they named Moreau as their commander. Having made his debut in +the profession of arms as a senior officer, he proved himself +both courageous and competent, and was rapidly promoted to +general and army commander. He won several battles, and +conducted, in the face of Prince Charles of Austria, a justly +celebrated retreat. But though a good soldier, Moreau lacked +civic courage. We have seen him refuse to put himself at the head +of the government, while Bonaparte was absent in Egypt, however, +though he had helped the latter on the 18th Brumaire, he became +envious of his power when he saw him raised to the position of +First Consul, to the extent that he sought by all means to +supplant him; driven on, it is said, by the jealousy felt by his +wife and mother-in-law towards Josephine. Given this situation, +it would not be difficult to persuade Moreau to conspire with +Pichegru to overthrow the government. + +A Breton, named Lajolais, an agent of Louis XVIII, and a friend +of Moreau, became the intermediary between him and Pichegru; he +travelled frequently between London and Paris, and it soon became +evident to him that Moreau, while agreeing to the overthrow of +Bonaparte, intended to keep power for himself, and not to hand it +to the Bourbons. It was then thought that a meeting between him +and Pichegru might lead him to change his mind, so Pichegru was +landed on the coast of France from an English vessel at a spot +near Trepot, and went to Paris, to where Georges Cadoudal had +preceded him, along with M. de Riviere, the two Polignacs, and +other royalists. + +Georges Cadoudal was the youngest son of a miller from Morbihan; +but as there was a bizarre custom, in that part of lower +Brittany, whereby the last-born of a family inherited all the +estate, Georges, whose father was comfortably off, had been given +a certain amount of education. He was a short man, with wide +shoulders and the heart of a tiger, whose audacity and courage +had raised him to the high command of all the groups of "Chouans" +in Brittany. + +Since the pacification of Brittany he had lived in London; but +his fanatical devotion to the house of Bourbon did not allow him +any repose as long as the First Consul was at the head of the +government. He formed a plan to kill him. Not by a clandestine +assassination, but in broad daylight, by attacking him on the +road to Saint-Cloud with a party of thirty or forty mounted +"Chouans" well armed and wearing the uniform of the consular +guard. This plan had the more chance of success, since, at this +time, Bonaparte's escort was usually no more than four +cavalrymen. + +A meeting was arranged between Pichegru and Moreau; it took place +at night, near the Church of La Madeleine, which was then being +built. Moreau agreed to the deposition, and even the death of the +First Consul, but he refused to consider the restoration of the +Bourbons. + +Bonaparte's secret police having warned him that there was +underground plotting going on in Paris, he ordered the arrest of +a number of former "Chouans" who were in the city. One of these +gave some information which seriously compromised General Moreau, +whose arrest was then agreed upon by the council of ministers. + +This arrest initially created a very bad impression amongst the +general public, because Cadoudal and Pichegru not having been +arrested, no one believed they were in France, and it was said +that Bonaparte had invented the conspiracy in order to get rid of +Moreau. The government then had the strongest reasons to prove +that Cadoudal and Pichegru were in Paris, and that they had met +Moreau. All the barriers were closed for several days, and the +most drastic punishment was decreed for anyone sheltering the +conspirators. From that moment it became very difficult for them +to find any place of safety, and soon Pichegru, M. de Riviere and +the Polignacs fell into the hands of the police. These arrests +began to convince the public of the reality of the conspiracy, +and the capture of Georges Cadoudal dispelled any remaining +doubts. + +Cadoudal having stated in his interrogation that he had come with +the intention of killing the First Consul, and that the +conspiracy was backed by a prince of the royal family, the police +started an investigation to discover the location of all the +princes of the house of Bourbon. They found that the Prince +D'Enghien, the grandson of the great Conde, had been living for +some time at Ettenheim, a little town situated some leagues from +the Rhine, in the country of Baden. It has never been proved that +the Duc D'Enghien was involved in the conspiracy, but he +certainly had, on several occasions, been imprudent enough to +enter French territory. However that may be, the First Consul +sent, secretly, and by night, a detachment of troops led by +General Ordener, to the town of Ettenhiem, where they seized the +Duc D'Enghien. He was taken immediately to Vincennes, where he +was tried, condemned, and shot before the public was aware of his +arrest. + +This execution was greeted with general disapproval. It was held +that had the prince been captured on French territory, he could +have been tried under a law which in this case carried the death +penalty, but that to go and seize him beyond the frontiers, in a +foreign land, was a gross infringement of human rights. + +It appeared, however, that the First Consul had not intended the +execution of the prince, and had wished only to frighten the +royalists who were conspiring against him; but that General +Savary, the head of the gendarmerie, who had gone to Vincennes, +took custody of the prince after sentence had been pronounced and +in an excess of zeal, had him shot, in order, he said, to save +the First Consul the trouble of ordering his death, or of sparing +the life of so dangerous an enemy. Savary has since denied that +he expressed such sentiments, but I have been assured by people +who heard him that he did. Bonaparte is known to have blamed +Savary for his hastiness, but the deed having been done, he had +to accept the consequences. + +General Pichegru, ashamed to be associated with assassins, and +that the conqueror of Holland should stand in the dock with +criminals, hanged himself in prison by his cravat. It has been +claimed that he was strangled by Mamelukes of the Guard, but this +is a fabrication. Bonaparte had no incentive to commit such a +crime. It was more in his interest to have Pichegru disgraced +before a public tribunal than to have him killed in secret. + +Georges Cadoudal, condemned to death, along with several +accomplices, was executed. The brothers Polignac, and M. de +Riviere, who received the same sentence, had it commuted to life +imprisonment. They were locked up in Vincennes, but after several +years they obtained permission to live on parole in a nursing +home. However, in 1814, on the approach of the allies, they left +and went to join the Comte d'Artois in Franche-comte; then in +1815 they were most savage in their pursuit of the Bonapartists. + +As for General Moreau, he was sentenced to two years detention. +The First Consul pardoned him on condition that he went to the +United States. He lived there in obscurity until 1813, when he +went to Europe to range himself among the enemies of his country, +and died fighting against the French; thus confirming all the +accusations which were made against him at the time of Pichegru's +conspiracy. + +The French nation, weary of revolutions, and recognising the +extent to which Bonaparte was needed for the maintenance of good +order, chose to forget what was odious in the affair of the Duc +d'Enghien, and raised Bonaparte to the throne, by declaring him +Emperor on May 25th, 1804. + +Almost all nations recognised the new sovereign of France. To +mark the occasion, eighteen generals, selected from the most +notable, were elevated to the dignity of Marshals of the Empire. + +Chap. 22. + +After the trial of Moreau, we returned to Brest, from where we +shortly came back to Paris, as the marshal had to assist in the +distribution of the decoration of the Legion d'Honneur, an award +which the Emperor had recently instituted for the recognition of +all sorts of meritorious actions. In this connection I recall an +anecdote which was widely circulated at the time. In order to +bestow the award on all these soldiers who had distinguished +themselves in the Republican armies, the Emperor took into +consideration all those who had been given Armes d'Honneur, and +he selected a great number of these for the Legion d'Honneur, +although several of them had returned to civilian life. M. de +Narbonne, a returned emigre, was living quietly in Paris in the +Rue de Miromesnil, in the house next to my mother's, when, on the +day that the medals were distributed, he discovered that his +footman, a former soldier in Egypt, had just been decorated. +Being about to dine, he sent for the footman and said to him, "It +is not right that a recipient of the Legion d'Honneur should hand +round plates; and it would be even less right that you should put +aside your decoration to serve at table. Sit down with me and we +shall dine together, and tomorrow you shall go to my country +estate where you shall be a game-keeper. An occupation which is +not incompatible with wearing your decoration." + +When the Emperor was told of this display of good taste, he sent +for M. de Narbonne, whom he had wanted to meet for a long time, +having heard so much about his wit and intelligence, and was so +pleased with him that he made him an aide-de-camp. + +After distributing the crosses in Paris, the Emperor went, for +the same purpose, to the camp at Boulogne, where the troops were +drawn up in a semi-circle facing the sea. The ceremony was +imposing. The Emperor appeared for the first time on a throne, +surrounded by his marshals. The enthusiasm was indescribable! The +English fleet who could see what was going on, sent several light +vessels in an attempt to disrupt the event by a cannonade, but +our coastal batteries briskly returned their fire. + +There was a story current at the time which related that, after +the ceremony was over, the Emperor was returning to Boulogne +followed by his marshals and an immense retinue, when he stopped +in the shelter of one of these batteries, and calling to Marmont, +who had served in the artillery, said "Let us see if we can +remember our old trade and land a bomb on that English brig." And +dismissing the corporal who was in charge of the weapon, the +Emperor aimed and fired at the vessel. The bomb brushed the +vessel's sails and fell into the sea. Marmont tried but with no +better fortune. The Emperor then recalled the corporal to his +post and the latter took aim and fired with such effect that he +landed a bomb on the brig, which promptly sank, to the great +delight of the onlookers, whereupon Napoleon pinned a medal to +the soldier's uniform. How much truth there is in this tale, I do +not know. I shared in the favours being distributed on that day. +I had been a sous-lieutenant for five and a half years, and had +been through several campaigns. The Emperor, at the request of +Augereau promoted me to lieutenant; but for a moment I thought he +was going to refuse me this rank, for remembering that a Marbot +had figured in the conspiracy of Rennes, he frowned when the +marshal spoke up for me and, looking closely at me he said "Is it +you who...?" "No sire, it is not me who!..." I replied. "Ah!" he +said, "you are the one who was at Genoa and Marengo. I appoint +you lieutenant." + +The Emperor also granted me a place at the military school of +Fontainebleau for my younger brother, Felix, and from that day on +he no longer confused me with my elder brother for whom he always +had antipathy, though Adolphe had done nothing to deserve it. + +As the troops of 7th Corps were not concentrated in an +encampment, Marshal Augereau's presence in Brest was of very +little use; so he was given permission to spend the rest of the +summer and the autumn at his fine estate of La Houssaye, near +Tournan, in Brie. I even suspect that the Emperor preferred to +have him there rather than in the depths of Brittany at the head +of a large army. However, any doubts which the Emperor may have +had about Augereau's loyalty were without foundation, and arose +from the underground plots of a General S.... + +S.... was a brigadier-general serving in 7th Corps. A capable +officer, but over-ambitious. He was regarded as untrustworthy by +his fellow generals, who did not associate with him. Angered by +this rejection, and bent on revenge, he sent to the Emperor a +letter in which he denounced all the generals, as well as the +marshal, as conspiring against the empire. Napoleon, to his +credit, did not employ any secret means to ascertain the truth: +he simply passed the general's letter on to Marshal Augereau. The +marshal felt sure that nothing serious was going on in his army; +however as he knew that several generals and colonels had engaged +in some thoughtless talk, he resolved to put an end to this sort +of thing. As he did not wish to jeopardize the career of those +officers to whom he intended to deliver a rebuke, he thought it +would be best if his words were carried by an aide-de-camp, and +he chose to take me into his confidence for this important +mission. + +I left La Housaye in August, in very hot weather, and rode at +full speed the one hundred and sixty leagues between the chateau +and the town of Brest, and as many again on the way back. I +stayed no more than twenty-four hours in the town, so I arrived +back completely worn out, for I think that there is no more +exhausting job than riding rapidly on horseback from post-house +to post-house. I had found things a good deal more serious than +the marshal had thought; there was, in fact a considerable +ferment in the army, but the message I had brought calmed down +the generals, almost all of whom were devoted to the marshal. + +I was beginning to recover from my exertions when the marshal +said to me one morning, that the generals wanted to denounce +S.... as a spy. He added that it was absolutely essential that +he sent one of his aides-de-camp, and he wanted to know if I felt +able to make the journey again. He said he would not order me to +go, but would leave it to me to decide whether I could do it or +not. If it had been merely a matter of reward or even promotion, +I think I would have refused the task, but it was a question of +obliging my father's friend, who had welcomed me with so much +kindness, so I said that I would be ready to go in an hour's +time. I was worried that I might not be able to complete the +journey, because of the extremely tiring nature of this form of +travel; I rested for no more than two hours out of the +twenty-four, when I flung myself down on a heap of straw in the +post-house stables. It was fearfully hot weather, but I managed +to reach Brest and return without accident, and had the +satisfaction of being able to tell the marshal that the generals +would limit themselves to expressing their mistrust of S.... + +General S... being now discredited, deserted and went to England, +and is said to have wandered over Europe for twenty years before +dying in poverty. + +After my second return from Brest, the marshal rewarded me by +putting me in direct contact with the Emperor. He sent me to +Fontainebleau to meet Napoleon and conduct him to La Houssaye, +where he was to spend a day in the company of several of his +marshals. It was while walking with them and discussing his +plans, and the manner in which he intended to uphold his dignity +and theirs, that he presented each of them with a sum of money +sufficient for them to purchase a mansion in Paris. Marshal +Augereau bought that of Rochechouart, in the Rue +Grenelle-St-Germain, which is today occupied by the ministry of +information. The mansion was superb, but the marshal preferred to +stay at La Houssaye, where he kept up a great state; for over and +above his aides-de-camp, each of whom had his own apartments, the +number of invited guests was always considerable. One enjoyed +complete liberty; the marshal allowed his guests to do as they +pleased, provided that no noise reached the wing of the chateau +occupied by his wife. + +This excellent woman, who had become a chronic invalid, lived +very quietly, and appeared only rarely at the table or in the +salon, but when she did, far from constraining our high spirits, +she took pleasure in encouraging them. + +She had with her two extraordinary lady companions. The first of +these always wore men's clothing, and was known by the name of +Sans-gene. She was the daughter of one of the leaders who, in +1793, defended Lyon against the forces of the convention. She +escaped, with her father, both of them disguised as soldiers, and +took refuge in the ranks of the 9th Dragoon regiment; where they +assumed nommes de guerre and took part in campaigning. + +Mlle. Sans-Gene, who combined with her masculine attire and +appearance, a most manly courage, received several wounds, one of +them at Castiglione, where her regiment was part of Augereau's +division. General Bonaparte, who had often witnessed the prowess +of this remarkable woman, when he became First Consul, gave her a +pension and a position beside his wife; but life at court did not +suit Mlle. San-Gene. She left Mme. Bonaparte, who by mutual +consent handed her over to Mme. Augereau to whom she became +secretary and reader. The second lady companion of Mme. Augereau +was the widow of the sculptor Adam, and in spite of her eighty +years was the life and soul of the chateau. + +Noisy parties and practical jokes were the order of the day at +this period of time, particularly at La Houssaye, whose +proprietor was not happy unless he could see his guests and the +younger members of his staff gay and animated. The marshal came +back to Paris in November; the time for the coronation was +drawing near and already the Pope, who had come for the ceremony, +was at the Tuileries. A crowd of magistrates and deputations from +various departments had collected in the capital, where also were +all the colonels of the army, with detachments from their +regiments, to whom the Emperor distributed, on the Champ de Mars, +the eagles, which became so celebrated. Paris, resplendent, +displayed a luxury hitherto unknown. The court of the new +Emperor became the most brilliant in the world; everywhere were +fˆtes, balls, and joyous assemblies. + +The coronation took place on the 2nd December. I accompanied the +marshal at this ceremony, which I shall not describe, since the +details are so well known. Some days later the marshals held a +ball in honour of the Emperor and Empress. There were eighteen +marshals, and Marshal Duroc, although he was only Prefect of the +Palace, joined with them, which made nineteen subscribers, each +one of whom paid up 25,000 francs for the expenses of the event, +which therefore cost 475000 francs. The ball took place in the +great ballroom of the Opera, where never before had something so +magnificent been seen. General Samson of the engineers was the +organiser; the aides-de-camp acted as stewards, to welcome the +guests and to distribute tickets. Everyone in Paris wanted one, +so the aides were overwhelmed by letters and requests. I never +had so many friends! Everything went off perfectly, and the +Emperor appeared very pleased. So we ended the year 1804 in the +midst of celebrations, and entered the year 1805, which was to be +a year of many important events. + +In order that his army could participate in the general +jollifications, Marshal Augereau went to Brest, in spite of the +rigours of winter, and gave a number of magnificent balls, at +which he entertained a succession of officers, and even a good +number of soldiers. At the beginning of spring, he returned to La +Houssaye to await the moment for the invasion of England. + +This expedition, which was regarded as chimerical, was, however, +on the point of realisation. The presence of an English squadron +of about fifteen ships, cruising endlessly in the Channel, made +it impossible to transport a French army to England in boats and +barges which would have sunk on the least contact with a larger +vessel; but the Emperor could dispose of sixty ships of the line, +either French or foreign, dispersed in the harbours of Brest, +Lorient, Rochefort, Le Ferrol, and Cadiz; it was a matter of +concentrating them, unexpectedly, in the Channel, and crushing, +by a greatly superior force, the little English squadron, to +become masters of the passage, if only for three days. + +To achieve this, the Emperor ordered Admiral Villeneuve, the +commander-in-chief of all these forces, to gather together, from +the French and Spanish ports whatever ships were available, and +head, not for Boulogne, but for Martinique, to where it was +certain the English fleet would follow him. While the English +were making their way to the Antilles, Villeneuve was to quit the +islands, and returning round the north of Scotland, was to enter +the eastern end of the channel with sixty ships, which would +easily overcome the fifteen which the English maintained before +Boulogne, and so put Napoleon in command of the crossing; while +the English, on their arrival at the Antilles, would search +around for Admiral Villeneuve's fleet, and thus waste valuable +time. + +A part of this fine plan was now put into action. Villeneuve +left, with not sixty, but some thirty ships. He reached +Martinique. The English, led astray, hurried to the Antilles, +which Admiral Villeneuve had left, but the French admiral, +instead of returning via Scotland, made for Cadiz in order to +pick up the Spanish fleet, as if thirty ships were not enough to +overcome or chase away the fifteen English vessels! + +That, however, is not all. Having arrived at Cadiz, Villeneuve +spent a great deal of time repairing his ships; time during which +the enemy fleet also returned to Europe, and established a +patrolling force off Cadiz. In the end, the coming of the equinox +gales having made sailing from this port difficult, Villeneuve +found himself blockaded; so the ingenious plans of the Emperor +came to nothing, and he, realising that the English would not be +taken in a second time, gave up the idea of invading Britain, or +at least postponed it indefinitely, and turned his attention to +the continent. + +Before I recount the principal events of this long war, and the +part which I played in it, I must describe a terrible misfortune +which befell the family. + +My brother, Felix, who was at the military school of +Fontainebleau, was a little short-sighted; he had, therefore, +hesitated before taking up a military career; nevertheless, once +embarked on it, he worked with such enthusiasm that he soon +became a sergeant-major, a position difficult to maintain in a +school. The pupils, an unruly lot, were in the habit of burying +in the earth of the fortifications which they were digging, the +implements which had been issued to them for the work. General +Bellavene, the head of the school, a very strict man, ordered +that the implements should be issued to the sergeant-majors, who +would then be accountable for them. + +One day, my brother, having seen a pupil bury a pick, rebuked +him. The pupil replied very rudely and added that in a few days +they would be leaving school, and being then the equal of his +sergeant-major, he would demand satisfaction for the reprimand. +My brother replied indignantly that there was no need to wait so +long. + +Lacking swords, they used compasses fixed to wooden batons: +Jacqueminot, who later became a lieutenant-general, was my +brother's second. My brother's poor eyesight put him at a +disadvantage, but he succeeded in wounding his opponent, though +he received in return a wound which penetrated his right arm. His +companions dressed it secretly. + +By an unhappy coincidence, the Emperor had come to Fontainebleau, +and had decided to conduct manoeuvres for several hours, under a +blazing sun. My poor brother, compelled to run without rest, his +arm dragged down by the weight of his heavy musket, was overcome +by the heat and his wound re-opened! He should have fallen out on +the pretext of an indisposition, but he was in front of the +Emperor who, at the end of the session, would distribute the +commissions of sous-lieutenant, so eagerly desired. Felix made +superhuman efforts to resist, but at last his strength failed him +and he collapsed and was carried away in a most serious +condition. + +General Bellavene sent an unfeeling message to my mother, saying +that if she wished to see her son, she must come immediately, for +he was dying. My mother was so distressed by this news, that she +was unable to make the journey. I posted there as quickly as I +could, but on my arrival I was told that my brother was dead. +Marshal Augereau did all that he could for us, in these unhappy +circumstances, and the Emperor sent the marshal of the palace, +Duroc, to convey his condolences to my mother. + +All too soon another source of sadness would come to afflict her; +I would be forced to leave her, as war was about to break out on +the continent. + +At a time when it might have been thought that the Emperor had +the greatest need to be at peace with the continental powers, in +order to execute his design for the invasion of England, he +issued a decree whereby he annexed the state of Genoa to France. +This was greatly to the advantage of the English, who profited +from this decision to frighten all the peoples of the continent, +to whom they represented Napoleon as aspiring to become the +master of the whole of Europe. Austria and Russia declared war +on us, Prussia, more circumspect, made preparations, but as yet, +said nothing. + +The Emperor had no doubt foreseen these reactions, and a wish to +see hostilities break out perhaps underlay his seizure of Genoa; +for, despairing of ever seeing Villeneuve in control of the +channel, he wanted a continental war to deflect the ridicule to +which his proposed invasion, threatened for three years, but +never put into action, might have exposed him by displaying his +impotence in the face of England. The new coalition extricated +him nicely from an awkward situation. + +Three years under arms had had an excellent effect on our +soldiers. France had never had an army so well trained, so well +organised, so keen for action, nor a leader in control of so much +power and such moral and material resources, who was so skillful +in their employment. So Napoleon accepted the outbreak of war +with pleasure, so confident was he of conquering his enemies, and +of making use of their defeat to strengthen his position on the +throne; for he knew the enthusiasm which the prospect of military +triumph always stirred up in the martial French spirit. + +Chap. 23. + +The great army which the Emperor was about to set in motion +against Austria, now had its back to that Empire, since the +forces deployed on the coasts of the North Sea, the Channel and +the Atlantic were facing England. On the right wing the 1st +Corps, commanded by Bernadotte, occupied Hanover; the 2nd, under +the orders of Marmont, was in Holland; the 3rd under Davout was +in Bruges; the 4th, 5th and 6th commanded by Soult, Lannes and +Ney, were encamped at Boulogne and in the surrounding district, +while finally the 7th commanded by Augereau was in Brest, and +formed the extreme left. + +To break up this long cordon of troops and form them into a large +body which could march toward Austria, it was necessary to effect +an immense turn round from front to back. Each army had to make +an about turn, in order to face Germany, and form columns, to +march there by the shortest route. Thus the right wing became the +left, and the left the right. + +Obviously, to go from Hanover or Holland to the Danube, the 1st +and 2nd Corps had a much shorter distance to travel than those +who came from Boulogne, and they in turn were nearer than +Augereau's corps, which, in order to go from Brest to the +frontiers of Switzerland on the upper Rhine, had to cross the +whole of France, a journey of some three hundred leagues. The +troops were on the road for two months, marching in several +columns; Marshal Augereau was the last to leave Brest, but he +then went on ahead, and stopped first at Rennes and then +successively at Alon‡on, Melun, Troyes and Langres, at which +stops he inspected the various regiments, whose morale was raised +by his presence. The weather was superb: I spent the two months +travelling endlessly in an open carriage, from one column to +another, carrying the marshal's orders to the generals, and was +able to stop twice at Paris to see my mother. Our equipment had +gone on in advance. I had a mediocre servant, but three excellent +horses. + +While the Grande Armee was wending its way towards the Rhine and +the Danube, the French troops stationed in northern Italy, under +the command of Massena, concentrated in the Milan area in order +to attack the Austrians in the region of Venezia. + +To transmit his orders to Massena, the Emperor was obliged to +send his aides-de-camp through Switzerland, which remained +neutral. Now it so happened that while Marshal Augereau was at +Langres, an officer who was carrying Napoleon's despatches was +thrown out of his carriage and broke his collar-bone. He was +taken to Marshal Augereau whom he told that he was unable to +continue his mission. The marshal, knowing how important it was +that the Emperor's despatches should arrive in Italy without +delay, entrusted me with the task of delivering them, and also of +going through Huningue, where I was to pass on his order to have +a bridge built over the Rhine at this spot. I was delighted to +have this mission, as it meant that I would have an interesting +journey and would be sure of rejoining 7th Corps before they were +in action against the Austrians. + +It did not take me long to reach Huningue and Basle; I went from +there to Berne and on to Rapperschwill, where I left my carriage: +then, on horseback and not without some danger, I crossed the +Splugen pass, at that time almost impracticable. I entered Italy +at Chiavenna, and joined Marshal Massena near Verona. I went off +again without any delay, for Massena was as impatient to see me +go with his replies to the Emperor as I was to rejoin Marshal +Augereau before there was any fighting. However my return journey +was not as rapid as my journey out, because a very heavy fall of +snow had covered not only the mountains but also the valleys of +Switzerland; it had begun to freeze hard, and horses slipped and +fell at every step. It was only by offering 600 francs that I was +able to find two guides who were prepared to cross the Splugen +with me. It took us more than twelve hours to make the crossing, +walking through snow sometimes up to our knees. The guides were +on the point of refusing to go any further, saying that it was +too dangerous, but I was young and venturesome, and I knew the +importance of the despatches which the Emperor was awaiting. + +I told my guides that even if they turned back, I would go on +without them. Every profession has its code of honour; that of +the guides consists principally in never abandoning the traveller +committed to their care. Mine then went forward, and after some +truly extraordinary exertions, we arrived at the large inn +situated at the foot of the Splugen as night was falling. We +would have undoubtedly died if we had been trapped on the +mountain, for the path, which was barely discernable, was edged +by precipices which the snow prevented us from seeing clearly. I +was exhausted, but a sleep restored my strength, so I left at +daybreak to reach Rapperschwill, where there were carriages and +passable roads. + +The worst of the journey was over; so, in spite of the snow and +bitter cold, I reached Basle and then Heningue, where the 7th +Corps was stationed, on the 19th October. The next day we began +to cross the Rhine over a bridge of boats built for that purpose; +for although there was, less than half a league away in the town +of Basle, a stone bridge, the Emperor had ordered Marshal +Augereau to respect the neutrality of Switzerland, a neutrality +which they themselves broke, nine years later, by handing the +bridge to the enemies of France in 1814. + +Here I was then, involved once more in a war. It was now 1805, a +year which for me heralded a long series of battles which lasted +continuously for ten years, for it did not end until ten years +later at Waterloo. However numerous the wars of the Empire might +be, nearly all French soldiers enjoyed one or even several years +of respite, either because they were in a garrison in France, or +they were stationed in Italy or Germany when we were at war with +Spain; but, as you will see, this did not happen to me; I was +continually sent from north to south, and south to north, +everywhere where there was fighting. I did not spend a single one +of these ten years without coming under fire and without shedding +my blood in some foreign country. + +I do not intend to give, here, a detailed account of the campaign +of 1805. I shall limit myself to recalling the principal events. + +The Russians, who were marching to the aid of Austria, were still +far away, when Field-marshal Mack, at the head of eighty thousand +men, advanced, unwisely, into Bavaria, where he was defeated by +Napoleon, who forced him to retreat to the fortress of Ulm, where +he surrendered with the greater part of his army, of which only +two corps escaped the disaster. + +One of these, commanded by Prince Ferdinand, managed to reach +Bohemia; the other, commanded by the elderly Field-marshal +Jellachich, escaped into the Vorarlberg near Lake Constance, +where, flanked by neutral Switzerland, it guarded the narrow +passes of the Black Forest. It was these troops which Marshal +Augereau was about to attack. + +After crossing the Rhine at Huningue, 7th Corps found itself in +the country of Baden, whose sovereign, along with those of +Bavaria and Wurtemberg, had just concluded an alliance with +Napoleon; so we were received as friends by the population of +Brisgau. Field-marshal Jellachich had not dared to oppose the +French in such open country, but awaited us beyond Freiburg, at +the entrance to the Black Forest, the passage through which he +expected us to effect only at the cost of much bloodshed. Above +all, he hoped to stop us at the Val d'Enfer, a very long and +narrow pass, dominated on both sides by sheer cliffs, and easy to +defend. But the men of 7th Corps had now heard of the successes +achieved by their comrades at Ulm and in Bavaria, and anxious to +emulate them, they advanced through the Black Forest with such +elan that they crossed through it in three days, in spite of the +natural obstacles, the enemy resistance and the difficulty in +finding food in this dreadful wilderness. The army finally broke +out into fertile country and made camp around Donauschingen, a +very pleasant town where there is the magnificent chateau of the +ancient line of the princes of Furstenburg. + +The marshal and his aides-de-camp were billeted in the chateau, +in the courtyard of which is the source of the Danube; this great +river demonstrates its power at the moment of its birth, for at +the spot where it issues from the earth it already bears a boat. + +The draught-horses for the guns and the supply wagons had been +greatly fatigued by the passage through the rough and mountainous +passes of the Black Forest, which a coating of frost had made +even more difficult. It was therefore necessary to give them +several days of rest; during which period the Austrian cavalry +came from time to time to probe our outposts, which were +positioned two leagues from the town; but this amounted to no +more than some ineffectual fire which kept us on our toes, gave +us some exercise in skirmishing, and allowed us to learn to +recognise the various uniforms of the enemy. I saw, for the +first time, the Uhlans of Prince Charles, Rosenberg's Dragoons +and Blankenstein's Hussars. + +The horses having recovered their strength, the army continued +its march, and for several weeks we had a series of engagements +which left us masters of Engen and Stockach. + +Although I was very much involved in these various actions, I had +only one accident, which, however, might have been serious. The +ground was covered by snow, particularly round Stockach, where +the enemy defended their position fiercely. The marshal ordered +me to go and reconnoitre a spot to which he wanted to direct a +column; I left at the gallop; the ground looked to me to be quite +level, the snow, driven by the wind having hidden all the +hollows, but suddenly my horse and I fell into a deep gully, up +to our necks in snow. I was trying to get out, when two enemy +Hussars appeared at the edge and fired their muskets at me. +Fortunately, the snow in which my horse and I were floundering +about prevented them from taking an accurate aim, and I came to +no harm; but they were about to fire once more when some +Chasseurs, which Marshal Augereau had sent to my aid, forced them +to depart hurriedly. With some help I was able to get out of the +ravine, but we had a great deal of difficulty in extricating my +horse. As we were both unhurt, my comrades had a laugh at the +strange appearance I presented after my bath of snow. + +After we had gained control of the Vorarlberg, we captured +Bregen,and drove Jellachich's Austrian corps to Lake Constance +and the Tyrol. The enemy now sought the protection of the +fortress of Feldkirch and its celebrated gorge, behind which they +could defend themselves with advantage. We expected to have to +fight a murderous battle to take this position when, to our +astonishment, the Austrians offered to capitulate, an offer which +Marshal Augereau was quick to accept. + +During the meeting between the two marshals, the Austrian +officers, humiliated by the reverse which their arms had just +suffered, took malicious pleasure in giving us some very bad news +which had been concealed up till this day, but which the Russians +and Austrians had learned of from English sources. The +Franco-Spanish fleet had been defeated by Lord Nelson on October +20th not far from Cadiz, at Cape Trafalgar. Villeneuve, our +infelicitous admiral, who had failed to carry out the precise +orders of Napoleon at a time when the appearance of a combined +fleet in the Channel could have secured a safe passage for the +troops assembled at Boulogne, learning that he was about to be +replaced by Admiral Rosily, passed suddenly from an excess of +circumspection to an excess of audacity. He left Cadiz and +engaged in a battle which, had it turned out in our favour, would +have been virtually useless, since the French army, instead of +being at Boulogne to take advantage of such a success to embark +for England, was two hundred leagues from the coast, fighting in +Germany. + +After a most desperate struggle, the fleets of France and Spain +had been defeated by that of England, whose admiral, the famous +Nelson, had been killed; taking to his grave a reputation as the +finest seaman of the epoch. On our side we lost Rear-admiral +Magon, a very fine officer. One of our vessels blew up; +seventeen, as many French as Spanish, were captured. A severe +storm which arose toward the end of the battle, lasted all night +and the days following, and was on the verge of overwhelming both +victors and vanquished, so that the English, concerned for their +own safety, were forced to abandon nearly all the ships which +they had captured from us; which were mostly taken back to Cadiz +by the remains of their brave but unfortunate crews, though some +were wrecked on the rock-bound coast. + +It was during this battle that my excellent friend France +d'Houdetot received a wound to his thigh which has left him with +a limp. D'Houdetot, scarcely out of childhood was a naval cadet, +and attached to the staff of Admiral Magon, a friend of my +father. After the death of the admiral, the ship "The Algesiras," +in which he served, was captured after a bloody encounter, and +the English placed on board a prize crew of sixty men. But the +storm separated the ship from the English fleet, and the prize +crew realised that it was very unlikely that they could reach +England, so they agreed to allow the French seamen to take the +ship into Cadiz, with the stipulation that they would not be held +as prisoners of war. The French flag was hoisted to identify the +ship and the badly damaged vessel managed to reach Cadiz, though +not without great difficulty. The ship which bore Admiral +Villeneuve was captured and the unlucky admiral was taken to +England, where he remained a prisoner for three years. Having +been released on exchange, he decided to go to Paris, but, +detained at Rennes, he committed suicide. + +When Field-marshal Jellachich felt obliged to capitulate before +the 7th French army corps, this decision seemed the more +surprising since, even if defeated by us, he had the option of +retiring into the Tyrol which was behind him, and whose +inhabitants have for many centuries been greatly attached to the +house of Austria. The thick snow which covered the country no +doubt made movement difficult, but the difficulties presented +would have been much greater for us, enemies of Austria, than for +the troops of Jellachich, withdrawing through an Austrian +province. However, if the old and hide-bound Field-marshal could +not bring himself to campaign in winter, in the high mountains, +his attitude was not shared by the officers under his command; +for many of them condemned his pusillanimity, and spoke of +rebelling against his authority. The most ardent of his opponents +was General the Prince de Rohan, a French officer in the service +of Austria, a bold and competent soldier. Marshal Augereau, +fearing that Jellachich might take the advice offered by the +Prince and retreat into the Tyrol where pursuit would be almost +impossible, hastened to grant him all the conditions which he +requested. + +The terms of the capitulation were that the Austrian troops +should lay down their arms, hand over their flags, standards, +cannons and horses, but should not themselves be taken to France, +and could withdraw to Bohemia after swearing not to bear arms +against France for one year. + +When he announced the capitulation in one of his army bulletins, +the Emperor seemed a little disappointed that the Austrian +soldiers had not been made prisoners of war; but he changed his +mind when he realised that Marshal Augereau had no means of +retaining them, as escape was so easy. In fact, during the night +preceding the day when the Austrians were to lay down their arms, +a revolt broke out in several brigades against Field-marshal +Jellachich. The Prince de Rohan, refusing to accept the +capitulation, left with his infantry division, and joined by some +regiments from other divisions, he fled into the mountains, which +he crossed, despite the rigours of the season: then by an +audacious march, he bypassed the cantonments of Marshal Ney's +troops, who occupied the towns of the Tyrol, and arriving between +Verona and Venice, he fell on the rear of the French army of +Italy, while this force, commanded by Massena was following on +the tail of Prince Charles, who was retiring towards Friuli. The +arrival of the Prince de Rohan in Venetian territory, when +Massena was already in the far distance, could have had the most +grave consequences; but fortunately a French army, coming from +Naples, under the command of General Saint-Cyr, defeated the +Prince and took him prisoner. He had, at least, submitted only to +force, and was right in saying that if Jellachich had been there +with all his troops, the Austrians might have defeated Saint-Cyr +and opened a route for themselves back into Austria. + +When a force capitulates, it is customary for the victor to send +to each division a staff officer to take charge, as it were, and +to conduct it on the day and at the hour appointed to the place +where it is to lay down its arms. Those of my comrades who were +sent to the Prince de Rohan were left behind by him in the camp +which he quitted, for he carried out his retreat from an area +behind the fortress of Feldkirch, and in a direction away from +the French camp, so that he had little fear of being stopped; but +the Austrian cavalry were not in a similar situation. They were +in bivouac on a small area of open ground in front of Feldkirch, +and opposite and a short distance from our outposts. I had been +detailed to go to the Austrian cavalry and lead them to the +agreed rendezvous; this brigade did not have a general, but was +commanded by a colonel of Blankenstein's Hussars, an elderly +Hungarian, brave and crafty, whose name, I regret, I cannot +remember, for I think highly of him although he played me a most +disagreeable trick. + +On my arrival at the camp, the colonel had offered me the +hospitality of his hut for the night, and we had agreed to set +off at daybreak, to reach the spot indicated on the shore of Lake +Constance, between the town of Bregenz and Lindau, at a distance +of about three leagues. I was most astonished when, at about +midnight, I heard the officers mounting their horses. I hurried +out of the hut and saw that the squadrons were formed up and +ready to move. I asked the reason for this hasty departure, and +the old colonel replied, with cool deceit, that Field-marshal +Jellachich feared that some jeering directed at the Austrian +soldiers by the French, whose camp one would have to pass if one +took the shortest route to the beach at Lindau, might lead to +fighting between the troops of the two nations. Jellachich, in +consultation with Marshal Augereau, had ordered the Austrian +troops to make a long detour to the right so that they would +avoid our camp and the town of Breganz, and would not come into +contact with our soldiers. He added that as the route was very +long and the road bad, the two commanders had advanced the time +of departure by some hours; he was surprised that I had not been +informed of this, but suggested that the written instructions had +been held up at the advance posts, owing to some +misunderstanding; he carried this deception so far as to send an +officer to look for this despatch, wherever it might be. The +explanation given by the colonel of the Blankensteins sounded so +convincing that I did not say anything, although my instinct told +me that this was a little irregular; but, alone in the midst of +three thousand enemy cavalry, what could I do? It was better to +appear confident than to seem to doubt the good faith of the +Austrian brigade. As I was unaware of the flight of the Prince de +Rohan's division, it did not enter my head that the commander of +the cavalry intended to evade the capitulation. I rode alongside +him, at the head of the column. The Austrian had made his +arrangements for the avoidance of the French camps--whose fires +could be seen--so well that we did not pass near any of them. But +what the old colonel had not anticipated, and was unable to +avoid, was an encounter with a flying patrol, which the French +cavalry usually sent out into the countryside at night, some +distance from an encampment: for suddenly there was a challenge, +and we found ourselves in the presence of a large column of +French cavalry, which was clearly visible in the moonlight. The +Hungarian colonel, without seeming the least worried, said to me +"This is work for you, as an aide-de-camp; kindly come with me +and explain the situation to the commander of this French unit." +We went forward. I gave the pass-word, and found myself in the +presence of the 7th mounted Chasseurs, who, knowing that the +Austrian troops were expected for the laying down of arms, and +recognising me as one of Marshal Augereau's aides, made no +difficulty about the passage of the brigade which I was +conducting. The French commander, whose troops had their sabres +drawn, even took the trouble to have them sheathed, as witness to +the good-will existing between the two columns, which went on +their way for some distance, side by side. I closely questioned +the officer in charge of the Chasseurs about the change in the +time at which the Austrians were to move; but he knew nothing at +all about it, something which did not raise any suspicion in my +mind, for I knew that an order of this kind would not be +distributed by the staff down to regimental level. So I continued +to ride with the colonel for the rest of the night, finding, +however that the detour we were making was very long, and the +going very bad. + +At last, at daybreak, the old colonel, seeing a patch of level +ground, said to me, in a conversational tone of voice, that +although he would soon be obliged to hand over the horses of the +three regiments to the French, he wished to care for the poor +animals up to the last, and to deliver them in good condition; In +consequence he had ordered that they should be given a feed of +oats. The brigade halted, formed up and dismounted; and when the +horses had been tethered, the colonel, who alone remained on +horseback, gathered in a circle around him the officers and men +of the three regiments, and in a ringing voice which made the old +warrior seem quite superb, he announced that the Prince de +Rohan's division, preferring honour to a shameful safety, had +refused to subscribe to the disgraceful capitulation whereby +Field-marshal Jellachich had promised to hand over to the French, +the flags and the arms of the Austrian troops, and had fled into +the Tyrol; where he too would have led the brigade were it not +for the fact that he feared that in that barren mountain country, +there would not be enough fodder for so many horses. But now they +had open country in front of them and having, by a ruse of which +he was proud, gained a lead of six leagues over the French +troops, he invited all those who had truly Austrian hearts to +follow him across Germany to Moravia, where they could rejoin the +army of their August sovereign, Francis II. Blankenstein's +Hussars responded to this speech by their colonel with a +resounding cheer of approval; but Rosenberg's Dragoons and the +Uhlans of Prince Charles maintained a gloomy silence. As for me, +although I did not yet know enough German to follow the colonel's +words exactly, what I did understand, together with the tone of +the orator and the position in which he found himself, allowed me +to guess what was afoot, and I can promise you that I felt very +crestfallen at having, although unwittingly, furthered the plans +of this diabolical Hungarian. + +A fearful tumult now arose in the immense circle by which I was +surrounded, and I was able to appreciate the inconvenience +stemming from the heterogeneous amalgamation of different peoples +which makes up the Austrian Empire, and in consequence, the +Austrian army. All the Hussars were Hungarian; the Blankensteins +therefore approved the proposal made by a leader of their own +nationality, but the Dragoons were German and the Uhlans were +Polish; the Hungarian could make no nationalistic appeal to them, +who, in this difficult situation listened only to their own +officers; these officers declared that they thought themselves +bound by the capitulation which Field-marshal Jellachich had +signed and did not wish, by their departure, to worsen his +position or that of their comrades who were already the hands of +the French, who would be within their rights to send them all +back to France as prisoners of war, if a part of the Austrian +forces violated the agreement. To this the colonel replied that +when the Commander-in-Chief of an army looses his head, fails in +his duty and delivers his troops to the enemy, his juniors have +no need to consult anything but their courage and their devotion +to their country. Then the colonel, brandishing his sabre in one +hand, while with the other he seized the regimental standard, +cried out, "Go then Dragoons! Go! Go! Yield to the French your +dishonoured standards, and the arms which the Emperor gave us for +his defence. As for us, the bold Hussars, we are off to rejoin +our sovereign, to whom we can once more show with honour our +unstained colours, and the swords of fearless soldiers!" Then, +drawing close to me, and casting a look of disdain on the Uhlans +and Dragoons, he added, "I am sure that if this young Frenchman +found himself in our position and had to choose between your +conduct and mine, he would take the more courageous course; for +the French love honour and reputation as much as their country." +Having said this, the old Hungarian sheathed his sabre, dug in +his spurs, and leading his regiment at the gallop, he careered +into the distance, where he soon disappeared. There was some +truth in both the arguments which I had heard, but that of the +old Hungarian seemed the more valid because it was in conformity +with the interests of his country; I then secretly approved of +his behaviour, but I could not, of course advise the Dragoons and +Uhlans to follow his example; that would have been to step out of +my role and fail in my duty. I maintained a strict neutrality in +this discussion, and when the Hussars had left, I asked the +colonels of the other two regiments to follow me, and we took the +road for Lindau. + +On the beach beside the lake, we found Marshals Augereau and +Jellachich, as well as the French forces and the Austrian +infantry regiments which had not followed the Prince de Rohan. On +learning from me that the Blankenstein Hussars, having refused to +recognise the capitulation, were heading for Moravia both +marshals flew into a rage: Marshal Augereau because he feared +that these Hussars might cause havoc in the rear of the French +army, since the route which they would follow would take them +through areas where the Emperor, in the course of his march on +Vienna, had left many dressing stations full of wounded; +artillery parks, etc. But the Hungarian colonel did not think it +was part of his duty to advertise his presence by any surprise +attack, as he was only too anxious to get out of a country +bristling with French arms. By avoiding all our positions, moving +always on minor roads, hiding by day in the woods and marching +rapidly at night, he managed to reach the frontier of Moravia +without trouble, and joined an Austrian army corps which occupied +the area. As for the troops who remained with Field-marshal +Jellachich, having laid down their arms, surrendered their flags +and standards and handed over their horses, they became prisoners +on parole for one year, and made off in dismal silence for the +interior of Germany, to make their way sadly to Bohemia. I +remembered, when I saw them, the valiant words of the old +colonel, and I think I saw on the faces of many of these Uhlans +and Dragoons a regret that they had not followed the old warrior, +and an unhappiness when they compared the heroic position of the +Blankensteins with their own humiliation. + +Among the trophies which Jellachich's corps was forced to hand +over were seventeen flags and two standards, which Marshal +Augereau, as was usual, hastened to send to the Emperor, in the +care of two aides-de-camp. Major Massy and I were detailed for +this task, and we left the same evening in a fine carriage with, +in front of us, a wagon containing the flags and standards, in +the charge of an N.C.O. We headed for Vienna via Kempten, +Brauneau, Munich, Lenz and Saint-Poelten. Some leagues before +this last town, following the banks of the Danube, we admired the +superb Abbey of M”lk, one of the richest in the world. It was +here, four years later that I ran the greatest danger, and earned +the praise of the Emperor, for having performed before his eyes +the finest feat of arms of my military career; as you will see +when we come to the campaign of 1809. + +Chap. 24 + +In September 1805, the seven corps which made up the Grande Armee +were on the march from their positions on the coast to the banks +of the Danube. They were already in the countries of Baden and +Wurtemberg when, on the 1st October, Napoleon, in person, crossed +the Rhine at Strasburg. A part of the large force which the +Russians were sending to the aid of Austria had at that moment +arrived in Moravia, and the cabinet at Vienna should, with +prudence, have waited until this powerful reinforcement had +joined the Austrian army; but, carried away by an enthusiasm +which they did not usually display, and which was inspired by +Field-marshal Mack, it had despatched him, at the head of eighty +thousand men, to attack Bavaria; the possession of which had been +coveted by Austria for several centuries, and which French policy +had always protected from invasion. The Elector of Bavaria, +forced to abandon his state, took refuge with his family and his +troops in Wurtzburg, from where he begged Napoleon for +assistance. Napoleon entered into an alliance with him and with +the rulers of Baden and Wurtzburg. + +The Austrian army, under Mack, had already occupied Ulm, when +Napoleon, having crossed the Danube at Donauwerth seized Augsburg +and Munich. The French were now in the rear of Mack's force and +had cut his communication with the Russians, who having reached +Vienna, were advancing towards him by forced marches. The +Field-marshal realised then, but too late, the error he had made +in allowing himself to be encircled by French troops. He tried to +break out, but was defeated successively in the battles of +Wertingen, Gunzberg, and Elchingen, where Marshal Ney won fame. +Under increasing pressure, Mack was forced to shut himself up in +Ulm with all his army, less the corps of the Archduke Ferdinand +and Jellachich who escaped, the former into Bohemia, and the +latter to the region round Lake Constance. Ulm was then besieged +by the Emperor. It was a place which, though not heavily +fortified, could nevertheless have held out for a long time +thanks to its position and its large garrison, and so given the +Russians time to come to its relief. But Field-marshal Mack, +passing from exalted over-confidence to a profound +disheartenment, surrendered to Napoleon, who had now, in three +weeks, scattered, captured, or destroyed eighty thousand +Austrians and freed Bavaria, where he reinstalled the Elector. We +shall see, in 1813, this favour repaid by the most odious +treachery. + +Being now the master of Bavaria, and rid of the presence of +Mack's army, the Emperor increased the pace of his advance, down +the right bank of the Danube towards Vienna. He captured Passau +and then Linz, where he learned that 50,000 Russians, commanded +by General Koutousoff, reinforced by 40,000 Austrians, whom +General Kienmayer had collected, had crossed the Danube at Vienna +and had taken up a position between M”lk and St. Poelten. He was +told at the same time that the Austrian army commanded by Prince +Charles had been defeated by Massena in the Venetian district and +was retreating via the Friuli in the direction of Vienna; and +lastly that the Archduke Jean was occupying the Tyrol with +several divisions. Those two princes were therefore threatening +the right of the French army, while it had the Russians in front +of it. To protect himself against a flank attack, the Emperor, +who already had Marshal Augereau's corps in the region of +Bregenz, sent Marshal Ney to attack Innsbruk and the Tyrol, and +moved Marmont's corps to Loeben, in order to block Prince +Charles' route from Italy. Having taken these wise precautions to +protect his right flank, Napoleon, before advancing to meet the +Russians, whose advance-guard had already clashed with ours at +Amstetten, near to Steyer, wished to protect his left flank from +any attack from those Austrians who had taken refuge in Bohemia, +under the command of Archduke Ferdinand. To effect this he gave +Marshal Mortier the infantry divisions of Generals Dupont and +Gazan, and ordered him to cross the Danube by the bridges at +Passau and Linz, and then proceed down the left bank of the +river, while the bulk of the army went down the right. However, +in order not to leave Marshal Mortier too isolated, Napoleon +conceived the idea of gathering together on the Danube a great +number of boats, which had been captured on the tributaries of +the river, and forming a flotilla which, manned by men from the +guard, could move down the river, keeping level with Mortier and +making a link between the troops on both banks. + +You may think it a little presumptuous of me to criticise one of +the operations of a great captain, but I cannot refrain from +commenting that the sending of Mortier to the left bank was a +move which had not been sufficiently considered, and was an error +which could have had very serious consequences. The Danube, +Europe's largest river, is, after Passau, so wide in winter that +from one bank one cannot discern a man standing on the other; it +is also very deep and very fast-flowing, and it therefore +provided a guarantee of perfect safety for the left flank of the +French army as it marched down the right bank. Furthermore, any +attack could be made only by the Archduke Ferdinand, coming from +Bohemia; but he, very pleased to have escaped from the French +before Ulm, had only a few troops, and they were mostly cavalry. +Even if he had wished to do so, he had not the means to mount an +attack which involved crossing an obstacle such as the Danube, +into which he might be driven back. Whereas, by detaching two of +his divisions and allowing them to be isolated across this +immense river, Napoleon exposed them to the risk of being +captured or exterminated. A disaster which might have been +foreseen and which very nearly came about. + +Field-marshal Koutousoff, had been awaiting the French with +confidence, in a strong position at St. Poelten, because he +believed that they were being pursued by the army of Mack; but +when he heard of the surrender of this army at Ulm, he no longer +felt himself strong enough to face Napoleon alone, and being +unwilling to risk his troops to save the city of Vienna, he +decided to put the barrier of the Danube between himself and the +victor, so he crossed the river by the bridge at Krems, which he +burned behind him. + +He had scarcely arrived on the left bank with all his army, when +he ran into the scouts of the Gazan division, which was +proceeding from Dirnstein to Krems, with Marshal Mortier at its +head. Koutousoff, having discovered the presence of a French +corps isolated on the left bank, resolved to crush it, and to +achieve this aim he attacked it head to head on the narrow road +which ran along the river bank, while seizing control of the +escarpments which overlook the Danube. He sent light troops to +occupy Dirnstein to cut off the retreat of the Gazan division. +The position of the division was made even more critical by the +fact that the flotilla of boats had dropped back and there were +only two little boats available, which made it impossible to +bring reinforcements from the other bank. + +Attacked in front and in the rear and on one of their flanks by +enemies six times their number; shut in between the rocky +escarpment occupied by the Russians and the depths of the Danube, +the French soldiers, crowded on the narrow roadway, did not +despair. The gallant Marshal Mortier set them an example, for, +when it was suggested that he should take one of the boats and go +over to the right bank, where he would be with the Grande Armee, +and avoid giving the Russians the glory of capturing a marshal, +he replied that he would die with his men, or escape over the +dead bodies of the Russians! + +A savage bayonet fight ensued: five thousand French were up +against thirty thousand Russians: night came to add to the +horrors of the combat: Gazan's division, massed in column, +managed to regain Dirnstein at a moment when Dupont's division, +which had remained behind opposite M”lk, alerted by the sound of +gunfire, was running to their aid. Eventually the battlefield +remained in French hands. + +In this hand to hand fighting, where the bayonet was almost the +only weapon used, our men, more adroit and agile than the giant +Russians, had a great advantage; so the enemy losses amounted to +some four thousand five hundred men, while ours were three +thousand only. But had our divisions not been made up of +seasoned soldiers, Mortier's corps would probably have been +destroyed. The Emperor was well aware of this, and hastened to +recall it to the right bank. What seems to me to be proof that +he realised the mistake he had made in sending this corps across +the river, is the fact that, although he generously rewarded the +brave regiments which had fought at Dirnstein, the official +bulletins scarcely mention this sanguinary affair, and it is as +if one wished to conceal the results of this operation because +one could find no military justification for it. + +What further confirms me in the opinion which I have taken the +liberty of expressing, is that in the campaign of 1809, the +Emperor, when he found himself in a similar situation, did not +send any troops across the river, but, keeping all his force +together, he went with it to Vienna. + +But let us return to the mission with which Major Massy and I +were charged. + +When we arrived in Vienna, Napoleon and the bulk of the army had +already left the city, which they had seized without a shot being +fired. The crossing of the Danube which it was necessary to +effect in order to pursue the Russians and the Austrians who were +retreating into Moravia, had not been disputed, thanks to a +perhaps culpable deception which was carried out by Marshals +Lannes and Murat. This incident, which had such a profound effect +on this well-known campaign, deserves recounting. + +The city of Vienna is situated on the right bank of the Danube: a +small branch of that immense river passes through the city, but +the main stream is half a league away; there the Danube contains +a large number of islands which are connected by a long series of +wooden bridges, terminated by one which, spanning the main arm of +the river, reaches the left bank at a place named Spitz. The road +to Moravia runs along this series of bridges. When the Austrians +are opposing the crossing of a river, they have a very bad habit +of leaving the bridges intact up to the very last moment, to give +them a means of mounting a counter-attack against the enemy, who +almost always does not allow them time to do so and takes from +them the bridges which they have neglected to burn. This is what +the French did during the campaign in Italy in 1796 at the +memorable affairs of Lodi and Arcoli. But these examples had not +served to correct the Austrians, for on leaving Vienna, which is +not suited to defence, they retired to the other side of the +Danube without destroying a single one of the bridges spanning +this vast watercourse, and limited themselves to placing +inflammable material on the platform of the main bridge, in order +to set it alight when the French appeared. They had also +established on the left bank, at the end of the bridge at Spitz, +a powerful battery of artillery, as well as a division of six +thousand men under the command of Prince D'Auersperg, a brave but +not very intelligent officer. Now I must tell you that some days +before the entry of the French into Vienna, the Emperor had +received the Austrian general, Comte de Guilay, who came as an +envoy to make peace overtures, which came to nothing. But hardly +had the Emperor settled in the palace of Schoenbrunn, when +General Guilay again appeared and spent more than an hour +tˆte-a-tˆte with Napoleon. From this a rumour arose that an +armistice had been arranged, a rumour which spread amongst the +French regiments which were entering Vienna and the Austrians who +were leaving to cross the Danube. + +Murat and Lannes, whom the Emperor had ordered to secure the +crossing of the Danube, placed Oudinot's Grenadiers behind a +bushy plantation and went forward, accompanied only by some +German-speaking officers. The enemy outposts withdrew, firing as +they went. The French officers called out that there was an +armistice, and continuing their progress, they crossed all the +small bridges, without being held up. When they arrived at the +main bridge, they renewed their assertion to the commander at +Spitz, who did not dare to fire on two marshals, almost alone, +who claimed that hostilities were suspended. However, before +allowing them to go any further, he wanted to go and ask General +Auersperg for orders, and while he did so, he left the post in +charge of a sergeant. Lannes and Murat persuaded the sergeant +that under the terms of the cease-fire, the bridge should be +handed over to them, and that he should go with his men to join +his officer on the left bank. The poor sergeant hesitated, he was +edged back gently while the conversation continued, and by a slow +but steady advance they reached, eventually, the end of the main +bridge. + +At this point an Austrian officer endeavored to set light to the +incendiary material, but the torch was snatched from his hand, +and he was told that he would be in serious trouble if he did any +such thing. Next, the column of Oudinot's Grenadiers appeared and +began to cross the bridge.... The Austrian gunners prepared to +open fire, but the French marshals ran to the commander of the +artillery and assured him that an armistice was in force, then, +seating themselves on the guns, they requested the gunners to go +and inform General Auersperg of their presence. General Auersperg +eventually arrived and was about to order the gunners to open +fire, although by now they and the Austrian troops were +surrounded by the French Grenadiers, when the two marshals +managed to convince him that there was a cease-fire, a principal +condition of which was that the French should occupy the bridge. +The unhappy general, fearing to compromise himself by the useless +shedding of blood, lost his head to the point of leading away all +the troops which he had been given to defend the bridges. + +Without this error on the part of General Auersperg, the passage +of the Danube could only have been carried out with great +difficulty, and might even have been impossible; in which case +Napoleon would have been unable to pursue the Russians and +Austrians into Moravia, and would have failed in his campaign. +That was the opinion at the time, and it was confirmed three +years later when, the Austrians having burned the bridges, to +secure a passage we were forced to fight the two battles of +Essling and Wagram, which cost us more than thirty thousand men, +whereas in 1805 Marshals Lannes and Murat took possession of the +bridges without there being a single man wounded. + +Was the stratagem they employed admissible? I have my doubts. I +know that in war one eases one's conscience, and that any means +may be employed to ensure victory and reduce loss of life, but in +spite of these weighty considerations, I do not think that one +can approve of the method used to seize the bridge at Spitz, and +for my part I would not care to do the same in similar +circumstances. + +To conclude this episode, the credulity of General Auersperg was +very severely punished. A court-martial condemned him to be +cashiered, dragged through the streets of Vienna on a hurdle and +finally put to death at the hands of the public executioner...! A +similar sentence was passed on Field-marshal Mack, to punish him +for his conduct at Ulm. But in both cases the death sentence was +commuted to life imprisonment. They served ten years and were +then released, but deprived of their position, expelled from the +ranks of the nobility and rejected by their families, they died, +both of them, shortly after they had been set at liberty. + +The stratagem employed by Marshals Lannes and Murat having +secured the crossing of the Danube, the Emperor Napoleon directed +his army in pursuit of the Russians and the Austrians. Thus began +the second phase of the campaign. + +Chap. 25. + +The Russian marshal Koutousoff was heading via Hollabrunn for +Brno in Moravia, in order to join the second army which was led +by the Emperor Alexander in person; but on approaching +Hollabrunn, he was alarmed to discover that the troops of Lannes +and Murat were already occupying the town and cutting off his +means of retreat. To get out of this fix, the aged marshal, +making use, in his turn, of trickery, sent General Prince +Bagration as an envoy to Marshal Murat, whom he assured that an +aide-de-camp of the Emperor was on his way to Napoleon in order +to conclude an armistice, and that, without doubt, peace would +shortly follow. + +Prince Bagration was a very amiable man, he knew exactly how to +flatter Murat, so that he in turn was deceived into accepting an +armistice, in spite of the observations of Lannes, who wished to +fight but had to obey Murat, who was his superior officer. + +The truce lasted for thirty-six hours; and while Murat was +inhaling the incense which the crafty Russian lavished on him, +Koutousoff's army made a detour and concealing its movement +behind a screen of low hills, escaped from danger, and went on to +take up, beyond Hollabrunn, a strong position which opened the +road to Moravia and assured his retreat and his junction with the +second Russian army which was encamped between Znaim and Brno. +Napoleon was still in the palace of Schoenbrunn, and was +furiously angry when he heard that Murat had allowed himself to +be bamboozled by Prince Bagration, and had accepted an armistice +without his orders, and he commanded him to attack Koutousoff +immediately. + +Now the situation of the Russians had changed greatly to their +advantage, so they repelled the French most vigorously. The town +of Hollabrunn, taken and re-taken several times, set on fire by +the mortars, filled with the dead and dying, remained finally in +French possession. The Russians retired in the direction of Brno; +our troops followed them and took possession of this town without +a fight, although it was fortified and dominated by the +well-known citadel of Spielberg. + +The Russian armies and the remains of the Austrian troops were +united in Moravia; the Emperor Napoleon, in order to deliver the +final blow, arrived in Brno, the capital of the province. + +My comrade Massy and I followed after him, but we moved slowly +and with much difficulty, firstly because the post-horses were on +their last legs, and then because of the great quantity of +troops, guns, ammunition wagons, baggage, etc. with which the +roads were obstructed. We were obliged to stop for twenty-four +hours at Hollabrunn, while we waited for a passage to be cleared +through the streets, destroyed by fire and littered with planks +and beams and the debris of furniture, still alight. This +unfortunate town had been so completely burned that we were +unable to find a single house to provide shelter! + +During our enforced stay, we were confronted and distressed by +the most horrible and shocking spectacle. The wounded, mainly +Russians, had taken refuge during the fighting in the houses +which were soon set ablaze. All who could walk fled at the +approach of this new danger, but the crippled and gravely injured +were burned alive in the ruins! Many had attempted to escape the +fire by crawling along the ground, but the flames had followed +them into the streets,where one could see a multitude of these +wretched victims half consumed by fire, some of them still +breathing! The bodies of the men and horses killed in the battle +had also been roasted, so that for several leagues around the +town there was a sickening stench of burning flesh! ... There are +countrysides and towns which because of their situation are +destined to serve as battlefields, and Hollabrun is one of them, +because it offers an excellent military position; thus it was +that the damage done by the fire of 1805 had scarcely been +repaired, when I saw the place again, four years later, once more +on fire and littered with the half-roasted bodies of the dead and +dying; as you will see from my description of the campaign of +1809. + +Major Massy and I left this pestilential spot as soon as we +could, and went on to Znaim, where, four years later I was to be +wounded; and at last we reached the Emperor at Brunn (Brno), on +November 22nd, ten days before the Battle of Austerlitz. + +The day after our arrival, we completed our mission and handed +over the flags with the ceremony laid down by the Emperor for +solemn occasions of this kind; for he missed no opportunity of +displaying to the troops anything which could raise their morale +and enthusiasm. + +The procedure was as follows:--Half an hour before the daily +parade,--which took place at eleven o'clock outside whatever +residence was serving as the Emperor's palace,--General Duroc, +the Grand Marshal, sent to our billet a company of Grenadiers of +the Guard, with bandsmen and drummers. The town of Brunn was full +of French troops, and the soldiers, as we passed, celebrated with +much cheering the victory of their comrades of 7th Corps. All the +guard-posts accorded us military honours, and on our entry to the +courtyard of the Emperor's quarters, the units formed up for the +parade beat a salute, presented arms, and cried repeatedly "Vive +L'Empereur!" + +The aide-de-camp on duty came to receive us and to present us to +Napoleon, to whom we were introduced, accompanied always by the +N.C.O.s carrying the Austrian flags. The Emperor examined these +various trophies, and after dismissing the N.C.O.s. he questioned +us closely about the various actions which had been fought by +Marshal Augereau and on all we had seen or learned on our long +journey through a countryside which had been the theatre of war. +Then he told us to await his instructions, and to join the +imperial suite. The Grand Marshal Duroc took charge of the +flags, for which he gave us a receipt in the regular manner, +informed us that horses would be placed at our disposal and +invited us, for the duration of our stay, to the table over which +he presided. + +The French army was now massed around and before Brunn. The +Russian advance-guard occupied Austerlitz, while the bulk of +their army was positioned round the town of Olmutz, where were +also the Emperor Alexander of Russia and the Emperor of Austria. +A battle seemed inevitable, but both sides being well aware that +the outcome would have an immense bearing on the destiny of +Europe, each hesitated to make a decisive move. Napoleon, usually +so swift to act, waited for eleven days at Brunn before launching +a major attack. It is, however, true that every day of waiting +increased his forces by the arrival of great numbers of soldiers +who had lagged behind because of illness or fatigue, and who +having now recovered, hastened to rejoin their units. I recall +that, in these circumstances, I told a white lie which could have +ruined my military career. + +Napoleon usually treated his officers with kindness, but there +was one point on which he was perhaps too strict, for he held +colonels responsible for keeping their units up to full strength, +something it is very difficult to do during a campaign. It was in +this matter that the Emperor was most often deceived, for the +corps commanders were so afraid of displeasing him that they +risked being committed to facing an enemy force disproportionate +to their own numbers, rather than admit that sickness, fatigue +and the need to forage for food had caused many soldiers to drop +out. So Napoleon, in spite of his authority, never knew the exact +number of combatants available to him on the day of battle. + +Now it so happened that the Emperor, in the course of one of the +endless trips he made to visit the various corps of the army, saw +the mounted Chasseurs of his guard, who were moving to a +different position. He was particularly fond of this regiment, of +which his "guides" from Italy and Egypt formed the nucleus. The +Emperor, whose experienced eye could estimate very exactly the +strength of a column, noticing that their numbers were much +reduced, took out of his pocket a little notebook, and, calling +for General Morland, the commander of the mounted Chasseurs, he +said to him in a stern voice, "Your regiment is down in my notes +as having 1200 men, and although you have not been in action, you +have no more than 800; what has happened to the others?" General +Morland was a fine, brave fighting soldier, but he did not have a +ready tongue, and being quite nonplussed, he said in his +Franco-Alsatian dialect that he was short of only a small number +of men. The Emperor maintained that he was about four hundred +short, and to get to the truth of the matter he wanted to have an +immediate count; but knowing that General Morland was very much +liked by the officers of the imperial staff, he feared a +cover-up, and thought he would be more likely to discover the +truth by choosing an officer who did not belong to his entourage +nor to the Chasseurs; so, seeing me, he ordered me to count the +Chasseurs and to deliver to him personally a record of their +numbers; having said which, he made off at the gallop. I began my +task, which was made more easy because the troopers were riding +past four abreast at walking pace. + +Poor General Morland, who knew how close Napoleon's estimate was +to the reality, was in a state of great agitation, for he foresaw +that my report would call down on his head a severe reprimand. He +hardly knew me, and did not dare to suggest that I might +compromise myself to get him out of trouble. He was then sitting +silently on his horse beside me, when, fortunately for him, his +adjutant came to join him. This officer, named Fournier, had +started his military career as an assistant surgeon, then, having +become a surgeon-major, he felt that he had more of a vocation +for the sabre than for the lancet, and had asked for and obtained +permission to join the ranks of the combatant officers, and +Morland, with whom he had served previously, arranged for him to +join the Guard. + +I had known Captain Fournier very well when he was still +surgeon-major, and I was very much obliged to him, for not only +had he dressed my father's wound when it was inflicted, but he +had gone, like him, to Genoa, where, as long as my father lived, +he had come several times a day to care for him: if the doctors +charged with the duty of fighting the typhus epidemic had been as +assiduous and zealous as Fournier, my father, perhaps, would not +have died. I had often thought this, so I gave the warmest of +welcomes to Fournier, whom I did not at first recognise in the +pelisse of a captain of Chasseurs. + +General Morland, seeing the pleasure we had in meeting one +another, thought he might profit from our mutual friendship to +persuade me not to reveal to the Emperor by how many men he was +short. He took his adjutant aside and conferred with him for a +time; then Fournier came, and in the name of our former +friendship, he begged me to extricate General Morland from a most +unpleasant situation by concealing from the Emperor the extent to +which the regiment was under strength. I refused firmly and +continued to count. The Emperor's estimate was very close, for +there were only a few over eight hundred Chasseurs present, four +hundred were missing. + +I was about to leave to make my report, when General Morland and +Captain Fournier renewed their pleas pointing out that the +greater part of the men who had dropped behind for various +reasons would rejoin them very shortly, and that it was not +likely that Napoleon would engage in battle before the arrival of +the divisions of Friant and Gudin, who were still at the gates of +Vienna, thirty-six leagues from us and would take several days to +reach us. In the interval more laggards would rejoin the unit. +They added that the Emperor would be too busy to check my report. +I could not pretend to myself that I was not being asked to +deceive the Emperor, which was very wrong, but I felt also that I +was under a great obligation to Captain Fournier for the truly +tender care he had given to my dying father, I allowed myself +therefore to be swayed and promised to conceal a large part of +the truth. + +I was scarcely alone when I realised the enormity of my error, +but it was too late; the essential object now was to get out of +the situation with the least harm possible. With this aim in +view, I kept out of the way of the Emperor as long as he was on +horseback, in case he went back to the bivouac of the Chasseurs, +where their shortage of numbers striking him anew would give the +lie to my report. I craftily did not return to the imperial +quarters until night was approaching and Napoleon, having +dismounted had gone to his apartment. Brought before him in order +to make my report, I found him lying at full length on an immense +map which was spread on the floor. As soon as he saw me, he +called out "Well now! Marbot, how many Chasseurs are there in my +guard? Are there twelve hundred as Morland claims?" "No sire" I +replied."I counted only eleven hundred and twenty, that is a +shortfall of eighty." "I was sure that there was a lot missing." +said the Emperor, in a tone of voice which made it plain that he +had expected a much larger deficit; and to be sure if there were +no more than eighty men missing from a regiment of twelve hundred +which had just come five hundred leagues in winter, sleeping +almost every night in bivouac, that was a very small loss. So +when, on going to dinner, the Emperor passed through the room +where the senior officers of the guard were gathered, all he said +to Morland was, "Now you see...you are short of eighty troopers; +that is almost a squadron. With eighty of these men one could +stop a Russian regiment! You must take care to see that men do +not drop behind." Then, passing to the commander of the foot +guards, whose numbers were also much reduced, Napoleon gave him a +sharp reprimand. Morland, who thought himself lucky to have got +away with no more than a few observations, came over to me, as +soon as the Emperor was seated at table, and thanked me warmly. +He told me that some thirty troopers had just arrived, and that a +courier from Vienna had met more than a hundred between Znaim and +Brunn, and many more this side of Hollabrunn, which meant that +within forty-eight hours the regiment would have made up most of +its deficiency. I wished for this as fervently as he did, for I +was well aware of the difficult spot I had landed myself in out +of my consideration for Fournier. I could not sleep that night +for fear of the justifiable wrath of the Emperor, if he found out +that I had lied to him. + +I was even more dismayed the next day when Napoleon, in the +course of his usual visit to his troops, started off in the +direction of the Chasseur's bivouac, for a simple question put to +an officer could expose everything; but just when I thought that +I was done for, I heard the sound of the band of the Russian +force, camped on the high ground of the Pratzen half a league +from our position. I urged my horse forward towards the head of +the numerous staff by whom the Emperor was accompanied, and +getting as close to him as possible, I said in a loud voice, "I +am sure there is something going on in the Russian camp, their +band is playing a march".... The Emperor, who heard my remark, +suddenly left the path which led to the Chasseur's bivouac, and +headed towards Pratzen to see what was happening in the enemy +advance-guard. He stayed a long time watching, and as night was +approaching, he went back to Brunn without visiting the +Chasseurs. For several days I was in a mortal panic, although I +learned of the arrival of successive detachments of men, but at +last the coming battle and the many preoccupations of the Emperor +drove from his mind the idea of making the check which I so much +feared. But I had learned my lesson; so when I became a colonel +and was asked by the Emperor how many men were present in the +squadrons of my regiment, I always gave the exact number. + +Chap. 26. + +If Napoleon was often deceived, he also used deception himself to +further his projects, as can be shown by the tale of this +diplomatic-military comedy, in which I played a part. + +In order to understand this affair, which will give you the key +to the intrigues which, the following year, gave rise to the war +between Napoleon and the King of Prussia, we have to go back two +months to the time when the French troops, having left the coast, +were proceeding by rapid marches to the Danube. The shortest +route which the first corps, commanded by Bernadotte, could take +to reach Hanover, on the upper Danube, lay through Anspach. This +little country belonged to Prussia, but as it was quite a long +way from there, from which it was separated by a number of minor +principalities, it had always been regarded in previous wars as +being neutral territory, through which either party could pass, +provided that they paid for any goods they required and refrained +from any hostile action. + +Things having been established on this footing, Austrian and +French armies had often passed through the Margravate of Anspach, +since the time of the Directory, without informing Prussia and +without the latter raising any objection. Napoleon then, taking +advantage of this convention, ordered Bernadotte to go through +Anspach, which he did. However, the Queen of Prussia and her +court, who detested Napoleon, on hearing of this, raised an +outcry, claiming that Prussian territory had been violated, and +took advantage of this event to rouse the nation and call loudly +for war. The King of Prussia and his minister, Count Haugwitz, +alone resisted the general clamour for action. This was in +October 1805, when hostilities were about to break out between +France and Austria, and the Russian armies were on their way to +reinforce the latter. The queen and the young Prince Louis, the +king's nephew, in an attempt to persuade the king to make common +cause with the Austrians and Russians, arranged for the Emperor +Alexander to come to Berlin, in the hope that his presence would +influence Frederick-William. + +Alexander arrived in the capital of Prussia on the 25th October. +He was greeted with enthusiasm by the queen, Prince Louis and the +supporters of war against France. The king, besieged on all +sides, allowed himself to be persuaded, but only on the +condition--advised by the old Prince of Brunswick, and Count +Haugwitz--that his army should not be committed to a campaign +until the outcome of the conflict between the French and the +Austrians on the Danube had been determined. This partial +adherence to their cause pleased neither Alexander nor the queen, +but for the time being they could obtain nothing more explicit. A +melodramatic scene was played out at Potsdam, where the Emperor +of Russia and the King of Prussia, having descended, by the light +of torches, into the sepulchral vaults of the palace, swore, in +the presence of the court, eternal friendship, on the tomb of +Frederick the Great; (an oath which did not prevent Alexander +from incorporating into the Russian Empire, eighteen months +later, one of the Prussian provinces, which Napoleon awarded him +under the treaty of Tilsit, and this in the presence of his +friend Frederick-William.) The Russian Emperor now went back to +Moravia, to place himself at the head of his army, for Napoleon +was advancing rapidly towards Vienna, which he shortly occupied. + +When he heard of the King of Prussia's reluctance and the compact +made at Potsdam, Napoleon, in order to deal with the Russians +before the Prussians had made up their minds, installed himself +for the encounter with the former in Brunn, where we now were. + +It is said, quite rightly, that ambassadors are privileged spies. + +The King of Prussia, who heard daily of fresh victories won by +Napoleon, was anxious to find out what the true position was +between the warring parties; so he decided to send Count +Haugwitz, his minister, to the French headquarters, with +instructions to assess the situation. Now it was necessary to +find an excuse for doing this, so he entrusted Count Haugwitz +with a reply to a letter which Napoleon had sent to him, +complaining about the agreement concluded between the Prussians +and the Russians at Potsdam. Count Haugwitz arrived at Brunn some +days before the Battle of Austerlitz, and would dearly have liked +to stay there until he knew the result of the major engagement +which was in prospect, in order to advise his sovereign to do +nothing if we were victorious, or to attack us if we should be +defeated. You do not have to be a soldier to see from a map what +damage a Prussian army, coming from Breslau in Silesia, could do +by going through Bohemia to fall on our rear around Regansberg. + +As Napoleon knew that Count Haugwitz sent a courier every evening +to Berlin, he decided that it would be by this means that he +would inform the Prussians of the defeat of Field-marshal +Jellachich's army corps, news of which had not yet reached them. +This is how it was done. + +Marshal of the Palace Duroc, after telling us what we were to do, +had all the Austrian flags which we had brought from Bregenz +secretly replaced in the lodgings which Massy and I occupied; +then, some hours later, when the Emperor was in conversation with +Count Haugwitz in his study, we re-enacted the ceremony of the +handover of the flags in exactly the same way as it had been done +on the first occasion. The Emperor hearing the band playing in +the courtyard, feigned astonishment, and went to the windows +followed by the ambassador. Seeing the flags carried by the +N.C.O.s. he called for the duty aide-de-camp and asked him what +was going on. The aide-de-camp having told him that we were two +of Marshal Augereau's aides who had come to hand over to him the +flags of Jellachich's Austrian corps captured at Bregenz, we were +led inside; there Napoleon, without blinking an eyelid, and as if +he had never seen us before, took the letter from Augereau,which +had been re-sealed, and read it, although he had been aware of +its contents for four days. Then he questioned us, making us go +into the smallest details. Duroc had warned us to speak out +loudly, as the ambassador was a little hard of hearing, this +advice was of no use to Major Massy, who was the leader of the +mission, since he was suffering from a cold and had almost +completely lost his voice, so it was I who replied to the +Emperor, and taking a lead from him, I painted in the most vivid +colours the defeat of the Austrians, their despondency, and the +enthusiasm of the French. Then, presenting the trophies one +after the other, I named the Austrian regiments to which they had +once belonged. I laid particular stress on two of them, because I +knew that their capture would have a powerful effect on the +ambassador, "Here," I said "is the flag of the infantry regiment +of his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, and there is the standard +of the Uhlans, commanded by the Archduke Charles, his brother." +Napoleon's eyes twinkled, and he seemed to say, "Well done young +man!" At last he dismissed us, and as we left we heard him say to +the ambassador, "You see, monsieur le Comte, my armies are +everywhere triumphant.... The Austrian army is no more, and soon +the same fate will befall the Russians." Count Haugwitz seemed +deeply impressed, and Duroc said to us, after we had left the +room, "The count will write tonight to Berlin, to tell his +government of the destruction of Jellachich's force, which will +put a damper on the war party, and give the king new reasons for +holding off. Which is what the Emperor very much wants." + +This comedy having been played out, The Emperor, to be rid of a +dangerous onlooker who could give an account of the disposition +of his forces, suggested to Count Haugwitz that it was not very +safe for him to remain between two armies which were about to +come to blows, and persuaded him to go to Vienna to M. Tallyrand, +his minister for foreign affairs, which he did that same evening. + +The following day the Emperor said nothing to us about the scene +which had been enacted the previous evening, but wishing, no +doubt, to give some sign of his satisfaction with the manner in +which we had played our parts, he asked Major Massy, kindly, +about the progress of his cold, and he pinched my ear, which with +him was a sort of caress. + +Now the denouement of the great drama was approaching and both +sides were preparing for the coming struggle. Nearly all military +authors so overload their narrative with details that they +confuse the mind of the reader, to the extent that, in most of +the published works on the wars of the Empire which I have read, +I have been unable to understand the description of several of +the battles in which I myself have taken part, and the various +phases of which I know. I think that to preserve clarity in the +description of an action, one needs to limit oneself to +indicating the respective positions of the two armies, prior to +the engagement, and to recounting only the principal and decisive +events in the combat. This is what I shall attempt to do. + + +The coming battle is known as the Battle of Austerlitz, although +it took place some distance from the village of that name: the +reason for this is that, on the eve of the battle, the Emperors +of Austria and Russia had slept in the Chateau of Austerlitz, out +of which Napoleon drove them. + +You will see on the map that a stream, the Goldbach, which rises +on the far side of the road to Olmutz, flows into a pool called +Menitz. This stream, which runs in a little valley with quite +steep banks, separated the two armies. The right of the +Austro-Russian forces lay on a wooded escarpment, situated behind +the post-house of Posoritz, on the far side of the Olmutz road; +their centre occupied Pratzen and the vast plateau of that name, +and their left was near the meres of Satschan and the +neighbouring marshes. The Emperor placed his left flank on a +little hill, very difficult of access, which our men who had been +in Egypt called the Santon (a holy man's grave) because it was +surmounted by a small chapel, the roof of which had the +appearance of a minaret. The French centre was near the pool of +Kobolnitz, and the right was at Telnitz. The Emperor had put very +few troops there in order to tempt the Russians into the marshy +ground, where he had prepared their defeat by concealing in +Gross-Raigern, on the road to Vienna, the corps of Marshal +Davout. + +On the 1st December, the eve of the battle, Napoleon left Brunn +in the morning and spent all day examining the positions; in the +evening he set up his headquarters behind the French centre, at a +spot from where could be seen the camps of both armies and the +area which would form their battlefield the next day. There was +no building in the vicinity but a dilapidated barn, and it was +there that were placed the Emperor's tables and maps, while he +himself took up a position by a huge fire, surrounded by his +numerous staff and his guards. Happily there was no snow, +although it was very cold. I bedded down on the ground and fell +into a deep sleep; but soon we had to remount our horses to +accompany the Emperor, who was about to visit his troops. There +was no moon, and the obscurity of the night was increased by a +thick mist which made progress difficult. The troopers of the +Emperor's escort had the idea of lighting torches made of +pinewood and straw which were most useful. The soldiers, seeing +the approach of a group of mounted men thus illuminated, could +easily distinguish the imperial staff, and in an instant, as if +by magic, one saw all our camp lit up by torches carried by the +men who greeted the Emperor with cheer, made all the louder +because the next day would be the anniversary of his coronation, +a coincidence which seemed to them to be a good augury. The enemy +must have been greatly astonished when, from the height of the +neighbouring slope, they saw in the middle of the night, the +light of sixty thousand torches and heard the repeated cheers of +"Vive l'Empereur!" mingled with the sound of the regimental +bands. All was gaiety, light and movement in our camp, while, on +the Austro-Russian side, all was dark and silent. + +The next day, the 2nd December, the cannons were heard at +daybreak. We have seen that the Emperor had deployed few troops +on his right wing; a bait which he dangled before the enemy, who +would see the apparent possibility of taking Telnitz easily, and +then crossing the Goldbach and going on to Gross-Raigern in order +to control the road from Brunn to Vienna and so cut off our line +of retreat. The Austro-Russians fell headlong into the trap, and, +thinning out the rest of their line, they clumsily piled up a +considerable force in the lower part of Telnitz, and in the +narrow, marshy defiles around the meres of Satschan and Menitz. +They thought, for some unknown reason, that Napoleon was +considering withdrawing, without facing a battle, so to hasten +this move they decided to attack us at the Santon on our left and +at our centre before Puntowitz, so that, being defeated at these +two points, and forced to retreat, we would find the road to +Vienna cut by the Russian troops. But on our left Marshal Lannes +not only repelled all the enemy attacks on the Santon, but drove +them back across the Olmutz road as far as Blasiowitz, where the +more level ground allowed Murat's cavalry to make several very +effective charges, which compelled the Russians to retire +hurriedly to the village of Austerlitz. + +While our left was achieving this brilliant success, the centre, +consisting of the troops of Marshals Soult and Bernadotte, who +had been placed by the Emperor in the valley of the Goldbach +where they were hidden by a thick mist, advanced towards the +slope on which stood the village of Pratzen. It was at this +moment that the bright "Sunshine of Austerlitz" appeared, the +memory of which Napoleon was pleased so frequently to recall. +Marshal Soult took not only the village of Pratzen but also the +great plateau of that name, which is the high point of the +surrounding country, and, in consequence, the key to the +battlefield. Here took place, before the eyes of the Emperor, a +very sharp engagement in which the Russians were defeated; but a +battalion of the 4th Line regiment, commanded by Prince Joseph, +Napoleon's brother, went too far in pursuit of the enemy and was +charged and over-run by the horse-guards and Cuirassiers of the +Grand-duke Constantin, the brother of Alexander, who captured +their Eagle. A force of Russian cavalry advanced rapidly to +support the momentary success of the horse-guards; but Napoleon +sent against them the Mamelukes, the light cavalry and the +mounted Grenadiers of his guard, led by Marshal Bessieres and +General Rapp, and a most sanguinary melee ensued. The Russian +squadrons were overcome and driven back beyond the village of +Austerlitz with great losses. Our cavalry captured many standards +and prisoners, among whom was Prince Repnin, the commander of the +horse-guards. This regiment, made up of the most glittering youth +of the Russian nobility, suffered many casualties. The boastful +threats which they had made concerning the French were known to +our men, who in reply said that they would give the ladies of St. +Petersburg something to cry about. + +The painter Gerard, in his picture of the Battle of Austerlitz, +has taken as his subject the moment when General Rapp, leaving +the battle, wounded and covered in his own and the enemies' +blood, is presenting to the Emperor the flags which have been +captured as well as Prince Repnin, his prisoner. I was present at +this memorable scene, which the painter has reproduced with +remarkable exactness. All the heads are portraits, even that of +the brave trooper, who without complaining, though shot through +the body, fell dead at the feet of the Emperor as he presented +the standard which he had just captured. Napoleon, to honour the +memory of this brave Chasseur, ordered the painter to include him +in his composition. One can see also in this picture a Mameluke, +who carries in one hand an enemy flag, and with the other holds +the bridle of his wounded horse. This man, named Mustapha, known +in the guards for his courage and ferocity, had set off, during +the charge, in pursuit of the Grand-duke Constantin, who was only +able to get rid of him by firing a pistol shot which mortally +wounded his horse. Mustapha, grieved at having only a standard to +offer the Emperor, said in his broken French, when he presented +it, "Ah! If me catch Prince Constantin, me cut off head and bring +to Emperor!" Napoleon replied indignantly, "You be quiet! You +wicked savage!" + +Let us now finish the story of the battle. While Marshals Lannes, +Soult and Murat attacked the centre and right of the +Austro-Russians and drove them back beyond the village of +Austerlitz, the enemy left, having fallen into the trap which the +Emperor had prepared for them, attacked the village of Telnitz +and took possession of it, then, crossing the Goldbach, they +prepared to occupy the road to Vienna; but they had greatly +underestimated the skill of Napoleon in thinking that he would +neglect to defend his route of retreat in case of misfortune. +Marshal Davout's divisions were concealed in Gross-Regairn and +from that point he fell on the Russians as soon as he saw that +their massed troops were held up in the defiles between the meres +of Telnitz, Menitz and the rivulet. + +The Emperor, whom we left on the plateau of Pratzen, free of the +right and centre of the enemy, who were retreating in disorder +beyond Austerlitz, came down from the heights of Pratzen and +hurried with Marshal Soult's corps and all his guard, infantry, +cavalry and artillery, towards Telnitz; where he attacked in the +rear the enemy columns which Marshal Davout was attacking in +front. From this moment, the cumbersome masses of the +Austro-Russians, crammed together on the narrow pathways which +ran alongside the Goldbach, finding themselves between two fires, +fell into indescribable confusion. The ranks broke down and each +man sought his own safety in flight. Some rushed into the marshes +around the meres, but our infantry followed them; others tried to +escape down the road which runs between the two meres, but our +cavalry charged them with fearful slaughter; the largest body of +men, principally Russians, tried to get across the frozen meres, +and already a great number were on the ice of Lake Satschan when +Napoleon ordered his gunners to fire on them. The ice broke in +many places with a loud cracking sound and we saw a host of +Russians with their horses wagons and guns slide slowly into the +depths. The surface of the lake was covered with men and horses +struggling amid the ice and water. A few were saved, helped by +poles and ropes which our men held out to them from the bank, but +many were drowned. + +The number of combatants at the Emperor's disposal in this battle +was sixty-eight thousand men. The Austro-Russians had ninety-two +thousand. Our losses in killed and wounded were about eight +thousand, the enemy stated that their losses in killed wounded +and drowned amounted to fourteen thousand. We took eighteen +thousand prisoners and captured one hundred and fifty cannons, as +well as a great number of flags, standards, etc. + +After giving orders to pursue the enemy in all directions, the +Emperor went to his new headquarters in the post-house at +Posoritz, on the Olmutz road. He was highly delighted as you may +imagine, although he several times expressed regret that the only +Eagle we had lost was that of the fourth line regiment, of which +his brother, Prince Joseph, was colonel. The fact that this had +been captured by the regiment of the Grand-duke Constantin, the +Emperor of Russia's brother, made the loss even more annoying. + +Napoleon soon had a great consolation; Prince Jean of +Lichtenstein came, on behalf of the Emperor of Austria, to +request a meeting, and Napoleon, realising that this would lead +to peace and remove the fear of having the Prussians attack the +French rear before he had rid himself of his present enemies, +readily agreed to the proposal. + +Of all the units of the Imperial Guard, the regiment of Mounted +Chasseurs was the one which suffered the most casualties in the +great charge made on the Pratzen plateau against the Russian +Guard. My poor friend Fournier was killed, as was General +Morland. It is said that Napoleon intended to have the body of +General Morland interred in a mausoleum which he meant to have +built in the centre of the Esplanade des Invalides, and that it +was preserved in a cask of rum for that reason. But the mausoleum +was never built, and it is alleged that the general's body was +still in a room in the school of medicine when Napoleon lost his +Empire in 1814. + +I was not wounded at Austerlitz, although I was often exposed to +danger, notably during the melee with the Russian cavalry on the +Pratzen plateau. The Emperor had sent me to take some orders to +General Rapp, whom I found it very difficult to reach amid the +appalling confusion of the embattled soldiery. My horse was +crushed up against that of a Russian horse-guard and our sabres +were about to clash when we were separated by other combatants; I +came away with a large bruise. However, the next day I ran into a +more serious danger, one that one does not expect to meet on the +field of battle. + +On the morning of the 3rd of December, the day after the battle, +the Emperor mounted his horse and went round all the places where +action had taken place on the previous day. Having arrived at the +mere of Satschan, Napoleon dismounted and was chatting round a +fire with a number of marshals, when we saw, some hundred paces +from the bank, a large slab of ice on which lay a poor Russian +sergeant, who was unable to help himself because of a bullet +wound in his thigh. Seeing the large group on the bank, the +soldier raised his voice and pleaded for help, saying that when +the fighting was over we were all brother soldiers. When his +interpreter translated this, Napoleon was touched and ordered +General Bertrand to do what he could to rescue the wretched +Russian. + +Several men of the escort, and even two staff officers, attempted +to reach the Russian using two tree trunks which they pushed into +the water, but they ended up by falling in with all their clothes +on, and having difficulty in getting out. It then occurred to me +to say that they should have entered the water naked, so that +their movements would not be hampered, and they would not have to +wear wet clothing. This observation was repeated to the Emperor, +who said that I was right, and that the others had shown zeal +without forethought. I have no wish to make myself out to be +better than I am; I can assure you that, having just taken part +in a battle where I had seen thousands of dead and dying, my +emotions were blunted, I did not feel sufficiently philanthropic +to risk pneumonia by struggling amongst the ice floes to save the +life of an enemy soldier, however much I deplored his unhappy +lot; but the Emperor's remark stung me into action, it seemed to +me ridiculous that I should offer advice which I was not prepared +to put into action. I jumped off my horse, stripped off my +clothes and leapt into the lake. + +I had been very active during the day, and was warm; the water +felt bitterly cold, but I was young and vigourous, a very good +swimmer, and encouraged by the presence of the Emperor, I was +making towards the Russian, when my example and probably the +praise I received from the Emperor, persuaded a lieutenant of +artillery named Roumestain to come after me. + +While he was undressing, I pushed on, but I had more difficulty +than I had foreseen in forcing my way through the thin layer of +new ice which was forming on the water, the sharp edges of which +inflicted many scrapes and scratches. The officer who followed me +was able to make use of the sort of path which I had made, and +when he reached me, he volunteered to take the lead, to give me +some relief. We eventually reached the large block of ice on +which the Russian lay, but it was only with the greatest +difficulty that we managed to push it near enough to the shore +for the man to be rescued. We were both so cold and exhausted +that we had to be lifted out of the water, and we were hardly +able to stand. My good comrade Massy, who had watched me with +much anxiety during this swim, had had the forethought to warm +his horse's blanket before the fire, which he wrapped round me as +soon as I was out of the water. After I had dried myself and +dressed, I wanted to lie beside the fire, but Doctor Larrey was +against this and told me to walk around, something I was unable +to do without the aid of two troopers. The Emperor came to +congratulate the two of us on the courage with which we had +undertaken the rescue of the wounded Russian, and calling for his +Mameluke, Roustan, whose horse was always loaded with provisions, +he poured out for us a tot of rum each, and asked us, laughing, +how we had enjoyed the bath. + +As for the Russian sergeant, after his wound had been dressed by +Doctor Larrey, Napoleon gave him several gold coins. He was +wrapped in warm coverings and put in one of the houses of Telnitz +which was acting as a dressing station; the next day he was taken +to the hospital at Brunn. The poor lad blessed the Emperor as +well as Roumestain and me, and wanted to kiss our hands. He was a +Lithuanian, that is to say, born in a former province of Poland, +which is now part of Russia. As soon as he had recovered, he +announced that he wished now to serve no one but Napoleon. He was +sent back to France with our own wounded and subsequently joined +the Polish legion. In the end he became a sergeant in the lancers +of the guard, and each time I met him, he gave me a warm +greeting. + +The ice-cold bath which I had taken and the almost superhuman +efforts I had made to rescue the Russian could have cost me dear +had I been less young and strongly built; for Lieutenant +Roumestain, who did not possess the latter of these two +advantages to the same extent, was taken that same evening with a +severe chest infection. He had to be taken to the hospital at +Brunn, where he spent several months between life and death. He +never recovered completely, and his poor health forced him to +resign from the service some years later. + +As for me, although I felt very weak, I mounted my horse when the +Emperor left to go to the chateau of Austerlitz, where his +headquarters had been set up. Napoleon never went anywhere except +at the gallop; in my bruised state this pace was hardly suitable, +however I followed on, since night was approaching, and I feared +to be left behind, and anyway, if I had ridden at a walk, I would +have been overcome by the cold. + +When I arrived at the courtyard of the chateau of Austerlitz, I +had to be helped off my horse. A violent shivering took me, my +teeth chattered and I felt very ill. Colonel Dahlmann, a major in +the Mounted Chasseurs, who had just been promoted to replace +Colonel Morland, remembering, no doubt, the service I had +rendered to the latter, took, me into one of the chateau's barns, +where he had established himself with his officers. There, after +giving me some hot tea, his medical officer massaged me with warm +oil, I was wrapped in several blankets and put into an enormous +pile of hay with only my face exposed. A gentle warmth crept +slowly back into my benumbed limbs; I slept very soundly and +thanks to these ministrations and my twenty-three years, I awoke +the next day fully recovered and able to mount my horse and to +observe a spectacle of great interest. + +Chap. 27. + +The defeat suffered by the Russians had thrown their army into +such confusion that all those who had escaped from the disaster +of Austerlitz, hastened to Galicia to get out of reach of the +victor. The rout was complete: the French took a great number of +prisoners, and found the roads covered with cannons and abandoned +baggage. The Emperor of Russia, who had believed he was marching +to certain victory, withdrew, stricken with grief, and authorised +his ally, Francis II to treat with Napoleon. In the evening +following the battle, the Austrian Emperor, in order to save his +country from total ruin, had sent a request for an interview to +the French Emperor, and when Napoleon had agreed to this, he went +to the village of Nasiedlowitz. The meeting took place on the 4th +of December, near the Poleny mill, between the lines of the +French and the Austrian outposts. I was at this memorable +conference. + +Napoleon left the chateau of Austerlitz early in the morning, +accompanied by his large staff. He arrived first at the +rendezvous, dismounted and strolled around until he saw the +Emperor of Austria arrive. He went over to him and embraced him +warmly.... A spectacle which might well inspire some +philosophical reflection! A German Emperor coming to humble +himself and solicit peace from a little Corsican gentleman, +recently a second lieutenant of artillery, whose talents, good +fortune and the courage of the French armies had raised to the +pinnacle of power and made arbiter of the destiny of Europe. + +Napoleon did not abuse the position in which the Austrian Emperor +found himself; he was attentive and extremely polite, as far as +could be judged from the distance which was respectfully +maintained by the two general staffs. An armistice was arranged +between the two sovereigns which stipulated that both parties +should send plenipotentiaries to Brunn in order to negotiate a +peace treaty between France and Austria. The two Emperors +embraced once more on parting; the Germans returned to +Nasiedlowitz, and Napoleon returned to spend the night at +Austerlitz. He spent two days there, during which time he gave +Major Massy and me our final audience, and charged us to tell +Marshal Augereau all that we had seen; he gave us at the same +time some despatches for the court of Bavaria, which had returned +to Munich, and informed us that Marshal Augereau had left Bregenz +and that we would find him at Ulm. We went back to Vienna and +continued our journey, travelling day and night in spite of the +heavy falls of snow. + +I shall not go into any details of the political changes which +resulted from the Battle of Austerlitz and the Peace of Presburg. + +The Emperor went to Vienna and from there to Munich, where he had +to assist at the marriage of his step-son, Eugene de Beauharnais +to the daughter of the King of Bavaria. It seems that the +despatches which we carried to this court were concerning this +marriage; for we could not have had a better reception. However, +we stayed only a few hours in Munich and went on to Ulm, where we +found Marshal Augereau and 7th Corps, and where we stayed for a +fortnight. + +In order to move 7th Corps gradually nearer to the electorate of +Hesse, a close ally of Prussia, Napoleon ordered it to move to +Heidelburg, where we arrived about the end of December and saw +the beginning of the year 1806. After a short stay in this town, +7th Corps went to Darmstadt, the capital of the landgrave of +Hesse-Darmstadt, a prince much attached to the King of Prussia by +family ties as well as politics. Although this prince had, on +accepting Hanover, concluded a treaty of alliance with Napoleon, +he had done so with reluctance, and was suspicious of the +approach of the French army. + +Marshal Augereau, before taking his troops into the country of +Darmstadt, considered it his duty to inform the landgrave, by +letter, of his intentions, and he chose me to effect its +delivery. The journey was one of only fifteen leagues; I made it +in a night; but on my arrival at Darmstadt I found that the +landgrave, to whom it had been suggested that the French intended +to make him a prisoner, had left his residence and retired to +another part of his state from where he could easily take refuge +in Prussia. This created a difficulty for me, however, having +heard that his wife was still in the palace, I asked to be +presented to her. + +The princess, whose person greatly resembled the portraits of the +Empress Catherine of Russia, had, like her, a masculine +character, great capability, and all the qualities necessary to +control a vast empire. She also governed her husband as she did +her states; she was a masterful woman, and when she saw the +letter in my hands, addressed to the landgrave, she took it +without further ado, as if it had been addressed her. She then +told me quite frankly, that it had been on her advice that her +husband had left on the approach of the French, but that she +would arrange for him to come back if the marshal would give her +an assurance that he did not have any orders to make an attempt +on the liberty of the prince. I understood that the arrest and +death of the Duc d'Enghien had frightened all those princes who +thought that Napoleon might have some reason to complain about +their alliances. I protested, as much as I could, the innocence +of the French government's intentions, and offered to go back to +Heidelburg and ask Marshal Augereau for the assurances which she +required, an offer which she accepted. + +I left, and returned the next day with a letter from the marshal, +couched in such conciliatory terms that the landgravine, after +saying that she relied on the honour of a French marshal, went +immediately to Giessen, where the landgrave was, and brought him +back to Darmstadt, where they both received Marshal Augereau most +graciously, when he came to set up his headquarters in the town. +The marshal was so grateful for the confidence which they had +placed in him that several months later, when the Emperor +gathered up all the little European states and reduced their +number to thirty-two, out of which he formed the confederation of +the Rhine, he not only contrived to preserve the landgravate but +gained for the landgrave the title of Grand-Duke and an +enlargement of his state which increased the population from +scarcely five hundred thousand to over one million. Some months +later, the new Grand-Duke allied his army to ours to combat the +Russians, and requested that they should serve in Marshal +Augereau's corps. The prince owed not only his preservation but +his elevation to his wife's courage. + +Although I was still very young, I thought that Napoleon had made +a mistake in reducing the number of the little German +principalities. + +The fact is that in previous wars against France, the eight +hundred princes of the Germanic region had been unable to act in +unison; there were some who provided no more than a company, +others only a platoon, and some just one soldier; so that a +combination of all these different contingents made up an army +wholly lacking cohesion, which broke up at the first reverse. But +when Napoleon had reduced the number of the principalities to +thirty-two, centralisation began to appear in the German forces. +Those rulers who remained, with states increased in size, formed +a small well-organised army. This result was what the Emperor had +intended, in the expectation of using for his own ends all the +military resources of the country; something which he was in fact +able to do as long as we were successful. But on the first +setback, the thirty-two sovereigns, by agreement among +themselves, united in opposition to France, and their coalition +with the Russians overthrew the Emperor Napoleon, who was thus +punished for not following the ancient policies of the kings of +France. + +We spent part of the winter at Darmstadt, where there were fˆtes, +balls and galas. The grand-duke's troops were commanded by a +competent general named De Stoch. He had a son of my age, a +charming young man with whom I struck up a close friendship, and +to whom I shall refer again. + +We were only some ten leagues from Frankfurt-on-main. This town, +still free, and immensely rich as a result of its commerce, had +been for a long time a hot-bed of all the plots contrived against +France, and the place of origin of all the false stories about us +which circulated in Germany. So that, the day after Austerlitz, +and while the news was spreading that there had been an +engagement, the result of which was not yet known, the +inhabitants of Frankfurt were sure that the Russians had won, and +several papers indulged their hatred to the point of saying that +the disaster which had overtaken our army was so great that not a +single Frenchman had survived!... The Emperor, to whom all this +was reported, appeared to take no notice until, seeing the +likelihood of a break with Prussia, he gradually moved his armies +to the frontiers of that kingdom. Then, to punish the +impertinence of the Frankfurters, he ordered Marshal Augereau to +leave Darmstadt without warning, and to establish himself with +his army corps in Frankfurt and its surroundings. + +The Emperor decreed that the city, on the entry of our troops, +should give, as a welcome, a louis d'or to each soldier, two to +the corporals, three to the sergeants, ten to second lieutenants +and so on! The inhabitants were also to lodge and feed the +soldiers and pay messing expenses of six hundred francs daily for +the marshal, four hundred for a divisional general, three hundred +for a brigadier-general and two hundred for the colonels. The +senate was instructed to pay every month, one million francs into +the treasury in Paris. The authorities of Frankfurt, appalled by +these exorbitant demands, hurried to the French envoy; but he +replied "You claimed that not a single Frenchman escaped from the +arms of the Russians; the Emperor Napoleon wishes to put you in a +position to count the number making up a single corps of his +army. There are six more of the same size, and the guard to +follow." This reply plunged the inhabitants into consternation, +for however great their wealth, they would be ruined if this +state of affairs continued for any length of time. But Marshal +Augereau made an appeal for clemency on behalf of the citizens, +and he was told he could act as he thought best; so he took it on +himself to station in the town only his general staff and one +battalion. The remaining troops were spread around other +neighbouring principalities. The Frankfurters were greatly +relieved by this, and to show their gratitude to Marshal Augereau +they treated him to a great number of fˆtes. I was billeted with +a rich merchant named M. Chamot. I spent nearly eight months +there, during which time he and his family looked after me very +well. + +Chap. 28. + +While we were in Frankfurt, a very distressing event affecting an +officer of 7th Corps, landed me with a double mission, the first +part of which was very unpleasant and the second most agreeable, +indeed brilliantly so. + +As a result of a brain fever, Lieutenant N... of the 7th +Chasseurs became completely childish. Marshal Augereau detailed +me to take him to Paris, first to Marshal Murat, who had an +interest in the matter, and then, if I was asked to do so, to the +Quercy. As I had not seen my mother since leaving for the +campaign of Austerlitz, and I knew that she was not far from St. +Cere, in the Chateau de Bras, which my father had bought shortly +before his death, I welcomed with pleasure a mission which would +allow me not only to be of service to Marshal Murat but also to +go and spend several days with my mother. Marshal Augereau lent +me a fine carriage and I set off on the road to Paris. But the +heat and insomnia so excited my poor companion that he went from +a state of idiocy to one of mania and nearly killed me with a +blow from a coach spanner. I have never made a more disagreeable +journey. I arrived at last in Paris, and I took Lieutenant N... +to Murat, who was staying for the summer at the Chateau de +Neuilly. The marshal asked me to take the lieutenant to Quercy. I +agreed to do so, in the hope of being able to see my mother +again, but I pointed out that I could not leave for twenty-four +hours, because Marshal Augereau had given me some despatches for +the Emperor, whom I was going to meet at Rambouillet, to where I +reported officially the same day. + +I do not know what was in the despatches which I was carrying, +but they made the Emperor very thoughtful. He sent for M. de +Tallyrand and left with him for Paris to where he ordered me to +follow him and present myself to Marshal Duroc that evening. + +I waited for a long time in one of the salons of the Tuileries, +until Marshal Duroc, coming out of the Emperor's study, the door +of which was left half open, called for an orderly officer to get +ready set off on a long mission. But Napoleon called out, "Duroc, +that will not be necessary; we have Marbot here, who is going to +rejoin Augereau; he can push on to Berlin. Frankfurt is half way +there." So Marshal Duroc told me to prepare to go to Berlin with +the Emperor's despatches. This was disappointing as it meant that +I had to give up all hope of seeing my mother; but I had to +resign myself. I hurried to Neuilly to tell Murat what had +happened and as I believed that my new mission was very urgent, I +returned to the Tuileries; but Marshal Duroc dismissed me until +the next day. I was there at dawn: I was dismissed until evening; +then the evening of the next day, and so on for more than a week. +However, I remained patient, because each time I presented +myself, Marshal Duroc kept me for only a minute, which allowed me +time to get around Paris. I had been given quite a large sum of +money for the purpose of buying myself new uniform, so as to +appear well turned out before the king of Prussia, into whose +hands I was personally to deliver a letter from the Emperor. You +will understand that Napoleon neglected no detail when it came to +enhancing the standing of the French army in the eyes of +foreigners. + +I left at last, after taking the despatches from the Emperor, who +advised me that I should make sure that I carefully examined the +Prussian troops, their bearing, their arms, their horses, etc. M. +de Tallyrand gave me a packet for M. Laforest, the French +ambassador in Berlin, to whose embassy I was to go. On my arrival +at Maintz, which at that time was still part of French territory, +I was told that Marshal Augereau was at Wiesbaden. I reported to +him there and greatly surprised him by telling him that I was +going to Berlin on the Emperor's orders. He congratulated me and +told me to continue my journey. I travelled night and day, in +superb July weather, and arrived in Berlin somewhat weary. At +this period the Prussian roads were not yet metalled, one went +almost always at walking pace over loose soil into which the +coaches sank deeply, raising clouds of unbearable dust. + +I was given a warm welcome by M. Laforest, at whose embassy I +stayed. I was presented to the king and queen, and also to the +princes and princesses. When the king received the letter from +Napoleon, he seemed much affected. He was a fine figure of a man, +with a benevolent expression, but lacking that animation which +suggests a decisive character. The queen was really very pretty; +she had only one blemish, she always wore a large scarf, in +order, it was said, to conceal an ulcerated swelling on her neck. +For the rest, she was graceful and her expression, calm and +spiritual, was evidence of a firm personality. + +I was very well received, and since the reply which I was to take +back to the Emperor seemed so difficult to draft that it took +more than a month, the queen was pleased to invite me to the +balls and fˆtes which she gave during my stay. + +Of all the members of the royal family, the one who treated me in +the most friendly manner, or so it seemed, was Prince Louis, the +king's nephew. + +I had been warned that he hated the French, and in particular, +their Emperor, but as he was passionately interested in military +matters, he questioned me endlessly about the siege of Genoa, the +battles of Marengo and Austerlitz and also about the organisation +of our army. Prince Louis was a most handsome man, and in respect +of spirit, ability and character, the only one of the royal +family who bore any resemblance to Frederick the Great. I made +the acquaintance of several members of the court, mainly with the +officers whom I followed daily to parades and manoeuvres. I spent +my time in Berlin very pleasantly. The ambassador showed me much +attention; but in the end I discovered that he wanted me to play, +in a delicate affair, a role for which I was unsuited, so I +became very reserved. + +Now, let us examine the position of Prussia vis-…-vis France. The +despatches which I had brought concerned this matter, as I later +found out. + +In accepting from Napoleon the gift of the electorate of Hanover, +the patrimony of the English royal family, the cabinet in Berlin +had alienated not only the anti-French party but almost all of +the Prussian nation. Germanic pride was wounded by the victories +won by the French over the Austrians, and Prussia feared that its +commerce would be ruined by the war which had just been declared +against it by the cabinet in London. The queen and Prince Louis +made use of these turbulent emotions to persuade the king to make +war on France by allying himself with Russia who, though +abandoned by Austria, still hoped to take revenge for its defeat +at Austerlitz. The Emperor of Russia was further encouraged in +his plans by a Pole, his favourite aide-de-camp, Prince +Czartoryski. + +The anti-French party, which was growing daily, was not yet able +to persuade the king to break with Napoleon; but aware that it +was supported by Russia, this party redoubled its efforts, and +profited adroitly from the mistakes made by Napoleon in placing +his brother Louis on the throne of Holland, and nominating +himself as protector of the confederacy of the Rhine: acts which +were represented to the Prussian king as being steps on the path +to the re-establishment of the empire of Charlemagne. Napoleon, +it was said, wanted finally to reduce all the sovereigns of +Germany to the status of vassals. + +These assertions, though greatly exaggerated, had had a +considerable influence on the king's thinking. His conduct toward +France became from this time, more and more equivocal, and it was +this that decided Napoleon to write to him personally, without +going through the usual diplomatic channels, to ask "Are you for +me or against me?" This was the tenor of the letter which I had +given the king. His councillors who wished to gain time for the +completion of their re-armament, delayed the reply, which was the +reason for my long stay in Berlin. + +At last, in August, there was a general explosion of ill-feeling +towards France, and one saw the queen, Prince Louis, the +nobility, the army and the general populace, noisily demanding +war. The king allowed himself to become involved but, although +determined to end the peace he still hoped to avoid hostilities, +and it seems that in his reply to the Emperor he undertook to +disarm if the latter would take back to France all the troops he +had in Germany, which Napoleon was unwilling to do until Prussia +had disarmed. So we were in a vicious circle which could be +broken only by a war. + +Before I left Berlin, I witnessed the frenzy to which hatred of +Napoleon raised this normally placid people. The officers whom I +knew no longer dared to speak to me or even to greet me. Several +French people were insulted by the populace, and finally soldiers +of the Royal Guard came boastfully to sharpen their sabres on the +stone steps of the French embassy. I left hurriedly for Paris, +taking with me much information on what was going on in Prussia. +Passing through Frankfurt, I found Marshal Augereau very sad at +having heard of the death of his wife, a good, excellent woman +whose loss he felt deeply, and who was mourned by all the general +staff, for she had been very kind to us. + +On my arrival in Paris, I delivered to the Emperor the +hand-written reply from the King of Prussia. After reading it, he +questioned me on what I had seen in Berlin. When I told him that +the soldiers of the guard had come to sharpen their sabres on the +steps of the French embassy, he clapped his hand firmly on the +hilt of his sword, exclaiming indignantly, "The insolent +braggarts will soon learn that our arms are in good order!" + +My mission now being over, I returned to Marshal Augereau, and +spent all of September in Frankfurt where, while preparing +ourselves for war, we entertained ourselves as best we could, for +we thought that as nothing could be more uncertain than the life +of a soldier, one should enjoy it as much as is possible. + +Chap. 29. + +While the different corps of the French army were approaching the +banks of the Main, the Emperor arrived at Wurtzburg and crossed +the Rhine with his Guard. The Prussians, for their part, were on +the march, and going through Saxony, they compelled the elector +to join forces with them. This enforced, and therefore unstable, +alliance was the only one which the King of Prussia had in +Germany. He was, it is true, expecting the arrival of the +Russians, but their army was still in Poland behind the Niemen, +more than one hundred and fifty leagues from the country where +the destiny of Prussia was to be decided. + +It is hard to believe the incompetence displayed, for seven +years, by our enemies' governments. We saw, in 1805, the +Austrians attack us on the Danube, and be defeated in isolation +at Ulm, instead of waiting for Russia to join them and for +Prussia to declare war on Napoleon. Now, in 1806, those same +Prussians who, a year before, could have prevented the defeat of +the Austro-Russians by joining them, not only declared war on us +when we were at peace with Vienna, but repeated the mistake of +attacking us without waiting for the Russians! Finally, in 1809, +the Austrians renewed the war against Napoleon on their own, at a +time when we were at peace with both Prussia and Russia! This +lack of co-operation ensured a French victory. Sadly it was not +so in 1813, when we were crushed by a coalition of our enemies. + +In 1806 the King of Prussia was even more mistaken in taking to +the field against Napoleon in the absence of the Russians, in +that his troops, although well trained, were in no condition to +be pitted against ours, because their composition and +organisation were so bad. + +In effect, at this time, Prussian captains were the owners of +their company or squadron: men, horses, arms and clothing all +belonged to them and the whole unit was hired out to the +government for a fixed fee. Obviously, since all losses fell to +their account, the captains had a great interest in sparing their +companies, not only on the march but on the field of battle. As +the number of men they were obliged to have was fixed and there +was no conscription, they enrolled for money, first any Prussians +who came forward, and then all the vagabonds of Europe, whom +their recruiters enlisted in neighbouring states. But this was +not enough, and the Prussian recruiters pressed many men into +service, who having become soldiers against their will, were +compelled to serve until they were too old to bear arms; then +they were given a permit to beg, for Prussia could not afford to +provide a home for old soldiers or a retirement pension. For the +duration of their service these men had to be mixed with true +Prussians, who had to constitute at least half of each company to +prevent mutiny. + +To maintain an army composed of such heterogeneous parts required +an iron discipline; so the least fault was punished by beating. A +large number of N.C.O.s, all of them Prussian, carried canes +which they made use of frequently, and according to the current +expression there was a cane for every seven men. The penalty for +desertion by a foreign soldier was inevitably death. You can +imagine the frightful position of these foreigners, who having +enlisted in a moment of drunkenness, or been taken by force, +found themselves far from their native land, under a glacial sky, +condemned to be Prussian soldiers, that is slaves, for the rest +of their lives! And what a life it was! Given scarcely enough to +eat. Sleeping on straw. Thinly clad. Without greatcoats, even in +the coldest winter, and paid a sum insufficient for their needs; +they did not wait to beg until they had been given a permit on +their discharge, for when they were not under the eyes of their +superiors, they held out their hands, and there were several +occasions both at Potsdam and Berlin when Grenadiers, even those +at the palace gate, begged me for alms! + +The Prussian-born officers were, in general, educated men, who +performed their duties very well; but half of the officers, born +outside the kingdom, were poor gentlemen from almost every +country in Europe who had joined the army only to have a living, +and lacking patriotism, were in no way devoted to Prussia, which +the majority abandoned when there was any adversity. Finally, as +promotion was only by length of service, the great majority of +senior Prussian officers were old and infirm, and in no state to +support the fatigues of war. It was an army thus composed and +commanded which was to confront the victors of Italy, Egypt, +Germany and Austerlitz. This was folly. But the cabinet in +Berlin, recalling the victories which Frederick the Great had won +with mercenary troops, hoped things would be the same. They +forgot that times had changed. + +On the 6th of October Marshal Augereau and 7th Corps left +Frankfurt to head, with the rest of the Grande Armee, for the +frontiers of Saxony, already occupied by the Prussians. The +autumn was superb; it froze a little during the night, but by day +there was brilliant sunshine. My little troupe was well +organised; I had a good batman, Francois Woirland, a former +soldier in the black legion, a real rascal and a great scrounger, +but these are the best servants on a campaign, for with one of +them one lacks for nothing. I had three excellent horses, good +weapons, a little money and good health; so I stepped out gaily +to face whatever the future might bring. + +We went first to Aschaffenburg and from there to Wurtzburg, where +we caught up with the Emperor, who ordered a march-past by the +troops of 7th Corps, who were in good heart. Napoleon who kept a +dossier about all the regiments, and who skillfully used to +employ extracts from it to flatter the self-esteem of each unit, +said when he saw the 44th line regiment, "Of all the units of the +army you are the one with the most long service chevrons, so your +three battalions I count as six!"...an announcement which was +greeted by cheers. To the 7th, composed mostly of men from the +lower Languedoc and the Pyrenees, the Emperor said, "There are +the best marchers in the army, one never sees anyone fall behind, +particularly when there is a battle to be fought." Then he added, +laughingly, "But, to do you justice, I must say that you are the +most brawling, thieving unit in the army!" "It's true! It's +true!" replied the soldiers, each of whom had a duck, a chicken +or a goose in his knapsack, an abuse which had to be tolerated, +because, as I have told you, Napoleon's armies, once in the +field, rarely received any rations, and had to live off the +country as well as they could. This system had without doubt many +defects, but it had one huge benefit, that of allowing us to move +forward without being held up by convoys and supply lines, which +gave us a great advantage over an enemy whose movements were +subordinated to the cook-house, or the arrival of bread, and to +the progress of herds of cattle, etc...etc. + +From Wurtzburg, 7th Corps went to Coburg, where the marshal was +lodged in the prince's palace. All his family had fled on our +approach, except the celebrated Austrian Field-marshal, the +Prince of Coburg. This old warrior, although he had fought for +many years against the French, had enough confidence in the +French character to await their coming, a confidence which was +not misplaced, for Marshal Augereau sent him a guard of honour, +returned promptly a visit he had received, and ordered that he +was to be treated with the utmost respect. + +We were not very far from the Prussians, whose king was at +Erfurt. The queen was with him and rode up and down the ranks of +the army on horseback, endeavouring to excite their ardour by her +presence. Napoleon did not think that this was behaviour +befitting a princess, and his bulletins made some wounding +comments on the subject. The French and Prussian advance-guards +met eventually, at Schleitz: where there took place, in view of +the Emperor, a minor action in which the enemy were defeated; it +was for them an ill-omened beginning. + +That same day, Prince Louis, with a body of ten thousand men, +found himself stationed in Saalfeld. This town is on the bank of +the River Saale, in the middle of a plain which we could reach +only by crossing some steep mountains. While Marshals Lannes' and +Augereau's corps were moving toward Saalfeld through these +mountains, Prince Louis, who had decided to await the French, +should have occupied positions in this difficult country, full of +narrow passes, where a few men could hold up a much greater +number, but he failed to do this, probably because he was +convinced that the Prussian soldiers were infinitely better than +the French. He carried this scorn for all precautions so far as +to place part of his force in front of a marshy stream, which +would make their retreat very difficult in the event of a +reverse. Old General Muller, a Swiss in the service of Prussia, +whom the king had attached to his nephew as a steadying +influence, made some observations which the prince took very +badly, adding that there was no need to take precautions to beat +the French, all that was needed was to fall on them the moment +they appeared. + +They appeared in the morning on the 10th; Marshal Lannes' corps +leading and Marshal Augereau's behind him. This last did not +arrive in time to take part in the action where, as it happened, +their presence was not needed, for Marshal Lannes' troops were +more than sufficient. + +While waiting for his corps to emerge onto the plain, Marshal +Augereau, accompanied by his staff, went up onto a little hill +which overlooked the open country, from where we could follow all +stages of the action. + +Prince Louis could still have retreated to join the Prussian +corps which occupied Jena; but having been the leading instigator +of the war he perhaps felt he should not do so without a fight. +He was most cruelly punished for his temerity. Marshal Lannes, +making use of the heights, at the foot of which Prince Louis had +imprudently deployed his troops, first raked them with grape-shot +from his artillery, and when this had demoralised them, he +advanced several masses of infantry, which descending rapidly +from the high ground, swept like a torrent onto the Prussian +battalions and instantly overwhelmed them! Prince Louis, aghast, +and probably aware of his mistake, hoped to repair it by putting +himself at the head of his cavalry and impetuously attacking the +9th and 10th Hussars. He had at first some success, but our +Hussars having made a new and furious charge, drove the Prussians +back into the marshes, while their infantry fled in disorder. + +In the middle of the melee, Prince Louis found himself engaged +with a sous-officier of the 10th Hussars named Guindet, who +summoned him to surrender; the prince replied with a slash of his +sword which cut the sous-officier's face, who thereupon ran the +prince through and killed him. + +After the fight and the complete rout of the enemy, the prince's +body having been recognised, Marshal Lannes had it carried with +honour to the chateau of Saalfeld, where it was handed to the +princely family of that name, who were allied to the royal house +of Prussia, and in whose residence the prince had spent the +previous day and evening, looking forward to the coming of the +French, and even, it is said, giving a ball for the local ladies. +Now he was returned to them, vanquished and dead!... The next +morning I saw the prince's body, laid out on a marble table, all +traces of blood had been cleaned away, he was naked to the waist, +still wearing his leather britches and his boots. He seemed to be +asleep. He was a truly fine looking man, and I could not help +indulging in some sad reflections on the uncertainty of human +affairs, when I saw the remains of this young man, born on the +steps of a throne, and, but lately, so loved, so courted and so +powerful! + +The news of the prince's death spread consternation in the enemy +army, and also throughout Prussia, where he was highly popular. + +7th Corps spent the day of the 11th at Saalfeld. On the 12th we +went to Neustadt, and on the 13th to Kehla, where we encountered +some remains of the Prussian troops defeated at Saalfeld. When +Marshal Augereau attacked them, they put up little resistance and +laid down their arms. Amongst those captured was the regiment of +Prince Henry in which Augereau had once served as a soldier, and +since, unless one was of high birth, it was very difficult to +become a senior officer in the Prussian army, and as sergeants +never became second lieutenants, his former company still had the +same captain and the same sergeant-major. Placed by a quirk of +fate in the presence of his one-time soldier, now a marshal, the +Prussian captain, who remembered Augereau perfectly well, acted +as a man of discretion and spoke always to the marshal as if he +had never seen him before. Augereau invited him to dinner and +seated him next to himself, then, learning that the officer's +baggage had been seized, he lent him all the money he needed and +gave him letters of introduction to take to France. What must +have passed through the captain's mind! But nothing can describe +the astonishment of the old Prussian sergeant-major at seeing his +former soldier covered with decorations, surrounded by a numerous +staff and in command of an army corps! All of which seemed like a +dream! The marshal was more expansive toward this man than he had +been toward the captain. Addressing the sergeant by name, he +shook him by the hand, and arranged for him to be given +twenty-five louis for himself and two for every soldier who had +been in the ranks with him and was still there. We thought this +behaviour was in the best of taste. + +The marshal had expected to sleep at Kehla, which is only three +leagues from Jena; but just as night was falling 7th Corps was +ordered to go immediately to this last town which the Emperor had +just entered, at the head of his guard and the troops of Marshal +Lannes, without striking a blow. + +The Prussians had abandoned Jena in silence, but some candles, +forgotten in the stables, had probably started the fire, the +spreading flames of which were consuming part of the unfortunate +town when Marshal Augereau's corps entered it at about midnight. +It was a sorry spectacle to see the inhabitants, women and old +people, half naked, carrying their children and seeking to escape +by flight from the scene of destruction, while our soldiers, kept +in their ranks by discipline and the nearness of the enemy, +remained unmoved, their arms at the ready, regarding the fire as +a small matter in comparison to the dangers they would soon have +to face. + +The part of the town through which our troops arrived was not +affected by the fire and so they could move around freely, and +while they were gathering in the squares and main streets, the +marshal set up his headquarters in a nice looking mansion. I was +about to enter, on returning from delivering an order, when I +heard loud shrieks coming from a nearby house, the door of which +was open. I hurried there and guided by the cries I found my way +to a well-appointed apartment where I saw two charming girls, of +about eighteen to twenty years of age, dressed only in their +chemises, struggling against the advances of four or five +soldiers from Hesse-Darmstadt, belonging to the regiments which +the landgrave had attached to the French troops of 7th Corps. +Although these men, who were drunk, understood not a word of +French, and I spoke little German, my appearance and my threats +took them aback, and being used to beatings from their own +officers, they made no retaliation to the kicks and cuffs which +in my indignation I distributed freely in driving them +downstairs. In this I was perhaps a little imprudent, for in the +middle of the night, in a town in utter confusion there was a +risk that they might turn on me and even kill me; but they ran +away, and I put a platoon of the marshal's escort in one of the +lower rooms. + +I went up to the apartment where the two young girls had +hurriedly dressed themselves, and was rewarded by their warmest +expressions of gratitude. They were the daughters of a university +professor, who had gone with his wife and the domestic staff to +the aid of one of their sisters, who had recently given birth in +that part of the town where the fire was raging, and they had +been alone when the Hessian soldiers arrived. One of these young +ladies said to me with great emotion, "You are going into battle +at a time when you have just saved our honour. God will reward +you, you may be sure that no harm will come to you." The father +and the mother, who came back at this moment with the new mother +and her child were at first much surprised to find me there; but +when they learned the reason for my presence they too showered me +with blessings. I tore myself away from the thanks of this +grateful family to rejoin Marshal Augereau, who was reposing in +the nearby mansion, awaiting the Emperor's orders. + +Chap. 30. + +The town of Jena is dominated by a height called the +Landgrafenberg, at the foot of which runs the Saale River. The +approaches to Jena are very precipitous, and at that time there +was only one road, which ran to Wiemar via Muhlthal, a long and +difficult pass, the outlet of which was covered by a small wood +and guarded by Saxon troops, allies of the Prussians; a part of +whose army was drawn up in line behind them at the distance of a +cannon shot. + +The Emperor, having only this one route by which he could reach +his enemies, expected to suffer heavy losses in a frontal attack, +for there seemed to be no way in which they could be outflanked. +But Napoleon's lucky star once more came to his aid, in an +unexpected way, which I do not believe has been related by any +historian, although I can vouch for the truth of it happening. + +We have seen that the King of Prussia compelled the elector of +Saxony to join forces with him. The people of Saxony saw +themselves, with regret, drawn into a war which could procure +them no advantage in the future, and which for the present +brought desolation to the countryside, which was the theatre for +the hostilities. The Prussians were therefore detested in Saxony; +and Jena, a Saxon town, shared in this detestation. + +A priest who belonged to the town, angered at the fire which was +consuming it, and regarding the Prussians as enemies of his king +and fatherland, believed he could give Napoleon the means of +clearing them out of the country, by showing him a little pathway +by which a body of infantrymen might climb the steep slopes of +the Landgrafenberg. He led there a platoon of light infantry and +some officers of the general staff. The Prussians, who thought +this pathway impracticable, had not bothered to guard it, but +Napoleon thought differently. As a result of the report given him +by his officers, he went up himself, guided by the Saxon cure, +and accompanied by Marshal Lannes; he saw that, between the +heights of the path and the plain occupied by the enemy, there +was a small stony plateau, and he decided to concentrate there a +body of troops who would sally from it, as if from a citadel, to +attack the Prussians. + +The undertaking would have been of unsurmountable difficulty for +anyone but a Napoleon in command of French soldiers; but he +ordered the tools used by the pioneers to be taken from the +wagons of the engineers and the artillery and distributed to the +infantry battalions, who worked in rotation for one hour each at +widening and levelling the pathway, and when they had finished +their task, each battalion formed up in silence on the +Landgrafenberg, while another took its place. The work was +carried on by the light of torches, whose flames were confused in +the eyes of the enemy with the fires in Jena. + +The nights are very long at this time of year, so that we were +able to make the path accessible not only for foot-soldiers but +also for the wagons of the artillery, with the result that, +before daybreak, the corps of Marshals Lannes and Soult, the +first division of Augereau's, as well as the foot guards, were +massed on the Landgrafenberg. Never has the term massed been used +with more exactitude, for the chest of each man was almost +touching the back of the man in front of him; but the troops were +so well disciplined that, in spite of the darkness and the +crowding together of more than forty thousand men, there was not +the least disorder; and although the enemy were occupying +villages less than half a cannon shot away, they heard nothing. + +On the morning of October 14th, a thick mist covered the +countryside, which favoured our movements; Augereau's second +division, making a diversionary attack, advanced from Jena via +Muhlthal on the road to Weimar. As the enemy believed that this +was the only way by which we could come from Jena, they had +placed a considerable force there; but while they prepared to +conduct a vigourous defence of this pass, Napoleon, bringing down +from the Landgrafenberg the troops which he had accumulated there +during the night, drew them up in battle order on the plain. A +light breeze having dispersed the mist, which was followed by +brilliant sunshine, the Prussians were stupefied to see the lines +of the French army deployed opposite them and advancing to engage +them in battle. They could not understand how we had got there +when they thought we were down in the valley of Jena, with no +other means of reaching them but the road to Wiemar, which they +were guarding so thoroughly. + +The battle began immediately and the first lines of the Prussians +and Saxons, commanded by Prince Hohenlohe, were forced to +retreat. They advanced their reserves, but we received a +powerful reinforcement. Marshal Ney's corps and Murat's cavalry +which had been held up in the pass, burst out into the plain and +took part in the action. However a Prussian army corps commanded +by General Ruchel stopped our columns for a time; but charged by +French cavalry it was almost entirely wiped out and General +Ruchel was killed. + +Marshal Augereau's 1st division, coming down from the +Landgrafenberg, joined with the 2nd, arriving from Muhlthal, and +with the troops of Marshals Lannes and Soult, they proceeded down +the road to Wiemar, capturing enemy positions as they went. + +The Prussian infantry, whose poor composition I have already +described, fought very badly, and the cavalry not much better. +One saw them on several occasions advance, with loud shouts, +towards our battalions; but, intimidated by their calm bearing, +they never dared charge home; at a distance of fifty paces from +our line they shamefully turned about, amid a hail of bullets and +the jeers of our men. + +The Saxons fought with courage; they resisted Marshal Augereau's +corps for a long time, and it was not until after the retreat of +the Prussian troops that, having formed themselves into two large +squares, they began to withdraw while continuing to fire. Marshal +Augereau admired the courage of the Saxons, and to prevent +further loss of life, he had just sent an envoy to persuade them +to surrender, since they had no longer any hope of relief, when +Prince Murat arrived with his cavalry and mounted an attack with +his Cuirassiers and dragoons, who charging impetuously the Saxon +squares, overwhelmed them and forced them to lay down their arms. +The next day, however, the Emperor set them at liberty and +restored them to their sovereign, with whom he hastened to make +peace. + +All the Prussian troops who had fought before Jena, retreated in +a complete rout along the road to Weimar, at whose gates the +fugitives, their baggage and artillery had piled up, when +suddenly the squadrons of the French cavalry appeared! At the +sight of them, panic spread through the crowd of Prussians, who +fled in utter disorder, leaving us with a great number of +prisoners, flags, guns and baggage. + +The town of Weimar, called by some the new Athens, was inhabited +at this period by a great number of scholars, artists and +distinguished authors, who had gathered there under the patronage +of the ruling duke, an enlightened protector of the arts and +sciences. The noise of guns, the passage of the fugitives and +the entry of the victors caused a great stir in this peaceful and +studious population; but Marshals Lannes and Soult maintained a +firm discipline, and apart from having to provide food for the +soldiers, the town suffered no outrage. The Prince of Weimar +served in the Prussian army, nevertheless his palace, where the +princess, his wife, was living, was respected and none of the +marshals took up residence there. + +Marshal Augereau's headquarters were established at the town +gates, in the house of the prince's head gardener. All the +inhabitants of the house having taken flight, the general staff +found nothing to eat, and had to sup on some pineapples and plums +from the hot-houses. This was a very light diet for people who, +without food for twenty-four hours, had spent the preceding night +on foot and all day fighting! But we were the victors, and that +magical word enabled us to support all our privations. + +The Emperor went back to sleep at Jena, where he learned of a +success no less great than that which he had just achieved +himself. The battle of Jena was a double battle, if one may use +the expression, for neither the French nor the Prussian armies +were united at Jena, they were each divided into two parts and +fought two different battles: so that while the Emperor, at the +head of the corps of Augereau, Lannes, Soult and Ney, his guard +and the cavalry of Murat, was defeating the corps of Prince +Hohenlohe and General Ruchel. The King of Prussia, at the head of +his main army, commanded by the celebrated Prince of Brunswick, +Marshals Mollendorf and Kalkreuth had left Weimar, and on their +way to Naumburg had settled for the night at the village of +Auerstadt, not far from the French corps of Davout and +Bernadotte, who were in the villages around Naumburg. In order to +rejoin the Emperor, who was at Apolda, in the plain beyond Jena, +Davout and Bernadotte had to cross the Saale before Naumburg and +traverse the narrow hilly pass of Kosen. Although Davout thought +that the King of Prussia with the main body of his army was +facing the Emperor, and not so close to him at Auerstadt, this +vigilant warrior secured, during the night, the Kosen pass and +its steep slopes which the King of Prussia and his marshals had +neglected to occupy, thus making the same mistake as Prince +Hohenlohe made at Jena in failing to guard the Landgrafenberg. +The combined forces of Bernadotte and Davout did not amount to +more than forty-four thousand men, while the King of Prussia had +eighty thousand at Auerstadt. + +From daybreak on the 14th, the two French marshals realised that +they had to face much superior numbers; it was their duty then to +act in unison. Davout, aware of this necessity, volunteered to +put himself under the command of Bernadotte, but the latter +jibbed at the idea of a shared victory, and unwilling to +subordinate his personal interests to the welfare of his country, +he decided to act on his own; and on the pretext that the Emperor +had ordered him to be at Dornburg on the 13th, he decided to make +his way there on the 14th, although Napoleon had written to him +during the night to say that, if he was still in Naumburg, he +should stay there and support Davout. Not finding the situation +to his liking, Bernadotte left Davout to defend himself as best +he could and, going down the Saale, he settled himself at +Dornburg where, although he came across no enemies, he could see +from the elevated position which he occupied, the desperate +battle being fought by the gallant Davout some two leagues away. +Meanwhile he ordered his men to set up their bivouacs and to +start preparing a meal. His generals complained to him in vain at +this culpable inaction; Bernadotte would not budge, so that +Marshal Davout, with no more than twenty-five thousand men, +comprising the divisions of Friant, Morland and Gudin, faced +almost eighty thousand Prussians animated by the presence of +their king. + +The French, after emerging from the narrow pass of Kosen, formed +up near the village of Hassenhausen; it was here that the real +battle took place, because the Emperor was mistaken when he +thought that he had before him at Jena the king and the bulk of +the Prussian army. The action fought by Davout's men was one of +the most terrible in our annals. His divisions, having +successfully resisted all the attacks of the enemy infantry, +formed into squares and repelled numerous cavalry charges, and +not content with this, they advanced with such resolution that +the Prussians fell back at every point leaving the ground strewn +with dead and wounded. The Prince of Brunswick and General +Schmettau were killed, Marshal Mollendorf was seriously wounded +and taken prisoner. + +The King of Prussia and his troops at first carried out their +retreat towards Weimar in reasonably good order, hoping to rally +there behind the forces of Prince Hohenlohe and General Ruchel, +whom they supposed to have been victorious, while the latter, +having been defeated by Napoleon, were for their part, on their +way to seek support from the troops led by the king. Those two +enormous masses of soldiers, beaten and demoralised, met on the +road to Erfurt; it needed only the appearance of some French +regiments to throw them into utter confusion. The rout was total, +and was a just punishment for the bragging of the Prussian +officers. The results of this victory were incalculable, and made +us masters of almost all Prussia. + +The Emperor showed his great satisfaction with Marshal Davout and +with the divisions of Morand, Friant and Gudin by an order of the +day, which was read out to all companies and even in the +ambulances carrying the wounded. The following year Napoleon +created Davout Duke of Auerstadt, although he had fought less +there than in the village of Hassenhausen; but the King of +Prussia had had his headquarters at Auerstadt, and the Prussians +had given this name to the battle which the French called the +battle of Jena. + +The army expected to see Bernadotte severely punished, but he got +away with a sharp reprimand; Napoleon was afraid of upsetting his +brother Joseph, whose sister-in-law, Mlle. Clary, Bernadotte had +just married. We shall see later how Bernadotte's behaviour +during the battle of Auerstadt served, in a way, as a first step +towards mounting the throne of Sweden. + +I was not wounded at Jena, but I was tricked in a way that still +rankles after forty years. At a time when Augereau's corps was +attacking the Saxons, the marshal sent me to carry a message to +General Durosnel, who commanded a brigade of Chasseurs, ordering +him to charge the enemy cavalry. It was my job to guide the +brigade along a route which I had already reconnoitred. I hurried +away and put myself at the head of our Chasseurs, who threw +themselves on the Saxon squadrons. The Saxons put up a stiff +resistance and there was a general melee, but eventually our +adversaries were forced to retreat with losses. Towards the end +of the fighting, I found myself facing an officer of Hussars, +wearing the white uniform of Prince Albert of Saxony's regiment. +I held the point of my sabre against him and called on him to +surrender, which he did, handing me his sword. As the fighting +was over, I generously gave it back to him, as was the usual +practice among officers in these circumstances, and I added that +although his horse, under the conventions of war, belonged to me, +I did not wish to deprive him of it. He gave me many thanks for +this kind treatment and followed me as I returned to the marshal, +very pleased with myself for bringing back a prisoner. But when +we were about five hundred paces from the Chasseurs, this +confounded Saxon officer, who was on my left, drew his sabre, +wounded my horse on the shoulder and was about to strike me if I +had not thrown myself on him. Although I had no sabre in my hand, +our bodies were so close that he did not have room to swing his +sabre at me, so he grabbed my epaulet, and pulled me off balance, +my saddle slipped under my horse's belly and there I was with one +leg in the air and my head hanging down, while the Saxon made off +at full speed to rejoin the remains of the enemy army. I was +furious, partly at the position I was in, and partly at the +ingratitude with which this foreigner had repaid my courtesy. So +when the Saxon army had been made prisoners, I went to look for +my Hussar officer, to teach him a lesson, but he had disappeared. + +I have said that the Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, our new ally, had +joined his troops to the Emperor's. This brigade had uniforms +exactly like those of the Prussians, so several of their soldiers +were killed or wounded mistakenly during the action. The young +Lieutenant De Stoch, my friend, was on the point of meeting the +same fate, and had already been seized by our Hussars, when, +having seen me, he called out to me and I had him released. + +The Emperor rewarded most generously the priest of Jena, and the +elector of Saxony, having become king as a result of the +victories of his ally Napoleon, rewarded him also; so that he +lived very comfortably until 1814 when he took refuge in France +to escape from the vengeance of the Prussians. They, however, had +him taken up and shut away in a fortress where he spent two or +three years. Eventually, the King of Saxony having interceded on +his behalf with Louis XVIII, the latter reclaimed the priest on +the grounds that he had been arrested without proper authority, +and the Prussians having released him, he came to live in Paris. +After the victory at Jena, the Emperor ordered a general pursuit +of our enemies, and our columns took an enormous number of +prisoners. + +The King of Prussia had great difficulty in reaching Magdeburg +and getting from there to Berlin, and it was said that the queen +nearly fell into the hands of the scouts of our advance-guard. + +It would take too long to detail all the disasters which befell +the Prussian army; it is enough to say that of those troops who +marched to attack the French, not a battalion escaped; they were +all captured before the end of the month. The fortresses of +Torgau, Erfurt and Wittemburg opened their gates to the victors +who, having crossed the Elbe at several points--Augereau's corps +crossing near Dessau--headed for Berlin. + +Napoleon stopped at Potsdam, where he visited the tomb of +Frederick the Great; then he went to Berlin where, contrary to +his usual practice, he wished to make a triumphal entry. Marshal +Davout's corps headed the procession; an honour to which it was +entitled as it had done more fighting than the others. Then came +Augereau's corps and then the guard. + +Chap. 31. + +On my return to Berlin which, when I had left it not long ago, +had been so brilliant, I could not help having some sad +reflections. The populace, then so self-confident, was now +gloomy, downcast, and much afflicted, for the Prussians are very +patriotic: they felt humiliated by the defeat of their army and +the occupation of their country by the French; besides which +almost every family had to mourn a relative or friend killed or +captured in battle. I had every sympathy with their feelings; but +I must confess that I experienced quite a different sentiment +when I saw, entering Berlin as prisoners of war, walking sadly, +dismounted and disarmed, the regiment of the so-called Noble +Gendarmes; those same arrogant young officers who had so +insolently come to sharpen their sabres on the steps of the +French embassy!....Nothing could depict their shame and abasement +at finding themselves defeated by those same Frenchmen whom they +had boasted they would put to flight by their mere presence. They +had asked that they might go round Berlin without entering it, to +avoid the painful experience of filing as prisoners through the +town where they were so well known and where the inhabitants had +witnessed their bragging; but this is precisely why the Emperor +ordered them to pass between two lines of French soldiers, who +directed them down the road in which stood the French embassy. +The inhabitants of Berlin did not disapprove of this little act +of revenge, since they greatly disliked the Noble Gendarmes whom +they accused of having pushed the king into the war. + +Marshal Augereau was billeted outside the town, in the chateau of +Bellevue, which belonged to Prince Ferdinand, the only one of +Frederick the Great's brothers who was still living. This +venerable old man, the father of Prince Louis who was recently +killed at Saalefeld, was afflicted by grief made even more bitter +by the fact that, against the opinion of all the court and also +that of the son whom he mourned, he had strongly opposed the war, +and had predicted the misfortunes which it would bring upon +Prussia. Marshal Augereau thought it his duty to visit the +prince, who had withdrawn to a dwelling in the town. He was +received most politely; the unhappy father told the marshal that +he had learned that his young son, Prince Auguste, the only one +left to him, was at the town gate in a column of prisoners, and +that he longed to embrace him before he was sent off to France. +Since Prince Ferdinand's great age prevented him from going to +look for his son, the marshal, sure that Napoleon would not +object, told me to mount my horse right away, to go and find +Prince Auguste, and to bring him back. Which I did. + +The arrival of the young prince gave rise to the most moving +scene. His elderly parents could not stop embracing this son, who +recalled to them the loss of the other. To console them as much +as lay within his power, the good marshal went to the Emperor's +quarters and came back with authority for the young prince to +remain, on parole, in the bosom of his family. A favour for which +Prince Ferdinand was infinitely grateful. + +The victory at Jena had had the most profound effect. Complete +demoralisation had gripped not only the troops in the field, but +the garrisons of the fortresses. Magdeburg surrendered without +making any attempt at resistance; Spandau did the same; Stettin +opened its gates to a division of cavalry, and the governor of +Custrin sent boats across the Oder to fetch the French troops; +who without this help would not have been able to take the place +without several months of siege. Every day one heard of the +surrender of some unit of the army or the capitulation of some +fortress. The faulty organisation of the Prussian army became +more evident than ever; the foreigners, in particular those who +had been enlisted against their will, took the occasion to +recover their liberty, and deserted in droves, or stayed behind +to give themselves up to the French. + +To the conquest of the Prussians, Napoleon added the confiscation +of the states of the Elector of Hesse-Cassel, whose duplicity had +earned him this punishment. This prince, who had been requested +some time before the war to declare himself a supporter of either +France or Prussia, lulled both parties with promises, with the +intention of coming down on the side of the victor. An avaricious +sovereign, the Elector had amassed a great fortune by selling his +own people to the English, who used them to fight against the +Americans in the War of Independence, in which many of them +perished. Careless of his people's welfare, he had offered to +join his troops to the French force on condition that the Emperor +would cede to him the French American states. So no one was very +sorry for the Elector, whose precipitous departure occasioned an +event which is still not generally known. + +Compelled to leave Hesse in a hurry, to take refuge in England, +the Elector, who was regarded as one of the richest people in +Europe, was unable to take with him all his wealth. So he sent +for a Jew from Frankfurt by the name of Rothschild, a small-time +banker and not well known, but respected for the scrupulous +devotion with which he practised his religion: and it was this +that decided the Elector to confide to his care some fifteen +million in specie. The interest earned on this money was to +belong to the banker, who was obliged to return only the capital. + +When the palace of Cassel was occupied by our troops, agents of +the French treasury seized a considerable quantity of valuables, +mainly pictures, but did not find any money. It seemed +impossible, however, that the Elector, in his hurried flight, had +been able to take with him all his immense fortune. Now, as +according to what are called the laws of war, the monies found in +an enemy country belong to the victor, one wished to find out +what had become of the treasure of Cassel. Information gathered +on the subject disclosed that, before his departure, the Elector +had spent a whole day with the Jew Rothschild. An imperial +commission went to the latter's house, where his account books +and his strong-boxes were minutely examined; but in vain, for no +trace could be found of a deposit made by the Elector. Threats +and intimidation produced no result, so the commission, convinced +that no material interest would persuade a man so religious to +perjure himself, wished to put him on oath. This he refused to +accept. His arrest was considered but the Emperor was opposed to +this act of violence because he thought it would be useless. +Resort was then had to less honourable methods; it was proposed +to the banker that he might retain half of the treasure if he +would deliver the other half to the French administration; they +would then give him a receipt for the full amount, accompanied by +an order of seizure, proving that he had given way only to force +and was thus shielded from any claim for restitution; but the +upright Jew rejected this suggestion, and, tired of the struggle, +they left him alone. + +So the fifteen million remained in the hands of Rothschild from +1806 to the fall of the empire in 1814. Then, when the Elector +had returned to his state, the Frankfurt banker handed over to +him the exact sum which he had deposited. You may imagine how +much interest might be earned by the sum of fifteen millions left +in the hands of a Jewish Frankfurt banker for a period of eight +years! It is from this time that dates the opulence of the House +of the Brothers Rothschild, who owe to the probity of their +founder the high financial standing which they enjoy today. + +The Emperor, who was staying in the palace in Berlin, every day +passed in revue the troops who arrived in succession in the town, +to march from there to the Oder in pursuit of the enemy. It was +while he was in Berlin that he performed a well known act of +magnanimity in pardoning, for the Princess of Hatzfeld, her +husband, who had used his position as burgomaster of Berlin to +give the Prussian generals information about the movement of +French troops; an act of espionage punishable by death. The +generosity displayed by the Emperor on this occasion had a very +good effect on the feelings of the Prussians. + +During our stay in Berlin, I was pleasantly surprised by the +arrival of my brother Adolphe, who, on learning of the fresh +outbreak of hostilities on the continent of Europe had asked for +and obtained from General Decaen, who commanded the French troops +in India, permission to return to France, where he joined the +Grande Armee. He was offered a position by General Lefebvre, but, +mistakenly, in my opinion, he chose to serve as a supernumerary +on the staff of Marshal Augereau, of which I was a member, a move +which did neither of us any good. + +I had also in Berlin another unexpected encounter. I was walking +one evening with some friends along the Boulevard de Tilleuls, +when I saw coming towards me a group of sous-officiers of the 1st +Hussars. One of them broke away and ran to fall on my neck. It +was my former tutor, the elder Pertelay who, with tears of joy +cried "Te voil…, mon petit!" The officers with whom I was, were +at first astonished to see a sergeant-major so familiar with an +officer; but their surprise vanished when I told them of my +former relations with this old soldier, who, putting his arm +round me, said to his companions, "It is I who made him what you +now see before you!" And the good fellow was really convinced +that I owed my present position to his teaching. So at dinner, +which I stood him the next day, he overwhelmed me with +inconsequential advice, which he believed to be very sensible and +just the thing to perfect my military education. We shall meet +this type of old Hussar again in Spain. + +Napoleon, who was still in Berlin, was told of the surrender of +the Prince Hohenlohe who, with sixteen thousand men, had laid +down his arms at Prenzlow before the troops of Marshal Lannes and +the cavalry of Murat. There was no other enemy corps in the field +except that of General Blucher. This general, hard pressed by the +divisions of Marshals Soult and Bernadotte, violated the +neutrality of Lubeck, where he sought refuge; but the French +pursued him, and Blucher, one of the most ardent supporters of +the war against Napoleon, was forced to give himself up as a +prisoner together with the sixteen thousand men under his +command. + +I must here tell you something remarkable, which shows how +greatly chance influences the affairs of men and empires. We have +seen Marshal Bernadotte failing in his duty and standing aside at +Jena when Marshal Davout was fighting, not far from him, against +infinitely superior forces. Well! This disgraceful conduct served +to place him on the throne of Sweden. This is how it came about. + +After the battle of Jena, the Emperor, although furious with +Bernadotte, ordered him to pursue the enemy because the corps +which he commanded, not having fired a shot, was in better shape +for battle than those who had suffered losses. Bernadotte then +set out on the track of the Prussians whom he defeated first at +Halle and then at Lubeck, with the help of Marshal Soult. Now as +chance would have it, at the very hour when the French were +attacking Lubeck, some ships carrying a division of infantry +which King Gustave IV of Sweden had sent to the aid of the +Prussians entered the harbour. The Swedish troops had scarcely +disembarked when, attacked by the French and abandoned by the +Prussians, they were obliged to surrender to Bernadotte. +Bernadotte, I can assure you, had, when he wished, the most +engaging manner and very much wanted to appear before foreigners +as a "Gentleman." To this end, he treated the Swedish officers in +the most benevolent manner. After according them an honourable +capitulation, he returned to them their horses and their baggage, +saw to their needs and invited to his quarters the +commander-in-chief, Count Moerner, as well as the generals and +senior officers; he loaded them with kindnesses and courtesies to +such an extent that, on their return to their country, they +spread everywhere praise for the magnanimity of Marshal +Bernadotte. + +Some years later a revolution broke out in Sweden; King Gustave, +whom a mental disorder had rendered unfit to rule, was removed +from the throne and replaced by his aged uncle, the Duke of +Sudermanie. As this new monarch had no children, the States +Assembly, in order to designate a successor, chose the Prince of +Holstein-Augustenburg, who took the title of Prince Royal. But he +did not long enjoy this dignity, for he died in 1811 after a +short illness, which was put down to poison. The states gathered +once more to elect a new heir to the throne. They were hesitating +between several German princes who put themselves forward as +candidates when Count Moerner, one of the most influential +members of the states, and the former commander of the Swedish +division captured at Lubeck in 1806 by the French, proposed +General Bernadotte, whose generous conduct he recalled. He +praised also Bernadotte's military talents, and observed that the +marshal was allied, through his wife, to Napoleon, whose support +could be most useful to Sweden. A crowd of officers who had also +been captured at Lubeck, joined their voices to that of General +Moerner, and Bernadotte was elected almost unanimously as +successor to the King of Sweden, and mounted the throne a few +years later. + +We shall see, further on, how Bernadotte, carried to the steps of +a foreign throne by the fame which he had acquired at the head of +French troops, displayed a lack of gratitude towards his native +country. But now let us return to Prussia. + +In one month the main forces of this kingdom, formerly in such a +flourishing condition, had been destroyed by Napoleon, whose +armies occupied the capital and the greater part of the +provinces, and had already reached the Vistula, that great +barrier between northern and central Europe. Marshal Augereau's +corps remained for a fortnight in Berlin to reinforce the Guard +during the long stay which the Emperor made in the town, and left +about the middle of November, heading first for the Oder, which +we crossed at Kostrzyn, and then on to the Vistula whose bank we +reached at Bromburg (?Bydgoszcz). We were now in Poland, the +poorest and nastiest country in Europe...! After the Oder, no +more made roads: we marched on loose gravel or appalling mud. +Most of the land was uncultivated and the few inhabitants we came +across were dirty to a degree which defies the imagination. The +weather which had been magnificent during October and the first +part of November became frightful. We no longer saw the sun, it +rained or snowed continually; food became short; no more wine, +almost never any beer, and what there was atrociously bad; muddy +water, no bread, and billets we had to share with cattle and +pigs. The soldiers used to say, "How dare the Poles call this a +country?" + +The Emperor himself was disillusioned, for having come intending +to rebuild Poland, he had hoped that the whole population of this +vast country would rise as one man at the approach of the French +army. But nobody budged...! In a vain attempt to rouse some +Polish enthusiasm, the Emperor had invited the famous General +Kosciusko, the leader of the last insurrection, to come and join +him, but Kosciusko stayed peacefully in Switzerland, to where he +had retired, and to the reproaches which were addressed to him, +he replied that he knew the heedless and unstable character of +his compatriots too well to hope that they would ever free +themselves, even with French help. Unable to attract Kosciusko, +the Emperor tried to make use of his renown by addressing to the +Poles a proclamation in the name of this old warrior. Not one of +them took up arms, although our troops occupied several provinces +and even the capital. The Poles were not willing to rebel until +Napoleon had declared the re-establishment of Poland, and he was +not willing to do this until they had risen against their +oppressors, which they did not do. + +While 7th Corps was in Bromburg, Duroc, the grand marshal of the +palace, arrived in the middle of the night at Marshal Augereau's +headquarters. I was sent for and told to prepare myself to +accompany Marshal Duroc, who was going as an envoy to the King of +Prussia at Graudentz, and who needed an officer to replace his +aide-de-camp, whom he had just sent to Posnan with despatches for +the Emperor. I had been chosen because it was remembered that the +previous August I had been on a mission to the Prussian court and +that I knew almost all the officers and the court usages. + +I was soon ready. The marshal of the palace took me in his +carriage and we went down the left bank of the Vistula, occupied +by French troops, to cross the river by ferry opposite Graudentz. +We took lodgings in the town and then presented ourselves at the +citadel, where all the royal family of Prussia had taken refuge +after loosing four fifths of their state. The Vistula separated +the two armies. The king seemed calm and resigned; the queen, +whom I had seen not long ago looking so lovely, was greatly +changed and seemed overcome by grief. She could not conceal from +herself the fact that having urged the king to declare war, she +was the principal cause of the misfortunes of her country, whose +citizens raised their voices against her. The Emperor could not +have sent a more acceptable envoy to the king than Marshal Duroc, +who had held the post of ambassador in Berlin, and was well known +to both the king and queen who appreciated his pleasant +personality. I was too small a personage to be of any account; +however the king and queen recognised me and greeted me with a +few polite words. + +I found the Prussian officers attached to the court had greatly +modified the arrogant attitude they had displayed in August. +Their recent defeat had changed their opinion of the French army; +nevertheless I did not wish to take advantage of this and I +carefully avoided mentioning Jena and our other victories. The +affairs which Marshal Duroc had to discuss with the King of +Prussia related to a letter which this monarch had sent to +Napoleon, requesting a peace. The meeting lasted for two days +which I occupied in reading, and walking on the gloomy parade +ground of the fortress. I did not wish to go up onto the +ramparts, although one enjoys from there an admirable view of the +Vistula, for fear that I might be suspected of examining the +defence works and armaments. + +In the battles which had taken place from Jena to the Vistula, +the Prussians had taken about a hundred of our men prisoner, whom +they employed on the earthworks of the fortress in which they +were confined. Marshal Duroc had charged me with the task of +distributing some aid to these poor devils, who were doubly +unhappy in that they could see from the height of the fortress +the French troops from whom they were separated only by the +Vistula. This proximity, and the comparison of their position +with that of their comrades, free and happy on the left bank, led +a French prisoner, one of the elite cavalrymen of the 3rd +Dragoons by the name of Harpin, to attempt to escape. This was no +easy matter, for one had first to get out of the fortress and +then to cross the Vistula; but what cannot be achieved by a +determined man? Harpin, who was employed by the master carpenter +to pile timber, had made, secretly, a little raft; he had taken a +long rope and, at night, had lowered the raft to the foot of the +rampart, and had then descended himself by the same means. He had +already put his raft in the water and was preparing to embark +when he was surprised by a patrol, taken back to the fort and +confined to a dungeon. The next day the Prussian commandant, in +accordance with the common custom of the Prussian army, condemned +Harpin to fifty strokes of the cane. It was useless for Harpin to +claim that as a Frenchman he should not be subject to Prussian +regulations, his status as a prisoner made this complaint void. +He had already been taken to the wooden frame to which he was to +be attached, and two soldiers were preparing to administer the +flogging when, having gone to fetch a book from Marshal Duroc's +coach, which was standing in the parade ground, I saw Harpin +struggling with some Prussians who were trying to tie him up. + +Indignant at the sight of a French soldier about to be subjected +to a flogging, I ran towards him, my sabre in my hand, and +threatened to kill the first man to strike a blow! ... Marshal +Duroc's coach was guarded by one of Napoleon's couriers, known in +every post house in Europe as "Moustache." This man, of herculean +strength and the courage to face anything, had accompanied the +Emperor on twenty fields of battle. When he saw me in the middle +of the Prussians he hurried to me, and on my instructions, he +fetched four loaded pistols which were in the coach. We untied +Harpin; I armed him with two of the pistols and put him in the +coach, where I placed "Moustache" next to him. I then told the +commandant that as this coach belonged to the Emperor, whose arms +it bore, it was a sacred place of safety for the French Dragoon, +entry to which was forbidden to all Prussians under penalty of a +bullet in the head, and I told Harpin and "Moustache" to fire on +anyone who attempted to get into the coach. The commandant, +seeing me so determined, abandoned his prisoner for the moment to +go and get orders from his superiors. Then, leaving Harpin and +"Moustache" in the coach with pistols in their hands, I went to +the king's quarters and begged one of the aides-de-camp to go and +tell Marshal Duroc that I needed to speak to him about a matter +which could not wait. Duroc came out and I told him what had +happened. + +When he heard that they wanted to flog a French soldier, he +shared my indignation. He returned to the king to whom he +protested warmly, adding that if the sentence were to be carried +out, the Emperor by way of reprisal would flog not only the +soldiers but also the Prussian officers who were his prisoners. +The king was a humane man; he ordered that the dragoon Harpin +should be released, and to please Napoleon, from whom he was at +that moment asking peace, he offered to Marshal Duroc to release +to him all the prisoners if he would undertake to send back a +similar number of Prussians. Duroc having accepted this offer, I +went with one of the aides-de-camp to announce the news to the +prisoners, who were overjoyed. We embarked them straight away and +an hour later they were across the Vistula and amongst their +brothers in arms. + +Marshal Duroc and I left Graudentz the next night; he approved of +my conduct and told me later that he had given an account of it +to the Emperor, who also approved, and who warned the Prussians +that if they flogged French soldiers he would have all Prussian +officers who fell into his hands, shot! + +I rejoined 7th Corps at Bromburg, and we went up the left bank of +the Vistula towards Warsaw. Marshal Augereau's headquarters were +established at Mallochiche. The Emperor arrived at Warsaw on the +19th December, and prepared to cross the Vistula. 7th Corps then +went down the left bank once more to Utrata, where for the first +time on this campaign we saw the Russian outposts on the opposite +bank. + +Chap. 32 + +The River Vistula is fast-flowing and very wide; one expected, +because of this that the Emperor would halt his winter operations +there and, protected by the river, would put his troops into +winter quarters until the spring. This however was not to be. +Marshal Davout's and Marshal Lannes' corps crossed the river at +Warsaw, Marshal Augereau and his men crossed at Utrate, from +where we went on to the banks of the Ukra, a tributary of the Bug +and the Vistula. The entire French army having crossed this last +river, found itself face to face with the Russians, against whom +the Emperor ordered an attack on the 24th December. A thaw and +rain made movement extremely difficult on the clay soil, for +there are no metalled roads in this country. + +I shall not describe all the actions which were fought that day +to force a passage across the Bug; I shall restrict myself to +saying that Marshal Augereau, given the task of securing the +crossing of the Ukra, ordered General Desjardins to attack with +his division, Kolozomb, and General Heudelet to attack Sochocyzn. +The marshal directed the attack on Kolozomb in person. The +Russians, after burning the bridge which had existed at this +spot, had raised earthworks on the opposite bank which they +defended with cannons and numerous infantry; but they had +neglected to destroy a store of planks and beams which was on the +right bank, at which we had arrived. Our sappers made use of this +material to construct a temporary bridge in spite of a lively +fire which killed several men of the 14th Line regiment, which +was at the head of our columns. + +The planks of the bridge were not yet fastened and were wobbling +under the feet of our infantrymen, when the colonel of the 14th, +M. Savary, brother of the Emperor's aide-de-camp, risked crossing +on horseback, in order to put himself at the head of his men; but +he had scarcely reached the bank when a Cossack, arriving at the +gallop, plunged a lance into his heart and disappeared into the +woods! This was the fifth colonel of the 14th who had been killed +by the enemy! You will see later the fatal destiny which always +accompanied this unfortunate regiment. The passage of the Ukra +was secured, the guns captured and the Russians put to flight. +Desjardins' division occupied Sochoczyn, where the enemy had +repulsed the attack by Heudelet's division, a repulse which was +of no consequence, as it was necessary only to secure one +crossing. General Heudelet however, out of misplaced pride, had +ordered the attack to be renewed and was once more driven off +with the loss of some thirty men killed or wounded, among them a +highly thought of engineer officer. I have always disapproved of +the contempt for men's lives which sometimes leads generals to +sacrifice them to their desire to see their names in the +bulletins. + +On the 25th of December, the day following the crossing of the +Ukra, the Emperor, pushing the Russians before him, headed for +Golymin, having with him the Guard, Murat's cavalry and the corps +of Davout and Augereau, the last of whom led the column. Marshal +Lannes went off in the direction of Pultusk. There were on this +day some minor encounters with the enemy who were retreating with +all speed. We slept in bivouac amongst the trees. + +On the 26th, 7th Corps set out once more in pursuit of the +Russians. We were at a time of year when the days are at their +shortest, and in this part of Poland at the end of December, it +starts to get dark about two-thirty in the afternoon. It was made +more gloomy as we approached Golymin by a fall of snow mixed with +rain. We had not seen the enemy since morning when, on our +arrival at the village of Kuskowo, very close to Golymin, our +scouts, who had seen in the obscurity a large body of troops +which a marsh prevented them from approaching, came to warn +Marshal Augereau, who ordered Colonel Albert to go and +reconnoitre, escorted by twenty-five mounted Chasseurs, whom he +placed under my command. + +The mission was difficult for we were in the middle of a huge, +bare plain where one could easily become lost. The ground, +already muddy, was intersected by areas of bog which the poor +light prevented us from seeing clearly; so we advanced with +caution, and found ourselves within twenty-five paces of a line +of troops. We thought at first that this must be Davout's corps, +which we knew was in the neighbourhood, but as no one answered +our challenge, we had no doubt that these were enemy troops. +However, to make quite sure, Colonel Albert ordered me to send +one of my best-mounted troopers up to the line which we could +distinguish in the murk: for this task I picked a bemedalled +corporal named Schmit, a man of proven courage. He, having gone +alone to within ten paces of a regiment whose headgear he +recognised as Russian, fired a shot from his carbine into the +middle of it and came back smartly. + +To account for the silence which the Russians had maintained up +till then, I must tell you that this unit had become separated +from the main body of the army, which it was trying to rejoin, +and had lost its way in the vast plains, which it knew to be +occupied by French troops who were heading for Golymin. The +Russian generals, in the hope that they might pass close to us in +the obscurity without being recognised, had forbidden their men +to speak, and in the event of an attack, even the wounded were to +make no outcry. This was an order which only Russian troops would +have obeyed so punctiliously that when Colonel Albert, to warn +Marshal Augereau that we were in the presence of the enemy, +ordered the twenty-five troopers to fire, not a cry nor a word +was heard, and no one fired back! + +We then saw, in spite of the poor light, a body of about a +hundred horsemen who were advancing silently to cut off our +retreat. We should have made off at the gallop to rejoin our +columns, but some of our troopers having become stuck in the mud, +we were forced to proceed less rapidly, although pursued by the +Russians, who fortunately had the same trouble as we did. A fire +which had broken out in a nearby farm lit up the ground and the +Russians began to gallop, which compelled us to do likewise. A +new danger arose in that we had left from General Desjardins' +division and were returning to General Heudelet's, who had not +seen us leave and opened fire on us; so that we were being driven +from behind by the Russians, while a hail of bullets in front +wounded several of our men and some horses. It was no use +shouting "We are French. Don't shoot!" The firing continued, and +one cannot blame the officers who took us for the advance guard +of a Russian column who were using French, which is widely +understood among foreigners, in order to deceive them in the +darkness which had now fallen. We were having a bad time, when it +occurred to me to call out by name to the generals, colonels and +battalion commanders of Heudelet's division, names which they +would know could not be known to the enemy. This was a success +and we were at last received into the French line. + +The Russian generals, seeing that they were discovered and +wishing to continue their retreat, took a measure of which I +heartily approve, and one which in similar circumstances the +French have never attempted to imitate. The Russians pointed all +their guns at us, and having led away all the horses, they opened +a violent fire to keep us at a distance. During this time they +marched off their columns, and when the ammunition was finished, +the gunners withdrew and left the guns to us. Was not this better +than losing many men in an effort to save the guns, which would +have been continually bogged down and slowed the retreat? + +The fierce Russian cannonade became increasingly harmful when it +started several fires in the villages, the spreading light of +which enabled the Russian gunners to pick out the masses of our +troops; in particular the dragoons and Cuirassiers led by Prince +Murat, whose white cloaks made them a target. These units +suffered more losses than the others, and one of our generals of +the Dragoons was cut in two by a cannon-ball. Marshal Augereau, +after taking Kuskowa, entered Golymin, which Marshal Davout was +attacking from the other side. This town was being traversed at +the time by the Russian columns, who, knowing that Marshal Lannes +was marching to cut off their retreat by taking Pultusk, three +leagues from there, were trying to reach that spot before he did +at no matter what cost. So although our soldiers were firing on +them at close range, they did not reply. To do so they would have +had to stop, and minutes were too precious. + +Each division and each regiment marched through our fusillade +without a word and without slowing their pace for a moment...! +The streets of Golymin were full of wounded and dying men, yet +one did not hear a sound. It was forbidden! We might have been +shooting at shadows, and it was only when our soldiers attacked +with the bayonet that they convinced themselves that they were +dealing with men. We took thousands of prisoners, while the +remainder marched into the distance. + +The marshals deliberated as to whether they should pursue the +enemy, but the weather was so horrible and the night so dark once +one left the neighbourhood of the fires, the men so soaked and +exhausted, that it was decided that they should rest until the +next day. + +Golymin being crowded with dead, wounded, and discarded baggage, +Marshals Murat and Augereau, together with some generals and +their staffs, looking for somewhere to shelter from the glacial +rain, established themselves in a huge stable which was near the +town. There, those who could, lay on the dung heap in an attempt +to get warm and to sleep, for we had been on horseback in the +most frightful weather for twenty four hours or more. The +marshals and all the colonels and brass-hats were naturally in +the depths of the stable where it was warmer; as for me, a humble +lieutenant, who came in last, I had to bed down near the doorway, +where I was more or less sheltered from the rain, but exposed to +the freezing wind, since the doorway had no door. The position +was most uncomfortable and added to this I was dying of hunger, +not having eaten since the previous evening. But my lucky star +came once more to my aid. While the well sheltered senior +officers were sleeping in the warm part of the stable, and the +cold was preventing us lieutenants near the doorway from doing +the same, one of Prince Murat's servants arrived. I told him, in +a low voice that his master was asleep; upon this he gave me a +basket containing a roast goose, some bread and some wine, to +give to the prince when he woke, and asked me to tell him that +the mules with the provisions were expected to arrive in an +hour's time. Having said which, he went off to await them. + +Loaded with these provisions, I held council in undertones with +Bro, Mainville, and Stoch, who, as badly placed as I, were +shivering with cold and just as hungry. The conclusion reached in +this deliberation was that as Prince Murat was asleep and as his +provisions were due to arrive shortly, he would be able to have a +meal when he woke; while we would be set on horseback and sent +off in all directions without anyone asking if we had eaten or +not; so without straining our consciences too much, we decided to +demolish the contents of the basket, which we did with great +rapidity. I don't know if this was pardonable, but what I do know +is that I have had few meals which I enjoyed more. + +While the troops who had been engaged at Golymin were resting, +Napoleon, with all his Guard was wandering about on the plain, +because, alerted by the sound of gunfire, the Emperor had +hurriedly left the chateau where he was installed some two +leagues from Golymin, with the intention of joining us by +marching as the crow flies in the direction of the fires. But the +ground was so soaked, the plain so intersected by bogs and the +weather so awful, that it took him all night to make those two +leagues, and he did not arrive on the field of battle until the +fighting was long over. + +On the same day as the fight at Golymin, Marshal Lannes, with no +more than twenty thousand men, attacked at Pultusk some forty +thousand Russians who were retreating, and inflicted immense +losses on them without being able to stop them, so great was +their superiority in numbers. + +For the Emperor to have been able to pursue the Russians it would +have required a frost to harden the ground which, on the +contrary, was now so soft and sodden that one sank in at every +step, and several men, notably the batman of an officer in 7th +Corps, were drowned with their horses in the mud. It had now +become impossible to move the artillery and to venture further +into this unknown territory; besides which the troops lacked food +and even boots, and they were extremely tired. These +considerations decided Napoleon to place the whole army in +cantonment in front of the Vistula, from the outskirts of Warsaw +to the gates of Danzig. The soldiers, billeted in the villages, +were at last sheltered from the weather, received some rations +and were able to repair their equipment. + +The Emperor returned to Warsaw to prepare for a new campaign. +The divisions of Augereau's corps were spread in the villages +around Plock, if one can give that name to a confused heap of +lowly shacks, inhabited by unwashed Jews; but almost all the +so-called towns in Poland are built like this and have similar +inhabitants. The landowners, great and small, live in the country +where they employ their peasants to cultivate their estates. + +The marshal was lodged in Christka, a sort of chateau built of +wood, as was customary in the country. He found in this manor +some reasonable accommodation, while the aides-de-camp settled +wherever they could in the rooms and barns. As for me, by +ferreting around I found in the gardener's quarters a fairly good +room with a fireplace; I settled in there with two friends, and +leaving to the gardener and his family their very unsavoury beds, +we made some out of planks and straw, on which we were very +comfortable. + +Chap. 33. + +We celebrated at Christka the new year of 1807, which was very +nearly the last year of my life. It, however, began very +pleasantly for me, since the Emperor, who had not shown any +favour to Augereau's staff during the Austerlitz campaign, fully +repaired this oversight by heaping us with rewards. Colonel +Albert was promoted to brigadier-general, Major Massy to +lieutenant-colonel of the 44th Line regiment; several +aides-de-camp were decorated; and finally the lieutenants, Bro, +Mainville, and I, were made captains. This promotion gave me more +than usual pleasure, since I had done nothing remarkable to earn +it, and I was only twenty-four years old. Marshal Augereau, when +he gave us our brevets of captain, said to Mainville, Bro, and +me, "Let's see which of you three is the first to become a +colonel." It was in fact I, who six years later commanded a +regiment, while my comrades were still only captains: it is also +true that in this period I had been wounded six times! + +Once we had taken up winter quarters the enemy did the same, +opposite to us but a considerable distance away. The Emperor +expected that they would let us pass the winter in peace; +however, our rest lasted only for a month; this sufficed but was +not really enough. + +The Russians, seeing the ground covered by snow and hardened by a +very sharp frost, thought that this frigid weather would give the +men from the north a great advantage over those from the south, +unaccustomed to the severe cold. They resolved therefore to +attack us, and in order to do this they moved, screened by the +immense forest which lay between us, the greater part of the +troops who faced us before Warsaw, down to the lower Vistula, +opposite the cantonments of Bernadotte and Ney, whom they hoped +to surprise and overrun by weight of numbers before the Emperor +with the other army corps could come to their aid. But Bernadotte +and Ney put up a stiff resistance, and the Emperor had sufficient +time to mount an attack with a considerable force on the enemy +rear who, seeing themselves at risk of being cut off from their +operational base, retreated towards Konigsberg (Kaliningrad). We +had therefore, on the 1st of February, to quit our billets where +we were reasonably comfortable, and restarting the war, to go and +sleep in the snow. + +At the head of the central column, commanded by the Emperor in +person, was Prince Murat's cavalry, then came Marshal Soult's +corps, supported by that of Augereau, finally came the Imperial +Guard. Marshal Davout's corps marched on the right flank of this +huge column, and Marshal Ney's on the left. Such an agglomeration +of troops heading for the same place soon strips the countryside +of whatever food supplies are available, so we suffered much from +hunger; only the Guard had wagons which carried food for +distribution, the other corps lived on whatever they could find, +that is to say they lacked practically everything. + +I am not going to give any details of the actions which preceded +the battle of Eylau, because Augereau's corps, which was in the +second line, took no part in these various contacts, of which the +most important occurred at Mohrungen, Bergfried, Guttstadt, and +Valtersdorf. But at last, before the little town of Landsberg, +the Russians, who had been chased for a week with a sword at +their backs, decided to halt and make a stand. To do this, they +placed eight elite battalions in an advantageous position, their +right bounded by a village by the name of Hoff, their left by a +thick wood, and their centre protected by a very steep-sided +ravine, which could be crossed only by a narrow bridge. Eight +cannons were placed in front of this line. + +When the Emperor arrived opposite this position, he did not think +it necessary to wait for the infantry of Marshal Soult, which was +still several leagues behind, and attacked the Russians with some +regiments of light cavalry who, dashing bravely over the bridge, +crossed the ravine; but, assailed by gunfire and grapeshot, our +squadrons were driven back in disorder into the gulch, from which +they emerged with much difficulty. The Emperor, seeing the light +cavalry repulsed, replaced them by a division of Dragoons, whose +attack, received in the same manner as before, had a similar +outcome. The Emperor then ordered the advance of General +D'Hautpoul's terrible Cuirassiers, who crossed the bridge under a +hail of grapeshot and fell on the Russian line with such ferocity +that they literally flattened it. There then ensued the most +frightful butchery; the Cuirassiers, enraged at the losses +suffered by their comrades of the Hussars and Dragoons, almost +entirely exterminated the eight Russian battalions, All were +either killed or captured! The battlefield was a scene of horror. +Never has a cavalry charge had such a devastating result. The +Emperor demonstrated his satisfaction with the Cuirassiers by +embracing their general before the whole division. General +D'Hautpoul exclaimed, "To show myself worthy of this honour, I +shall dedicate my life to your majesty." He kept his word, for +the next day he was killed on the battlefield of Eylau. What an +epoch! And what men! + +The enemy army which, from a plateau beyond Landsberg, had +witnessed the destruction of its rearguard, retired promptly +towards Eylau, and we took possession of Landsberg. On the 7th +February the Russian commander-in-chief, Benningsen, having +decided to give battle, concentrated his army around Eylau, +mainly in positions between us and the town. Murat's cavalry and +Soult's infantry took these positions after fierce fighting, for +the Russians held tenaciously to Ziegelhof, which dominates +Eylau, as they wanted to make it the centre point of their line +for the battle on the following day; but they were forced to +retreat from the town. Night seemed to have put an end to this +fighting, the prelude to the coming general action, when a +fusillade of shots rang out in the streets of Eylau. + +I know that military authors who have written about this +campaign, claim that Napoleon ordered an attack because he did +not want the town to remain in Russian hands; but I am sure that +they are mistaken, and for the following reason:-- + +When the head of Marshal Augereau's column, coming down the road +from Landsberg, drew near to Ziegelhof, the marshal climbed onto +the plateau where the Emperor was already stationed, and I +actually heard Napoleon say to Augereau, "It has been suggested +to me that we should take Eylau this evening; but, apart from the +fact that I don't like fighting at night, I do not wish to push +my centre too far forward before the arrival of Davout on my +right flank and Ney on my left. So I am going to wait for them +until tomorrow on this plateau which, furbished with artillery, +will provide a fine position for our infantry; then, when Davout +and Ney are in the line, we shall march, together, against the +enemy." Having said this, the Emperor ordered his bivouac to be +set up at the foot of the Ziegelhof, and his guard to encamp +around it. + +But while Napoleon was explaining his plans to Marshal Augereau, +who greatly approved of his prudence, the staff of the imperial +palace, coming from Landsberg with their baggage and servants, +arrived at our outposts, which were at the gates of Eylau, +without anyone telling them to stop at Ziegelhof. These +employees, used to seeing the imperial quarters very well +guarded, and not having been warned that they were almost on top +of the Russians, were interested only in selecting a good lodging +for their master, and they set themselves up in the post-house, +where they unpacked their equipment, stabled their horses, and +began to cook. In the midst of these preparations they were +attacked by a Russian patrol and would have been captured had it +not been for the intervention of the guard which always +accompanied the Emperor's baggage. At the sound of this outbreak +of firing, the troops who were in position at the gates of the +town ran to the rescue of Napoleon's equipment, which was already +being pillaged by the Russian soldiers. The Russian generals, +thinking that the French were attempting to seize Eylau, sent +reinforcements to their side, and so a sanguinary battle was +fought in the streets of the town, which ended up in our hands. + +Although this attack had not been ordered by the Emperor, he saw +no reason not to profit by it, and he set himself up in the Eylau +post-house. The Guard and Soult's troops occupied the town which +was surrounded by Murat's cavalry. Augereau's troops were +positioned in Zehen, a little hamlet in which we hoped to find +some provisions, but the Russians had taken everything with them +as they withdrew, so that our unhappy regiment, which had +received no rations for eight days, had to make do with some +potatoes and water. The equipment of the staff having been left +at Landsberg, our supper was not as good as that of the soldiers, +for we had no potatoes. Eventually, on the morning of the 8th, +when we were about to mount our horses, one of the marshal's +servants brought him some bread, and he, always generous, shared +it out amongst his aides-de-camp. After this frugal meal, which +for several of us was to be our last, the corps moved to the post +to which it had been assigned by the Emperor. + +In accordance with the plan which I explained when I started +these memoirs, I shall not weary you with too detailed a +description of the various phases of this terrible battle of +Eylau, but will limit myself to the principal events. + +On the morning of the 8th, the position of the two armies was as +follows. The Russians had their left at Serpallen, their centre +in front of Auklapen and their right at Schmoditten. They were +awaiting the arrival of eight thousand Prussians, who were +expected to go to Althoff where they would form the extreme right +wing. The enemy's front line was protected by five hundred +artillery pieces, of which a third at least were of large +calibre. The French situation was much less favourable, since +their two wings had not yet arrived. The Emperor had, at the +start of the action, only a part of the force with which he had +expected to do battle. Marshal Soult's corps was placed on the +right and left of Eylau, the Guard in the town itself, and +Augereau's corps between Eylau and Rothenen, opposite Serpellen. +The enemy formed almost a semicircle about us, and the two armies +occupied a terrain in which there were numerous ponds covered by +snow, which neither side could see. + +Neither Marshal Davout, who should have been on our right, +towards Molwitten, nor Marshal Ney, who should have been on our +left around Althoff, had yet appeared, when at daybreak, about +eight in the morning, the Russians began the attack by a violent +cannonade to which our gunners, though fewer in numbers, replied. +Though fewer, they had the advantage, however of being much +better trained than the Russians, and also of directing their +fire at masses of men who had no cover, while the Russian +cannon-balls mainly hit the walls of Eylau and Rothenen. Soon a +strong enemy column advanced with the intention of capturing the +town; it was vigourously repelled by the Guard and Marshal +Soult's troops. At this moment, the Emperor heard, with much +pleasure, that from the top of the church tower could be seen +Davout's men arriving via Molwitten and marching towards +Serpallen, from where they expelled the Russians and drove them +back to Klein-Sausgarten. + +The Russian commander, Benningsen, seeing his left beaten and his +rear menaced by the audacious Davout, resolved to crush him, and +directed the greater part of his force against him. It was then +that Napoleon, with the object of preventing this movement by +creating a diversion against the enemy centre, ordered Augereau +to attack, although he foresaw the difficulties of this +operation. + +There are on the field of battle, circumstances when one must +sacrifice some troops in order to preserve the great majority and +ensure victory. General Corbineau, the Emperor's aide-de-camp, +was killed by a cannon shot near to us while bringing to Marshal +Augereau the order to advance. The marshal passed between Eylau +and Rothenen and led his two divisions boldly against the enemy +centre, and already the 14th Line regiment who made up our +advance guard had seized the position which the Emperor had +ordered to be taken and held at all costs, when the guns which +formed a semi-circle about Augereau hurled out a storm of ball +and grape-shot of hitherto unprecedented ferocity. In an instant, +our two divisions were pulverised under this rain of iron! +General Desjardins was killed and General Heudelet gravely +wounded; however, they stood firm until the corps having been +almost entirely destroyed, the remnants were compelled to retire +to the cemetery of Eylau, with the exception of the 14th, who +almost entirely surrounded by the enemy, remained on the little +hill which they had occupied. The situation was made even worse +by a gale of wind which blew a heavy snowfall into our faces, and +reduced visibility to about fifteen paces, so that several French +batteries opened fire on us, as well as the Russians. Marshal +Augereau was wounded by a bullet. + +The devotion of 7th Corps, however, produced a good result, for, +relieved by our attack, Marshal Davout was able not only to +maintain his position, but to take Klein-Sausgarten and even push +his advance-guard as far as Kuschitten, in the enemy's rear. +Then, in an attempt to deliver a knock-out blow, Napoleon +despatched, between Eylau and Rothenen, the squadrons commanded +by Murat. This terrifying mass fell on the Russian centre, +overwhelming them, cutting them down with their sabres and +throwing them into the greatest confusion. The valiant General +D'Hautpoul was killed at the head of his Cuirassiers, as was +General Dahlmann, who had succeeded General Morland in the +command of the Chasseurs of the Guard. The success of our cavalry +allowed us to carry the day. Eight thousand Prussians, escaped +from pursuit by Marshal Ney, and arriving at Althoff, tried to +mount a new attack by advancing, one does not quite know why, on +Kuschitten instead of Eylau, but Davout drove them off, and the +arrival of Ney's corps at Schmoditten towards the end of the day, +made Benningsen fear that his line of communication would be cut, +and so he ordered a retreat in the direction of Konigsberg, +leaving the French masters of the horrible battlefield covered +with dead and dying. Since the invention of gunpowder one has not +seen such a terrible effect, for in relation to the numbers +engaged at Eylau, in comparison to all the battles, ancient or +modern, the proportion of losses was highest. The Russians had +twenty-five thousand casualties, and although the figure for +French losses has been given as ten thousand, it is my belief +that it was at least twenty thousand. A total of forty-five +thousand men, of whom more than half died! + +Augereau's corps was almost entirely destroyed. Out of fifteen +thousand combatants under arms at the beginning of the action, +there remained by evening only three thousand, under the command +of Lieutenant colonel Massy: the marshal, all the generals and +all the colonels had been either killed or wounded. + +It is difficult to understand why Benningsen, knowing that Davout +and Ney had not yet arrived, did not take advantage of their +absence to attack Eylau at daybreak with the numerous troops of +the centre of his army, instead of using precious time in +bombarding us; for his superior strength would certainly have +made him master of the town before the arrival of Davout, and the +Emperor would then have regretted having moved so far forward +instead of consolidating his position on the plateau of Ziegelhof +and awaiting the arrival of his flank forces, as he had intended +the evening before. + +The day after the battle the Emperor followed the Russians to the +gates of Konigsberg; but that town was fortified and it was +thought unwise to attack it with troops weakened by a sanguinary +battle, and what is more, almost all the Russian army was in +Konigsberg and the surrounding country. + +Napoleon spent several days at Eylau, partly to collect the +wounded and partly to reorganise his forces. The survivors of +Augereau's corps were spread amongst other units and the marshal +was given leave to return to France for the treatment of his +wound. The Emperor, seeing that the bulk of the Russian army was +now at a distance, put his troops into billets in the towns and +villages in front of the lower Vistula. There was no interesting +event during the rest of the winter, except the taking of Danzig +by our troops. Hostilities in the open country would not begin +again until the month of june, as we shall see later. + +Chap. 34. + +I did not want to interrupt the story of the battle of Eylau to +tell you what happened to me in this terrible conflict; a sad +tale, to understand which we must go back to the autumn of 1805 +when the officers of the Grande Armee were equipping themselves +in preparation for the Battle of Austerlitz. I had two good +horses and was looking for a third of a better quality, a +charger. This was something difficult to find, for although +horses were infinitely cheaper than they are today, they were +still expensive, and I did not have much money; but I had a piece +of very good luck. + +I ran into a German scholar, named M. d'Aister, whom I had known +when he was teaching at Soreze; he was now tutor to the children +of a rich Swiss banker, M. Scherer, who lived in Paris and was an +associate of M. Finguerlin, who was a very wealthy man who kept +up great state, and had a stable of many horses, amongst which +was a charming mare called Lisette, an excellent animal from +Mecklemberg, good-looking, swift as a stag, and so well schooled +that a child could ride her. But this mare had a dreadful and +fortunately rare vice: she bit like a bulldog, and attacked +furiously anyone who displeased her, which decided M. Finguerlin +to sell her. She was bought by Mme. de Lauriston, whose husband, +an aide-de-camp to the Emperor, had written to her to ask her to +buy him a charger. + +M. Finguerlin, when he sold the mare, had omitted to mention her +behaviour, and on the evening of her purchase, a groom, whom she +had torn open, was found lying at her feet. Mme. de Lauriston was +justly alarmed and demanded cancellation of the sale. Not only +was this done, but the police, in order to prevent another such +accident, required that a notice be fixed to Lisette's loose-box +informing any potential buyer of her ferocity, and that any sale +would be null and void unless the buyer declared in writing that +he was aware of this notice. + +As you may imagine, with such a recommendation, the mare was very +difficult to sell; M. d'Aister told me that her owner was +prepared to let her go for whatever was offered. I offered a +thousand francs and M. Finguerlin handed Lisette over to me, +although she had cost five thousand. For several months she gave +me a great deal of trouble; it took four or five men to saddle +her, and she could not be bridled without being blindfolded and +having all four legs tied; but once on her back one found her a +matchless ride. + +However, since during the time I had owned her she had bitten +several people, including me, I was thinking of getting rid of +her, when, having taken into my service a man called Francis +Woirland, who was scared of nothing, he, before approaching +Lisette, about whose bad character I had warned him, armed +himself with a very hot leg of roast mutton, and when she +attempted to bite him, he offered this to her, which she seized +in her teeth; but having burned her mouth and her tongue, the +mare gave a cry and dropped the gigot, and from that moment she +submitted herself to Woirland, whom she no longer dared to bite. +I tried the same trick and achieved the same result. Lisette, as +docile as a dog, allowed herself to be handled by myself and my +servant; she even became a little more tractable with the grooms +whom she saw every day, but woe betide any stranger passing too +close to her. I could give many examples of her ferocity, but I +shall limit myself to one. + +While Marshal Augereau was staying at the chateau of Bellevue, +near Berlin, the servants, having noticed that while they were at +diner, someone was coming to steal the sacks of oats from the +stable, asked Woirland to leave Lisette loose near the door. The +thief arrived, slipped into the stable and was already carrying +off one of the sacks when the mare grabbed him by the neck, +dragged him into the yard and broke two of his ribs by trampling +on him. People came running to the cries of the terrified thief, +whom Lisette was unwilling to abandon until my servant and I +persuaded her, for in her rage she would have savaged anyone +else. The wickedness of this animal had got worse since the +officer of the Saxon Hussars had treacherously stabbed her in the +shoulder on the battlefield of Jena. + +It was this mare that I was riding at the time when the remains +of Marshal Augereau's corps, shattered by a hail of cannon and +grape shot, were attempting to re-form in the area of the +cemetery. You will recall that the 14th Line regiment had stayed +alone on the little hill, which it might leave only if ordered to +do so by the Emperor. The snow having stopped for a moment, one +could see this gallant regiment almost completely surrounded by +the enemy, waving its Eagle aloft to show that it still stood +fast and needed help. The Emperor, touched by the devotion to +duty of these brave men, decided to attempt their rescue; he told +Marshal Augereau to send an officer with orders to them to quit +the hillock, form a small square and withdraw towards us; while a +brigade of cavalry would go to meet them and second their +efforts. + +This was before the great charge made by Murat and his cavalry, +and it was almost impossible to carry out the Emperor's command +because a swarm of Cossacks separated us from the 14th. It was +clear that any officer sent towards the unfortunate regiment +would be killed or captured before he got there. Nevertheless, an +order is an order; and the marshal had to obey. + +It was the custom, in the imperial army, for the aides to line up +a few paces from their general, and the one in front went off +first; when he had completed his mission, he joined the back of +the queue, so that as each took his turn to carry orders, the +dangers were shared equally. A brave captain of engineers, named +Froissart, who, although not an aide-de-camp, was attached to the +marshal's staff, was nearest to him and was sent off to carry the +order to the 14th. He left at the gallop; we lost sight of him +in the midst of the Cossacks and never saw him again, nor did we +know what became of him. + +The marshal, seeing that the 14th did not budge, sent another +officer, named David. He suffered the same fate as Froissart, and +we heard no more of him. It is likely that they were both killed, +and having been stripped of their clothing their bodies were not +recognisable among the many dead who covered the ground. For the +third time the marshal called out "An officer to take orders +"!...It was my turn. + +When he saw before him the son of his old friend, and, I think I +may dare to say, his favourite aide-de-camp, the good marshal's +face fell and his eyes filled with tears, for he could not +disguise from himself that he was sending me to an almost certain +death; but the Emperor's order had to be obeyed; I was a soldier; +no one else could take my place, I would not have allowed +something so dishonourable. So I took off! Now, while prepared +to sacrifice my life, I thought it my duty to take every +precaution which might save it. I had noticed that the two +officers who had gone before me had left with drawn sabres, which +made me think that they intended to defend themselves against the +Cossacks who would attack them during the ride. This intention +was in my opinion ill-advised, for they would have been forced to +stop and fight a multitude of enemies who, in the end, had +overwhelmed them. I adopted a different approach, and leaving my +sabre in its scabbard, I thought of myself as a rider who, to win +the prize in a race, goes as fast as possible by the shortest +route towards the winning post without taking any notice of what +is to right or left of him during his passage. Now, my winning +post being the hillock occupied by the 14th, I resolved to get +there without paying any attention to the Cossacks, whom I +blotted out of my thoughts. + +This system worked perfectly. Lisette, light as a swallow, and +flying rather than galloping, rushed through space, leaping over +the piled up bodies of men and horses, over ditches and the +broken mountings of guns, as well as the half-extinguished +bivouac fires. Thousands of Cossacks were scattered about the +plain. The first ones to see me behaved like hunters who, having +raised a hare, mark its presence by shouts of "Yours! Yours!" But +none of them tried to stop me, firstly because I was going so +fast, and also perhaps because each one thought I would be caught +by his comrades who were further on. In this way I escaped from +them all and arrived at the 14th without either I or my excellent +mare having suffered a scratch. + +I found the 14th formed in a square on top of the hillock; but +the slope of the ground was so gentle that the enemy cavalry had +been able to carry out a number of charges, which had been +vigourously repelled, so that they were surrounded by heap of the +dead bodies of horses and Russian Dragoons, which formed a sort +of rampart, and now made the position almost inaccessible to +cavalry; for even with the aid of our infantrymen, I had great +difficulty in getting over this bloody and frightful defence +work, but at last I was inside the square. + +Since the death of Colonel Savary, killed during the crossing of +the Ukra, the 14th had been commanded by a battalion commander; +when I gave this officer the order which I carried, for him to +leave his position and try to rejoin the army corps, he replied +that the enemy artillery which had been firing at them for an +hour had occasioned such heavy losses that the handful of +soldiers which he had left would inevitably be exterminated if +they went down onto the level ground; and anyway there was no +time to prepare for the execution of this movement, since a +Russian column, coming to attack, was now close to us. "I can see +no way of saving the regiment," said the battalion commander. "Go +back to the Emperor and say good-bye to him from the 14th; and +take back the Eagle which we can no longer defend." + +The Eagles of the infantry were very heavy, and their weight was +increased by the long thick pole of oak on which they were +mounted. I was bending forward and attempting to detach the +Eagle from its pole, when one of the many bullets which the +Russians were firing at us went through the back part of my hat, +very close to my head. The shock was made worse by the fact that +the hat was held on by a strong leather strap which went under my +chin, and so offered more resistance to the blow. I was partially +stunned by this, and found myself unable to move. + +However the column of Russian infantry was now climbing the +hillock; they were Grenadiers, whose headgear, garnished with +metal, looked like mitres. These men, full of liquor, flung +themselves on the feeble remnants of the 14th, who defended +themselves bravely with their bayonets, and even when the square +was broken, formed themselves into little groups and continued +for a long time the unequal struggle. In my confused state, I was +unable to react in any way; I was attacked by a drunken Russian +soldier, who thrust his bayonet into my left arm, and then, +aiming another blow at me, lost his balance and missing his mark, +he slashed Lisette's haunch. + +The pain of this injury aroused her ferocious instincts, she +grabbed the soldier with her teeth and tore away the greater part +of his face,then, kicking and biting, she forced her way through +the melee and taking the path by which we had come, she went off +at the gallop in the direction of the Eylau cemetery while, +thanks to the Hussar's saddle in which I was seated, I remained +on her back. + +As we approached Eylau a new danger arose. The snow had started +to fall again and in the poor visibility a battalion of the Guard +took me for a Russian and opened fire on me, but although my +cloak and my saddle were hit, both I and my mare were untouched. +Lisette, continuing to gallop, went through the three lines of +infantry like a grass-snake through a hedge, but this last burst +of speed drained her resources, she was losing a lot of blood +because one of the big veins in her haunch had been cut, she +collapsed suddenly and fell, throwing me to the ground, where I +was rendered unconscious. + +I must have remained in this state for about four hours, and I +was not aroused by the great charge of Murat's ninety squadrons +of cavalry, which went past me and perhaps over me. When I came +to, this is the dreadful position in which I found myself. I was +completely naked except for my hat and my right boot. A soldier +of the transport section, believing me to be dead, had despoiled +me, as was customary, and in an attempt to remove my boot, was +dragging at my leg, with one foot on my stomach. I was able to +raise the upper part of my body and to spit out some clots of +blood, my face, shoulders and chest were badly bruised, and blood +from my wounded arm reddened the rest of my body. I gazed around +with haggard eyes, and must have been a horrible spectacle. The +transport driver made off with my possessions before I could +summon my wits and address a word to him. I was too dazed and +weak to move, and unable to call for help. The cold was +increasing and I had little hope of surviving without some form +of miracle, and something like a miracle took place. + +Marshal Augereau had a valet de chambre, named Pierre Dannel, a +very intelligent boy, loyal, but inclined to be cheeky; and it so +happened that while we were at Houssaye, Dannel, having spoken +back to his master, had been given his notice. Desolated, Dannel +begged me to intercede for him, which I did with so much zeal +that he was reinstated in the marshal's good graces; since when +the valet had been devoted to me. Dannel had taken it on himself +to come from Landsberg, on the day of the battle, to bring some +victuals to his master, which he had put in a very light wagon, +able to go anywhere, and containing all the things that the +marshal used most frequently. This little wagon was driven by a +soldier who had served in the same transport unit as the man who +had stripped me. This fellow, carrying my effects, was passing +the wagon which was standing at the Eylau cemetery when, +recognising his old friend, he went up to him to show him the +lovely booty he had taken from a dead man. + +Now, while we were in cantonments by the Vistula, the marshal +having told Dannel to go to Warsaw to get some provisions, I +asked him to take my pelisse and have the black astrakhan with +which it was trimmed, removed and replaced by grey; a style newly +adopted by the aides-de-camp of Prince Berthier, who set the +fashion in the army. I was still the only one of Marshal +Augereau's officers who had grey astrakhan. + +Dannel, who was present when the transport driver displayed his +booty, easily recognised my pelisse, which made him look more +closely at the other belongings of the alleged dead man, amongst +which he saw my watch, marked with my father's initials, for it +had been his. The valet de chambre had no doubt that I had been +killed, but mourning my death, he wished to see me for the last +time, and having been led there by the transport driver, he found +me alive! + +This good fellow, to whom I owe my life, was overjoyed. He +hurried to fetch my own servant and some orderlies, who carried +me into a barn where they rubbed me down with rum, while they +sent for Dr. Raymond. When he at last arrived, he dressed the +wound in my arm and declared that the blood which I had lost +would save me. + +Soon I was surrounded by my comrades including my brother. A +reward was given to the transport rider who had taken my clothes, +which he handed over with good grace; but as they were soaked +with blood and water, Marshal Augereau had me wrapped up in +clothes of his own. + +The Emperor had given permission for Augereau to return to +Landsberg, but his wound made it impossible for him to ride a +horse; so his aides-de-camp got hold of a sledge on which they +mounted the body of a carriage. The marshal, who had decided not +to abandon me, had me strapped in beside him, for I was too weak +to sit upright. + +Before I was picked up from the battlefield, I had seen my poor +Lisette near to me. Her wound had stopped bleeding and she was +back on her feet, eating some straw which had been used by +soldiers in their bivouacs, the previous night. My servant, who +was very fond of Lisette, returned to look for her; he cut strips +of clothing from a dead soldier and dressed the wound on her +haunch, and got her fit enough to walk to Landsberg. + +The commandant of the little garrison of the town, had had the +good sense to prepare quarters for the wounded. The officers of +the staff were put into a large and comfortable inn, so that +instead of spending the night lying naked in the snow, I was +tucked into a good bed and being looked after by my brother, my +companions and the worthy Dr. Raymond. The doctor had to cut the +boot which the soldier had tried to pull off, and even so, he had +difficulty in getting it off because my foot had swollen so much. +You will see, later that this could have cost me my leg, and +perhaps even my life. + +We stayed in Landsberg for thirty-six hours. The rest and the +care given me restored my ability to move, and when, on the +second day after the battle, Marshal Augereau set off for Warsaw, +I was able, though still very weak, to travel on the sledge. The +journey took eight days, because we moved only in short stages; I +was recovering my strength little by little, but I was aware of +an icy cold in my right foot. + +On our arrival at Warsaw, I was put in a large house which had +been reserved for the marshal, which suited me very well, as I +was unable to get out of bed. The wound of my arm was healing, +the bruising of my upper body was dispersing, and my skin was +resuming its normal colour, however the doctor did not know why I +could not get up, and hearing me complain about my leg, he +decided to have a look at it, and what do you suppose he found? +My foot had become gangrenous! An accident which had occurred +many years ago was the cause of this. While I was at Soreze, my +right foot had been pierced by the foil of a fencing opponent, +which had lost its button. It seems that this injury had made my +foot more sensitive to cold, and while I was lying on the snow it +had become frostbitten, and not having been treated in time, +gangrene had set in at the site of the old fencing injury, the +area was covered by a scar the size of a five franc piece. The +doctor looked with alarm at my foot, then, taking a bistoury, and +having me held down by four servants, he picked off the scab and +dug into my foot to remove the dead flesh, just as one would cut +out the rotten part of an apple. + +I suffered greatly, at first without complaining, though it was a +different matter when the bistoury, having reached live tissue, +exposed the muscles and bones, which one could see. The doctor +then stood on a chair and having soaked a sponge in warm +sweetened wine, he allowed it to fall, drop by drop into the hole +he had made in my foot. The pain was intolerable! Nevertheless I +had to endure for a week this fearful torture, but my leg was +saved. + +Today, when one is so prodigal with decorations and promotions, +an officer who ran the risks which I had run in reaching the 14th +regiment, would certainly be rewarded; but under the Empire this +sort of devotion to duty was regarded as so normal that I was +given no medal, and never thought of asking for one. + +A long rest having been judged necessary for the cure of Marshal +Augereau's wound, the Emperor instructed him to go to France for +treatment, and brought Marshal Massena from Italy; to whom my +brother, Bro and several of my friends were appointed. Marshal +Augereau took me with him, along with his secretary and Dr. +Raymond. I had to be lifted in and out of the carriage, but +otherwise I felt my health improve the further we got away from +those frozen wastes to a more friendly climate. My mare spent the +winter in the stables of M. de Launay, the administrator of army +forage supplies. + +The marshal went by way of Rawa to Silesia. As long as we were in +dreadful Poland, where there are no metalled roads, it took +twelve and sometimes sixteen horses to drag the coach out of the +bogs and swamps through which we travelled. We went always at +walking pace and it was not until we reached Germany that we +found ourselves in a civilised country with proper roads. We +stopped at Dresden, and spent ten or twelve days at +Frankfurt-on-Main, from where we had marched the previous October +to attack Prussia. + +We finally reached Paris about the 15th of March. I could walk +with much difficulty, and had my arm in a sling, and I still felt +the effects of what I had been through, but the pleasure of +seeing my mother once more, and the care she devoted to me, +combined with the gentle influence of the returning spring, +effected my cure. + +Chap. 35. + +I spent the end of March, all of April, and the first week of May +in Paris. It was during this time that I got to know the +Desbrieres, a family of which my marriage was soon to make me a +member. I had recovered my health, and I realised that I could +not stay any longer in Paris. Marshal Augereau sent me to Marshal +Lannes who took me willingly onto his staff. + +The Emperor, in order to keep an eye on any moves which the enemy +might be tempted to make during the winter, had settled himself +in the middle of the cantonments of his troops, first at Osterode +and then at the chateau of Finkenstein, from where, while +planning a new campaign, he governed France and directed his +ministers, who, every week, sent him their reports. The +portfolios holding the various documents furnished by each +ministry were collected every Wednesday by M. Denniee the elder, +under-secretary of state for war, who sent them off on Thursdays +in the charge of a junior official whose duty it was to deliver +them into the hands of the Emperor. But this system worked very +badly because most of these officials had never been out of +France. They did not know a word of German, nor did they +understand the currency or the regulations regarding posting in +foreign countries, so they did not know how to manage matters +once they had crossed the Rhine. In addition, these gentlemen, +being unused to fatigue, soon found themselves overcome by that +of a journey of more than three hundred leagues, which lasted +continuously for ten days and ten nights. One of them was so +incompetent as to allow his despatches to be stolen. Napoleon was +so angry at this mishap that he sent a courier to Paris to tell +M. Denniee not to give the portfolios in future to officials +except those who knew Germany, and who, being able to support +fatigue and privation, could carry out their duties more +efficiently. + +M. Denniee was having great difficulty in finding anyone to fill +the post, when I turned up with a letter ordering me to report to +Marshal Lannes. Delighted to have found someone to take the next +lot of despatches, he warned me to be ready to leave on the +coming Thursday, and gave me five thousand francs for expenses +and the purchase of a carriage, which suited me very well, as I +did not have much money to get me back to the army in the depths +of Poland. + +We left Paris about the 10th of May. Both my servant and I were +armed, and if one of us left the coach the other remained on +guard. We knew enough German to keep the postilions up to the +mark, and as I was in uniform, they obeyed me with more alacrity +than they would a civilian official. So that instead of taking +the usual nine and a half or ten days over the journey, we made +it in eight and a half. + +The Emperor was delighted to have his despatches twenty-four +hours earlier than expected, and after praising the keenness +which had led me to ask to return to duty in spite of my recent +wounds, he added that as I had been so efficient a courier, I +could leave for Paris that same night to take back some other +portfolios; a task which would not prevent me from taking part in +the campaign, which could not restart before the beginning of +june. + +Although I had spent nothing like the five thousand francs which +M. Denniee had given me, the marshal of the palace gave me the +same sum to return to Paris, which I did as quickly as possible. +I stayed no more than twenty-four hours in the capital, and left +once more for Poland; the minister again gave me five thousand +francs for this third journey; it was far more than was +necessary, but that was how Napoleon wanted it. It is true that +these trips were very tiring and very boring, even though the +weather was fine. I was on the road day and night for nearly a +month in the sole company of my servant. + +I reported to the Emperor at Finkenstein, and was afraid that I +might have to continue as postman until fighting broke out, when +fortunately some replacements were found and the Emperor +authorised me to go to Marshal Lannes, to whom I reported at +Marienberg on the 25th May. He had with him Colonel Sicard, +Augereau's aide-de-camp, who had been kind enough to take charge +of my horses. It was with much pleasure that I saw once more my +mare Lisette, who was fit enough for more service. + +The fortress of Danzig, besieged by the French during the winter, +had fallen into their hands. The return of the good weather soon +saw campaigning recommence. The Russians attacked our cantonments +on the 5th of June, and were sharply repulsed at every point. On +the 10th there was a fierce encounter at Heilsberg which some +historians describe as a battle. The enemy were once more +defeated. I shall not go into any detail about this affair, since +Marshal Lannes' corps took very little part in it, not having +arrived until nightfall. We did, however, come under some heavy +fire and Colonel Sicard was mortally wounded. He had already been +wounded at Eylau, and although scarcely recovered from his +injuries, had returned to take part in the renewed fighting. +Before he died, the good colonel requested me to say his farewell +to Marshal Augereau, and gave me a letter for his wife. I was +very much upset by this painful scene. + +The army now being in pursuit of the Russians, we passed through +Eylau. The fields which we had left three months previously +covered with snow and dead bodies, were now overspread by a +delightful carpet of green, bedecked with flowers. What a +contrast! How many soldiers lay beneath those verdant meadows? I +went and sat at the place where I had fallen and been despoiled, +and where I also would have died, had not a truly providential +combination of circumstances come to my aid. Marshal Lannes +wanted to see the hillock which the 14th had so valiantly +defended. I took him there. Since the time of the battle, the +enemy had been in occupation of the place; however, we found, +still intact, the monument which all the corps of the French army +had erected to the memory of their dead comrades of the 14th, +thirty-six of whose officers had been buried in the same grave. +This respect for the dead reflected honour on the Russians. I +remained for a few moments on the spot where I had been hit by +the bullet and wounded by the bayonet, and thought of the brave +men who lay in the dust, and whose fate I had so nearly shared. + +The Russians, having been defeated on the 10th of June at +Heilsberg, retreated hastily and got a day ahead of the French +who, by the evening of the 13th, were concentrated beyond Eylau, +on the left bank of the Alle. The Russians occupied Bartenstein +on the right bank of this river, which the two armies now +descended on opposite sides. + +Benningsen, whose stores of food and ammunition were in +Konigsberg, where the Prussian corps was stationed, wanted to +reach this town before the arrival of the French, but to do so he +had to cross over onto the left bank of the Alle, where there +were the French troops. The Russian commander hoped to reach +Friedland sufficiently far ahead of the French to be able to +cross the river before they could oppose him. The same reasons +which made Benningsen wish to hold on to Konigsberg, made +Napoleon wish to capture it. He had for several days constantly +manoeuvred to out-flank the Russian left, and keep them away from +the place, in the direction of which he had sent Murat, Soult and +Davout to oppose the Russians if they arrived before us. + +The Emperor, however, did not stick to this scheme, and +foreseeing that the Russians would attempt to cross the Alle at +Friedland, he aimed to occupy the town before they did, and on +the night of the 13th-14th June, he despatched towards it the +corps of Marshal Lannes and Mortier, and three divisions of +cavalry. The rest of the army was to follow. + +Marshal Lannes, who was in the van, with the Oudinot Grenadiers +and a brigade of cavalry, having arrived at Posthenen, a league +from Friedland, sent the 9th Hussars to reconnoitre the latter +town. They were repulsed with losses, and daybreak revealed a +large part of the Russian army massed on the opposite bank of the +Alle on the high ground between Allenau and Friedland. They had +begun to cross the old town bridge, beside which they had +constructed two new ones. + +The aim of the two armies was very easily understood. The +Russians wanted to cross the Alle to get to Konigsberg, and the +French wanted to stop them and drive them back across the river, +which had very steep banks. The only crossing point was at +Friedland. The Russians had difficulty in deploying from +Friedland onto the open ground of the left bank, owing to the +fact that the way out of the town was much restricted by a large +lake, and by a stream called the Mill Stream, which ran in a very +steep-sided ravine. To protect their crossing, the Russians had +placed two strong batteries of guns on the right bank, which +could cover the town and part of the land between Posthenen and +Heinrichsdorf. + +The Emperor was still at Eylau: the various corps marching +towards Friedland were still several leagues away, when Marshal +Lannes, having marched all night, arrived before the town. The +marshal would have liked to attack the enemy immediately; but +already they had thirty thousand men drawn up on the level ground +before Friedland, and their lines, the right of which was +opposite Heinrichsdorf, the centre at the mill stream, and the +left at the village of Sortlack, were being endlessly reinforced; +while Marshal Lannes had no more than ten thousand men; however, +he deployed them skillfully in the village of Posthenen and the +woods of Sortlack, from where he threatened the Russian's left +flank, while with two divisions of cavalry he tried to stop their +advance toward Heinrichsdorf, which lay on the route from +Friedland to Konigsberg. There was a brisk exchange of fire +before Mortier's corps arrived. Mortier, to dispute with the +Russians the road to Konigsberg, while waiting for fresh +reinforcements, occupied Heinrichsdorf and the area between this +village and Posthenen. However, it was not possible that Lannes +and Mortier with twenty-five thousand men could resist the +seventy thousand Russians who would soon face them. The situation +was becoming highly critical. Marshal Lannes sent a succession of +officers to warn the Emperor to hasten the arrival of the army +corps which he knew were coming up behind him. Mounted on my +swift Lisette, I was the first to go. I met the Emperor as he was +leaving Eylau; he was beaming with pleasure! He called me to his +side, and as we galloped along, I had to explain to him what had +happened before I left the battle. When I had finished my +recital, the Emperor said to me, smiling, "Have you a good +memory?" "Passable, Sir," I replied. "Well what anniversary is +this, the 14th of June?" "Marengo" I said "Yes! Yes! The +anniversary of Marengo," said the Emperor, "and I shall beat the +Russians as I beat the Austrians!" + +Napoleon was so convinced about this, that as he went along the +columns, where the men greeted him with many cheers, he said to +them repeatedly "Today is a lucky day, it is the anniversary of +Marengo!" + +Chap. 36. + +It was after eleven o'clock when Napoleon arrived on the +battlefield, where several corps had already come to join Lannes +and Mortier. The remainder, including the Guard, were arriving +one by one. Napoleon readjusted the line: Ney was on the right, +positioned in the wood at Sortlack; Lannes and Mortier formed the +centre, between Posthenen and Heinrichsdorf; the left stretched +out beyond this last village. The heat was overpowering. The +Emperor gave the troops an hour's rest, after which, at the +signal of a volley by twenty-five guns, a general attack would +begin. + +Marshal Ney's corps had the most difficult task, for they were to +come out of their hiding place in the woods of Sortlack, fight +their way into Friedland, which was filled with the main forces +and reserves of the enemy, seize the bridges and thus cut off the +Russian's way of retreat. + +It is difficult to understand why Benningsen had placed his +forces in front of the narrow exit from Friedland, and with their +backs to the Alle with its steep banks, in the presence of the +French who commanded the open country. The explanation given +later by the Russian general was that having been a day ahead of +Napoleon, he did not believe that the French troops could cover +in twelve hours a distance which had taken his men twenty-four +hours, and he had thought that Lannes' corps was an isolated +advance-guard of the French army, which he could easily crush. +When this illusion had been dissipated, it was too late to bring +his army back to the other bank because the narrow defile at +Friedland would have caused certain disaster, so he preferred to +stand and fight. + +At about one in the afternoon, the twenty-five guns at Posthenen, +given the order by the Emperor, fired a volley, and battle was +joined all along the line. At first our left and our centre moved +very slowly to give the right, commanded by Ney, time to capture +the town. The marshal, emerging from Sortlack wood, took the +village of that name and advanced rapidly towards Friedland, +sweeping aside everything in his path; but as they moved forward +from the wood and the village of Sortlack to the first houses of +Friedland, Ney's troops were exposed to the fire of the Russian +batteries which, positioned behind the town on the heights of the +opposite bank, caused them severe losses. This fire was made more +dangerous by the fact that the gunners, separated from us by the +river, could aim their guns in safety, knowing that our infantry +could not attack them. This serious problem could have led to the +failure of the attack on Friedland, but Napoleon overcame it by +sending General Senarmont with fifty guns, which he placed on the +left bank of the Alle, and subjected the Russian batteries to +such heavy fire that they were soon silenced. As soon as the +enemy fire had ceased, Marshal Ney resumed his advance, driving +the Russians back into Friedland, and mingled in confusion with +them, entered the streets of the unfortunate town, where the +mortar bombs had started a huge fire. + +A savage bayonet fight ensued in which the Russians, crammed +together and scarcely able to move, suffered enormous losses! ... +At last, in spite of their courage, they were compelled to +retreat in disorder and seek refuge by crossing the bridges to +the other bank; but General Senarmont had moved his guns into a +position from which he could fire on the bridges, which he soon +broke, after killing many of the Russians who were attempting to +escape across them. All those who remained in Friedland were +either killed, captured or drowned while trying to cross the +river. + +Up until this point, Napoleon had, so to speak, made his left and +his centre mark time; he now moved them rapidly forward. General +Gortschakoff, who commanded the centre and right wing of the +enemy, attempted, bravely, to recapture the town, (which would +have been of no use, because the bridges were down, although he +did not know that). He charged at the head of his men into the +burning Friedland; but driven out by Ney, who was occupying the +town, and forced back into the open, he found himself confronting +our centre, who drove him back to the Alle at Kloschenen. The +Russians defended themselves heroically and refused to surrender +although completely surrounded. Many of them were killed by our +bayonets, the remainder rolled down the steep banks into the +river, where a large number were drowned. + +The extreme right of the enemy was composed mostly of cavalry who +tried during the battle to capture or outflank the village of +Heinrichsdorf; but driven off by our troops, they went back to +the banks of the Alle, under the command of General Lambert, who, +seeing that Friedland was in the hands of the French and that the +Russian left and centre were defeated, gathered all he could of +the regiments of the right wing and made off from the battlefield +down the side of the Alle. Nightfall prevented the French from +following, so his was the only body of Russian troops to escape +the disaster. + +Our victory was one of the most complete; we captured all the +Russian guns; we did not take a many prisoners during the action, +but a great many of the enemy were killed or wounded, amounting +to more than twenty-six thousand; our losses were no more than +three thousand dead and four or five thousand wounded. Of all the +battles fought by the Emperor, this was the only one in which the +number of his troops exceeded that of the enemy. The French +strength was eighty thousand and the Russian's only seventy-five +thousand. The remnants of the Russian army marched in disorder +all night, and retired behind the River Pregal, having destroyed +the bridges. + +Marshals Soult, Davout and Murat had not been involved in the +battle of Friedland, but their presence induced the Russians to +abandon Konigsberg, which town our troops entered. We found there +an immense store of all kinds of material. + +I did not suffer any injury during the battle, though I ran into +a number of dangers. You saw how I left Posthenen in the morning, +on Marshal Lannes' orders, to go as quickly as possible to warm +the Emperor that the Russians were crossing the Alle, and that a +battle appeared imminent. Napoleon was at Eylau; I had therefore +to make a journy of about six leagues to reach him, which would +have presented no difficulty to my excellent mare if the road had +been clear, but as it was congested by the troops of various +units hurrying to the aid of Marshal Lannes at Friedland, there +was no way in which I could gallop along it. I therefore went +across country, which meant that Lisette, having had to jump +hedges, fences and ditches, was already very tired when I met the +Emperor, who was just leaving Eylau. However, I had, without a +moment of rest, to return with him to Friedland, and although +this time the troops moved to one side to let us pass, my poor +mare, having galloped over twelve leagues altogether, six of them +being across country, and in very hot weather, was utterly +exhausted by the time I had rejoined Marshal Lannes on the +battlefield. I realised that Lisette could not continue to carry +me during the action, so, taking advantage of the rest which +Napoleon allowed the troops, I set out to look for my servant, in +order to change horses; but in the middle of such a large +collection of troops there was not much hope of finding him. It +was, in fact, impossible, and I went back to the staff still +mounted on the weary Lisette. + +Marshal Lannes and my comrades, who saw my problem, had advised +me to dismount and allow my mare a few hour's rest, when I caught +sight of a Hussar leading a horse which he had captured from the +enemy. I took it over, and gave Lisette to one of the troopers of +the marshal's escort, so that he could take her back behind the +lines, let her have some food and hand her over to my servant, +when he could find him. I then got astride my new mount, took my +place among the aides-de-camp, and when it came to my turn, I +went off. + +I was, at first, very pleased with my fresh horse, until the time +came when, Marshal Ney having gone into Friedland, Marshal Lannes +sent me to warn him of an enemy movement. I had barely entered +the town when this devil of a horse, which had behaved so well in +the open country, finding itself in a little square, where all +the houses were on fire and the street covered with burning +planks and furniture, in the midst of which a number of bodies +were being roasted, was so frightened by the sight of the flames +and the smell of burning flesh that it would go neither forward +nor back, and, digging in its heels, it remained motionless, +snorting loudly, and no amount of spurring would persuade it to +move. Now the Russians, having gained a momentary advantage, +pushed our men back to the point where I was, and from the height +of a church and some neighbouring houses, they were raining down +bullets, while two guns which they carried with them fired +grape-shot at the soldiers among whom I was. + +Many men were killed around me, which recalled to my mind the +position in which I had found myself at Eylau in the middle of +the 14th. As I was not anxious to be wounded again and in any +case, in staying where I was I was not carrying out my mission, I +simply dismounted, and abandoning my infernal mount, I slipped +through the houses to contact Marshal Ney at another spot, which +was pointed out by some officers. + +I was with him for some fifteen minutes; there were some bullets +flying around, but nothing like so many as there had been at the +place where I had left my mount. The Russians were eventually +driven back at bayonet point and forced to retreat toward the +bridges, whereupon Marshal Ney sent me to take the good news to +Marshal Lannes. To get out of the town, I took the same route as +I had taken to get in, and went through the little square where I +had left my horse. It had been the scene of a fierce encounter +which had left many dead and dying, among whom I saw my stubborn +horse, its back broken by a cannon-ball, and its body riddled by +bullets!.... From there I made for the outskirts in something of +a hurry because the burning houses were collapsing on all sides +and I was afraid of being buried beneath the debris. At last I +got out of the town and reached the edge of the lake. + +The heat of the day, added to that of the fire which was raging +in the streets through which I had passed, had bathed me in +sweat, and I was dropping with fatigue and hunger, for I had +spent a night on horseback to come from Eylau to Friedland, I had +galloped back to Eylau and returned to Friedland once more, and +had not eaten since the previous evening. I was not looking +forward, therefore, to crossing, under a blazing sun, the large +area covered with high standing corn which separated me from +Marshal Lannes. But once again I had a stroke of luck. General +Grouchy's division of dragoons had been engaged not far away in a +sharp encounter in which, although victorious, they had lost a +number of men, and the colonels had, as was usual, collected the +horses of the men who had been killed and put them in the hands +of a detachment which would lead them away. I saw this body of +men, of which every trooper was leading four or five horses and +was taking them to the lake to drink. + +I spoke to the officer in charge who, encumbered by all these led +horses, was only too glad to let me have one, which I promised to +return to his regiment in the evening. He picked out for me an +excellent beast, which had been the mount of a sous-officier +killed during the charge; astride of this horse, I returned +rapidly to Posthenen. + +I had hardly left the edge of the lake when it became the theatre +of the most savage encounter, which was due to the desperate +attempt made by Gortschakoff to reopen a way of retreat by +capturing the road to Friedland which was held by Marshal Ney. +Caught between the marshal's troops and those of our centre, who +were now advancing, Gortschakoff's Russians defended themselves +bravely amongst the houses bordering the lake; so that if I had +stayed there, where I had thought of resting for a while, I would +have landed in the middle of this fierce outbreak of fighting. I +rejoined Marshal Lannes at the moment when he was moving towards +the lake to attack the rear of the Russian troops whom Ney was +driving away from the front of the town, and I was able to give +him some useful information about the terrain on which we were +fighting. + +If the French army did not take many prisoners during the battle +of Friedland, it was a different matter the next day and the days +following; for the Russians, pursued with a bayonet at their +backs, thrown into complete disorder and utterly exhausted, were +abandoning their ranks and lying down in the fields, where we +captured a great number. We also collected a large quantity of +artillery. All those members of Benningsen's army who escaped +hurried back across the Nieman, behind which was the Russian +emperor who, perhaps recalling the danger to which he had been +exposed at Austerlitz, had judged it unwise to assist in person +at the battle of Friedland; and two days after our victory he +hastened to ask Napoleon for an armistice, to which Napoleon +agreed. + +Three days after the battle the French army reached the town of +Tilsit and the river Nieman, which at this point is only a few +leagues from the frontiers of the Russian empire. + +The rear of a victorious army presents a most dismal spectacle. +The path of their advance is strewn with the dead, dying, and +wounded, while the survivors, soon forgetting those comrades who +have fallen in the fighting, rejoice in their success and go +forward cheerfully to new adventures. Our men were delighted to +see the Nieman, whose opposite bank was occupied by the remains +of that Russian army which they had defeated in so many +engagements; and where, in contrast to their own lighthearted +songs, there reigned a mournful silence. Napoleon established +himself at Tilsit, and his troops encamped around the town. The +Nieman separated the two armies; the French occupied the left +bank and the Russians the right. + +The Emperor Alexander having requested a meeting with Napoleon, +this took place on the 25th of June, in a pavilion on a raft +anchored in the middle of the river, in sight of the two armies +which lined the banks. It was a most imposing spectacle. The two +emperors arrived, each from his own side, accompanied by only +five of the principal officers of their armies. Marshal Lannes, +who flattered himself that he should accompany the Emperor, saw +himself displaced by Marshal Bessieres, an intimate friend of +Prince Murat; and he never forgave the marshals for depriving him +of what he considered his right. + +So Marshal Lannes stayed with us on the quay at Tilsit, from +where we saw the two emperors embrace on meeting, which +occasioned much cheering from both camps. The next day, the 26th, +in the course of a second interview which took place once more in +the pavilion on the Nieman, the Russian emperor presented to +Napoleon his unfortunate friend, the King of Prussia. This prince +whom the fortunes of war had stripped of a vast kingdom, leaving +him only the small town of Memel and some miserable villages, +maintained a bearing worthy of a descendant of Frederick the +Great: Napoleon greeted him politely but coolly, for he +considered that he had reason to complain of his conduct, and he +planned to confiscate the greater part of his states. + +To facilitate the meetings of the two Emperors, the town of +Tilsit was declared neutral, and Napoleon handed over half of it +to the Russian emperor, who set himself up there with his Guard. +The two sovereigns spent some twenty days together, during which +time they decided the fate of Europe. During these proceedings, +the King of Prussia was relegated to the right bank, and had no +quarters in Tilsit, which he visited but rarely. One day Napoleon +went to call on the Queen of Prussia, who was said to be greatly +distressed. He invited her to dine with him on the following day. +She accepted the invitation, no doubt with little pleasure, but +realising that at a time when peace was being sought it was +necessary to take every measure to soften the heart of the +victor. + +Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia thoroughly detested one +another: she had grossly insulted him in several proclamations, +and he had returned the complement in his bulletins. Their +meeting, however, did not display their mutual hatred; Napoleon +was respectful and attentive, the queen gracious in her attempts +to captivate her former enemy; attempts made all the more +determinedly as she was not unaware that the peace treaty +created--under the name of the kingdom of Westphalia--a new +state, whose territory was to be provided by the electorate of +Hesse, and by Prussia itself. + +The Queen was resigned to the loss of several provinces, but she +could not accept the loss of the fortified city of Magdeberg, +possession of which was needed for the security of Prussia. For +his part, Napoleon, who planned to nominate his brother Jerome as +King of Westphalia, intended to add Magdeberg to this new state. +It appears that, during the meal, the Queen deployed her not +inconsiderable charms, and when Napoleon, to change the +conversation, praised a superb rose which the Queen was wearing, +she said to him, "Would your majesty not accept this rose in +return for Magdeberg?" A more chivalrous person might have +accepted, but Napoleon was too much of a realist to be won over +by a pretty proposition. One may be sure that he restricted +himself to admiring the beauty of the rose and also of the hand +which proffered it, but he did not take the flower, which brought +tears to the Queen's eyes. The conqueror, however, did not seem +to notice. He kept Magdeberg and politely conducted the Queen to +the boat which was to carry her to the opposite bank. + +During our stay at Tilsit, Napoleon held a review of his Guard +and the army in the presence of Alexander, who was impressed by +the martial air and bearing of these troops. The Russian Emperor, +in his turn, put on display some fine battalions of his Guard, +but he did not dare to parade his line regiments, whose numbers +had been so greatly reduced at Heilsberg and Friedland. As for +the King of Prussia, of whose regiments there remained only the +broken debris, he did not exhibit them at all. + +Napoleon drew up, with Russia and Prussia, a peace treaty in +which the principal articles related to the creation of the +kingdom of Westphalia for the benefit of Jerome Bonaparte. The +elector of Saxony, now an ally and friend of France, was elevated +to the dignity of king, and was awarded, in addition, the Grand +Duchy of Warsaw, composed of a vast province of the former +Poland, which was recovered from the Russians. I shall not go +into the less important articles of the treaty, which resulted in +the re-establishment of peace between the great powers of +continental Europe. + +In elevating his brother to the throne of Westphalia, Napoleon +added to the mistakes he had already made in awarding the kingdom +of Naples to Joseph and that of Holland, Louis. The people of +these countries felt humiliated at being ruled by foreigners who +had not themselves done anything of importance and who were, in +fact, nonentities, who had no merit except that of being +Napoleon's brothers. The dislike and distrust which these new +kings attracted contributed largely to the Emperor's downfall. +The conduct of the King of Westphalia in particular made very +many enemies for Napoleon. + +Having concluded the treaty, the two Emperors parted with mutual +assurances of friendship, which at the time seemed sincere. + +Chap. 37. + +The French army was spread out into the various provinces of +Germany and Poland under the command of five marshals, in whose +number Lannes had asked not to be included, since his ill-health +required his return to France. If I had been his permanent +aide-de-camp, I would have had to return with him, but I had an +even better reason for going, and that was to rejoin Marshal +Augereau, to whose staff I had not ceased to belong, my +attachment to Marshal Lannes being only temporary. I made ready +to return to Paris: I sold, as well as possible, my two horses, +and I sent Lisette to the registrar-general, M. de Launey, who, +having taken a liking to her, had asked me to let him have her +when I had no further use for her. Her injuries and hard work +had calmed her down, and I lent her to him for an indefinite +period; he mounted his wife on her, and kept her for seven or +eight years until she died a natural death. + +During the twenty days which the Emperor had spent at Tilsit, he +had despatched a great many officers, some to Paris, some to +other parts of the empire, so that there were hardly any left +available for duty. Napoleon did not want to take officers from +their regiments, so he ordered a list to be made of all those who +had joined the campaign voluntarily and those who did not belong +to any army corps nor to the staff of any of the five marshals +who were in command. I was included in this list, and felt sure +that the Emperor, for whom I had already carried despatches, +would choose me in preference to officers whom he did not know; +and indeed, the Emperor sent for me on the 9th of July, and +having given me some voluminous portfolios and some despatches +for the King of Saxony, ordered me to go to Dresden and await him +there. The Emperor intended to leave Tilsit that same day, but +was going on a long detour to visit Konigsberg, Marienwerder, and +Silesia, so that I would be several days ahead of him. + +I crossed Prussia once more, and saw again several of our +battlefields; I went through Berlin and arrived at Dresden two +days before the Emperor. The court of Saxony was aware that a +peace had been agreed, and that it raised the elector to the rank +of king, and awarded him the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, but they did +not yet know that the Emperor was to pass through Dresden on his +way to Paris; it was I who gave this information to the new king. + +You may imagine the result of this! ...Immediately the court, the +town, and the army were thrown into a turmoil to organise a grand +reception for the great Emperor who, after having so generously +restored to liberty the Saxon troops captured at Jena, had loaded +their sovereign with honours! I was received with enthusiasm; I +was lodged in the chateau in a fine apartment, where I was +magnificently cared for, and the king's aides-de-camp showed me +round all the interesting sights of the palace and the town. +Eventually the Emperor arrived, and in accordance with the +protocol, which I already knew, I hurried to hand over the +portfolios to M. Meneval, and to ask for the Emperor's further +orders. These I found agreeable, for I was instructed to carry +some fresh portfolios to Paris, and the Emperor gave me a letter +which I was to deliver personally to the Empress Josephine. The +marshal of the palace, M. Duroc, gave me eight thousand francs to +cover the expense of the journey from Tilsit to Dresden and from +Dresden to Paris. I took to the road in high spirits: I had just +taken part in three fine campaigns, during which I had been +promoted to captain, and had been noticed by the Emperor; we were +about to enjoy the delights of peace, which would allow me to +spend a long time with my mother; I was fully recovered; I had +never had so much money; everything conspired to make me happy, +and I was very happy. + +I arrived at Frankfurt-on-main, where a lieutenant colonel of the +Imperial Guard named M. de L... was in command. The Emperor had +given me a letter for this officer, from whom he wanted, I think, +some confidential information, for M. de L... was in touch with +M. Savary, who ran the secret police. This colonel invited me to +dine with him, after which he conducted me back to my coach; but +as I got in I noticed a fair sized package which was not part of +my despatches. I was about to call for my batman to get an +explanation for this, when Colonel de L... stopped me, and told +me, in an undertone, that the package contained some dresses in +Berlin knitwear and other materials banned in France, and was +destined for the Empress Josephine, who would be much obliged to +me for bringing them to her! I recalled only too well the cruel +anxieties I had suffered as a result of the false report which I +had been persuaded to give the Emperor regarding the numerical +strength of the "Chasseurs a Cheval" at Austerlitz, to consent to +be engaged once more in some underhand business: so I flatly +refused. To be sure I would have liked to please the Empress, but +I was aware of the inflexible severity with which Napoleon +treated those found guilty of smuggling, and after facing so many +dangers, and shedding so much of my blood in battle, I had no +wish to sacrifice whatever merit I had gained in the eyes of the +Emperor by transgressing his laws in order to draw a smile of +thanks from the Empress. To overcome my objections Colonel de +L... pointed out that the package had several wrappings, of which +the outermost, addressed to the minister for war, bore the seal +of the 7th Light Infantry and the designation "Record of +accounts." He was sure that the customs would not dare open such +a package, the outer covering of which I could remove when I +reached Paris and deliver the stuff to the Empress without being +compromised; but in spite of all this fine reasoning, I +absolutely refused to take part in this transaction and ordered +the postilion to set off. When we arrived at the post-house, half +way between Frankfurt and Mainz, I took my batman to task for +having taken into the coach this extra package; he replied that +during dinner time, M. de L... himself had put these packages +into the coach: he had supposed that they contained more +despatches, and had not thought that he could refuse to accept +them from the hands of the commanding officer in person. "Did you +say packages?" I cried, "were there then several? He took away +only one." And now, rummaging amongst the Emperor's portfolios, I +found a second package of contraband which the colonel had put +into my trunk without my knowledge. I was taken aback by this +trickery and was tempted to throw the dresses onto the highway. +However I did not dare, and I continued my journey, determined +that if the contraband was seized I would explain how it had been +put into my coach, and by whom the stamp of the 7th Light +Infantry had been put on the wrapping; for I had no wish to face +the anger of Napoleon; but as this defence would have compromised +the Empress,I decided that I would use it only as a last resort, +and that I would make every effort to avoid my coach being +examined. A stroke of luck and a little subterfuge got me out of +this dilemma. + +I arrived, very worried, at the bridge over the Rhine at Mainz, +which separates Germany from France, and my anxiety was increased +by the sight of the great collection of customs officers and +soldiers in unifor, who were waiting round this frontier. When my +carriage was stopped, in the usual manner, two men arrived +simultaneously at the door; one was a customs officer, to carry +out a search, and the other was an aide-de-camp to Marshal +Kellerman, who was in command of the station, and who wanted to +know if the Emperor was on his way. This is my chance! I thought +to myself, and pretending not to notice the customs officer, I +replied to the aide-de-camp, "The Emperor is coming behind me." +This was no lie, he was indeed following me, but at an interval +of two days...which I did not think it necessary to add. + +My words were heard by all around me and threw them into a state +of frenzied activity. The aide-de-camp went off across the bridge +at the gallop, at risk of tumbling into the Rhine in his haste to +warn Marshal Kellerman. The guard took up their arms. The customs +men and their superiors tried to arrange themselves in the most +military manner possible in order to look good in front of the +Emperor and, as my carriage got in their way, they told the +postilion to clear off....So there I was! Freed from their +clutches! + +I went on to the posting-house and quickly changed horses; but +while this was being done, a violent storm broke over Mainz and +the rain began to fall in torrents. It was five o'clock in the +afternoon, dinner time; but on the news of the approaching +arrival of the Emperor, the general alarm was beaten throughout +the town; on which signal the marshal, generals, prefect, mayor, +civil and military authorities, all threw down their napkins, and +hastily donning their best clothes, they went in the pouring rain +through the streams of water running in the streets to take up +their posts; while I, who was the cause of all this commotion, +was laughing my head off as I made off at full speed drawn by +three good post-horses. + +In view of the fact that the Empress was willing to disobey her +august spouse by wearing clothes made of prohibited material, and +that a colonel was willing to slip contraband into my coach +without my knowledge, the trick which I had played seemed to me +to be excusable. In any case, since it was June, the soaking +which I had caused these Mainz officials to undergo would do no +harm except to their clothes. When I was far from Mainz, I could +still hear the sound of drums, and I learned afterwards that they +had stayed up all night. The Emperor arrived two days later, but +as he had had an accident to his coach, the good citizens of +Mainz blamed that for the delay of which their fine clothes were +the victims. I was heading swiftly and happily towards Paris, +when a most disagreeable accident interrupted my progress, and +turned my happiness to annoyance. You will understand that when a +sovereign travels, it would be impossible to supply a change of +horses for the numerous carriages which precede and follow him, +if the staging posts were not reinforced by horses, known as "de +tournee", brought from posts established on other routes. Now, as +I was leaving Dombasle, a little town this side of Verdun, a +confounded postilion "de tournee" who had arrived the night +before, not having noticed a steep hill which one encounters +after leaving the staging post, lost control of his horses during +the descent and overturned my carriage, breaking the springs and +the bodywork. To make matters worse, it was a Sunday and all the +population had gone to a fete in a neighbouring village, so that +I could not find a workman. Those that I found the next day were +so unskillful that I had to spend two mortal days in this +miserable place. + +I was about to set out again when an outrider having announced +the arrival of the Emperor, I took the liberty of stopping his +coach to tell him of the accident which I had suffered. He +laughed, took back the letter for the Empress which he had given +me, and went on his way. I followed him to St. Cloud, from where, +after giving the portfolios to the cabinet secretary, I went to +my mother's home in Paris. + +I took up once more my position as aide-de-camp to Marshal +Augereau, a very easy task, as it consisted of going every month +to spend one or two weeks at La Houssaye, where daily life was +always so amusing. Thus rolled by the end of the summer and the +autumn; during which time the Emperor's policies were leading +towards fresh events and storms whose terrible commotions would +nearly swallow me up; me, a very small personage, who, in his +carefree youth, thought of nothing but enjoying life, after +having seen death at such close quarters. + +It has been rightly said that the Emperor was never so great and +powerful as in 1807, when, after defeating the Austrians, the +Russians and the Prussians, he had concluded a peace so +favourable to France and to himself. But scarcely had Napoleon +ended his war against the northern powers, when his evil genius +drove him to undertake one even more terrible, in the south of +Europe, in the Iberian peninsula. + +End of Volume 1, The Memoirs of General the Baron de Marbot. +Translated by Oliver C. Colt + + + + + + + +The Memoirs of General the Baron de Marbot. Translated by +Oliver C. Colt + +Contents of Volume 2. + +Chap. 1. My marriage. Farewell to Massena. + +Chap. 2. Biography of Massena. + +Chap. 3. 1812. Appointed to 23rd Chasseurs. The intrigues of +Count Czernicheff. + +Chap. 4. War becomes inevitable. Warnings given to Napoleon. The +Imperial court at Dresden. Faulty composition of army. + +Chap. 5. Review by the Emperor. The army at the Nieman. Notes on +historians of the 1812 campaign. Bernadotte's attitude. The +Poles. + +Chap. 6. Crossing of Nieman. Entry into Wilna. I meet the enemy. +The 23rd at Wilkomir. Problems in Lithuania. The advance. + +Chap. 7. The Russian army split. Bagration escapes from Jerome. +Fruitless attack on Dvinaberg. I defeat two of Wittgenstein's +units. We leave the Grande Armee. Composition of 2nd Corps. + +Chap. 8. Jakobovo and Kliastitsoui. I am wounded. + +Chap. 9. The marsh at Sebej. Retreat. The ford at Sivotschina. +Death of Koulnieff. A last farewell. + +Chap. 10. Fresh withdrawal by Oudinot. Marches and +countermarches. Retreat to Polotsk. General St. Cyr. Oudinot is +wounded. St. Cyr takes over. + +Chap. 11. Surprise attack on the enemy. Various incidents. We +settle in Polotsk. + +Chap. 12. The advance of the Grande Armee. Capture of Smolensk. +The battle for Moscow. + +Chap. 13. Bad news from Spain. Rostopschine. The fire of Moscow. +Revival of the Russian army. Koutousoff's treachery. + +Chap. 14. Decision to retreat. Napoleon forced to change route. I +become a Colonel. Bravery of Ney as rearguard. + +Chap. 15. Situation of 2nd Corps. Bavarian demoralisation. +Mission to Count Lubenski. + +Chap. 16. The Austrians defect. The defence of Polotsk. +Wittgenstein captured but escapes. The Bavarians leave us. We +join Marshal Victor. + +Chap. 17. Oudinet returns and separates from Victor. Grave +situation of the army. Loss and recapture of Borisoff. The bridge +over the Beresina burnt. We collect much booty from Borisoff. + +Chap. 18. Corbineau rejoins 2nd Corps. The enemy are deceived. + +Chap. 19. Loss of Partouneaux's division. The catastrophe at the +Beresina. 2nd Corps forms the rearguard. I am wounded again. + +Chap. 20.Intense cold. Thieving in the army. Arrival at Wilna. +Using sledges. Arrival at Kovno. Crossing the Vistula. + +Chap. 21. Causes of our disaster. + +Chap. 22. Worrying general situation. Incompetent administration. +Question the retention of fortresses. The state of France. I go +to the depot at Mons. + +Chap. 23. New hostilities on the Elbe. Battles of Lutzen and +Bautzen. An armistice. I rejoin the regiment. The state of the +army. Napoleon should negotiate. + +Chap. 24. The armistice broken. Treachery of Jomeni. A painful +check. + +Chap. 25. The battle of Dresden. Vandamme at Kulm. + +Chap. 26. Oudinot and Macdonald both suffer defeat. The plateau +of Jau‰r. We recross the Katzbach. + +Chap. 27. Forces concentrate at Dresden. The Baskirs. + +Chap. 28. The battle of Leipzig. + +Chap. 29. Vain attempt at armistice. Battle of 18th October. +Bernadotte fights against us. Indecisive result of fighting. + +Chap. 30. A critical situation. Lack of preparation for a +retreat. The allies enter Leipzig. Premature destruction of the +bridge over the Elster. + +Chap. 31. I gather the remnants of our army at the Elster. The +retreat to the Saale. Erfurt. The army reached Hanau. + +Chap. 32. The battle of Hanau. The retreat continues. + +Chap. 33. The last events of 1813. Dresden surrendered. Disasters +in Spain. The situation in Italy and the Tyrol. + +Chap. 34. I am nominated commandant of the department of +Jemmapes. A difficult position. Our troops are recalled to Paris. + +Chap. 35. Napoleon's last stand. Resistance becomes impossible. +Inadequate measures taken to defend Paris. Belated return of the +Emperor to the capital. Paris should have been held. Underhand +plotting against Napoleon. + + + +Volume 2. + +Chap. 1. + +My brother and the rest of Massena's aides-de-camp made haste to +leave Spain and come to join us in Paris, where I remained all +summer and the following autumn. I went each month to spend some +days at the Chateau de Bonneuil, the home of M. and Mme. +Desbrieres. During my absence the Desbrieres had been most +friendly towards my mother, and on my return the affection I had +felt for a long time for their daughter was increased, and I was +shortly permitted to ask for her hand in marriage. The marriage +was agreed, and I even had, for a time, the hope of being +promoted to colonel before this important ceremony took place. + +It was the accepted thing for the Emperor to sign the marriage +contract of any of the colonels in the army, but he only very +rarely accorded this favour to officers of lower rank, and they +were required to inform the minister for war of the reasons which +led them to ask for this distinction. I based my request on what +the Emperor had said to me when I saw him on the eve of the +battle of Marengo. He had said to me, speaking of my father who +had died during the siege of Genoa, "If you behave yourself and +follow in his footsteps, I, myself, will be your father." I added +that since that day I had been wounded eight times, and was +conscious that I had always done my duty. + +The minister, Clarke, a very stern character, who almost always +rejected requests of this sort, agreed that mine merited +consideration, and promised me that he would submit it to his +majesty. He kept his word, for a few days later I was ordered to +report to the Emperor at the chateau of Compiegne, and to bring +with me the notary who held the contract of marriage; this was +the good M. Mailand, with whom I set off in a post carriage. + +When we arrived, the Emperor had gone hunting: not that he much +enjoyed the sport, but he thought that he should copy the former +kings of France. The signing was therefore put off until the next +day, which greatly upset M. Mailand who was awaited in Paris. But +what could one do? + +On the following day we were presented to the Emperor, whom we +found in the apartment where, twenty years later, I have so often +served as aide-de-camp to princes of the House of Orleans. My +contract was signed in the salon where later was signed that of +the King of Belgium with Princess Louise, the daughter of King +Louis-Phillipe of France. + +During these short interviews, Napoleon was always very affable. +He addressed some questions to the notary, asked me if my fiancee +was pretty, what was her dowry, etc. etc. On dismissing me he +said that he would like to see me in a good position, and that he +would soon reward me for my good services. For a moment I saw +myself as a colonel, and this hope was reinforced when, on +leaving the Imperial presence, I was accosted by General Mouton, +Comte de Lobau, who assured me confidentially that the Emperor +had put my name on a list of officers to whom he wished to give +the command of a regiment. My pleasure on hearing this was +increased by my knowledge that the Comte de Lobau, an +aide-de-camp to Napoleon, was responsible under the minister for +war, for military promotions. I returned to Paris full of joy and +hope! I was married on the 14th November following. + +I was happy in the bosom of my family, and expected every day my +brevet as colonel, when I was told by the minister for war that I +was to be posted as Major to the 1st regiment of Mounted +Chasseurs, then in garrison in the depths of Germany. I was much +downcast at this news, for it seemed to me most hurtful that I +should be sent once more to serve as a simple squadron commander, +a rank in which I had been wounded three times and had campaigned +from Wagram to Portugal. I could not understand why I was being +treated like this, after what the Emperor and the Comte de Lobau +had said to me. It was the latter who gave me the key to this +puzzle. + +Massena, on his entry into Portugal, had fourteen aides-de-camp, +of whom six were senior officers. Two of these, MM. Pelet and +Casabianca, were made colonels during the campaign; they were +senior to me and had amply fulfilled their duties. Their +promotion seemed to make mine the more certain since I now became +the most senior squadron commander on the staff. The man in the +fifth place was M. Barain, who was a captain when I joined the +staff. M. Barain had lost a hand at Wagram, and was promoted to +major, which was fair; however, the Emperor in advancing him to +this rank had designated him for work in the arsenals, work which +can easily be done with an arm missing. Massena had expected that +M. Barain would remove himself, but the latter insisted on going +with him to Portugal, although he could not carry out any mission +in such difficult country. No one thought therefore that he would +get any further promotion. + +It so happened, however, that M. Barain was a nephew of M. +Francois de Nantes, the director of legal codification, who had +found numerous positions for members of Massena's family. M. +Francois de Nantes demanded in return that his nephew, Barain, +should be recommended for the rank of colonel. The marshal, +forced to choose between me and Barain, chose Barain. I learned +from the Comte de Lobau that the Emperor was reluctant to sign, +but that he eventually yielded to the insistence of the worthy +director who had come to add weight personally to the only +request he had yet made on the behalf of his family. So Barain +was promoted to colonel. + +I have perhaps dwelt a little overmuch on this regrettable +affair, but to assess my disappointment it is necessary to think +back to the period in question and recall the important position +occupied by battalion commanders in the imperial army, which +resulted in several instances of colonels who refused promotion +to general and asked only to be left in command of their +regiments. + +Massena sent me the following letter, the only reward for three +campaigns fought and three wounds recieved under his command. + +Paris. 24th November. 1811 + +My dear Marbot, I send you the service order which I have +received on your behalf. I asked for promotion for you, as you +are aware, and I am doubly disappointed that you did not obtain +this and that I am also to lose you. I have been very satisfied +with your services; a satisfaction which you are entitled to +feel, regardless of any rewards which this may bring. Your record +will always do you credit in the eyes of those under whose orders +you may find yourself. Please believe, my dear Marbot, in my +appreciation, my regrets and my sincere good wishes for you. + +Massena. + +I had not expected to meet Massena again, but his wife wrote to +me saying that she wished to meet my wife, and inviting us both +to dinner. I had always had the highest regard for the conduct of +Madame Massena, particularly at Antibes, her home territory, +where I met her for the first time, on my return from Genoa. So I +accepted the invitation. Massena came up to me and once more +expressed his regrets, and suggested that he might ask for my +nomination as an officer of the Legion of Honour. I replied that +as he had been unable to do anything for me when I was on his +staff, and wounded before his eyes, I would not like to expose +him to any further embarrassment, and that I would now seek +advancement by my own efforts; then I lost myself in the crowd of +guests. + +This was my last contact with Massena, though I continued to +visit his wife and his son, both of them my firm friends. + +Chap. 2. + +I shall now give you some details of Massena's career. Andre +Massena was born on the 6th of May 1758 at La Turbie, a village +in the little state of Monaco. His paternal grandfather was a +respected tanner who had three sons: Jules, the father of the +marshal, Augustin and Marcel. The first two of these went to +Nice, where they set up a soap-works. Marcel went to France where +he enlisted in the Royal-Italian regiment. When Jules died, +leaving very little money and five children, three of them, +amongst whom was the young Andre, were taken in charge by their +uncle Augustin, who having taught them no more than to read and +write, employed them in soap-making. + +Andre, who was active and adventurous, could not adjust to the +monotonous and laborious work of the factory, and at the age of +thirteen he abandoned his uncle's home and embarked, secretly, as +a cabin-boy, in a merchant ship; accompanied by one of his +cousins named Bavastro, who became, during the wars of the +empire, the most celebrated corsaire of the Mediterranean. As for +Andre, having spent two years at sea and even made a voyage to +America, he rebelled against the hard life and harsh treatment +which were the lot of the seaman, and enlisted as a private +soldier in the Royal-Italian regiment, under the auspices of his +uncle Marcel, who had reached the rank of sergeant-major, and was +soon to be commissioned. This Marcel Massena, whom I met in 1800, +when he was commandant of the fortress at Antibes, was a serious +and capable man, highly thought of by his Colonel, M. Chauvet +d'Arlon. To help his nephew, he had him taught to speak and write +reasonable French, and, in spite of some escapades, had him +promoted to the rank of warrant-officer. He even held out some +hope of a commission in the mounted constabulary, but Andre, +tired of waiting, left at the end of his engagement. + +Having gone back to civilian life, without any money, Andre +joined forces once more once more with his cousin Bavastro, and +taking advantage of the close proximity of the frontiers of +France, Piedmont, the State of Genoa, and the sea, they embarked +on smuggling on a grand scale, not only along the coast but +across the mountains, the various passes through which he got to +know extremely well; knowledge which he later found most useful +when he was in command of troops in this part of the country. +Hardened by the rough trade of smuggling, and compelled always to +keep one jump ahead of the customs officers, Massena acquired, +without being aware of it, an understanding of the principles of +warfare, as well as the vigilance and activity without which one +cannot become a good officer. Having by this means got together +some capital, he married a French woman, Mlle. Lamarre, the +daughter of an Antibes surgeon, and settled in this town, where +he had built up a small business in olive oil and dried Provencal +fruit, when the Revolution of 1789 broke out. + +Influenced by his taste for arms, Massena left his wife and his +shop and enrolled in the 1st battalion of volunteers from Var. +His practical and theoretical knowledge of military matters +earned him the rank of captain, and shortly after, that of major. +Fighting soon broke out, and the courage and skill displayed by +Massena elevated him rapidly to the ranks of colonel and +brigadier-general. He was put in command of a camp called "the +camp of a thousand pitchforks," in part of which was the 4th +artillery company, commanded by Captain Napoleon Bonaparte, under +whose orders he would serve later in Italy. Entrusted with the +command of a column at the siege of Toulon, he distinguished +himself by the capture of the forts Lartigues and +Sainte-Catherine, which led to his promotion to divisional +general. After the town had fallen, he joined his troops to the +army of Italy where he was prominent in all the engagements which +took place in the area between the shores of the Mediterranean +and Piedmont; country which he knew so well. Intelligent, +ceaselessly active, and of boundless courage, Massena, after some +years of success, had already a high reputation, when a grave +mistake nearly brought his career to an end. + +At the beginning of the campaign of 1796, General Bonaparte had +just become commander-in-chief of the army, which placed Massena, +once his senior in rank, under his command. Massena, who always +led the advance-guard, having defeated near Cairo (Cairo in +Piedmont, not Cairo in Egypt. Ed.) an Austrian unit, learned that +the enemy officers had planned a celebratory dinner in the inn of +a nearby village which they had been forced to abandon. He +conceived the notion, together with some brother officers, of +taking advantage of this windfall, and left his division camped +on the top of a fairly high mountain. + +However the Austrians recovered their nerve, and charging back, +they fell on the French camp at daybreak. Our soldiers, although +taken by surprise, defended themselves bravely, but with no +general in control, they were driven back to the edge of the +plateau where they had spent the night, and, attacked by greatly +superior forces, looked certain to suffer a major defeat when +Massena, having with his sabre cut his way through the Austrian +scouts, ran up a path which he knew of old and appeared in front +of his troops who, in their indignation, received him with +well-deserved cat-calls. The general, without taking too much +notice, resumed command and proceeded to march his division to +rejoin the main body of the army. It was then seen that a +battalion placed the night before on an isolated hillock could +not come down by any practicable route without coming under +enfilading fire from the enemy. Massena scrambled quickly up the +hillside on his hands and knees and went alone to the battalion +where he addressed the men and assured them that he would get +then out of this fix if they would follow his example. Ordering +them to sheathe their bayonets, he sat on the snow at the edge of +slope, and pushing himself by his hands, he slid to the bottom of +the valley....All our soldiers, in fits of laughter, did the +same, and in no time the whole battalion was gathered together, +out of the range of the baffled Austrians. This method of +descent, used by the peasants and mountain guides of Switzerland, +had surely never before been used by a battalion of troops of the +line. I have been assured by generals who were in Massena's +division at the time that this incident actually occurred, and, +nine years later, I was at the chateau of La Houssaye, when +Marshal Augereau entertained the Emperor and all the marshals and +I heard them joking with Massena about the new method of retreat +which he had used on this occasion. + +It seems that on the day that Massena was making use of this odd +expedient, which he had often used in the days when he was a +smuggler, Bonaparte, realising that he was very young to be +appointed commander-in-chief, and feeling on that account that he +should come down hard on any officer who failed in his duty, +ordered Massena to be brought before a court-martial and accused +of abandoning his post, which could result in a sentence of death +or at the least cashiering!... But at the moment when the general +was about to be arrested there began the famous battle of +Montenotte, in which Massena's and Augereau's divisions took two +thousand prisoners, four flags and five artillery pieces, and +completely routed the Austrian army. After this triumph, to which +Massena had largely contributed, there could not be any question +of putting him on trial. His misdeeds were forgotten, and he was +able to continue his splendid career. + +Massena distinguished himself at Lodi, Milan, Verona, and Arcoli, +in fact everywhere that he was in action, and in particular at +the battle of Rivoli. When the preliminaries of a peace had been +signed at Leoben, Massena who had contributed so much to our +victories, was entrusted with the task of taking the draft treaty +to the government. Paris welcomed him with the most lively +expressions of admiration, wherever he went people crowded round +him to gaze on the features of this famous warrior. But this +triumph was soon eclipsed by his exaggerated love of money, which +was always his principal weakness. + +General Duphot, the French ambassador in Rome, had been +assassinated in that city. A part of the army of Italy, under the +command of Berthier was ordered to go and exact vengeance; but +Berthier was recalled by Bonaparte who wanted to take him to +Egypt, and his place as commander of the army in Rome was taken +by Massena. Soon after the arrival of this general, who was +already accused of procuring a great deal of money during the +Italian campaigns of the previous year, the army complained that +it was in a state of destitution, without clothing and almost +without bread, while the administration, drawing millions from +the Papal states, lived in luxury and abundance. The army turned +against him and sent a deputation of one hundred officers to +demand from Massena an account for the expenditure of this money. +Whether he was unable to account for it or whether he refused to +do so as a matter of discipline Massena would not give any +explanation, and as the troops persisted in their demand, he was +forced to leave Rome and give up his command. + +As soon as he had returned to France, he put out a memorandum +justifying his conduct, which was badly received by the public +and by his colleagues to whom he had addressed it. What upset him +most was that General Bonaparte left for Egypt without replying +to a letter which he had written to him concerning the matter. + +However, a new coalition of Russia, Austria, and England having +declared war on France, hostilities recommenced. In such +circumstances, Massena, although he had not cleared himself from +the accusations brought against him, could not remain in +obscurity; so the Directory, in order to make use of his military +talents, hurriedly gave him command of the French army whose duty +it was to defend Switzerland. Massena at first did very well; but +having rashly attacked the dangerous defile of Feldkirch, in the +Vorarlberg, he was driven off with losses by the Austrians. + +This was a time when our army of the Rhine, commanded by Jourdan, +had just been defeated at Stockach by Prince Charles of Austria, +and the forces which we had in Italy, defeated at Novi by the +Russians under Souvarow, had lost their commander-in-chief, +Joubert, killed on the field of battle. The Austrians, ready to +cross the Rhine, threatened Alsace and Lorraine; Italy was in the +hands of the Russians, whom Souvarow was leading into Switzerland +through the Saint-Gothard pass. France, on the point of being +invaded over both its frontiers, at the Rhine and at the Alps, +pinned all its hopes on Massena, and was not disappointed in her +expectations. + +As you already know, the Directory, impatient for action, +threatened Massena with dismissal unless he engaged the enemy; +but he was determined not to do so until circumstances gave him a +superiority, however brief, over his opponent. At last this +moment arrived. The maladroit General Korsakoff, a former +favourite of Catherine II, had unwisely pushed on towards Zurich +at the head of 50,000 Russians and Bavarians to await his +commander-in-chief, Souvarow, who was on his way from Italy with +55,000 men. Before the arrival of Souvarow, Massena pounced like +a lion on Korsakoff, surprising him in his camp at Zurich and +driving him back to the Rhine after inflicting tremendous losses! +Then, turning on Souvarow, whom the heroic resistance of General +Molitor had held up for three days in the Saint-Gothard, he +defeated him as he had defeated his lieutenant, Korsakoff. + +As a result of these various engagements 30,000 of the enemy were +killed or taken prisoner, fifteen flags and sixty guns were +captured, the independence of Switzerland was secured, and France +was delivered from an imminent invasion. This was Massena's +finest (and cleanest) hour. + +I have already told how Massena took charge of the disorganised +army of Italy, which, after the death of General Championnet, had +been briefly commanded by my father, and described his conduct of +the defence of Genoa, which gave Napoleon the time to collect a +force together, cross the Alps, and fight the battle of Marengo. + +After this victory the First Consul, on his return to France, +thought he could not commit the command of the army of Italy to a +more illustrious officer than Massena; but in a few months there +were complaints similar to those made by the army in Rome. The +dissatisfaction was widespread, new taxes were levied and +frequent requisitions made on a variety of pretexts, and yet the +troops were unpaid! The First Consul, when he learned of this +state of affairs, immediately and without explanation withdrew +the command of the army from Massena, who returned to private +life, where he showed his annoyance by refusing to vote in favour +of Napoleon's life-consulship. He also did not present himself at +the new court. + +When Bonaparte mounted the imperial throne and rewarded the +generals who had done most for the country, he included Massena +in the first list of marshals, awarded him the grand cordon of +the Legion of Honour, and created him head of the fourteenth +cohort of the order, which he had just established. These +dignities and the enormous emoluments which were attached to them +overcame the resistance put up by Massena since he was deprived +of the command of the army of Italy. He voted for the empire, +went to the Tuileries and assisted at the coronation ceremony. + +When a third coalition menaced France, in 1805, the Emperor gave +Messena the task of defending, with forty thousand men, the +northern part of Ital, against the attacks of the Archduke +Charles of Austria, who had eighty thousand. This was a difficult +operation; but not only did Massena hold Lombardy, but he pushed +the enemy back beyond the Tagliamento, and by forcing Prince +Charles to turn and face him at frequent intervals, he so delayed +the Austrian general's progress that he was unable to arrive in +time to save Vienna, nor to join the Russian army which Napoleon +defeated at Austerlitz. Napoleon, however, did not seem to +appreciate the services rendered by Massena on this campaign; he +reproached him for not having acted with his usual vigour, which +did not prevent him, after the treaty of Presberg, from +instructing him to go and conquer the kingdom of Naples, on whose +throne he wished to place his brother, Prince Joseph. + +Within a month the French occupied the whole of the country +except the fortified town of Gaete, which Massena took after a +siege. But while he was directing the attack against this town, +he suffered a loss which rendered him inconsolable. An enormous +sum, which Massena claimed belonged to him, was confiscated by +the Emperor! + +Napoleon, who believed that the best way of forcing the English +to ask for peace was to ruin their trade, to prevent their goods +from entering the continent, ordered them to be seized and burned +in all the countries under his control, that is to say more than +half of Europe. But the desire for money is very powerful and +business men are very crafty. A fool-proof system of smuggling +had been devised. English merchants who were in the scheme, sent +off a ship or ships full of merchandise which allowed themselves +to be captured by one of our corsairs, who would then take it to +one of the ports occupied by our troops, from Swedish Pomerania +to the end of the kingdom of Naples. This first act having been +carried out, it remained to get the goods ashore without +confiscation, this had already been arranged. The immensely long +coastline presented by the conquered countries could not be +watched in its entirety by customs officers, so this function was +carried out by soldiers under the command of the generals who +were in charge of the kingdom or province occupied by our troops. +So it required only an authorisation from one of them to permit +the goods to be landed, after which the traders negotiated with +the "protector." This was called a "licence." + +The origin of this new form of commerce goes back to the days +when Bernadotte was occupying Hamburg and a part of Denmark. He +made a considerable amount of money in this way, and when he +wanted to reward someone, he would give the person a licence, +which could then be sold to a merchant. This practice spread, +little by little, to all the coasts of Germany, Spain and mainly +to Italy. It even got as far as the Emperor's court, where ladies +and chamberlains were given licences by ministers. Napoleon was +not told of this, but he knew, or suspected, that it went on. +Nevertheless, in order not to interfere too drastically with the +usages of the conquered countries, he tolerated this abuse +outside France as long as it was carried on clandestinely, but if +he discovered that someone had made immoderate profits from the +illicit trade, he made them cough up. For example, when the +Emperor heard that M. Michaux, the administrative head of +Bernadotte's army, had lost, in one evening, 300,000 francs, in a +Paris gaming house, he directed an aide-de-camp to write to him +saying that the Invalides was in need of money, and that he was +ordered to pay 300,000 francs into their account; which Michaux, +who had made so much money from licences, hastened to do. + +As you may imagine, Massena was not the last to engage in the +business of selling licences. Together with General Solignac, his +chief of staff, he flooded all the ports of Naples with them. +When the Emperor was informed that Massena had deposited the sum +of three million with a banker at Leghorn, who had taken at the +same time 600,000 from General Solignac, he had a request sent to +Massena for a loan of one million, and one for 200,000 francs +from his chief of staff. Just one third of their illegal gains, +which was not fleecing them too greatly. However, at the sight of +this demand, Massena, bellowing as if he were being +disembowelled, replied to Napoleon that as the poorest of the +marshals, with a numerous family and crippling debts, he +profoundly regretted that he could not send him anything! And +general replied in similar terms. + +They were congratulating themselves on having evaded these +requests when, during the siege of Gaeta, the son of the Leghorn +banker arrived to say that a French treasury inspector, escorted +by a commissioner of police and a number of gendarmes, had +arrived at his father's establishment and had demanded to see the +accounts in which were recorded the deposits made by the marshal +and general Solignac, stating that these sums belonged to the +army, and had been entrusted to the two officers concerned, and +that the Emperor demanded their immediate return, either in cash +or negotiable bonds, and the cancellation of the receipts given +to Massena and Solignac. A legal endorsement was given to this +seizure which the banker, having nothing to lose, did not oppose. + +It is impossible to describe Massena's fury on finding that he +had been deprived of his fortune. It made him quite ill, but he +did not dare to make any complaint when the Emperor, who was then +in Poland, sent for him. + +After the peace of Tilsit, the title of Duke of Rivoli and an +award of 300,000 francs of income were a recompense for his +services, but did not console him for what had been taken from +him at Leghorn, for, in spite of his usual caution, he was heard +to say on a number of occasions "I think it cruel that, while I +was fighting in his interest, he had the gall to take the small +savings I had banked at Leghorn!" + +The invasion of Spain having sparked off a new war with Austria, +the Emperor, threatened by these considerable forces, hurried +back from the peninsula to go to Germany, to where he had already +sent Massena. I have already described the part played by the +marshal in the campaign of 1809. As a reward for his conduct at +Essling and Wagram, the Emperor created him Prince of Essling and +gave him an additional income of 500,000 francs, which was added +to his previous award of 300,000 francs and his salary of 200,000 +as marshal and army commander. The new prince had no more than +that. + +The campaigns of 1810 and 1811 in Spain and Portugal were +Massena's last. They were not very happy; his morale had gone +down and the two campaigns, instead of adding to his fame, +lowered his reputation. The "Enfant cheri de la victoire," as he +had been named, suffered reverses where he could and should have +been successful. + +Massena was thin and bony, and of less than average height. His +Italian features were full of expression. The bad sides to his +character were hypocrisy, spite, harshness, and avarice. He had +plenty of natural intelligence but his adventurous youth and the +lowly position of his family had not encouraged him to study; he +was totally lacking in what one calls education. In the heyday of +his career he had a keen eye and a decisive mind and was not +dismayed by a reverse. As he aged his caution began to verge on +timidity, so anxious was he not to besmirch the reputation he had +acquired. He hated reading, so he had no idea of what had been +written on the principles of warfare, he acted intuitively, and +Napoleon summed him up accurately when he said the Massena +arrived on the battlefield without knowing what he was going to +do, his actions were determined by circumstances. + +It has been wrongly said that Massena was a stranger to flattery, +and spoke his mind fearlessly even to the Emperor. Beneath his +rough exterior Massena was a shrewd courtier. When in the course +of a pheasant shoot, Napoleon had the misfortune to pepper +Massena, injuring one of his eyes, Massena laid the blame on +Berthier, although only Napoleon had fired a shot. Everyone +understood perfectly the discretion of the courtier, and Massena +was overwhelmed by attentions from the Emperor. + +Although very miserly, the victor of Zurich would have given half +his fortune to have been born in the France of the "Ancien +Regime" rather than on the left bank of the Var. Nothing +displeased him more than the Italian termination to his name, of +which he transformed the "a" to "e" in his signature. However the +public did not adopt this change, and Massena he remained in +spite of his efforts. The campaign in Portugal had so much +weakened Massena physically and mentally, that he was obliged to +seek rest and recuperation in the gentle climate of Nice, where +he stayed for the whole of 1812; but Napoleon, returning from the +disastrous invasion of Russia, and scouring Europe for further +resources, thought that the name of Massena could still be of +service, particularly in Provence. So he appointed him governor +of the 8th military division. + +When, in 1814, enemy forces invaded France, Massena, who, in any +case, had few troops at his disposal, did nothing to arrest their +progress, and on the 15th April he surrendered to the Duc +d'Angoulˆme, who created him a Commander of Saint Louis, but +would not elevate him to the peerage, on the pretext that he had +been born abroad, and had never become a naturalised French +citizen! ... As if the victories of Rivoli, Zurich, the defence +of Genoa, and a series of other successful actions on the behalf +of France were not worth as much as naturalisation papers, given +often to scheming foreigners for cash. The treatment given to +Massena in these circumstances had a very adverse effect on +sentiment in the public and the army, and was an additional +source of the disenchantment of the nation with the government of +Louis XVIII, which led to the return of the Emperor. + +Napoleon disembarked near to Cannes on 1st March 1815 and set off +immediately for Paris at the head of about a thousand Grenadiers +of his Guard. The unexpectedness and swiftness of this invasion +threw Massena into confusion. Nevertheless, he tried to stem the +torrent by calling together some line regiments and activating +the national guard of Marseilles and district; but having learned +that the Duc d'Angoulˆme had surrendered and left the country, he +sent his son to inform Louis XVIII that he could no longer rely +on his support, and rallying to the imperial government, he +hoisted the tricolour throughout the area and locked up the +prefect of Var, who still wanted to resist. By this conduct +Massena alienated both the Royalists and the Bonapartists; so +when the Emperor hurriedly summoned him to Paris, he greeted him +very coolly. + +When, soon afterwards, Napoleon made the great mistake of +abdicating for the second time, following the battle of Waterloo, +the Chamber of Representatives seized power and formed a +provisional government whose first act was to invest Massena with +the command of the national guard of Paris. It was hoped that, +although his infirmities prevented him playing any active role, +his name would inspire the populace to support the army in the +defence of the capital, but when a council of war was assembled, +Massena gave it as his opinion that Paris could not be defended! +As a consequence an armistice was agreed with the enemy generals +and the French army withdrew across the Loire, where it was +disbanded. + +Once the allies were masters of France, Louis XVIII, to punish +Massena for having abandoned his cause after March 20th, included +him among the judges who were to try Marshal Ney, hoping that out +of enmity he would condemn his former colleague and so besmirch +his good name; but Massena recused himself on the grounds that +there had been disagreements between him and Marshal Ney in +Portugal, and when this measure failed he joined with those +judges who wanted Ney brought before the House of Peers. They had +hoped to save him, but it would have been better if they had had +the political courage to try him and acquit him....They did not +dare! Ney was condemned and shot, but his blood did not pacify +the Royalists, they became more implacable and soon pursued +Massena himself. + +The citizens of Marseilles, on whose behalf Massena had used his +influence to obtain the freedom of their port, now denounced him +to the Chamber of Deputies on the grounds of peculation. There +was no evidence to support this charge, as Massena had never +exacted any money in Provence, and the chamber, although known +for its hatred of the leading figures of the empire, rejected the +petition out of hand. + +Massena, having escaped from the wave of reaction which was now +sweeping the country, abandoned the stage on which he had played +so brilliant a part, and retired to his chateau of Rueil, which +had once belonged to Cardinal Richelieu, to end his splendid +career in solitude and disgrace. He died on the 4th April 1817, +at the age of fifty-nine. + +At his death, the government had not sent the baton which is by +custom placed on the bier of a marshal, so his son-in-law, +General Reille, claimed this insignia from the minister for war, +a fervent Royalist. When he received no reply to this reasonable +request, in an act of courage, rare at the time, he let it be +known to the court that if a baton did not arrive in time for his +father-in-law's funeral, he would place ostentatiously on his +coffin, the baton awarded to him by the Emperor. The government +then decided that they would supply a baton after all. + +I have touched on some of the blemishes which mar his career, but +Massena more than compensated for them by the remarkable and +heroic services he rendered to France. He will be remembered as +one of the great captains of an era which produced so many. + +Chap. 3. + +At the beginning of 1812, I was in Paris, with my young wife and +our families. But the happiness which I enjoyed was lessened by +the thought of my imminent departure. I was due to join the 1st +Chasseurs … Cheval as a squadron commander with the rank of +Major. The chagrin which I felt at not having been promoted to +Colonel, which I thought I deserved, was somewhat relieved when, +having gone to the Tuileries to pay my new year respects, the +Emperor sent an aide-de-camp to command my presence in his +private quarters, where I found General Mouton, Comte de Lobau, +who had always been on my side. + +Napoleon appeared and told me in the most friendly manner that he +had intended to give me a regiment, but that there were certain +reasons which had led him to nominate Major Barain. He said that +having promoted three of Massena's aides to Colonel he could not +accord any more promotions to one general staff, but that he had +not forgotten me and although he could not give me the nominal +command, he would put me in the position of being, in effect, a +regimental commander. "The commanding officer of the 23rd Mounted +Chasseurs, M. de La Nougarede, has become so afflicted by gout +that he can hardly mount a horse", the Emperor said, "but he is +an excellent officer who has fought several campaigns with me, +and I have a high regard for him. He has begged me to let him try +to go once more on campaign and I do not wish to remove him from +his regiment. However, I hear that this fine unit is going down +hill in his hands so I am sending you as "Coadjutor" to M. de La +Nougarede. You will be working for yourself, for if the Colonel +recovers his health I shall promote him to general, and if not I +shall transfer him to the gendarmes. In either case he will leave +his regiment and you will become their colonel; so I repeat you +will be working for your own benefit." This promise gave me +renewed hope, and I was making ready to leave when the minister +for war extended my leave until the end of March, which I found +very acceptable. + +The 23rd Chasseurs were stationed in Swedish Pomerania, so I had +an enormous distance to travel, and as I wished to arrive before +the expiration of my leave, I left Paris on the 15th of March, +parting with much regret from my dear wife. I had bought a good +barouche, in which, at the request of Marshal Mortier, I gave a +seat to his nephew, Lieutenant Durbach, who belonged to the +regiment which I was about to join. As my former servant, +Woirland, had asked if he might stay in Spain, where he hoped to +make his fortune running a canteen, I had replaced him, on my +leaving Salamanca, by a Pole named Lorentz Schilkowski. This man, +at one time an Austrian Uhlan, was not lacking intelligence, but, +like all Poles he was a drunkard, and unlike the soldiers of that +nation, he was as timid as a hare. Lorentz, however, as well as +his native language, spoke passable French and fluent German and +Russian, and for this reason he was most valuable to me in my +travelling and campaigning in the north. I was nearing the +Rhenish provinces, when on leaving Kaiserslauten at night, the +postilion tipped my barouche into a pothole, where it was +damaged. No one was hurt, but both M. Durbach and I agreed that +this was a bad omen for soldiers who were about to face the +enemy. However, after spending a day waiting for repairs to be +made, we were able to get under way once more. Unfortunately the +accident had so weakened the springs and the wheels that they +broke six times during our journey, which delayed us +considerably, and on occasions forced us to walk for several +leagues in the snow. We arrived at last at the shores of the +Baltic sea, where the 23rd Chasseurs were in garrison at +Stralsund and Greifswald. + +I found Colonel de La Nougarede to be an excellent officer, +well-informed and capable, but so prematurely aged by gout that +he was hardly able to sit on a horse, and went everywhere in a +carriage, a most unsuitable method of transport for the commander +of a regiment of light cavalry! He gave me an enthusiastic +welcome, and after explaining the reasons which, in the interest +of his career, made him stay with the regiment, he showed me a +letter in which the Comte de Lobau informed him of the motives +which had led the Emperor to attach me to him. M. de La +Nougarede, far from being offended, saw this as another kindness +on the part of the Emperor, and looked forward to being promoted +to general or heading the gendarmerie. He counted, with my help, +on completing at least part of the campaign, and on the +realisation of his hopes at the first imperial revue. To make it +clear that I shared the command, which was not in keeping with my +rank as Major, he called together all the officers, in front of +whom he provisionally delegated all his powers to me, until such +time as he recovered his health, and instructed them to obey my +orders without referring to him, since his illness often made it +impossible for him to follow the regiment sufficiently closely to +command it in person. An order of the day was issued along these +lines, and from that day forward, except for the rank,I was +virtually the commander of the regiment, and the regiment soon +got into the habit of looking on me as their real leader. + +Since that time, I have commanded several cavalry regiments, +either as colonel or general. And I was for a long time inspector +of this branch of the service; I can say with certainty that if I +have seen units as good as the 23rd Chasseurs, I have never seen +one better. It was not that the unit contained any outstanding +personalities, such as I have seen sometimes in other regiments, +but if there was not in the 23rd any one of remarkable talents, +there was no one who did not maintain a high standard in carrying +out his duties. There were no peaks, but there were no troughs; +everyone kept in step. The officers were intelligent, well +trained and well behaved. They lived together as true +brothers-in-arms. The same applied to the N.C.O.s. And the +troopers followed this good example. They were almost all old +soldiers, veterans of Austerlitz, Jena, Friedland, Wagram, a fine +body of men who came mostly from Normandy, Alsace, Lorraine and +Franche-comte, provinces known for their martial spirit and their +love of horses. The build and strength of these men was noticed +by General Bourcier, who was in charge of remounts, and he +supplied the regiment with horses which were bigger and more +lively than the usual issue. A period of several years spent in +the fertile land of Germany, had left both men and horses in +splendid condition, and the regiment, when I took over, consisted +of a thousand officers and men, well disciplined, calm and quiet +in the face of the enemy. + +I did not yet have a horse, so I went to Stralsund in the isle of +Rugen, where they have excellent horses, and I bought several; I +got some others from Rostock and ended with a stable of seven +good beasts, which was not too many, as war with Russia appeared +imminent. I had already forecast this during the summer of 1811, +when I saw the great number of old soldiers whom the Emperor was +taking from the regiments in the peninsula to reinforce his Old +Guard. I had been confirmed in this opinion during my stay in +Paris. There were, at first, some distant rumours of a rupture, +which vanished quickly amid the entertainments and festivities of +winter, but soon returned with increased insistence; and became +almost certainties as a result of a serious event, the echoes of +which reverberated throughout Europe. + +The Emperor Alexander had had, since boyhood, a companion who was +a young Russian nobleman, named Czernicheff, of whom he was very +fond, and whom, when he came to the throne, he took as +aide-de-camp. + +In 1809, when Alexander, who was then an ally of Napoleon, was +pretending, without actually doing so, to make war against +Austria, whose country Napoleon had invaded, there arrived in +Vienna Colonel the Comte de Czernicheff, on the ostensible +mission to cement good relations between Napoleon and Alexander, +but in reality to inform his sovereign of our success or failure, +so that he could continue or break off his alliance with France +according to circumstances. + +Alexander's favourite received the friendliest of welcomes from +Napoleon, whose side he never left during the parades and +manoeuvres which preceded the battle of Essling, but when this +bloody affair appeared to be in the balance, and a hail of +bullets descended on the imperial general staff, M. de +Czernicheff turned tail rapidly, and crossing the bridges over +the Danube, he sought the safety of the palace of Schoenbrunn; +and the day after the battle he took to the road for Petersburg, +to announce, no doubt, the failure of our enterprise. Napoleon +thought this behaviour most unbecoming, and made some jeering +comments on the "bravery" of the Russian colonel. Nevertheless, +after peace had been made with Austria, M. de Czernicheff came +very often to Paris, where he spent part of the years 1810 and +1811. Handsome, courteous, likeable, highly deceitful and +exquisitely polite, his title of aide-de-camp to the Russian +emperor gave him entry not only to the court but also to the +salons of high society, where he never discussed politics, and +appeared to be interested only in the pursuit of women, where he +was said to have considerable success. But toward the end of +1811, when new rumours of war began to circulate, the Paris +police were informed that while appearing to be solely interested +in pleasure, the Russian colonel was mixed up in some dubious +political schemes, and he was put under close surveillance, when +it was discovered that he had frequent meetings with M. X..., an +employee of the ministry for war who had special responsibility +for the situation reports concerning all the personel and +material of the army, which were given to Napoleon every ten +days. Not only had M. de Czernicheff been seen walking after +midnight in the most secluded part of the Champs-Elysees with +this man, but he had been observed, plainly dressed, slipping +into the place where M. X... lived and spending several hours +there. + +The intimacy of someone so highly placed with a poor devil of +clerk in the ministry for war being clear evidence that the +former had seduced the latter to betray state secrets, the +Emperor, highly indignant, ordered the arrest of M.Czernicheff, +but Czernicheff, warned, it is said, by a woman, fled from Paris, +and reached a nearby "relais" from where, taking unfrequented +roads, he managed to reach the frontier, avoiding Maintz and +Cologne to where the telegraph had transmitted the order for his +seizure. As for the wretched clerk, he was apprehended at the +moment when he was counting out the 300,000 francs which he had +received for his act of treason. Compelled by the evidence to +admit to his crime, he stated that another employee had also +given information to the Russian, this man too was arrested, and +the two of them were tried, convicted and shot. They died cursing +Czernicheff, who they claimed had come to their attics to tempt +them with a heap of gold which he increased whenever they +hesitated. The Emperor had published in all the French newspapers +a virulent denunciation of M. de Czernicheff, with some wounding +observations which, although indirect, pointed to the emperor of +Russia himself, for they recalled that the assassins of his +father, Paul I, had not been punished by Alexander. + +After these events, it was no longer possible to doubt that war +was imminent, and although it had not been declared, both sides +were openly preparing for it. The conduct of M. de Czernicheff +was, in general, loudly denounced, but it had its secret +supporters among the diplomatic community, who recalled that +although Napoleon justly punished French citizens who sold their +country's secrets to its enemies, he was not above corrupting +foreign nationals who could give him useful information, +particularly of a military nature. + +Marshal Lannes told me,that in Vienna,in 1809, when hostilities +were about to break out between France and Austria, whose armies +were to be commanded by the Archduke Charles, this prince was +warned anonymously that a Major-general for whom he had a high +regard and whom he was about to take on to his staff, had been +bought by the French ambassador, General Andreossi, with whom he +had frequent night-time meetings in a lonely house in the vast +suburb of Leopoldstadt, the number of which was disclosed. Prince +Charles thought so highly of this officer that he dismissed as an +infamous calumny the anonymous accusation, and took no measures +to determine the truth. The French ambassador had already asked +for his passport and was due to leave Vienna in forty-eight hours +time, when a second anonymous note informed the archduke that his +assistant chief-of-staff, after working alone in his office, +which contained the order of battle for the army, was going to +have, on the following night, a last meeting with General +Andreossi. The archduke, who wished to clear his mind of any +suspicions which he might have, in spite of himself, about an +officer of whom he was fond, decided that he would prove beyond +doubt that he was innocent. So, dressed very simply and +accompanied by only one aide-de-camp, he waited, after midnight, +in the darkest part of the lane where the house in question was +situated. After a short time the prince and his aide saw, with +sadness, a man who in spite of his disguise was easily recognised +as the assistant chief-of-staff, for whom, after an agreed +signal, the door was opened. Soon he was followed by General +Andreossi, who was admitted in the same way. The meeting lasted +for some hours, during which the archduke, no longer able to +doubt the treachery of his assistant chief-of-staff, waited +patiently outside the house, and when the door opened for General +Andreossi and the Austrian general, who, came out together, they +found themselves face to face with Prince Charles, who said +aloud, "Good evening, Mr.Ambassador", and refraining from +speaking to the assistant chief-of-staff, he shone the light from +a lantern in his face. + +The ambassador hurried away without saying a word, and as for the +assistant chief-of-staff, seeing that he was caught in the act +and knowing the fate which awaited him, he went to his house and +blew his brains out with a pistol shot. This tragic event was +hushed up by the Austrian government and not many people knew +about it; it was announced that the assistant chief-of-staff had +died of apoplexy. The French ambassador was said to have paid +him two million. + +While Napoleon was complaining bitterly about the means by which +Colonel Czernicheff obtained information about our armies, +General Lauriston, our ambassador in Petersburg, bought not only +the most detailed information about the disposition of the +Russian forces, but also the copper plates on which were engraved +the immense map of the Muscovite empire. In spite of the great +difficulties presented by the transport of this heavy mass of +metal, the betrayal was so well organised and so lavishly paid +for that these plates, stolen from the Russian archives, were +taken from St. Petersburg to France without their disappearance +being discovered by the police or the Russian customs. When the +plates arrived in Paris the minister for war, when all the +writing had been changed from Russian characters into French, had +this fine map printed, and Napoleon ordered a copy to be sent to +all the generals and commanders of light cavalry regiments. It +was in this latter rank that I received one, which I contrived, +with much difficulty to save during the retreat, for it forms a +very big roll. Few people brought theirs back, but I still have +mine. + +Chap. 4. + +The principal reason which led the Emperor to declare war on +Russia was his desire to see the implementation of the treaty of +Tilsit, whereby the Emperor Alexander agreed to close all the +ports of his country to English traders, an undertaking which had +never been properly carried out. Napoleon thought, rightly, that +he could ruin the English, a manufacturing and trading nation, by +preventing their commerce with the European continent; but the +execution of this gigantic project offered so much difficulty, +that it was only in France that the restrictions were enforced, +and there the use of licences, to which I have referred above, +made an enormous breach in the regulations. As for Italy, Germany +and the Adriatic provinces, although the continental system was +established by imperial decree, it was only implemented in +theory, partly because of the extent of the coastline, and partly +because of connivance and lack of surveillance by those +responsible for the administration of these vast areas. So the +Russian Emperor replied to the demands made by France by pointing +to the state of affairs which was almost universal in Europe. The +true cause, however, of the refusal of Alexander to accede to the +demands of Napoleon, was that he feared that he would be +assassinated in the same manner as his father, the Emperor Paul, +who was accused firstly of having sullied the nation's reputation +by allying himself to France and secondly of having destroyed +Russian trade by declaring war on Britain. Alexander was aware +that he had already given offence by the deference and +friendliness which he had shown towards Napoleon at Tilsit and +Erfurt, and he was anxious not to arouse more anger by cutting +off all trade with England, the sole outlet whereby the Russian +nobility could dispose of the products of their vast estates, and +acquire a monetary income. The death of the Emperor Paul clearly +showed the danger faced by Alexander, if he followed his father's +example. An additional cause of fear was the fact that he was +surrounded by the same officers who had surrounded his father, +amongst whom was his chief-of-staff, Benningsen. + +Napoleon did not take sufficiently into consideration these +difficulties, when he threatened Alexander with war, unless he +fell in with his wishes; although, when he learned of the losses +and reverses suffered in Spain and Portugal, he seemed hesitant +to engage in a conflict the outcome of which he deemed uncertain. + +According to General Bertrand, Napoleon, on St. Helena said +repeatedly that his only intention, to begin with, was to +frighten Alexander into carrying out the terms of the treaty: "We +were," he said, "like two opponents of equal ability, who are +well able to fight, but being reluctant to do so, menace each +other by threats and sabre-rattling, edging slowly forward, each +hoping that his adversary will retreat rather than do battle." +But the Emperor's comparison was not exact, for one of these +swordsmen had behind him a bottomless pit, ready to engulf him at +the first backward step, so that having to choose between an +ignominious death and a combat in which he might be successful he +had to choose the latter. This was the situation in which +Alexander found himself, a situation made worse by the influence +exerted by the Englishman Wilson on General Benningsen and the +officers of his staff. The Emperor Napoleon was still hesitant +and seemed anxious to consult the sage opinions of Caulincourt, +his former ambassador at St. Petersburg and those of a group of +French officers who had lived for some time in Russia. + +Among the latter was Lieutenant-colonel de Ponthon, who had been +among a number of engineer officers who, after the Treaty of +Tilsit had been posted, at the request of Alexander, to Russia, +where they had spent several years. De Ponthon was a highly +competent, but withal a very modest officer, he was attached to +the topographic service, and did not think it was his place to +offer his advice unasked, on the problems which would face an +army at war in the Russian empire; but when he was questioned by +the Emperor he felt it was his duty to tell the whole truth to +the head of state, even at risk of displeasing him, so he +described all the obstacles which would face this enterprise. The +principal ones were the apathy and lack of co-operation between +the Lithuanian states, subject for many years to Russia; the +fanatical resistance to be expected from the people of Moscow; +the scarcity of food and forage; the almost uninhabited areas +which would have to be crossed; roads impassable for artillery +after several hours of rain; but above all he stressed the rigour +of the winter and the physical impossibility of conducting a war +once the snow had begun to fall, which might be as early as the +first days of October. Finally, at risk of giving offence and +jeopardising his career, he begged Napoleon, for the sake of +France and his own reputation, not to undertake this dangerous +expedition, the calamitous outcome of which he now predicted. +Having listened quietly to M. de Ponthon, the Emperor dismissed +him without making any comment. For some days he appeared +withdrawn and contemplative, and the rumour spread that the +undertaking was off, but then M. Maret, duc de Bassano, persuaded +him to go back to his original intention, and assured him that +Marshal Davout would be happy to move his large army of Germany +to the banks of the Nieman, on the frontier of the Russian +empire, in order to galvanise Alexander into action. + +From this time on, although M. de Ponthon was in constant +attendance as a member of the cabinet, the Emperor did not +address a word to him during the advance from the Nieman to +Moscow, and when, during the retreat, Napoleon was forced to +admit to himself that the predictions of this admirable officer +had been only too accurate, he avoided catching his eye. +Nevertheless, he promoted him to the rank of colonel. + +To return to the preparations which Napoleon was making to force +the Russians, by hook or by crook, to comply with his wishes: +from the month of April, the French troops stationed in Germany, +as well as those of various princes of the Germanic confederation +allied to France, were put into motion, and their march towards +Poland was delayed only by the difficulty of finding forage for +their numerous horses; the grass, and even the corn, being +scarcely out of the ground at this time in these northern +countries. However, the Emperor left Paris on the 9th of May, and +accompanied by the Empress, went to Dresden, where, awaiting him, +were his father-in-law the Emperor of Austria, and almost all the +German princes; attracted there, in some cases by the hope of +having their domains extended, and in others by the fear of +displeasing the arbiter of their destiny. The only absentee was +the King of Prussia, who, not being included in the confederation +of the Rhine, was not invited to this reunion and dared not turn +up without the permission of Napoleon. He humbly requested this, +and when it was obtained he hurried to Dresden to pay court to +the all-powerful conqueror of Europe. + +The protestations of fidelity and devotion which were lavished on +Napoleon misled him into making a most serious error in the +organisation of the contingents which were to make up the great +army destined for the war against Russia. Instead of weakening +the governments of Austria and Prussia, his former enemies, by +demanding from them the greater part of their available troops, +which, prudence would suggest should be placed in the van, not +only to spare French lives, but to allow a watch to be kept on +these new and undependable allies, Napoleon required no more than +30,000 men from each of these powers, and placed them on the two +wings of his force. The Austrians under Prince Schwartzenberg on +the right in Volhynie, and the Prussians, to whom he appointed as +commander the French Marshal Macdonald, on the left, near the +mouth of the Nieman. The centre was composed of French troops and +those members of the German federation whose loyalty had been +proved at Jena and Wagram. + +There were discerning observers who were dismayed to see the +wings of the army made up of foreigners, who, in the event of a +reverse, could form two hostile armies in our rear, while the +centre was embroiled in the heart of Russia. Not only that, +Austria who had an army of 200,000, placed only 30,000 at the +disposal of Napoleon, and had 170,000 left with which to attack +us in the event of failure, while Prussia, though less powerful, +still had 60,000 men in reserve. + +One is astonished that the Emperor was so little concerned about +what he was leaving behind him; but his confidence was so great +that when the King of Prussia requested him to allow his eldest +son to join in the campaign as an imperial aide-de-camp, Napoleon +turned him down, although the young prince would have been a +valuable hostage to ensure the fidelity of his father. + +While there was a succession of entertainments at Dresden, +Napoleon's troops were wending their way through northern +Germany. Already the army of Italy, having crossed the mountains +of the Tyrol, was heading for Warsaw. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Corps +commanded by Davout, Oudinot and Ney, were passing through +Prussia on their march to the Vistula. The states comprising the +confederation of the Rhine had supplied their contingents, as had +Austria and Prussia; it was noticeable, however that although the +Austrian generals were happy to unite their flags with ours, the +junior officers and the soldiers were reluctant to attack Russia, +while the situation was reversed in the Prussian army, where the +generals and Colonels felt humiliated by being compelled to serve +under the command of their conqueror, while officers of lower +rank and the soldiers, were pleased to have the opportunity of +fighting alongside the French, and hoped to show that if they +were defeated at Jena, it was not through any lack of courage on +their part, but due to poor leadership by their superiors. + +Napoleon had not only taken into the "Grande Armee" the troops of +Austria and Prussia, but he had lowered the morale of the French +forces by intermingling them with foreign contingents, so that +the various Corps commanded by his marshals contained bodies of +men from every part of Europe, Italians, Poles, Spaniards, +Portuguese, Germans and Croatians. This admixture of races with +different languages, cultures and interests, worked very poorly, +and often hindered the efforts of the French troops. It was one +of the principal causes of the reversals which we suffered. + +Chap. 5. + +Having left Dresden on the 29th of May, the Emperor made his way +towards Poland via Danzig and the old Prussia, through which his +troops were passing, whom he reviewed whenever he encountered +them. + +The army was now organised so that the 23rd mounted Chasseurs +were brigaded with the 24th. This brigade was commanded by +General Castex and formed part of the 2nd Army Corps, commanded +by Marshal Oudinet. I had known General Castex for a long time, +an excellent officer, who treated me very well throughout the +campaign. Marshal Oudinet had seen me at the siege of Genoa when +I was with my father and also in Austria when I was aide-de-camp +to Marshal Lannes, and was well disposed towards me. + +On the 20th June, 2nd Corps was given the order to stop at +Insterberg in order to be reviewed by the Emperor. These military +ceremonies were awaited with impatience by those people who hoped +to benefit from the awards distributed on the occasion by +Napoleon. I was among this number. I felt sure that I would be +promoted to the command of the regiment of which I was the acting +commander, for apart from the promises given me by the Emperor, +General Castex and Marshal Oudinet had told me that they intended +to propose me officially, and that Colonel Nougarede was to be +placed, as general, in command of one of the huge remount depots, +which would have to be set up in the rear of the army; but the +bad luck which had, a few months earlier delayed my promotion to +major, also held up my promotion to colonel. + +At these reviews, the commanders of regiments were subjected to a +rigourous cross-examination by the Emperor, particularly on the +eve of a campaign; for apart from the usual questions about their +strength in men and horses, their arms etc., he would suddenly +ask a number which were unforeseen and not always easy to answer. +For example: "How many men from such and such a department have +you received in the last two years? How many of your carbines +come from Tulle and how many from Charleville? How many of your +horses are from Normandy, from Brittany, from Germany? What is +the average age of your men, your officers, your horses? How many +men in this company have long-service chevrons? etc...etc." + +These questions, which were always posed in an abrupt and +demanding manner, and accompanied by a piercing look, +disconcerted many colonels; but woe to him who hesitated to +reply, he went into Napoleon's bad books. I was so well briefed +that I was able to reply to all his questions, and, after +complementing me on the fine turnout of the regiment, it looked +as if the Emperor was going to promote me to colonel and M. de La +Nougarede to general, when the latter, who with his limbs wrapped +in flannel, had been hoisted onto horseback to follow from afar +the movements of his regiment, which I commanded, hearing himself +called for, came to Napoleon and unwisely angered him by making a +request on behalf of an officer, a member of his family who was +wholly undeserving. This roused a storm of which I suffered the +consequences. The Emperor flew into a rage and ordered the +Gendarmerie to clear the officer in question out of the army, and +leaving M. de La Nougarede in dismay, he went off at the gallop. +So M. de La Nougarede was not made a general. + +Marshal Oudinot followed the Emperor to find out what was to +happen to the 23rd, and was told "Major Marbot will continue to +command them." Before reaching the rank of colonel I was destined +to suffer yet another serious wound. + +In fairness to M. de La Nougarede, I have to say that he +expressed the liveliest remorse at having been the involuntary +cause of the delay in my advancement. I was sorry for the +difficult position in which this worthy man found himself, for he +felt that he had forfeited the Emperor's confidence, and owing to +his disability he had little hope of restoring himself by his +conduct in the battles which were about to take place. + +I was comforted by the fact that the Emperor, on the day of the +review, had awarded all the promotions and the decorations which +I had requested for the officers and other ranks of the 23rd, and +as the gratitude for these favours is always directed to the +commanding officer who has obtained them, the influence which I +was beginning to have in the regiment was greatly increased and +went some way to calm my regrets at not having been awarded +substantive rank for the position which I occupied. + +At about this time, I received a letter from Marshal Massena and +another from his wife, the first recommending a M. Renique, and +the second her son, Prosper. I was touched by this double +approach and I responded by accepting the two captains into my +regiment. However, Madame Massena did not carry out her +intention, and Prosper Massena did not go to Russia. In any case +he would not have been able to stand the harsh climate. + +The army was soon to reach the frontier of the Russian empire, +and see once more the river Nieman, where we had stopped in 1807. +The Emperor positioned his troops on the left bank of this river +as follows: on the extreme right was the Austrian Corps of Prince +Schwartzenberg, on the border of Galicia near Drogitchin. On +Schwartzenberg's left was King Jerome with two considerable army +corps, between Bialystok and Grodno. Next to them was Prince +Eugene de Beauharnais, with 80,000 men, at Prenn. The Emperor was +in the centre, facing Kovno, with 220,000 men commanded by Murat, +Oudinot, Ney, Lefebvre and Bessieres. The Guard formed part of +this immense body of troops. Finally, at Tilsit, Marshal +Macdonald with 35,000 Prussians formed the left wing. Across the +Nieman was the Russian army of about 400,000 men, commanded by +the Emperor Alexander , or rather by Benningsen, his +chief-of-staff. This force was divided into three parts, +commanded by Generals Bagration, Barclay de Tolly and +Wittgenstein. + +Four historians have written about the campaign of 1812. The +first of these was Labaume, a topographer, that is to say, +belonging to a Corps which although part of the armed forces +never engaged in combat, and followed the army only to make maps. +Labaume had never commanded troops and knew nothing of the +practical side of war, so his judgements are almost always +ill-founded, and do an injustice to the French army. However the +work having appeared shortly after the peace of 1814 and the +re-establishment of Louis XVIII, partisan spirit and the desire +for information about the terrible events of the Russian campaign +gave it so much credence that no one tried to refute it, and the +public came to accept its contents as the veritable truth. + +The second book to be published was written by Colonel +Boutourlin, an aide-de-camp to the Emperor Alexander. This, +although expressing the Russian point of view, contained some +worthwhile observations, and if there are some inaccuracies, it +is because he did not have access to certain documents, for he is +impartial and has done all he could to discover the truth. The +work is generally esteemed as that of an honest man. + +Labaume's book had already been forgotten when in 1825, following +Napoleon's death, General de Segur published a third story of the +Russian campaign. The contents of this book distressed more than +one survivor of the campaign, and even the Russians stigmatised +it as a war novel. In spite of this, M. de Segur enjoyed a great +success, partly because of the purity and elegance of his style +and partly because of the welcome the book was given by the court +and the ultra-royalist party. The former officers of the imperial +army, finding themselves under attack, appointed General Gourgaud +to reply. He did so effectively, but with so much acerbity that +it gave rise to a duel between him and M. de Segur, in which M. +de Segur was wounded. One has to agree that if the latter was +less than charitable towards Napoleon and his army, General +Gourgaud accorded the Emperor too much praise and refused to +recognise any of his faults. + +I have no intention of writing another history of the campaign of +1812, but I think I should relate the principal events, since +they form an essential part of my life and times and several of +them have a bearing on what happened to me; but in this brief +resume I shall try to avoid the extremes embraced by Segur and +Gourgaud. I shall neither denigrate nor flatter, I shall be +truthful. + +At a time when the two powerful European empires were about to +come to blows, England, a natural ally of Russia, had a duty to +make every effort to help her to repel the invasion projected by +Napoleon. By disbursing money to the Turkish ministers, the +English cabinet was able to arrange a peace between the Sultan +and Russia, which allowed the latter to recall the army which was +on the frontier of Turkey, an army which played a highly +important role in the war. The English had also contrived a peace +between the Emperor Alexander and Sweden, an ally of France, on +whose goodwill Napoleon counted, the more so because Bernadotte +had just been nominated as the heir apparent, and governed the +country for the King, his adoptive father. + +I have already explained how, through a bizarre sequence of +events, Bernadotte was raised to the rank of heir presumptive to +the crown of Sweden. The new Swedish prince, after announcing +that he would always remain French at heart, allowed himself to +be seduced or intimidated by the English, who could have easily +overthrown him. He sacrificed the true interests of his adoptive +country by submitting to the domination of England and allying +himself with Russia in an interview with the Emperor Alexander. +This meeting took place in Abo, a little town in Finland. The +Russians had recently seized this province and they promised to +compensate Sweden by the gift of Norway, which they intended to +take from Denmark, which was a faithful ally of France. So +Bernadotte, far from relying on our army to restore to him his +provinces, accepted these Russian encroachments by ranging +himself with her allies. + +If Bernadotte had been willing to support us, the geographical +position of Sweden could have been of great assistance to our +common cause. The new prince did not, however, openly state his +position, as he wanted to see who was going to be the victor, and +he did not declare himself until the following year. Deprived of +the aid of Turkey and Sweden, on whom he had relied to keep the +Russian army occupied, Napoleon's only possible allies in the +north were the Poles, but these turbulent people, whose +forefathers had been unable to agree when they were an +independent state, offered neither moral nor physical support. + +In fact, Lithuania and the other provinces which formed more than +a third of the former Poland, having been in Russian hands for +almost forty years, had mostly forgotten their ancient +constitution and had for a long time thought of themselves as +Russian. The nobility sent their sons to join the army of the +Czar, to whom they were too much attached by long custom to +permit any hope that they would join the French. The same +considerations applied to other Poles who in various divisions of +their country had found themselves under the rule of Austria or +Prussia. They were willing to march against Russia, but it was +under the flags and under the command of their new sovereigns. +They had neither love nor enthusiasm for the Emperor Napoleon, +and feared to see their country devastated by war. The grand +duchy of Warsaw, ceded in 1807 to the King of Saxony under the +Treaty of Tilsit, was the only province of the ancient Poland +which retained a spark of national spirit and was somewhat +attached to France, but what was the use of this little state to +the Grande Armee of Napoleon? + +Napoleon, however, full of confidence in his army and in his own +ability, decided to cross the Nieman, and so on the 23rd of June, +accompanied by General Haxo and dressed in the uniform of a +Polish soldier of his guard, he rode along its bank, and that +same evening at ten o'clock, set in motion the crossing of the +river by the pontoon bridges, the most important of which had +been laid across the river opposite the little Russian town of +Kovno, which our troops occupied without encountering any +resistance. + +Chap. 6. + +At sunrise on the 24th we witnessed a most impressive spectacle. +On the highest part of the left bank were the Emperor's tents. +Around them, on the slopes of the hills and in the valleys, +glittered the arms of a great concourse of men and horses. This +mass, consisting of 250,000 soldiers split into three huge +columns, streamed in perfect order towards the three bridges +which had been thrown across the river, over which the different +corps crossed to the right bank in a prearranged manner. On this +same day the Nieman was crossed by our troops at other points, +near Grodno, Pilony and Tilsit. I have seen a situation report, +covered by notes written in Napoleon's hand, which gives the +official strength of the force which crossed the Nieman as +325,000 men, of whom 155,400 were French and 170,000 allies, +accompanied by 940 guns. + +The regiment which I commanded formed part of 2nd Corps, +commanded by Marshal Oudinot, which having crossed the bridge at +Kovno headed immediately for Ianovo. The heat was overpowering. +This, close to nightfall, led to a tremendous storm, and +torrential rain, which drenched the roads and the countryside for +more than fifty leagues around. Happily the army did not see this +as a bad omen, as the soldiers considered violent thunderstorms +were something to be expected in summer. The Russians too, every +bit as superstitious as some of the French, had an unpropitious +omen, for during the night of 23rd-24th of June the Emperor +Alexander escaped with his life when, at a ball in Wilna, the +floor of a room collapsed under the chair on which he was +sitting, at the very hour when the first French boat, carrying a +detachment of Napoleon's troops, reached the right bank of the +Nieman and Russian soil. Be that as it may, the storm had made +the air much cooler and the horses in bivouac suffered from this +and also from eating wet grass and lying on muddy ground. So that +the army lost several thousand from acute colic. + +Beyond Kovnow there runs a little river called the Vilia, the +bridge over which had been cut by the Russians. The storm had so +swollen this tributary of the Nieman that Oudinot's scouts were +held up. The Emperor arrived at the same moment as I did at the +head of my regiment. He ordered the Polish lancers to see if the +river was fordable, and in this process, one man was drowned; I +took his name, it was Tzcinski. I mention this because the losses +suffered by the Polish lancers in the crossing of the Vilia have +been grossly exaggerated. + +The Russians, however, retreated without waiting for the French +army, which shortly occupied Wilna, the capital of Lithuania. It +was near here that there took place a cavalry encounter in which +Octave de Segur, who had been with me on Massena's staff, was +captured by the Russians while leading a squadron of the 8th +Hussars which he commanded, he was the elder brother of General +the Comte de Segur. On the same day that the Emperor entered +Wilna, Marshal Oudinot's troops came up against Wittgenstein's +Russians at Wilkomir, where the first serious engagement of the +campaign took place. I had not previously served under Oudinot, +and this debut confirmed the high opinion I had of his courage, +without convincing me of his intelligence. + +One of the greatest faults of the French at war is to go, without +reason, from the most meticulous caution to limitless confidence. + +Now, since the Russians had allowed us to cross the Nieman, +invade Lithuania and occupy Wilna without opposition, it had +become the done thing, amongst certain officers to say that the +enemy would always retreat and would never stand and fight. +Oudinot's staff and the marshal himself frequently stated this, +and treated as fairy tales the information given by the peasants +that there was a large body of Russian troops positioned in front +of the little town of Wilkomir. This incredulity nearly resulted +in disaster, as you will see. + +The light cavalry, being the eyes of the army, while on the march +is always in front and on the flanks. My regiment, then, was less +than a league ahead of the infantry, when, having gone a little +way beyond Wilkomir without seeing any sign of the enemy, we were +confronted by a forest of huge pine trees, through which the +mounted men could move with ease but whose branches obscured the +distant view. Fearing an ambush, I sent a single squadron, +commanded by a very capable captain, to investigate. In about 15 +minutes he came back and reported that he had seen an enemy army. +I went to the edge of the forest from where I could see, at about +a cannon shot from Wilkomir, behind a stream, a hill on which +drawn up in battle order were 25 to 30 thousand Russian infantry, +with cavalry and artillery. + +You may be surprised that these troops did not have in front of +them any outposts or pickets or scouts, but that is how the +Russians operate when they are determined to defend a strong +position. They allow the enemy to approach without any warning of +the resistance they are about to meet, and it is only when the +main body of their opponents comes within range that they open a +ferocious fire with musketry and cannon, which can shatter the +columns of their adversaries. It is a method which has often +produced good results for the Russians; so General Wittgenstein +had prepared this welcome for us. + +The situation seemed to me to be so serious that to keep my +regiment out of sight, I ordered them to go back into the forest +while I myself hurried to warn Marshal Oudinot of the danger +which lay ahead. + +I found him in some open country, where having dismounted and +halted his troops, he was peacefully eating his lunch in the +midst of his staff. I expected that my report would shake him out +of this false security, but he treated it with an air of +disbelief, and clapping me on the shoulder he called out "Let's +go! Marbot here has discovered thirty thousand men for us to +thump." General Lorencez, the marshal's son-in-law and his +chief-of-staff was the only one to take me seriously; he had once +been aide-de-camp to Augereau and he had known me for a long +time. He came to my defence saying that when the commander of a +unit says "I have seen" he should be believed, and that to take +no notice of information brought by an officer of the light +cavalry was to court disaster. These observations made by his +chief-of-staff caused the marshal to think, and he had started to +question me about the enemy presence, which he still seemed to +doubt, when a staff-captain by the name of Duplessis arrived, all +out of breath, and announced that he had searched the whole area +and had even been into the forest, and had seen not a single +Russian. At this the marshal and his staff began laughing at my +fears, which greatly upset me. Nevertheless, I kept my mouth +shut, certain that before very long, the truth would become +apparent. + +Luncheon being over, the march got under way once more and I +returned to my regiment, which formed the advance-guard. I led +them through the trees as I had done previously, for I could see +what was going to happen the moment we emerged opposite the enemy +positions. In spite of what I had told him, the marshal decided +to go down a wide, dead straight road which ran through the +forest; but he had scarcely reached the edge of the trees when +the enemy, seeing the large group formed by his staff, opened a +running fire from their cannons, which placed opposite the road +could fire directly along it and threw into disorder the gilded +squadron, recently so full of themselves. Fortunately no one was +hit by this fire, but the marshal's horse was killed, as was that +of M. Duplessis and a number of others. I had been amply avenged, +and I must confess, to my shame, that I had difficulty in hiding +my satisfaction at seeing those who had scoffed at my report and +treated as fantasy what I had said about the enemy presence, +taking to their heels under a hail of shot and scrambling over +ditches as best they could to seek shelter behind the great pine +trees! The worthy General Lorencez, whom I had warned to stay in +the forest, laughed heartily at this scene. In fairness to +Oudinot, I must say that once remounted, he came and apologised +for for his behaviour at luncheon, and asked me to brief him on +the Russian positions, and point out a route through the forest +which the infantry might take without being too much exposed to +the enemy's guns. + +Several officers of the 23rd who, like me, had been through the +woodland in the morning, were detailed to guide the infantry +divisions. Nevertheless, on their emerging from the trees they +were subjected to a terrible cannonade, which could have been +avoided if, having been warned of the Russian presence, there had +been an attempt to turn one of their flanks, instead of making a +frontal approach. As it was, we were now committed, once we +emerged from the wood, to attacking the most heavily defended +point and taking the bull by the horns. + +However, our gallant soldiers engaged the enemy with such +determination that they drove them from all their positions, and +after two hours of fighting they began to retreat. This operation +was not without danger, for, to carry it out, they had to go +through the town and cross the bridge over a very steep-sided +stream. This manoeuvre, always difficult to execute under fire, +started off in an orderly fashion, but our light artillery, +having taken up a position on a height which overlooked the town, +soon, by means of its gunfire, produced disorder among the enemy +columns, which broke ranks and rushed to the bridge. Once they +had crossed the stream, instead of regrouping they fled +helter-skelter over the open ground of the opposite bank, where +the retreat soon became a rout! Only one regiment, that of Toula, +stood its ground on the town side of the bridge. Marshal Oudinot +very much wanted to force a passage across the bridge, to +complete his victory by pursuing the fugitives on the other side +of the stream; but our infantry had hardly reached the suburbs; +it would take them at least 15 minutes to reach the bridge, and +time was precious. + +My regiment, which had made a successful charge at the entrance +to the town, had re-formed on the promenade, a short distance +from the stream. The marshal sent word to me to bring them at the +gallop and we had hardly arrived before he ordered me to charge +the enemy battalions which were covering the bridge, then to +cross the bridge and pursue the fugitives on the open ground of +the opposite side. Experienced soldiers know how difficult it is +for cavalry to overcome infantry, who are determined to defend +themselves in the streets of a town. I was well aware of the +dangers of the task which I had been given, but it had to be +done, and without hesitation. I knew also that it is by his +conduct in his first action that a commanding officer gains a +good or a bad reputation amongst his men. My regiment was +composed of battle-hardened troopers: I raised them to the gallop +and, with me at their head, we fell on the Russian Grenadiers, +who stood firm behind their bayonets. They were, however, +overwhelmed by our first impetuous charge, and once their ranks +had been penetrated, my terrible chasseurs using the points of +their sabres inflicted a frightful slaughter. The enemy retreated +to the causeway of the bridge, where we followed them so closely +that, on reaching the other side, they were unable to re-form, +and our men got amongst them, killing all whom they could reach. +When the Russian colonel was killed, his regiment, without +leadership, lost heart, and seeing that the French skirmishers +had now reached the bridge, they surrendered. I lost seven men +killed and some twenty wounded, but captured a flag and two +thousand prisoners. After this action, we advanced onto the open +ground where we took a great number of fugitives, several guns +and many horses. + +Marshal Oudinot had watched this action from a vantage point in +the town, and he came to congratulate the regiment, for which he +henceforth had a particular regard, which it well merited. I was +proud to be in command of such men and when the marshal told me +that he intended to recommend me for promotion to colonel, I was +afraid that the Emperor would go back on his original plan, and +post me to the first regiment which became vacant. How strange +are the twists of fortune! The successful action at Wilkomir, +where the 23rd earned such a fine reputation, nearly led on a +later occasion to its destruction, because the courage which it +had displayed at the time resulted in its being chosen to carry +out a mission which was virtually impossible, which I shall +describe shortly. Let us now return to Wilna, where the Emperor +was beginning to meet with some of the difficulties which were to +wreck his whole gigantic undertaking. + +The first of these concerned the re-organisation of Lithuania, +which we had just conquered. This had to be carried out in away +which would please not only those provinces which were still +occupied by Russia, but also those of the duchies of Posen and +Galicia, which ancient treaties had incorporated into Prussia and +Austria, Napoleon's allies, whom, for the time being, it was +important not to offend. + +The most committed of the noblemen who ruled the various parts of +Poland proposed to Napoleon that they would raise all the +provinces and place at his disposal more than 300,000 men on the +day that he announced officially that all the partitions to which +the country had been subjected were annulled, and that the +kingdom of Poland was reconstituted. The Emperor, although he was +aware of the benefits he would gain from such an armed uprising, +could not conceal from himself the fact that its first result +would be to involve him in war with Austria and Prussia, which, +rather than see themselves deprived of these huge and flourishing +provinces, would join their arms to those of Russia. Above all, +he doubted the constancy of the Poles, who, after dragging him +into war with the three most powerful of the northern nations, +might perhaps fail to deliver their promised support. The Emperor +therefore replied to these propositions that he would not +recognise the kingdom of Poland until the inhabitants of these +huge areas had shown themselves worthy of independence by rising +against their oppressors. This now created a vicious circle, +Napoleon would not recognise the kingdom of Poland until the +Poles took action, and the Poles would not take any action until +he did. An indication that Napoleon, in going to war with +Russia, had no intention other than to enforce the continental +blockade is the fact that he had not brought to the Nieman any +arms or uniforms for the men which the Poles might have supplied. + +Be that as it may, some influential noblemen, in an attempt to +force Napoleon's hand, set up a National Diet in Warsaw, which +was attended by a small number of deputies. The first act of this +assembly was to proclaim the Reconstitution and Independence of +the Ancient Kingdom of Poland. The echo of this patriotic +declaration rang throughout all the provinces, whether Russian, +Prussian or Austrian, and for several days it was believed that +there would be an uprising which would probably favour Napoleon, +but this unthinking exaltation did not last long among the Poles, +of whom only a few hundred came to join us. The cooling off was +so rapid that the town of Wilna and its surroundings could +provide no more than twenty men to form a guard of honour for the +Emperor. If the Poles had displayed at this time a hundredth part +of the energy and enthusiasm which they displayed during the +insurrection of 1830-1831, they might have recovered their +independence and their liberty, but, far from coming to the aid +of the French troops, they denied them all necessities, and +during this campaign our soldiers often had to take by force the +food and forage which the inhabitants, and above all the nobles, +hid from us but handed over to the Russians, their persecutors. +This partiality in favour of our enemies enraged our men and gave +rise to some unpleasant scenes which M. de Segur has stigmatised +as disgraceful pillage! It is however impossible to prevent the +weary and wretched soldiers who have received no issue of rations +from commandeering the bread and the livestock which they need +for their survival. + +The need to maintain order in the provinces occupied by the army +led the Emperor, in spite of everything, to appoint prefects and +sub-prefects who were chosen from the most enlightened Poles, but +their administration was illusory and no help to the French army. + +The main reason for the apathy of the Lithuanian Poles was the +self-interested attachment of the nobility to the Russian +government, which upheld their rights over their peasantry, to +whom they feared the French might award their freedom, for all +those Polish noblemen who talked unceasingly about freedom kept +their peasants in the most brutish serfdom. + +Although the concentration of French troops on their frontiers +should have warned the Russians that hostilities were about to +commence, they were nonetheless taken by surprise by the crossing +of the Nieman, which they nowhere opposed. Their army began a +retreat towards the Duna (Dvina) on the left bank of which they +had prepared, at Drissa, an immense entrenched camp. From all +parts the different French Corps followed the Russian columns. +Prince Murat was in command of the cavalry of the advance-guard, +and every evening he caught up with the Russian rear-guard; but +after some skirmishing they made off during the night by forced +marches, without it being possible to bring them to a decisive +action. + +Chap. 7. + +During the first days of our invasion of Russia, the enemy had +made the very serious mistake of allowing Napoleon to split their +forces, so that the greater part of their army, led by the +Emperor Alexander and Marshal Barclay, had been driven back to +the Duna, while the remainder, commanded by Bagration, was on the +upper Nieman around Mir, eighty leagues from the main body. Cut +off in this way, Bagration tried to join the Emperor Alexander by +going through Minsk; but Napoleon had entrusted the protection of +Minsk to Marshal Davout, who vigourously repelled the Russians +and drove them back to Bobruisk, which he knew was supposed to be +guarded by Jerome Bonaparte, at the head of two corps, amounting +to 60,000 men. Bagration was about to be forced to surrender +when he was saved by the foolishness of Jerome, who had not +accepted the advice which Davout had given him, and failing to +recognise the superior wisdom of the experienced and successful +marshal, had decided to go his own way, whereupon he manoeuvred +his troops so ineptly that Bagration was able to escape from this +first danger. Davout, however, followed him with his usual +tenacity, and caught up with him on the road to Mohilew, where, +although he had no more than 12,000 men, he attacked the 36,000 +Russians and defeated them, though admittedly the Russians were +surprised on an area of very broken ground which prevented them +from making the best use of their superior numbers. Bagration was +compelled to cross the Borysthenia much lower down at +Novoi-Bychow, and being now out of reach of Davout he was able to +rejoin the main Russian army at Smolensk. + +During the marches and countermarches which Bagration undertook +in his efforts to evade Davout, he surprised the brigade of +French cavalry comannded by General Bordesoulle, and captured +from him the whole of the 3rd Regiment of Chasseurs, whose +colonel was my friend Saint-Mars. + +The elimination of Bagration's force would have been of +tremendous benefit to Napoleon, so his fury with King Jerome was +unbounded! He ordered him to quit the army immediately and return +to Westphalia, a rigourous but necessary measur, which had the +effect of greatly damaging King Jerome's reputation in the army. +However, one has to ask if he was entirely to blame? His major +mistake was to think that his dignity as a sovereign should not +permit him to accept the advice of a simple marshal, but Napoleon +knew perfectly well that the young prince had never in his life +commanded so much as a single battalion, nor taken part in the +most minor skirmish, and yet he confided to his care an army of +60,000 men, and this at a somewhat critical juncture. General +Junot, who replaced Jerome, was, before long, also guilty of a +serious blunder. + +It was around this time that the Russian emperor sent one of his +ministers, Count Balachoff,to parley with Napoleon, who was still +in Wilna. The purpose of this discussion has never been entirely +clear; there were those who believed it was to arrange an +armistice, but they were quickly disabused by the departure of +the Count, and it appeared later that the English, who had a +tremendous influence in the Russian court and the army, had taken +umbrage at this mission, and fearing that Alexander might be +considering coming to terms with Napoleon, they had loudly +insisted that he should leave the army and return to St. +Petersburg. Alexander accepted this proposal, but ensured that +his brother, Constantine came with him. Left to themselves, and +egged on by the Englishman Wilson, the Russian generals sought to +wage war with a ferocity which might shake the French morale, so +they ordered their troops to lay waste the country behind them as +they withdrew, by burning all the houses and everything else +which they could not carry away. + +While Napoleon, from the central point of Wilna, was directing +the various units of his army, the columns led by Murat, Ney, +Montbrun, Nansouty and Oudinot had, on the 15th of July, reached +the river Dvina. Oudinot, who had probably misunderstood the +Emperor's orders, took the unusual step of going down the left +bank of the river, while Wittgenstein and his men were going up +the river on the other side. He arrived opposite Dvinaburg, an +old walled town whose fortifications were in bad repair, where he +hoped to capture the bridge and, having crossed to the other +bank, to attack Wittgenstein from the rear. Wittgenstein, +however, on leaving Dvinaburg, had left behind a strong garrison +with numerous pieces of artillery. My regiment as usual +constituted the advance-guard, which on this day was led by +Marshal Oudinot himself. + +The town of Dvinaburg is on the right bank of the river. We +arrived on the left bank, where there is a considerable +fortification which protects the bridge which links it to the +town, from which it is separated by the river, which is very wide +at this point. A quarter of a league from the fortifications, +which Marshal Oudinot claimed were not equipped with cannon, I +came on a Russian battalion whose left flank was protected by the +river, and whose front was covered by the planks and hutments of +an abandoned camp. In such a position the enemy was very +difficult for cavalry to attack; however the Marshal ordered me +to attack them. After I had left it to individual officers to +make their way through the gaps between the huts, I ordered the +charge, but the regiment had hardly gone a few paces amid a +shower of bullets from the Russian infantry when the artillery, +whose existence the Marshal had denied, thundered from the +battlements, to which we were so close that the canisters of +grape-shot were going over our heads before they had time to +burst. A stray ball from one of them went through a fisherman's +hut and broke the leg of the trumpeter who was sounding the +charge by my side!...I lost several men there. + +Marshal Oudinot, who had made a serious mistake in attacking a +position which was protected by cannon, hoped to flush out the +Russian infantry by sending in a Portuguese battalion which was +ahead of our infantry; but these foreigners, former prisoners of +war, who had been enlisted somewhat unwillingly into the French +army, made little headway and we remained exposed. Seeing that +Oudinot bore the enemy fire with courage but without giving any +orders, I thought that if this state of affairs continued for a +few minutes more, my regiment was going to wiped out, so I told +my men to spread out and attack the enemy infantry in open order, +with the double aim of driving them out of their position and +preventing the gunners from firing for fear of hitting their own +men, who were intermingled with ours. Cut down by my troopers, +the defenders of the camp fled towards the bridgehead, but the +garrison of this outpost was composed of recent recruits, who, +fearing that we would follow the fugitives into the +fortifications, hurriedly closed the gates; which compelled them +to make for the pontoon bridge in an attempt to reach the other +bank and the shelter of the town of Dvinaburg itself. + +The bridge had no guard-rail, the pontoons wobbled, the river was +deep and wide, and I could see the armed garrison on the other +side trying to close the gates! It seemed to me to be folly to +advance any further. Thinking that the regiment had done enough, +I had halted them when the Marshal arrived, shouting "Forward the +twenty-third! Do as you did at Wilkomir! Cross the bridge! Force +the gates! Seize the town!" General Lorencez tried, in vain, to +persuade him that the difficulties were too great, and that a +regiment of cavalry could not attack a fortress, however badly +defended, if to get there they had to cross, two abreast, a +third-rate pontoon bridge; but the Marshal persisted, "They will +be able to take advantage of the disorder and fears of the +enemy," he said, and repeated his order to me to attack the town. +I obeyed; but I was scarcely on the first span of the bridge, at +the head of the leading section of my men, when the garrison, +having managed to close the gates which led to the river, mounted +the ramparts, from where they opened fire on us. The slender line +which we presented offered a poor target for these inadequately +trained men, so that their musket and cannon fire caused us fewer +casualties than I had feared, but on hearing the fortress firing +on us, the defenders of the bridgehead recovered their nerve and +joined in the fray. Oudinot, seeing the 23rd caught between two +fires, at the start of an unstable bridge across which it was +impossible to advance, conveyed to me the order to retreat. The +large gap which I had left between each section allowed them to +turn round without too much confusion, however, two men and their +horses fell into the river and were drowned. In order to regain +the left bank we had to pass once more under the ramparts of the +bridgehead, when we were exposed to a rolling fire which, +fortunately, was aimed by unskilled militia, for if we had been +up against trained marksmen, the regiment could have been wholly +destroyed. + +This unsuccessful action, so imprudently undertaken, cost me +thirty men killed and many wounded, and it was to be hoped that +the Marshal would be content with this fruitless effort, +especially in view of the fact that the Emperor had not ordered +him to take Dvinaburg; but, as soon as the infantry had arrived, +he made a new assault on the bridgehead, which had now been +reinforced by a company of Grenadiers, who, at the sound of +firing had hurried from nearby billets, so that our troops were +once more repelled with much greater losses than those suffered +by the 23rd. When the Emperor heard of this abortive attack, he +placed the blame squarely on Marshal Oudinot. + +At this time, my regiment was brigaded with the 24th Chasseurs, +and General Castex, who commanded this brigade, had instituted an +admirable routine in our method of operation. Each of the two +regiments took it in turn to form, for twenty-four hours, the +advance-guard if we were approaching the enemy, or the rear-guard +if we were retreating, and to provide all the sentries, pickets +and so on, while the other regiment marched peacefully along, +recovering from the fatigues of the day before and preparing for +those of the morrow, which did not prevent it from going to the +aid of the unit on duty if they came in contact with the enemy. +This system, which was not in the regulations, had the great +advantage of never separating the men from their officers or +their comrades, or placing them under the orders of unknown +commanders and mingling them with troopers of another regiment. +Moreover, during the night, half of the brigade slept, while the +other half watched over them. However, since no system is without +its shortcomings, it could so happen, by chance, that it was the +same regiment which was more often on duty when a serious +engagement occurred, as happened to the 23rd at Wilkomir and +Dvinaburg. It was the sort of luck which we had throughout the +campaign, but we never complained; we came out of all these +events well and were often envied by the 24th, who had fewer +occasions on which to distinguish themselves. + +While Oudinot was making his assault on Dvinaburg, the corps +commanded by Ney, as well as the immense body of cavalry +commanded by Murat, were proceeding up the left bank of the Dvina +towards Polotsk, while Wittgenstein's Russian army followed the +same route on the right bank. Being separated from the enemy by +the river, our troops grew careless, and pitched their bivouacs +in the French manner, much too close to its bank. Wittgenstein +had noticed this and he allowed the bulk of the French force to +draw ahead. The last unit in the line of march was Sebastiani's +division, which had as its rear-guard the brigade commanded by +General Saint-Genies, who had served as an officer in the army of +Egypt, and who, although courageous, was not very bright. When he +had reached a some way beyond the little town of Drouia, General +Saint-Genies, on the orders of Sebastiani, put his troops into +bivouac some two hundred paces from the river, which was believed +to be uncrossable without boats. Wittgenstein, however, knew of a +ford, and during the night he made use of it to send across the +river a division of cavalry, which fell on the French troops and +captured almost the entire brigade, including General +Saint-Genies. This forced Sebastiani to hurry upstream with the +rest of his division to make contact with the Corps commanded by +Montbrun. After this swift raid, Wittgenstein recalled his troops +and continued his march up the Dvina. The affair did Sebastiani's +reputation a great deal of harm and drew down on his head the +reproaches of the Emperor. + +Shortly after this regrettable incident, Oudinot having been +ordered to leave Dvinaburg and go up the river to rejoin Ney and +Montbrun, his army Corps took the same route as they had done, +and passed the town of Drouia. The Marshal intended to encamp his +force some three leagues further on, but he feared that the enemy +might use the ford to send across large parties of men to harass +the great convoy which trailed behind him, so he decided that +while he made off into the distance, with the main body of the +troops, he would leave behind a regiment of General Castex's +brigade, in the position which had been occupied by General +Saint-Genies, to watch the ford. As my regiment was on duty, +there fell to it the dangerous task of remaining behind at +Drouia, on their own, until the following morning. I knew that +the greater part of Wittgenstein's force had gone up the river, +but I could see that he had left behind, not far from the ford, +two strong regiments of cavalry, a force more than sufficient to +overcome me. + +However much I might have wished to carry out the order to set up +my bivouac on the spot used two days previously by Saint-Genies, +this was impossible, for the ground was littered with more than +two hundred bodies in a state of putrefaction, and to this major +reason was linked another not less important. What I had seen and +what I had learned about war had convinced me that the best means +of defending a river against an enemy whose aim is not to +establish himself on the bank which one occupies, is to keep the +main body of one's troops well back from the river edge; firstly +to have timely warning of the enemy's approach, and secondly, +because, as it his intention to make a sudden raid and then +retire smartly, he dare not go too far from the spot where he can +cross back to the other side. So I settled the regiment half a +league from the Dvina, on some slightly undulating ground. I left +only some two-man sentinels on the bank, because, when it is +purely a matter of observation, two men can see as much as a +large picket. Several lines of troopers were placed one after the +other between these sentinels and our bivouac, where, like a +spider at the bottom of its web, I could be rapidly informed by +these threads about what was going on in the area which it was my +duty to guard. I had forbidden all fires and even the lighting of +pipes, and had ordered complete silence. + +The nights are extremely short in Russia in the month of July, +but this one seemed very long to me, so afraid was I that I might +be attacked during the hours of darkness by a force superior in +strength to my own. Half of the men were in the saddle, the +remainder were allowing their horses to graze but were ready to +mount if given the signal. All seemed quiet on the opposite bank, +when my Polish servant, who spoke Russian fluently, came to tell +me that he had heard one old Jewish woman who lived in a nearby +house say to another, "The lantern has been lit in the clock +tower at Morki. The attack is going to begin." I had the two +women brought to me, and questioned by Lorentz. They said that, +as they were afraid of their village becoming a battleground for +the two enemies, they had been alarmed to see the lamp lit in the +bell tower of the church at Morki, which, the night before last, +had been the signal for the Russian troops to cross the ford and +attack the French camp. + +Although I was prepared for any eventuality, this was a piece of +very useful information. At once the regiment was on horse, +sabres in their hands. The sentinels by the river and the string +of horsemen stretched across the plain passed from man to man, in +low voices, the orders to come back. Two of the boldest +sous-officiers, Prud'homme and Graft, went with Lieutenant Bertin +to see what the enemy was doing. He came back shortly to say that +a large column of Russian cavalry was crossing the ford, and that +already there were some squadrons on our side of the river; but +seemingly taken aback at not finding us camped at the same place +as Saint-Genies, they had halted, fearing, no doubt to go too far +from their only means of retreat; then, having decided to go on, +they were now approaching at a walk, and were not far off. + +I immediately set fire to a huge haystack and to several barns +which stood on some high ground, and by the light of the flames I +could easily distinguish the enemy column, consisting of Grodno +Hussars. I had with me about a thousand brave men, and with a cry +of "Vive L'Emperor!" we charged at the gallop towards the +Russians who, taken by surprise by this fierce and unexpected +attack, turned tail and rushed in disorder to the ford. There +they came face to face with a regiment of dragoons who, being +part of their brigade, had followed them and were just emerging +from the river. This resulted in the most fearful confusion which +enabled our men to kill many of the enemy and take many horses. +The Russians tried to recross the ford in a mob to escape from +the fire which my men aimed at them from the bank and a number of +them were drowned. Our surprise attack had so startled the enemy +who had thought to find us asleep, that they put up no +resistance, and I was able to return to our bivouac without +having to regret the death or wounding of any of our number. The +break of day disclosed the field of battle covered by some +hundreds of dead or wounded Russians. I left the wounded in the +care of the inhabitants of the village near which we had spent +the night, and took to the road to rejoin Marshal Oudinot, with +whom I caught up that same evening. The Marshal gave me a hearty +welcome and complemented the regiment on their conduct. + +2nd Corps continued its march up the left bank of the Dvina and +in three days arrived opposite Polotsk. There we learned that the +Emperor had at last left Wilna, where he had spent twenty days, +and was heading for Vitepsk, a town of some size, which he +intended to make his new centre of operations. + +On quitting Wilna, the Emperor had left the Duc de Bassano as +governor of the province of Lithuania, and General Hogendorp as +military commander. Neither of these two officials was suited to +organising the rear echelons of an army. The Duc de Bassano, a +former diplomat and private secretary, knew nothing about +administration, while the Dutchman Hogendorp, who spoke little +French, and had no idea of our military regulations and customs, +was not likely to have much success with those French who passed +through Wilna or with the local nobility. So the resources +available in Lithuania were of no help to our troops. + +The town of Polotsk is situated on the right bank of the Dvina. +Its houses are built of wood and it is dominated by a very large +and splendid college, at that time occupied by the Jesuits, +almost all of whom were French. It is surrounded by an earthwork +fortification, having at one time undergone a siege during the +war waged by Charles XII against Peter the Great. The corps +commanded by Ney, Murat and Montbrun, in order to get from Drissa +to Witepsk, had built a pontoon bridge across the Dvina opposite +Polotsk, which they left for Oudinot's corps, which was going to +take the road for St. Petersburg. It was from here that 2nd Corps +took a different direction to that of the Grande Armee, which we +did not see again until the following winter, at the crossing of +the Beresina. + +It would require several volumes to describe the manoeuvres and +the battles of that part of the army which followed the Emperor +to Moscow. I shall therefore limit myself to describing the +salient events as they occur. + +On the 25th of July, there took place near to Ostrovno an +advance-guard action, in which our infantry were successful, but +where several regiments of cavalry were too hastily engaged by +Murat. The 16th Chasseurs was amongst this number, and my +brother, who commanded a squadron, was captured. He was taken far +beyond Moscow to Sataroff, on the Volga, where he joined Colonel +Saint-Mars and Octave de Segur. They helped each other to bear +the boredom of captivity, to which my brother was already +accustomed, as he had spent several years in the prisons and +hulks of Spain. The fortunes of war treated us both differently; +Adolphe was captured three times but never wounded, while I was +often wounded but never captured. + +While the Emperor, now in control of Wilna, tried in vain to +manoeuvre the Russian army into a decisive battle, Oudinot's +corps, having crossed the Dvina at Polotsk, established itself in +front of this town, facing the numerous troops of General +Wittgenstein, who formed the enemy right wing. Before I describe +the events which took place on the banks of the Dvina, I should, +perhaps, acquaint you with the composition of 2nd Corps. + +Marshal Oudinot, who commanded the Corps, had under his orders no +more than 44,000 men, divided into three divisions of infantry, +commanded by Generals Legrand, Verdier and Merle. There were two +brigades of light cavalry. The first, composed of the 23rd and +the 24th regiments of Chasseurs, was commanded by General Castex, +an excellent officer on all counts. The second was formed of the +7th and 20th Chasseurs and the 8th Polish Lancers, commanded by +General Corbineau, a brave but dull-witted officer. These +brigades were not combined into a single division, but were +employed wherever the Marshal thought necessary. + +The 24th Chasseurs, with which my regiment was brigaded, was a +first class unit which would have done very well if there had +been a bond of sympathy between the men and their commander. +Unfortunately Colonel A... was very hard on his subordinates who, +for their part, disliked him. This state of affairs led General +Castex to travel and camp with the 23rd, and to unite his field +kitchen with mine, even though he had once served in the 24th. +Colonel A..., big, skillful and always perfectly mounted, showed +up well in engagements featuring the "arme blanche", but was +thought not to be so keen on those in which fire-arms and +artillery were involved. In spite of this, the Emperor recognised +in him qualities which made him undoubtedly the best light +cavalry officer in our European armies. No one had a better eye +for country. Before he set out, he could predict where there +would be obstacles not shown on the map, and where streams, roads +and even paths would lead to, and deduce from enemy movements +forecasts which were almost always correct. In all the aspects of +war, great or small, he was remarkably adept. The Emperor had +often used him for reconnaissance in the past and had recommended +him to Marshal Oudinot, who frequently called him into +consultation; with the result that many of the laborious and +dangerous jobs fell to my regiment. + +Chap. 8. + +Hardly had the various army corps which had preceded us into +Polotsk left to join the Emperor at Witepsk, when Oudinot, +collecting his troops into a single immense column on the road to +St. Petersburg, marched to attack Wittgenstein's army, which we +believed was positioned ten leagues from us, between two little +towns named Sebej and Newel. At the end of the day we made our +bivouac on the banks of the Drissa. This tributary of the Dvina +is no more than a rivulet at the coaching inn of Siwotschina, +where it is crossed by the main road to St. Petersburg; and +where, as there is no bridge, the Russian government has instead +cut back the steep banks between which the stream runs to make a +gently sloping approach, and has paved its bed to the same width +as the road, thus creating a passable ford. To the right and left +of the ford, however, troops and vehicles cannot cross, because +of the steepness of the banks. I mention this because three days +later this spot was the scene of a brisk engagement. + +The next day, the 30th, my regiment being on duty, I took my +place at the head of the advance-guard and, followed by the whole +army corps, I crossed the ford through the Drissa. The heat was +most oppressive, and in the dust-covered corn fields at the side +of the road one could see two large areas where the grain had +been flattened and crushed, as if a roller had been dragged over +it, indicating the passage of a large column of infantry. +Suddenly, near the coaching inn of Kliastitsoui, these signs +disappeared from the main road, and could be seen to the left on +a wide side-road which led to Jacoubovo. It was evident that the +enemy had turned off the road to Sebej at this point and was +preparing to attack our left flank. This seemed to me to be a +serious matter, so I halted our troops and sent a message to warn +my general. The Marshal, however, who usually kept in view of the +advance-guard, had seen that I had halted. He came along at the +gallop and in spite of the opinions of Generals Castex and +Lorencez, he ordered me to continue up the main road. I had +scarcely gone a league when I saw coming towards me a calische +drawn by two post-horses....I stopped it and I saw a Russian +officer who, overcome by the heat, was lying full-length on its +floor. This young man, the son of the nobleman who owned the +coaching inn of Kliastitsoui which I had just passed, was one of +Wittgenstein's aides-de-camp, and was returning from St. +Petersburg with the reply to some despatches which the general +had sent to the government. You may imagine his surprise when, +startled out of his sleep, he found himself surrounded by our +bearded chasseurs, and saw not far away the numerous columns of +French soldiers. He could not understand why he had not +encountered Wittgenstein's army, or at least some of his scouts, +between Sebej and the spot where we were; but his astonishment +confirmed the opinion held by General Castex and me that +Wittgenstein, to lay a trap for Oudinot, had suddenly quitted the +road to St. Petersburg to attack the left flank and the rear of +the French force. In fact, it was not long before we heard the +sound of artillery and gun-fire. + +Marshal Oudinot, although taken by surprise by this unexpected +attack, extricated himself quite well from the tight spot in +which he had landed himself. Ordering his columns to left face, +he presented a line to the attacker, who was repulsed so +vigourously that he did not care to renew the attack that day, +and retired to Jakoubovo. Wittgenstein's cavalry had, however, +enjoyed a considerable success, for they had captured, in the +French rear, some thousand men and some of our equipment; amongst +other things, all our mobile forges. This was a serious loss, +which was felt badly by the cavalry of 2nd Corps throughout the +whole of the campaign. After this engagement, Oudinot's troops +having taken up their position, Castex was ordered to return to +Kliastitsoui, to guard the point at which the road branched, +where we were joined by General Maison's infantry. The Russian +officer held prisoner in the house belonging to his father did us +the honours with good grace. + +In expectation of a major battle on the following day, the +commanders of both armies had made their dispositions, and, at +daybreak, the Russians attacked the inn at Kliastitsoui, which +constituted the French right wing. Although in these +circumstances both our regiments would be in action, the regiment +on duty would be in the first rank, and it was the turn of the +24th Chasseurs. To avoid any possibility of hesitation, General +Castex placed himself at the head of the regiment, and falling +rapidly on the Russians, he overran them and took 400 prisoners +without suffering many casualties. He was in the forefront of the +attack, and his horse was killed by a bayonet thrust. In the +resultant fall his foot had been trodden on, and he was unable +for several days to lead the brigade. His place was taken by +Colonel A.... + +The Russian battalions which the 24th had just defeated were +immediately replaced by others which, emerging from Jacoubovo, +marched rapidly towards us. The Marshal ordered A... to attack +them, and we were told to advance, which we did without delay. +Having arrived at the front line, we arranged ourselves in battle +order and advanced toward the Russians, who awaited us +resolutely. As soon as we were within range, I ordered the +charge...! It was carried out with the greatest vigour, for my +troopers, as well as displaying their usual courage, were aware +that their comrades of the 24th were watching their every move. +The Russians made what I consider to be the fatal mistake of +discharging all their weapons at once by firing a volley, which, +badly aimed, killed only a few men and horses: continuous fire +would have been much more devastating. They then needed to +reload, but we did not give them time; our excellent horses, +galloping at full speed, hit them with such force that many of +them were knocked to the ground. A good number got to their feet +and attempted to defend themselves with their bayonets against +the sabres of our Chasseurs, but after suffering a great many +casualties they fell back, then broke ranks, and a good number +were killed or captured as they fled towards a cavalry regiment +which had come to their aid. This was the Grodno Hussars. + +I have noticed that when a unit has defeated another, it always +maintains its superiority. I saw here a further proof of this, +for the Chasseurs of the 23rd hurled themselves on the Grodno +Hussars, as if they were easy prey, having previously beaten them +soundly in a night battle at Drouia, and the Hussars, having +recognised their enemy, took to their heels. This regiment, +during the rest of the campaign, invariably faced the 23rd, who +always retained their ascendancy. While these events were taking +place on our right wing, the infantry on the left and in the +centre had attacked the Russians who, defeated everywhere, had +abandoned the field of battle and at nightfall they went to take +up a position about a league away. Our army took possession of +the area which it occupied, between Jakoubovo and the road +junction at Kliastitsoui. There was much celebration that night +in the brigade bivouacs, on account of our victory. My regiment +had captured the flag of the Tamboff infantry, and the 24th had +also taken that of the Russian unit which they had overcome; but +their satisfaction was diminished by the knowledge that two of +their squadron commanders had been wounded, both of whom, +however, made a rapid recovery and served throughout the rest of +the campaign. + +When a unit endeavours to outflank an enemy, it risks being +itself outflanked. This is what happened to Wittgenstein, for on +the night of the 29th, having left the St. Petersburg road to +attack the left and rear of the French army, he had compromised +his line of communication, which Oudinot could have cut +completely if he taken full advantage of the victory achieved on +the 30th. The Russian situation was made worse by the fact that +while facing a victorious army which barred its line of retreat, +it learned that Marshal Macdonald, having crossed the Dvina and +taken the fort of Dvinaberg, was advancing on the Russian rear. +To get out of this difficulty, Wittgenstein had, during the night +after the battle, made a cross-country detour which took his army +back on to the St. Petersburg road at a point beyond the inn at +Kliastitsoui. Since, however, he was afraid that the French +troops who were in that area might fall on his force during this +flank move, he decided to prevent them from doing so by himself +attacking them with superior strength, while the bulk of his army +regained the route to St. Petersburg and reopened his +communications with Sebej. + +The next day, the 31st of July, my regiment came on duty at dawn, +when it could be seen that part of the army which we had defeated +the day before had avoided our right wing and was in full flight +towards Sebej, while the remainder were about to attack us at +Kliastitsoui. All of Marshal Oudinot's troops were immediately +stood to, but while the generals were arranging them in battle +order, a strong column of Russian Grenadiers attacked our allies, +the Portuguese, and reduced them to complete disorder; they then +turned on the large and solid coaching inn, an important point +which they were about to take, when Marshal Oudinot, always in +the forefront of any action, hurried to my regiment, which was +already at the outposts, and ordered me to try to stop or at +least slow down the enemy advance until the arrival of our +infantry which was approaching rapidly. I took my regiment off at +the gallop, and ordering the trumpeter to sound the charge, I +struck the right of the enemy line obliquely, which greatly +hindered the ability of their infantry and Grenadiers to fire on +us, and they were about to be cut down, for they were already in +disorder, when either spontaneously or under the orders of their +officers, they made an about turn and ran for a large ditch which +they had left behind them. They all scrambled into it and from +its cover they directed a continuous fire at us. Immediately I +had six or seven men killed and some twenty wounded, and was hit +by a stray ball in the left shoulder. My troopers had their blood +up, but they could not attack men whom it was physically +impossible to reach. At this moment General Maison arrived with +his infantry and having ordered me to withdraw behind his +columns, he attacked the ditch from both ends and all its +defenders were either killed or made prisoner. + +As for me, with a painful wound, I was taken back to the inn and +removed, with difficulty, from my horse. The good Dr. Parot, the +regimental surgeon, came to dress my injury, but he had scarcely +started this when he was forced to break off. There was a new +Russian assault and a hail of ball fell about us, so that we had +to remove ourselves out of range of the fire. The doctor found +that my injury was serious and could have been fatal if the thick +braiding of my epaulet, through which the ball had passed, had +not deflected it and lessened its force. The blow had been +sufficiently heavy to knock me back almost onto my horse's +crupper, so that the officers and troopers who were following me +thought I had been killed, and I would have fallen if my +orderlies had not supported me. The dressing was very painful, +for the ball was embedded in the bone at the point where the +upper arm joins the collar-bone. To get it out the wound had to +be enlarged and you can still see the big scar. + +I can promise you that if I had been already a colonel, I would +have joined the many wounded who were being sent back to Polotsk, +and after crossing the Dvina I would have sought some Lithuanian +town where I might be cared for; but I was only a squadron +commander and at any time the Emperor could arrive at Witepsk and +hold a revue, at which he would award nothing except to those who +were present, bearing arms. This custom which at first may seem +cruel, was based nevertheless on the interest of the service, for +it encouraged the wounded not to remain in hospital any longer +than was necessary, and to rejoin their units as soon as they +were fit enough to do so. In view of the above, my success in +action against the enemy, my recent wound received in combat, and +my devotion to the regiment, all compelled me not to go away; so +I stayed in spite of the severe pain which I was suffering, and +having put my arm in a sling as well as I could, and had myself +hoisted onto horseback, I rejoined my regiment. + +Chap. 9. + +Since I had been wounded, things had changed considerably; our +troops had defeated those of Wittgenstein and taken a great +number of prisoners, but the Russians had reached the St. +Petersburg road and were continuing their retreat to Sebej. + +To get to this town from the inn at Kliastitsoui, one must cross +the enormous marsh of Khodanui, in the middle of which the main +road is raised on an embankment made of huge pine trees laid one +next to another. On each side of this causeway is a ditch, or +rather a wide and deep canal, and there is no other route except +by making an exceedingly long detour. The embankment is almost a +league long, but of considerable width, so that, it being +impossible to put flank guards in the marsh, the Russians marched +in dense columns along this artificial road, beyond which our +maps showed open country. Marshal Oudinot, aiming at further +victory, had decided to follow them, and for this reason he had +already despatched on the road to the marsh General Verdier's +infantry, which was to be followed first by Castex's brigade of +cavalry, then the whole army corps. My regiment had not yet +joined the line when I returned to it. + +When, in spite of my injury, I took up my place at their head, I +received a general acclamation from both officers and men, which +showed the affection and esteem in which these brave people held +me; I was deeply touched by this, and even more so by the welcome +I received from Major Fontaine. This officer, although both +courageous and competent, was so unambitious that he had remained +a captain for eighteen years, having refused promotion three +times, which he had finally accepted only on a direct order from +the Emperor. + +So I once more took command of the 23rd, and began to cross the +marsh behind General Verdier's division, at which the rear unit +of the enemy column fired only a few long range shots while they +were still on the causeway. When, however, our infantry reached +the open country, they saw the Russian army deployed in battle +formation, and were treated to a devastating barrage of artillery +fire. Nevertheless, in spite of their losses the French +battalions continued to advance. Soon they were all off the +embankment and it was the turn of my regiment, at the head of the +brigade, to reach the open ground. Colonel A..., who was the +temporary brigade commander, was not there to give me orders so I +thought it right to remove my regiment from this dangerous spot +and I led them off at the gallop as soon as the infantry gave me +room; however I had seven or eight men killed and a greater +number wounded. The 24th, who followed me, also suffered many +casualties. The same happened to General Legrand's infantry +division; but as soon as they were formed up on the plain, +Marshal Oudinot attacked the enemy lines, and they directed their +artillery fire at several different points so that the exit from +the marsh would have become less perilous for the remainder of +the army, if Wittgenstein had not at that moment attacked with +all his force the units which we had in the open. His superiority +in numbers compelled us to give ground and we were driven back +towards the causeway of the Khodanui. Fortunately the track was +very wide, which allowed us to proceed by platoons. As soon as we +left the plain, the cavalry became more of a hindrance than a +help. The marshal put us in front of the retreat; we were +followed by Verdier's division, whose general had been very +seriously wounded, and General Legrand's division made the +rear-guard. The last brigade of this division, commanded by +General Albert, had to fight a very sharp action while its last +battalions were getting onto the causeway, but once they were +formed into columns General Albert put eight artillery pieces at +the tail end which kept up a continuous fire during the retreat, +so it was the turn of the enemy to suffer heavy casualties. By +contrast, the Russian artillery rarely discharged a shot because +the guns had to be turned round to fire at us and then turned +back to continue the pursuit, a lengthy and difficult operation +on the causeway, so that they did us little damage. + +The day was ending when the French troops, having crossed the +marsh, repassed Kliastitsoui and found themselves once more on +the banks of the Drissa, at the ford of Sivotschina which they +had crossed in the morning to follow the Russians who had been +defeated at Kliastitsoui. The Russians had their revenge for +having caused us seven or eight hundred casualties on the plain +beyond the marsh; they now had a sword at our backs. To put an +end to the fighting and allow the army some rest, Marshal Oudinot +led it across the ford to set up camp at Bieloe. + +Night was falling when the outposts which had been left to watch +the Drissa, reported that the enemy were crossing the river. The +Marshal went there at once, and could see that eight Russian +battalions with a battery of fourteen guns were setting up their +bivouac on our side of the river, while the remainder of the army +stayed on the other side, preparing no doubt to cross over and +attack us on the morrow. This advance party was commanded by +General Koulnieff, an enterprising officer but one who, like most +of the Russian officers of the period, drank to excess. It would +seem that on this evening he had drunk more than usual, for it is +otherwise difficult to explain why he made the grave error of +coming, with no more than eight battalions to set up camp a short +distance from an army of forty thousand men, and that in a most +unfavourable position; for he had, some two hundred paces behind +him, the Drissa, which could not be crossed except by the ford; +not because of the depth of the water but because it ran between +very steep banks fifteen to twenty feet high. Koulnieff had +therefore no other line of retreat but the ford. Could it be that +he hoped that his eight battalions and fourteen canons would be +able, if defeated, to withdraw smartly across this one passage, +in the face of an attack which might be launched at any moment by +the French army from nearby Bieloe? The answer must be no, but +general Koulnieff was in no state to consider the matter when he +put his camp on the left bank of the river. It is perhaps +surprising that Wittgenstein should have entrusted the command of +his advance guard to Koulnieff, of whose intemperate habits he +must have been aware. + +While the head of the Russian column approached, rashly, to +within such a short distance of us, a great confusion reigned, +not among the troops, but among their leaders. Marshal Oudinot, +although the bravest of men, lacked consistency, and passed +rapidly from a plan of attack to one of a withdrawal. The losses +which he had suffered towards the end of the day on the other +side of the great marsh had thrown him into a state of +perplexity, and he could not think how he was to carry out the +Emperor's orders, which were to push Wittgenstein back at least +as far as Sebej and Newel. He was therefore delighted to receive, +during the night, a despatch informing him of the imminent +arrival of a Bavarian corps, commanded by General Saint-Cyr, +which the Emperor was placing under his orders; but instead of +awaiting this powerful reinforcement in his present sound +position, Oudinot, advised by the general of artillery, Dulauloy, +wished to make contact with the Bavarians by withdrawing his army +as far as Polotsk. This inexplicable notion was warmly opposed by +the group of generals summoned by the Marshal. General Legrand +said that although our success of the morning had been +counter-balanced by the losses of the evening, the army was still +in good heart and ready to advance, and that to retreat to +Polotsk would damage their morale and present them to the +Bavarians as a defeated force coming to seek refuge amongst them; +an idea which would arouse indignation in all French bosoms. This +vigourous speech by Legrand was acclaimed by all the generals and +the Marshal then gave up the project of a retreat. + +There remained the question of what to do the next day. General +Legrand, with the authority of his seniority, long service and +experience in warfare, proposed that they should take advantage +of the serious error made by Koulnieff by attacking the +advance-guard so imprudently placed without support on the bank +which we occupied, and drive them back into the Drissa which they +had behind them. This advice having been accepted by the Marshal +and all the group, the execution of it was confided to General +Legrand. + +Oudinot's army was encamped in a forest of huge, widely spaced +pines, beyond which there was a very extensive clearing. The +boundaries of the wood took the form of a bow, the two ends of +which reached the Drissa, which formed as it were the bow-string. +The Russians had set up their bivouac very close to the river, +opposite the ford. Their frontage was protected by fourteen +artillery pieces. + +General Legrand wanted to take the enemy by surprise, so he +ordered General Albert to send a regiment of infantry to each of +the ends of the wood from where they could attack the camp from +the flank as soon as they heard the approach of the cavalry, who, +emerging from the woods in the centre of the bow would go +bald-headed for the Russian battalions and drive them into the +ravine. The task given to the cavalry was plainly the most +dangerous, for not only had they to make a frontal attack on an +enemy armed with 6000 muskets but would also be exposed to the +fire of fourteen artillery pieces before they could reach their +objective. It was, however, hoped that by a surprise attack, the +Russians might be caught asleep, and put up little resistance. + +You have seen that my regiment having come on duty on the morning +of the 31st July at Kliastitsoui, had continued to serve for the +whole of that day, and should, according to the regulations, have +been relieved by the 24th at 1 A.M. on the 1st August, and it was +this regiment whose duty it was to carry out the attack, while +mine remained in reserve; there being only enough space in the +clearing between the woods and the stream for one regiment of +cavalry. However, Colonel A... went to Oudinot and suggested to +him that there was a danger that while we were preparing to +attack the troops in front of us, General Wittgenstein might send +a strong column to our right which could cross the Drissa at +another ford which probably existed some three leagues upstream +from where we were, and gaining our rear could capture our +wounded and our equipment; and that it would be a good idea to +send a regiment of cavalry to keep an eye on this ford. The +Marshal fell in with this suggestion and Colonel A..., whose +regiment had just come on duty, quickly ordered his men into the +saddle and led them off on this expedition which he had thought +up, leaving to the 23rd the dangers of the battle which was about +to take place. + +My regiment received with calm the news of the perilous mission +which had been thrust upon them and welcomed the appearance of +the Marshal and General Legrand when they came to supervise the +preparations for this important attack which we were about to +carry out. + +At this time all the French regiments, with the exception of the +Cuirassiers, had a company of Grenadiers, known as the elite +company, whose customary position was on the right of the line, a +position which they held in the 23rd. General Legrand observed to +the Marshal that, as the enemy had placed their artillery in +front of their centre, it was there that most danger would lie, +and in order to avoid any hesitation which might compromise the +whole operation, it would be advisable to attack this point with +the elite company, which was composed of the most seasoned +soldiers mounted on the best horses. It was in vain that I +assured the Marshal that the regiment was in all respects as +solid in one part as in another, he ordered me to put the elite +company in the centre, which I then did. I next gathered the +officers together and explained to them in low tones what we were +to do, and warned them that, the better to surprise the enemy, I +would give no preparatory commands and would simply order the +charge when we were within close range of the enemy guns. Once +everything had been arranged, the regiment left its bivouac, in +complete silence, at the first faint light of dawn, and made its +way without difficulty through the wood, the great trees of which +were widely spaced, and arrived at the level clearing in which +was the Russian encampment. I alone in the regiment had no sabre +in my hand, for having only one hand which I could use, I needed +that to hold the reins of my horse. You will understand that this +was a very unpleasant situation for a cavalry officer about to +engage the enemy. + +However, I had chosen to go with my regiment and so I placed +myself in front of the elite company, having beside me their +gallant captain, M. Courteau, one of the finest of officers and +one whom I valued most highly. + +All was quiet in the Russian camp, towards which we advanced +slowly and in silence, and my hopes of achieving a total surprise +were increased by the fact that General Koulnieff not having +brought any cavalry across the ford, we saw no mounted outposts, +and could distinguish, by the feeble light of their fires, only a +few infantry sentries, posted so close to the camp that between +their warning and our sudden arrival the Russians would have +little chance to prepare themselves for defence. Suddenly, +however, two prowling and suspicious Cossack peasants appeared on +horseback, some thirty paces from our line, and after regarding +it for a moment they fled towards the camp, where it was obvious +that they intended to give warning of our presence. This +mischance was very unfortunate, because had it not been for that, +we would certainly have reached the Russians without losing a +man; however since we were now discovered and were in any case +nearing the spot where I had decided to increase the speed of our +advance, I urged my horse into a gallop; the regiment did the +same, and shortly I gave the order to sound the charge. + +At this signal my gallant troopers and I launched ourselves at +the enemy, upon whom we fell like a thunderbolt. The two Cossacks +had, however, raised the alarm. The gunners, sleeping beside +their guns, grabbed their slow matches, and fourteen canons +belched grapeshot at the regiment. Thirty-seven men, of whom +nineteen belonged to the elite company, were killed outright. The +brave Captain Courteau was amongst them, as was Lieutenant +Lallouette. The Russian gunners were attempting to reload their +guns when they were cut down by our men. We had few wounded, +almost all the injuries having been fatal. We had some forty +horses killed, mine was maimed by a heavy bullet but was able to +carry me to the Russian camp where the soldiers, rudely awakened +from their sleep, were rushing to take up their arms, but were +being sabred by our troopers, whom I had ordered to get between +them and the rows of muskets, so that few were able to reach one +and fire at us. Then, alerted by the sound of gunfire, General +Albert's two regiments of infantry ran from the wood to attack +the two sides of the camp, bayoneting all who resisted. The +Russians, in disorder, were unable to withstand this triple +attack. Many of them, who having arrived at night had not been +able to see the height of the river banks, tried to escape by +this route and falling fifteen or twenty feet onto the rocks were +injured and in many cases killed. + +General Koulnieff, hardly awake, joined a group of two thousand +men of whom about one third had muskets, and following +mechanically this disorganised crowd, he arrived at the ford, but +I had given orders that this important spot should be occupied by +five or six hundred horsemen, amongst whom were the elite company +who, enraged at the loss of their captain, massacred most of the +Russians. General Koulnieff, who had already been drinking, +attacked Sergeant Legendre, who, thrusting his sabre into the +Russian's neck, laid him dead at his feet. M. de. Segur, in his +story of the campaign of 1812, has General Koulnieff making a +dying speech worthy of Homer. I was within a few feet of Sergeant +Legendre when he drove his sabre into Koulnieff's throat, and I +can certify that the General fell without uttering a word. The +victory achieved by General Albert's infantry and the 23rd was +complete. The enemy had at least 2000 men killed or wounded and +we took around 4000 prisoners. The remainder perished by falling +on the sharp rocks of the river. Some of the most agile Russians +managed to rejoin Wittgenstein, who, when he heard of the +sanguinary defeat of his advance-guard, began a retreat toward +Sebej. + +Marshal Oudinot, encouraged by the resounding success which he +had just gained, decided to pursue the Russians, and took his +army, as on the previous day, back across the Drissa to the right +bank; but in order to give General Albert's infantry brigade and +the 23rd Chasseurs an opportunity to recover from the effects of +the fighting, he left them to keep watch on the field of battle +at Sivotschina. I took advantage of this period of rest to carry +out a ceremony rarely seen in war. This was to pay my last +respects to those of our brave comrades who had lost their lives. +They were laid, arranged by rank, in a large pit, with Captain +Courteau and his lieutenant at their head. Then the fourteen +canons, so gallantly captured by the 23rd, were placed before +this military tomb. + +Having completed this act of piety, I wished to dress my wound of +the previous day, which was causing me a great deal of pain, and +to do this I went to sit apart under a huge pine tree. There I +saw a young battalion commander, who with his back against the +trunk and held up by two Grenadiers, was painfully closing a +little package on which a name was traced in his blood. This +officer, who belonged to Albert's brigade, had suffered, during +the attack on the Russian camp, an appalling bayonet wound which +had slit open his abdomen from which the intestines were +protruding, pierced in several places. Although some dressing +had been applied the blood still flowed and the wound was mortal. +The doomed man, who was well aware of this, had wished, before he +died, to take leave of a lady whom he loved but did not know to +whom he might entrust this precious message, when chance brought +me there. We knew each other only by sight, but nonetheless, +urged by the approach of death, he asked me, in a voice now +faint, to do him two favours, then motioning the Grenadiers to +one side he gave me the package, and saying, with tears in his +eyes, "It is a portrait," he made me promise to deliver it +secretly, with my own hands, if I was fortunate enough to return +one day to Paris. "In any case," he added "there is no hurry, for +it would be better if this was received long after I am gone." I +promised to carry out this sad task, which I was unable to do +until two years later in 1814. The second request which he made I +was able to carry out within some two hours. He was distressed to +think that his body would be devoured by the wolves which +abounded in the country and asked to be put beside the captain +and the troopers of the 23rd, whose burial he had seen. This I +promised, and when he died not long after our unhappy meeting, I +carried out this last wish. + +Chap. 10. + +Deeply moved by this unhappy event,I was meditating with much +sadness, when I was awakened from my reveries by the distant +sound of a sustained cannonade. The two armies were once more in +action. Marshal Oudinot, after passing the inn at Kliastitsoui, +where I had been wounded the day before, had contacted the +Russian rear-guard at the beginning of the marsh, the exit from +which had been so disastrous for us on the previous day. He was +determined to drive the enemy back, but they were not prepared to +pass through this dangerous defile, and mounted a +counter-offensive against the French troops who, after suffering +considerable losses, retreated, followed by the Russians. One +might have thought that Oudinot and Wittgenstein were playing a +game of prisoner's base, advancing and retreating by turn. The +news of this fresh retreat by Oudinot was given to us on the +battlefield of Sivotschina by an aide-de-camp, who brought to +General Albert the order to take his brigade, together with the +23rd Chasseurs, two leagues to the rear, in the direction of +Polotsk. + +When it came to leaving, I was unwilling to part with the +fourteen artillery pieces captured that morning by my regiment, +and as the horses which pulled them had also fallen into our +hands, they were harnessed up and we took the guns to our next +bivouac, and on the night following to Polotsk, where it was not +long before they played an effective part in the defence of that +town. + +Oudinot withdrew that same day to the ford at Sivotschina, which +he had crossed in the morning in pursuit of Wittgenstein who, +bearing in mind the disaster which had overwhelmed his +advance-guard at this place on the occasion, did not risk sending +any isolated unit across to the bank which we occupied. So the +two armies, separated by the Drissa, settled themselves for the +night. + +On the following day, the 2nd August, Oudinot having joined his +units at Polotsk, hostilities ceased for a few days, as both +sides were in need of a rest. We were rejoined by the good +General Castex and also by the 24th Chasseurs, who were very +angry with their Colonel for leading them away when it was their +turn to attack the Russian camp. On their trip up the Drissa they +had seen no sign of the enemy nor had they found any trace of the +supposed ford. + +After several days rest Wittgenstein led part of his troops +towards the lower Dvina, from where Macdonald was threatening his +right. When Marshal Oudinot followed the Russian army in that +direction it turned to face him, and for a week or ten days there +was a series of marches and countermarches, and several minor +engagements which it would be too long and wearisome to describe, +and which resulted only in the useless killing of men and the +demonstration of the indecision of both commanders. + +The most serious engagement during this short period took place +on the 13th August near the magnificent monastery of Valensoui, +built on the bank of the Svolna. This little river, which has +very muddy banks, separated the French and the Russians, and it +was obvious that whichever general attempted to force a crossing +on such unfavourable terrain would come to grief. Neither Oudinot +nor Wittgenstein had any intention of crossing the Svolna at this +point; but instead of going to look for some other place where +they could meet in combat, they took up positions on either side +of this watercourse, as it were in mutual despite. Soon there was +from both banks a lively cannonade which was totally useless as +the troops on neither side could attack their adversaries and was +no credit to either party. + +However Wittgenstein, to protect the lives of his men, had +restricted himself to posting some battalions of unmounted +Chasseurs among the willows and reeds which bordered the stream, +and had kept the bulk of his force out of the range of the French +guns, whose brisk fire hit only some of his sharpshooters, while +Oudinot, who had insisted, in spite of the sensible advice of +several generals, on bringing his first line up to the Svolna +suffered losses which he could have and should have avoided. The +Russian artillery is nowhere as good as ours, but they used +pieces called licornes, which had a range exceeding that of the +French guns of the period, and it was these licornes which did +the most damage among our troops. + +Marshal Oudinot, in his belief that the enemy were going to cross +the river, not only kept a division of infantry in position to +repel them, but supported them with General Castex's cavalry, an +unnecessary precaution, since a crossing of even a small river +takes more time than is needed for the defenders to hurry into a +position to oppose it. Nonetheless my regiment was exposed for +twenty-four hours to the Russian fire, which killed or wounded +several of my men. + +During this confrontation in which the troops remained stationary +for a long period, there arrived the aide-de-camp whom Oudinet +had sent to Witepsk to report to the Emperor the result of the +battles at Kliastitsoui and at Sivotschina. Napoleon, who wanted +to make it clear to the troops that he did not blame them for the +lack of success in our operations, loaded 2nd Corps with rewards +in the way of decorations and promotions, and then, turning to +the cavalry, he awarded four Crosses of the Legion of Honour to +each of the cavalry regiments. In the despatch announcing this +news, Major-general the Prince Berthier added that in order to +show his satisfaction with the conduct of the 23rd Chasseurs at +Wilkomir, at the bridge of Dvinaburg, in the night battle at +Drouia, at Kliastitsoui, and above all in the attack on the +Russian camp at Sivotschina, the Emperor was awarding them, in +addition to the four decorations given to the other regiments, +fourteen decorations, one for each of the guns captured by them +from Koulnieff's advance-guard, so that I had now eighteen +crosses to distribute among my brave soldiers. The aide-de-camp +had not brought the awards themselves, but the Major-general had +added to his letter the request that the regimental commanders +should draw up a list of recipients and forward it to him. + +I assembled all the captains, and after taking their advice, I +drew up my list, and presented it to Marshal Oudinot, asking at +the same time if I might be allowed to announce the awards +immediately to my regiment: "What, here, under fire?" "Yes, +marshal, under fire. That enhances their value." + +General Lorencez, who as chief of staff had written the report of +the various actions, in which he had highly praised the 23rd, +agreed with my suggestion and so the Marshal consented. The +decorations would not arrive until later, but I had my servant +look in my baggage for a piece of ribbon which I had in my +portmanteau, and when it was found, and after it had been cut +into eighteen pieces, I announced to the regiment the awards +which the Emperor had presented, and calling out of the ranks +each of the recipients in turn, I gave them a piece of the red +ribbon, then so keenly wished for and so proudly worn, and which +has since then been so diminished in value, almost prostituted, +by handing it out indiscriminately to all and sundry. + +This ceremony, conducted in the field and under fire, had a great +effect, and the enthusiasm of the regiment was at its height when +I announced the name of Sergeant Prud'homme, reputed justly to be +the most intrepid and unassuming of the warriors of the 23rd. +This brave survivor of many a fierce encounter, accepted with +modesty his piece of ribbon, to the sound of loud acclamation +from all the squadrons. A moment of well earned triumph. I shall +never forget this moving scene which took place, as you know, +within range of the enemy guns. + +Sadly, there is no rose without its thorn. Two of the men who +were included in my list had just been severely wounded. Sergeant +Legendre, who had killed General Koulnieff, had an arm carried +away, and Corporal Griffon had a leg smashed. The injured limbs +were being amputated when I went to the dressing station to give +them their decorations. At the sight of the ribbons they forgot +for a moment their pain, but unhappily, Sergeant Legendre did not +long survive his injury, though Griffon recovered and was sent +back to France, where I saw him some years later in Les +Invalides. + +The 24th Chasseurs, who received only four decorations as opposed +to the eighteen awarded to the 23rd, conceded that this was fair, +but nevertheless they regretted that they had been deprived of +the honour of taking the fourteen Russian guns at Sivotschina, +even at the cost of suffering such casualties as ours, "We are +soldiers" they said, "and must take our chances for better or +worse." They blamed their colonel for providing them with what +they called this let-down. Here was an army whose men actually +clamoured for action. + +You will doubtless wonder what I got out of all this, and the +answer is nothing. The Emperor, before he removed Colonel de La +Nougarede from the command of the regiment and either made him a +general or head of a legion of gendarmes, wanted to know if his +health would permit him to carry out the duties of either of +these two ranks. As a consequence Marshal Oudinot was ordered to +bring Colonel de La Nougarede before a medical board, whose +conclusion was that he would never be able to mount a horse. In +view of this, the Marshal authorised the Colonel's return to +France, where he was given the command of a minor fortress. The +unfortunate Colonel, before leaving Polotsk, where his +infirmities had forced him to remain, wrote me a very touching +letter in which he took his leave of the 23rd, and although he +had never led the regiment into action, an event which increases +the men's regard for their commander, his departure was +justifiably regretted. + +The regiment now being without a colonel, the Marshal expected to +receive at any moment the order for my promotion to that rank, +and quite frankly so did I. The Emperor had however moved away, +and had left Witepsk to take Smolensk and from there to march on +Moscow, and the work of his cabinet had been slowed by their +preoccupation with military operations to such an extent that I +was not gazetted Colonel until three months later. + +Let us now return to the banks of the Svolna, which the French +left hurriedly after depositing some of their wounded in the +monastery of Valensoui. Amongst those whom we lost was M. +Casabianca, Colonel of the 11th light infantry regiment, who had +served with me as aide-de-camp to Massena. He was a very fine +officer whose promotion had been rapid; but his career was ended +by a head injury received when he was visiting some of his men on +the bank of the Svolna. He was dying when I saw him on a +stretcher carried by some sappers. He recognised me and shaking +my hand he observed that he was sorry to see our army corps so +poorly managed. The poor fellow died that evening. + +His last words were only too well founded, for our leader seemed +to proceed without method or plan. After a success, he pursued +Wittgenstein regardless of any obstacles and spoke of nothing +less than driving him back as far as St. Petersburg, but at the +least check he retreated swiftly and started seeing enemies +everywhere. It was in this last state that he took his troops +back to Polotsk, although they were displeased being at being +made to fall back before the Russians whom they had recently +defeated in almost every encounter. + +On the 15th of August, the Emperor's birthday, 2nd Corps arrived +dejectedly at Polotsk, where we met with 6th Corps, formed of the +two fine Bavarian divisions of General Wrede, which had a French +general, Gouvion Saint-Cyr in overall command. The Emperor had +sent this reinforcement of 8 to 10,000 men to Marshal Oudinot, +who would have received it with more pleasure if he had not been +afraid of the man in command. + +Saint-Cyr was one of the most competent soldiers in Europe. A +contemporary and rival of Moreau, Hoche, Kleber and Desaix, he +had successfully commanded one wing of the French army of the +Rhine at a time when Oudinot was scarcely a colonel or a brigade +commander. I do not know anyone who could command troops in the +field better than Saint-Cyr. + +The son of a small landowner in Toul, he had studied to be a +civil engineer, but he gave this up to become an actor in Paris, +where he created the well-known role of "Robert,the Brigand +Chief." In the City Theatre, where he was when the revolution of +'89 broke out, Saint-Cyr joined a volunteer battalion, where he +showed great courage and military talent, and soon became a +divisional general and gained a number of victories. He was a +tall man but looked more like a schoolmaster than a soldier, due +in part perhaps to the habit adopted by the generals of the army +of the Rhine of wearing neither uniform nor epaulets, but only a +plain blue greatcoat. + +One could not imagine anyone more self-controlled; the greatest +dangers, setbacks, successes, or defeats, failed to rouse him to +any show of emotion. He maintained an icy calm in all situations. +It is obvious how useful such a temperament coupled with a taste +for study and meditation, might be to a general officer, but +Saint-Cyr had also some serious faults. Jealous of his comrades, +he had been known to hold his troops back while, close to him, +other divisions were decimated in a desperate struggle. He would +then advance and profiting from the exhaustion of the enemy he +would overcome them, and thus appear to have won the victory +single-handed. Secondly, if Saint-Cyr was one of the best +officers in the employment of troops in the field, he was without +doubt the one who took the least interest in their welfare. He +never inquired if the men had food, clothing or footwear, or if +their arms were in proper repair. He never held an inspection, +nor visited the hospitals, nor even asked if there were any! In +his opinion it was the duty of the colonels to see to all that. +In short he wanted to be presented on the field of battle with +regiments in fighting order, without troubling himself to see +that they were kept in that condition. This sort of behaviour had +not done Saint-Cyr any good. Wherever he served, the soldiers, +although acknowledging his military talents, regarded him without +affection. His fellow officers dreaded working with him and the +various governments which had taken power in France had employed +him only out of necessity. The Emperor did the same, but he so +much disliked Saint-Cyr that when he created the rank of marshal +he left his name off the list of promotions, even though he had +seen more service and shown more skill than most of those to whom +Napoleon awarded the baton. Such was the man whom the Emperor had +just placed under Oudinet's orders, to the great regret of the +latter, who feared that he would be shown up by comparison with +Saint-Cyr's superior talents. + +On the 16th of August, the day on which my eldest son Alfred was +born, the Russian army of some sixty thousand men attacked +Oudinot, who, including the Bavarian unit led by Saint-Cyr, had +fifty two thousand men under his command. In any other +circumstances an engagement between one hundred and twelve +thousand men would have been called a battle; but in 1812 the +when the total number of combatants amounted to some six or seven +hundred thousand, a fight involving one hundred thousand men was +no more than an action, and it is this description which is given +to the struggle at Polotsk between the Russian troops and those +of Marshal Oudinot. + +The town of Polotsk, built on the right bank of the Dvina, is +surrounded by old earthen ramparts. Before the main frontage of +the town the fields are divided by a large number of little +ditches between which vegetables are grown. Although these +obstacles are not impassable for artillery and cavalry, they +hinder their movement. These gardens extend for less than half a +league in front of the town, but on their left, on the bank of +the Divna, there is a large area of level ground. It is here that +the Russian general should have attacked Polotsk, for it would +have given him command of the frail and only pontoon bridge, +which was our communication with the left bank from which we drew +our ammunition and food supply. But Wittgenstein chose to make a +frontal attack and directed his main force towards the gardens +from where he hoped to scale the ramparts which, to tell the +truth, were no more than easily climbed embankments, whose +height, however, allowed them to dominate the ground in front of +them. The attack was pressed home vigourously, but our infantry +put up a stout defence among the gardens, while from the height +of the ramparts the guns, among which were the fourteen captured +by the 23rd at Sivotschina, ravaged the enemy ranks. The Russians +fell back in disorder to reform themselves on the plain. +Oudinot, instead of staying sensibly where he was, went after +them and was in turn driven off with casualties. The greater part +of the day was spent in this way, the Russians returning +repeatedly to the attack, only to be driven back beyond the +gardens by the French. + +During these blood-stained comings and goings, what was General +Saint-Cyr doing? He was following Oudinot about in silence, and +when asked for his opinion he merely bowed and said "Monseigneur +le Marachal...!" as if meaning since you have been made marshal, +you must know more than me, a simple general. So you can sort +this out for yourself. + +Wittgenstein, having lost a great many men and despairing of +gaining victory by continued attacks in the area of the gardens, +ended up where he should have begun, by marching his troops +towards the meadows which bordered the Dvina. Up until this time +Oudinot had kept his twelve pounders and all his cavalry at this +spot, as if they had nothing to do with the fighting; but the +artillery general, Dulauloy, anxious about his guns, suggested to +the Marshal that he should send not only the large calibre guns +but also all the cavalry over to the left bank, on the pretext +that they got in the way of the infantry. When Oudinot asked +Saint-Cyr what he thought, instead of offering the sound advice +that the artillery and the cavalry should stay where they were, +on ground which allowed them to manoeuvre with ease and support +the infantry, he only repeated his endless "Monseigneur le +Marachal...". In the end, Oudinot, in spite of the opinion of +General Lorencez, his chief-of-staff, ordered the artillery and +the cavalry to withdraw to the other side of the river. This +ill-advised movement, which looked like the prelude to a retreat +and the total abandonment of Polotsk and the right bank, greatly +displeased the troops who were involved, and lowered the morale +of the infantry whose job it was to defend that part of the town +which faced the open ground. The spirits of the Russians were, on +the contrary, raised when they saw ten regiments of cavalry and +several batteries of guns leaving the field of battle. In an +effort to create confusion in this huge mass as it departed they +brought forward and fired their licornes, the hollow ammunition +of which acts first as a cannon-ball and then explodes like a +mortar bomb. The regiments next to mine had several men killed or +wounded. I was lucky enough to have none of my men hit though I +lost some horses. My own horse was hit in the head and as it +fell I went down with it and my injured shoulder struck hard on +the ground, which was very painful. If the Russian gun had been +elevated a bit more, it would have been I who was hit, fair and +square, and my son would have been an orphan a few hours after +first seeing the light of day. + +The enemy now resumed their attack, and when, after crossing the +bridge, we looked back to see what was happening on the bank +which we had just left, we saw a disturbing spectacle. The +French, Bavarian and Croatian infantry were fighting bravely and +holding their own, but the Portuguese legion and the two Swiss +regiments fled before the Russians, and did not stop until, +having been driven into the river, they were in the water up to +their knees. Then, forced to face the enemy or drown, they at +last struck back, and by a constant barrage of fire they +compelled the Russians to draw back a little. The commander of +the French artillery, who had just crossed the Dvina with the +cavalry, skillfully made use of the opportunity to be useful, by +bringing his guns to the river bank and directing a heavy fire +across the stream at the enemy battalions drawn up on the +opposite bank. + +This powerful intervention having stopped Wittgenstein's men at +this point, while the French, Bavarians and Croats drove them +back elsewhere, the fighting eased up and an hour before the end +of the day had degenerated into random firing. The Marshal, +however could not escape the fact that he would have to continue +fighting the next day; and so, preoccupied by a situation the +outcome of which he could not predict, and ruffled by the +obstinate silence of Saint-Cyr, he was walking his horse slowly, +followed by only one aide-de-camp, among musketeers of his +infantry, when enemy marksmen, seeing a rider with a plumed hat, +took aim and put a ball through his arm. + +The Marshal at once informed Saint-Cyr of the injury and handing +to him the command of the army left him to sort matters out. He +himself left the field, crossed the bridge, stopped for a few +moments at the cavalry bivouac and quitting the army went to +Lithuania in our rear, to have his wound cared for. We did not +see him again for two months. + +Chap. 11. + +Saint-Cyr took up with a firm and skillful hand the reins of +command, and in a few hours completely changed the look of +things. Such is the influence of a man who is competent and who +inspires confidence. Marshal Oudinot had left the army in a +perilous state: part of his force driven back to the edge of the +river, and the rest scattered amongst the gardens where they were +firing at random; an inadequate lay-out of guns on the ramparts; +the streets of the town cluttered with wagons, baggage, sutlers +and wounded, all in complete confusion, while the troops had no +means of retreat, should they be overcome, other than the pontoon +bridge across the Dvina, a bridge which was very narrow and in +such a bad state that the water was six inches over the planking +of its platform. Finally, night was approaching and it was feared +that the shooting would lead to a general action which might be +disastrous in view of the disorder which ruled amongst the +regiments of different nationalities. + +General Saint-Cyr's first act was to order the withdrawal of +those infantrymen who were in action, in the certainty that the +tired enemy would do the same, as soon as they were no longer +under attack. + +The result was that soon the firing ceased on both sides. The +troops were able to re-form and to have some rest, and further +fighting was postponed until the next day. In order to put +himself in a more favourable position, Saint-Cyr used the night +to make preparations for the repulse of the enemy and to ensure a +line of retreat, should it be necessary. With this aim, he +gathered together all the corps commanders and after making clear +to them the dangers of the situation, one of the more serious of +which was the obstruction of the streets of the town and the +approaches to the bridge, he ordered that the colonels, +accompanied by several officers and with patrols, should go +through the streets, sending those men of their regiments who +were fit to their bivouac area, and all the wounded, sick, led +horses, sutlers and carts to the other side of the bridge. +General Saint-Cyr added that he would visit the town at daybreak +and would suspend from duty any corps commander who had not +carried out his instructions promptly! No excuse would be +accepted! There was a rush to obey. The sick and wounded were +carried to the left bank as well as everything which was not +actually required for combat. That is to say all the impedimenta +of the army. In this way the streets and the bridge were soon +completely clear. The bridge was strengthened and the cavalry and +guns brought back to the right bank and located in a suburb +furthest from the enemy; and then, to improve his means of +retreat, the prudent general had a second bridge made out of +empty barrels and planks, which was for the sole use of the +infantry. All these preparations having been completed before +daylight, the army awaited its enemies with confidence. The +latter, however, did not stir from their encampment, set up on +the open ground at the edge of the vast forest which surrounds +Polotsk on the side opposite to the river. + +General Saint-Cyr, who had expected to be attacked in the early +morning, attributed the tranquillity which reigned in the Russian +camp to the tremendous losses they had suffered the previous day. + +This may have been part of the reason, but the main cause of +Wittgenstein's inactivity was that he expected the arrival, +during the coming night, of a strong division of infantry and +several squadrons of cavalry from St. Petersburg, and he had +delayed his attack until he had received this powerful +reinforcement so that he might the more easily defeat us on the +day following. + +Although the Polish nobles, the great landowners of the property +round Polotsk, did not dare to support us openly, they did so in +secret, and had no difficulty in providing us with spies. General +Saint-Cyr, uneasy at what was going on in the Russian camp, +arranged with one of these noblemen to have him send there one of +his more enlightened vassals. The landowner sent to the Russian +camp several cartloads of forage, and put amongst his carters his +bailiff, dressed as a peasant. This man, who was highly +intelligent, learned by chatting to Wittgenstein's soldiers that +they were expecting a large body of troops, and even witnessed +the arrival of some Cossacks and some cavalry, and was told that +several battalions would arrive at the camp around midnight. +Having gathered this information, the bailiff passed it to his +master, who hurried to warn the commander of the French forces. + +When he heard this news, Saint-Cyr determined to strike at +Wittgenstein before the arrival of the expected reinforcements. +But as he did not want to be involved in a long drawn-out affair, +he warned his generals and corps commanders that he would not +attack until six in the evening, so that, as night would put an +end to the fighting, the Russians would be unable to exploit +their success if things went their way. It is true that if we +were victorious we would be unable to pursue the enemy in the +dark, but Saint-Cyr had no intention of doing this, and for the +moment wanted only to teach the Russians a lesson which would +drive them away from Polotsk. As the French general aimed at +taking the Russians by surprise, he ordered absolute calm to be +maintained in the town and above all in the lines of outposts. + +The day seemed very long. Everyone, even the General, in spite of +his sang-froid, constantly looked at his watch. Having observed +that, on the previous day, the absence of the French cavalry had +allowed the Russians to drive our left wing almost into the +Dvina, General Saint-Cyr, shortly before the attack, moved all +his squadrons, in silence, into a position behind some big shops, +on the other side of which lay the meadowland. It was on this +level ground that the cavalry could manoeuvre to fall on the +enemy right and give cover to the left wing of our infantry, of +which the first two divisions were to attack the Russian camp +while the third supported the cavalry and the remaining two +formed the reserve and protected the town. All was ready when, at +last, it was six o'clock, and the signal for the attack was given +by the firing of a cannon, followed by a volley from all the +French artillery, which landed numerous projectiles on the enemy +outposts and on the camp itself. At once our two first infantry +divisions, led by the 23rd Light, fell on the Russian regiments +positioned in the gardens, killing or capturing all whom they +encountered and chasing the rest back to the camp, where they +took many prisoners and captured several guns. This surprise +attack, although carried out in broad daylight, was so successful +that General Wittgenstein was dining peacefully in a little +country house near his camp when he was warned that French +skirmishers were in the court-yard. He jumped out of a window +and, mounting a Cossack horse which happened to be there, he +galloped away to join his troops. Our skirmishers took some fine +horses, documents, baggage wagons and wines belonging to the +General, also the silverware and some of the dinner laid on the +table. An immense quantity of booty was seized in the camp by +other units. + +At the sound of this wholly unforeseen attack by the French, +panic spread amongst our enemies, the majority of whom took to +their heels without even picking up their weapons. The disorder +was complete; no one was giving orders, even though the approach +of our infantry was heralded by a fusillade of shots and the +sound of the drums beating the charge. The scene seemed set for a +resounding victory by the French troops, at whose head marched +Saint-Cyr with his customary calm. However, in war an unexpected, +and often unimportant, event can change a situation. + +A large number of the enemy soldiers had reached in their flight +the rear area of the camp, where was encamped the squadron of +horse-guards which had arrived a few hours previously. This elite +unit was made up of young men selected from the best of the +nobility, and was led by a major of proven courage, whose elan, +it was said, was increased by generous draughts of liquor. When +he saw what was happening, this officer leapt on his horse and, +followed by some hundred and twenty cuirassed riders, he rushed +towards the French, whom he soon encountered. The first of our +battalions which he attacked belonged to the 26th Light. They put +up a vigourous resistance. The cavalry were repelled with +casualties, and were rallying to prepare for a second charge when +their Major, impatient at the time taken for the scattered +horsemen to regain their ranks, abandoned the unsuccessful attack +on the French battalion, and ordering his men to follow he led +them at the gallop in open order through the camp, which was full +of infantry, Portuguese, Swiss and even Bavarians, our allies, +some of whom, dispersed by the victory itself, were trying to +regroup while others were collecting the booty left by the +Russians. + +The cavalrymen killed or wounded many of these soldiers and threw +the crowd into disarray. A disorderly withdrawal began which +degenerated into a mass panic. Now in a situation like this, +soldiers can mistake for the enemy their own troops who are +running to join them, so that, in a cloud of dust, it seems that +they are being attacked by a large force, when in most cases it +is only a handful of men. This is what happened here; the +horse-guards, scattered widely over the plain and pressing on +without a backward look, seemed to the fugitives to be a massive +force of cavalry, and so the confusion grew until it enveloped +the Swiss battalion in the middle of which General Saint-Cyr had +taken refuge. He was so much jostled by the mob that his horse +fell into a ditch. + +The General, who was clad in a simple blue greatcoat, without any +badges of rank, lay motionless on the ground as the cavalry drew +near, and they thinking he was either dead or only a humble +civilian employee, passed by and continued their pursuit of the +fugitives. One does not know how matters would have ended had not +the gallant and quick-witted General Berckheim, at the head of +the 4th Cuirassiers, charged down upon the Russian cavalry, who +in spite of bravely defending themselves, were almost all killed +or made prisoner. Their valiant Major was among the dead. The +charge carried out by this handful of men could have had a +dramatic result if it had been followed up, and this fine feat of +arms goes to show once more that it is unexpected attacks by +cavalry that have the best chance of success. + +General Saint-Cyr, having been picked up by our Cuirassiers, +ordered all the infantry divisions to advance immediately and +attack the Russians before they could recover from their +confusion. In this they were successful and the enemy were +decisively beaten, losing many men and a number of guns. + +While this infantry battle was taking place before Polotsk, +another action was under way on their left, in the open plain +which bordered the Dvina. As soon as the cannon shot gave the +signal to engage, our cavalry regiments, led by Castex's brigade, +advanced rapidly towards the enemy who, for their part, advanced +towards us. + +A major encounter seemed imminent, and the good General Castex +said that although in spite of my recent injury, I had been able +to command the regiment during the fighting round Sivotschina and +Svolna, where it had been solely a matter of facing the fire of +the infantry and the guns, it would not be the same today when in +action against cavalry. During a charge I would be unable to +defend myself since, with my one arm, I could not hold my horse's +bridle and at the same time use my sabre. He therefore urged me +to remain behind on this occasion, with the reserve division of +infantry. I did not think that I should accept this well-meaning +advice, and I expressed so vehemently my wish not to be removed +from the regiment that the General gave way, but he arranged for +me to have behind me six of the best cavalrymen, led by Sergeant +Prud'homme, while at my side were four warrant officers, a +trumpeter and my orderly Fousse, one of the finest soldiers in +the regiment. Surrounded in this way, and placed in front of the +centre of a squadron, I was sufficiently protected; besides, in +an emergency, I would have dropped the reins to wield my sabre, +which hung by its sword-knot from my right wrist. + +The meadow was large enough to hold two regiments in battle +order, so the 23rd and the 24th advanced in line. General +Corbineau's brigade, consisting of three regiments was in the +second line and the Cuirassiers followed, in reserve. The 24th, +which was on my left, faced a body of Russian dragoons, while I +was opposed to the Cossacks of the Guard, recognisable by the red +colour of their jackets and the fine quality of their horses +which, although they had arrived only a few hours ago, did not +appear in the least tired. We moved forward at the gallop, and +when we were at a suitable distance from the enemy, General +Castex ordered the charge and his whole brigade fell in one line +on the Russians. By the violence of this attack, the 24th +overwhelmed the dragoons who opposed them, but my regiment +experienced more resistance from the Cossacks, a chosen band of +men of superior stature and each armed with a 14 foot lance which +he well knew how to use. Some of my Chasseurs were killed and +many wounded, but once my gallant troopers had broken through +this line bristling with steel, they had the advantage, for the +long lances are ineffective against cavalry when those carrying +them are disorganised and closely engaged by adversaries who are +armed with sabres which they can use with ease, while the lancers +have great difficulty in presenting the point of their weapons. +Thus the Cossacks were forced to turn their backs, whereupon my +men slaughtered many of them and captured a large number of +splendid horses. + +We were about to follow up this success when our attention was +drawn to a great tumult on our right, where we saw the plain +covered with fugitives, for this was the moment when the Russian +Chevalier-Gardes made their desperate attack. General Castex, +thinking it would be unwise to advance any further when our +centre appeared to be retreating in disorder, called for the +rally to be sounded and the brigade came to a halt. + +We had,however, scarcely re-formed our ranks when the Cossacks, +emboldened by what was going on in the centre and burning to +avenge their previous defeat, charged back on the attack and +hurled themselves furiously on my squadrons, while the Grodno +Hussars attacked the 24th. The Russians, driven back at every +point by Castex's brigade, brought up successively their second +and third line, whereupon General Corbineau came to our +assistance with the 7th and 20th Chasseurs and the 8th Lancers, +and there ensued a great cavalry battle, the outcome of which +hung in the balance. Both our own and the Russian Cuirassiers +were advancing to join in when Wittgenstein, seeing his infantry +beaten and hard pressed by ours, sent word to his cavalry to +retire. They, however, were too hotly engaged for this command to +be easily executed. In the event, Generals Castex and Corbineau, +knowing that they would be supported by the Cuirassiers who were +close behind them, committed in turn both their brigades against +the Russians who were thrown into the greatest disorder and +suffered heavy casualties. + +On arriving at the other side of the wood where our victorious +infantry and cavalry divisions were regrouping, General +Saint-Cyr, seeing that night was approaching, called off the +pursuit, and the troops returned to their bivouacs at Polotsk, +which they had quitted a few hours earlier. During the fighting +my wound had given me much pain, particularly when I had to +gallop my horse. My inability to defend myself often put me in a +difficult situation in which I might not have survived had I not +been surrounded by a group of stalwarts who never let me out of +their sight. + +On one occasion, amongst others, I was pushed by the mob of +combatants into a group of Cossacks, where to save myself I had +to let go of the bridle and take up my sabre. I had, however, no +need to use it, for seeing their commanding officer in danger, +all ranks of my escort furiously attacked the Cossacks who were +now surrounding me, laid several of them in the dust and put the +rest to flight. My orderly Fousse, the finest of Chasseurs, +killed three of them and Warrant Officer Joly two. So I came back +safe and sound from this action, in which I had been determined +to take part in order to encourage the regiment, and to show them +afresh that as long as I could mount a horse it would be my +honour to lead them when danger threatened. Both the officers and +men of the regiment appreciated this, and the affection with +which I was already regarded by them was increased, as you will +see later, when I speak of the misfortunes of the great retreat. + +Combat between cavalry units is infinitely less murderous than +that involving the infantry, also the Russians are as a rule +maladroit in the handling of their weapons, and their incompetent +leaders do not always know how to employ their cavalry to best +advantage. So that although my regiment was fighting the Cossacks +of the Guard, considered one of the finest units in the Russian +army, we did not suffer a great many casualties. I had eight or +nine men killed and some thirty wounded; but amongst those last +was Major Fontaine. This very fine officer was in the thick of +the fighting when his horse was killed; his feet were entangled +in the stirrups and he was trying to free himself with the help +of some Chasseurs who had gone to help him when a Cossack +officer, bursting through the group at the gallop, leaned +dexterously from his saddle and dealt Fontaine a terrible sabre +slash which blinded his left eye, damaged the other and split +open his nose. However, as the Russian officer, proud of this +exploit, was leaving the scene, one of our Chasseurs shot him in +the back at six paces, so avenging his squadron commander. As +soon as possible M. Fontaine's injury was dressed and he was +taken to Polotsk to the Jesuit monastery, where I visited him +that same evening. I admired the resignation with which this +courageous soldier bore the pain and disability of becoming +almost completely blind, since which time he has not been able to +continue in active service. This was a great loss for the 23rd, +in which he had been since its creation, liked and respected by +all; I was much moved by his misfortune. + +I was now the only senior officer in the regiment and I had to +see to all the requirements of the service, which was a major +task. + +You may think that I have gone into too much detail about the +various actions in which 2nd Corps was involved, but as I have +said, I enjoy recalling the great conflicts in which I have taken +part, and speak of these times with pleasure, for it then seems +to me that I am once more in the field, surrounded by my brave +companions, almost all of whom have now, alas, quitted this life. + +To return to the present campaign: anyone but Saint-Cyr, after +such a hard-fought action would have reviewed his troops to +congratulate them on their success and enquire into their needs. +Scarcely, however, had the last shot been fired, when Saint-Cyr +shut himself up in the Jesuit monastery and spent all his days +and part of the night playing his violin...a ruling passion from +which only marching to attack the enemy could distract him. +Generals Lorencez and Wrede, given the task of deploying the +troops, sent two divisions of infantry and the Cuirassiers to the +left bank of the Dvina. The third French division and the +Bavarians stayed in Polotsk, where they were employed to build +the fortifications of a vast entrenched camp, before acting as a +support to the troops which from this important point were +covering the left and rear of the "Grande Armee" on its march to +Smolensk and on to Moscow. The light cavalry brigades of Castex +and Corbineau were positioned two leagues in front of this camp, +on the left bank of the Polota, a little river which joins the +Dvina at Polotsk. My regiment went into bivouac near a village +called Louchonski. The colonel of the 24th set up his a quarter +of a league to the rear, covered by the 23rd. We stayed there for +two months, during the first of which we did not go very far. +When he heard of the victory won at Polotsk by Saint-Cyr, the +Emperor sent him the baton of Imperial Marshal. Instead of using +the occasion to visit his troops, the new Marshal retired into +even deeper seclusion, if that were possible. No one could +approach the head of the army, which earned him the nick-name +amongst the soldiers of the "Owl." More than this, although the +huge monastery had more than a hundred rooms which would have +been most useful for the wounded, he lived there alone, and +considered it a great concession that he allowed senior officers +who were wounded to be received in the outhouses. They were +allowed to remain there for forty-eight hours, after which their +comrades had to take them to the town. The cellars and granaries +of the monastery were bursting with provisions amassed by the +Jesuits; wine, beer oil, flour, etc., all were there in +abundance; but the Marshal had taken charge of the keys of the +store-rooms and nothing came from them, even for the hospitals. +It was with the greatest difficulty that I obtained two bottles +of wine for the injured Fontaine. The extraordinary thing was +that the Marshal used hardly any of these provisions for himself, +for he was a man of extreme sobriety, but also highly eccentric. +The army complained loudly about his behaviour,and those same +provisions which he refused to distribute to his troops were, two +months later, consumed by flames and the Russians, when the +French were forced to abandon the burning monastery and town. + +Chap. 12. + +While all this was going on at Polotsk and on the banks of the +Drissa, the Emperor remained at Witepsk, from where he exercised +overall control of the operations of the numerous units of the +army. There are those who have reproached Napoleon with wasting +too much time, first at Wilna, where he stayed for nineteen days, +and then at Witepsk where he stayed for seventeen. They claim +that these thirty-six days could have been better employed, +particularly in a country where the summer is very short, and the +rigours of winter begin to be felt about the end of September. +This claim has some justice up to a point, but it should be +remembered, firstly that the Emperor hoped that the Russians +would request some compromise, and in the second place that it +was necessary to concentrate once more all the units which had +been scattered in the pursuit of Bagration. In addition, it was +essential to give some rest to the troops, who as well as their +regular marches had to scour the countryside each evening, far +from their bivouacs, in a search for food; because the Russians +having burned all the stores as they retreated, it was impossible +to make any daily distribution of rations. There was, however, +for a long time a happy exception to this state of affairs, in +the case of Davout's Corps. Davout was as good an administrator +as he was a fighting soldier, and well before the crossing of the +Nieman he had organised an immense convoy of little carts which +followed his army. These carts carried biscuits, salted meat and +vegetables and were drawn by oxen, a number of which could be +slaughtered daily to provide food. This arrangement contributed +greatly to keeping his men from straying from their ranks. + +The Emperor left Witepsk on the 13th August, and moving further +and further away from 2nd and 6th Corps, which he left at Polotsk +under the command of Saint-Cyr, he went to Krasnoe, where a part +of the Grande Armee faced the enemy. It was hoped that there +would be a battle, but all that took place was a minor action +against the Russian rear-guard, which was defeated and promptly +withdrew. On the 15th of August, his birthday, the Emperor +reviewed his troops, who welcomed him with enthusiasm. On the +16th the army reached Smolensk, a fortified town which the +Russians call the holy of holies because they consider it to be +the key to Moscow and the palladium of their empire. Ancient +prophecies foretold disaster to Russia the day Smolensk was +taken. This superstition, carefully nurtured by the government, +dates from the time when Smolensk, situated on the Dnieper, was +the furthest Muscovite frontier, from where they issued to make +enormous conquests. + +Murat and Ney, who were the first two to arrive before Smolensk, +both thought, for some unknown reason, that the Russians had +abandoned the place. The reports given to the Emperor having +convinced him that this was the case, he ordered that the +advance-guard should be sent into the town. The impatient Ney was +waiting only for this command. He advanced toward the town gate +escorted by a small body of Hussars, but suddenly a regiment of +Cossacks, hidden by a fold in the ground covered by scrub, fell +on our riders, drew them off, and surrounded Marshal Ney, who was +so hard pressed that a pistol shot fired at point blank range +tore the collar of his coat. Fortunately the Domanget brigade +hurried to the spot and freed the Marshal. The arrival of General +Razout's infantry enabled Ney to get close enough to the town to +convince himself that the Russians intended to defend it. + +Seeing the ramparts armed with a great number of cannon, the +artillery general, Eble, a highly competent officer, advised the +Emperor to by-pass the place by sending the Polish Corps +commanded by Prince Poniatowski to cross the Dnieper two leagues +further upstream; but Napoleon, accepting the advice of Ney, who +assured him that Smolensk would be easily captured, gave the +order to attack. Three army Corps, those of Davout, Ney and +Poniatowski, launched an assault on the town from different +directions. A murderous fire was poured down on them from the +ramparts, and one even more deadly came from the batteries which +the Russians had established on the opposite bank of the river. A +most bloody struggle ensued; bullets, grape-shot and bombs +decimated our troops, without the artillery being able to breach +the walls. At last, as night was approaching, the enemy, who had +bravely disputed every foot of ground, were driven back into the +town itself, which they now prepared to abandon. Before they did +so, however, they set all of it on fire. The Emperor thus saw an +end to his hopes of capturing a town which was rightly supposed +to be full of supplies. It was not until dawn the next day that +the French entered the place, the streets of which were strewn +with the dead bodies of Russians and smoking debris. The taking +of Smolensk had cost us 12,000 men killed or wounded, an enormous +loss which could have been avoided by crossing the Dnieper +upstream, as had been proposed by General Eble; for, seeing +himself at risk of being cut off, General Barclay de Tolly, the +enemy commander, would have evacuated the place and retired +towards Moscow. + +The Russians, after burning the bridge, halted for a short time +on the heights of the right bank and then resumed their retreat +on the road to Moscow. Marshal Ney followed them with his army +corps reinforced by Gudin's division, which was detached from +Davout's corps. + +Not far from Smolensk, Marshal Ney caught up with the Russians as +they passed, with all their baggage, through a narrow defile. A +major engagement took place which could have been disasterous for +the enemy if General Junot, who commanded 8th Corps, and who had +been slow in crossing the Dnieper, two leagues above Smolensk, +and who had then halted for forty-eight hours, had hastened to +the sound of Ney's guns, which were no more than a league away. +Although informed of the situation by Ney, Junot did not budge. +He was then ordered in the name of the Emperor to come to the +assistance of Ney, but still he did not move. + +Ney, facing greatly superior numbers, having engaged successively +all the troops of his Corps, ordered Gudin's division to take +some strong positions held by the Russians. This order was +executed with the greatest alacrity, but in the first wave the +brave general fell mortally wounded. However, retaining his usual +calm, and wishing to assure the success of the troops which he +had so often led to victory, he appointed General Gerard to take +over the command, although he was the most junior brigade +commander in the division. + +Gerard, at the head of the division attacked the enemy, and by +ten in the evening, after losing 1800 men and killing some six +thousand, he was master of the field of battle, from which the +Russians made a hasty departure. + +The next day the Emperor came to visit the troops who had fought +so bravely; he rewarded them generously and promoted Gerard to +the rank of divisional general. Gudin died a few hours later. + +If Junot had taken part in the action, he could have trapped the +Russians in a narrow defile when, caught between two fires, they +would have been forced to surrender, and thus brought the war to +an end. One regretted the departure of King Jerome, whom Junot +had replaced, for although a mediocre general, he would probably +have gone to help Ney, and we expected to see Junot severely +punished; but he was one of Napoleon's earliest adherents and had +supported him in all his campaigns, from the siege of Toulon in +'93 to the present. The Emperor was fond of him and he forgave +him. This was a pity, for it was becoming necessary to make an +example. + +When the Russian people heard of the fall of Smolensk, there was +a general outcry against Barclay de Tolly. He was a German; the +nation accused him of not putting enough effort into the war, and +for the defence of ancient Muscovy they demanded a Muscovite +general. Compelled to give way, Alexander handed the command of +all the Russian armies to General Koutousoff, an elderly man of +little ability, renowned only for his defeat at Austerlitz, but +having the great merit, in the circumstances, of being an out and +out Russian, which gave him a considerable influence in the eyes +of the troops and the populace at large. + +The French advance-guard, driving the enemy before it, had +already passed Dorogobouje when, on the 24th of August, the +Emperor decided to leave Smolensk. The heat was stifling; we +marched on loose sand; there was insufficient food for such a +large body of men and horses, for the Russians left nothing +behind them but burning farms and villages. When the army entered +Vyazma, this pretty town was in flames, and it was the same at +Gzhatzk. The nearer we got to Moscow the fewer resources the +countryside had to offer. Several men died and many horses. A few +days later, the intolerable heat was succeeded by a cold rain +which lasted until the 4th of September; autumn was approaching. +The army was no more than six leagues from Mojaisk, the last town +we had to take before reaching Moscow, when it was noticed that +the strength of the enemy rear-guard had been considerably +increased; an indication that a major battle was at last in +prospect. + +On the 5th, our advance-guard was briefly held up by a large +Russian column, well entrenched on a small hill, garnished with a +dozen guns. The 57th line regiment, which in the Italian campaign +the Emperor had named the "Terrible", worthily upheld its +reputation in capturing the redout and the enemy guns. We were +already on the terrain upon which, forty-eight hours later, would +be fought the battle which the Russians call Borodino and the +French Moscow. + +On the 6th, the Emperor announced in an order of the day that +there would be a battle on the day following. The army welcomed +this announcement with pleasure in the hope that it would mean an +end to their privations, for there had been no supply of rations +for a month, and everyone had lived from hand to mouth. On both +sides the evening was employed in taking up positions of +readiness. + +On the Russian side, Bagration, commanding 62,000 men was on the +left wing; in the centre was the Hetman Platov with his Cossacks +and 30,000 infantry in reserve; the right was made up of 70,000 +men under the command of Barclay de Tolly, who was now the second +in command, while the elderly General Koutousoff was the overall +commander of all these troops, amounting to 162,000 men. The +Emperor Napoleon had no more than 140,000, who were disposed as +follows: Prince Eugene commanded the left wing, Marshal Davout +the right, Marshal Ney the centre, King Murat the cavalry, while +the Imperial Guard was in reserve. + +The battle took place on the 7th of September; the weather was +overcast and a cold wind raised clouds of dust. The Emperor, who +was suffering from severe migraine, went down into a sort of +ravine, where he spent the greater part of the day walking on +foot. From this spot he could see only part of the battlefield, +and to see its entirety he had to climb a nearby hillock, which +he did only twice during the action. The Emperor has been blamed +for his lack of activity, but it should be borne in mind that in +the central position which he occupied with his reserves, he was +able to receive frequent reports of events occurring at all +points of the line, whereas if he had been on one wing or the +other, the aides-de-camp, hurrying with urgent information over +such broken ground, might not have been able to see him or known +where to look for him. And it must not be forgotten that the +Emperor was ill and a strong and glacial wind prevented him from +remaining on horseback. + +I took no part in the battle of Moscow, so I shall refrain from +going into any detail about the various manoeuvres carried out +during this memorable action. I shall say only that after almost +unheard of efforts the French succeeded in overcoming the most +obstinate resistance of the Russians, and that the battle was one +of the most bloody fought during the century. The two armies +suffered casualties to a total of 50,000 dead or wounded. The +French had 49 generals killed or wounded and 20,000 men put out +of action. The Russian losses were a third greater. General +Bagration, the best of their officers was killed, and by a +bizarre turn of fate he happened to be the owner of the land on +which the battle was fought. Twelve thousand horses were left on +the field. The French took few prisoners, an indication of the +courage and determination of the Russian resistance. + +During the action there were several interesting episodes. When +the Russian left had been twice driven back by the supreme +efforts of Murat, Davout and Ney and had yet rallied for the +third time and returned to the charge, Murat asked General +Belliard to beg the Emperor to send part of his guard to secure a +victory, failing which it would be necessary to fight another +battle to beat the Russians. Napoleon was inclined to comply +with this request, but Marshal Bessieres, commandant of the Guard +said to him "I shall permit myself to remind your majesty that +you are at this moment some seven hundred leagues from France." +Whether it was this observation or whether the Emperor thought +that the battle had not reached the stage when he should commit +his reserve, he refused the request. Two other demands of this +kind met the same fate. + +There was another remarkable incident which occurred in this +battle so full of gallant deeds. The enemy front was covered by +some high ground on which were redouts and redans and in +particular, a crenelated fort armed with 80 guns. The French, +after considerable losses, had gained control of these field +works but had not been able to retain the fort, and to regain it +would be a very difficult task even for infantry. General +Montbrun, who commanded the 2nd Cavalry Corps, had noticed, with +the help of his field-glass, that the gate of the fort was not +closed and that platoons of Russian soldiers were going through +it. He also noticed that if one went round the side of the high +ground, one could avoid the ramparts, ravines and rocks and lead +a cavalry unit to the gate up a gentle slope, suited to horses. +General Montbrun proposed to get into the fort with his cavalry +from the rear, while the infantry attacked the front. This +hazardous operation having been approved by Murat and the +Emperor, Montbrun was entrusted with its execution; but while the +intrepid general was finalising his plan, he was killed by a +cannon-ball. This was a great loss for the army, but it did not +put an end to the project he had conceived, and the Emperor sent +General Coulincourt to replace him. + +One now saw something unheard of in the annals of war: a huge +fort defended by numerous guns and several battalions of infantry +attacked and taken by a column of cavalry. Coulincourt pressing +ahead with a division of Cuirassiers, headed by their 5th +regiment commanded by Colonel Christophe, broke through all those +defending the approach to the fort, reached the gate, entered the +interior and fell dead with a bullet through his head. Colonel +Christophe and his troopers avenged their general by putting part +of the garrison to the sword. The fort remained in their hands, +which helped to assure a French victory. + +Today, when the thirst for promotion has become insatiable, one +would be astonished if, after such a feat, a colonel was not +promoted; but during the Empire ambition was more modest. +Christophe did not become a general until some years later, and +never showed any discontent with this delay. + +The Poles, usually so courageous, particularly those from the +Grand Duchy of Warsaw commanded by Prince Poniatovski, fought so +badly that the Emperor sent his major general to upbraid them. In +this battle of Moscow, General Rapp was wounded for the +twenty-first time. + +Although the Russians had been defeated and forced to leave the +field of battle, their generalissimo, Koutousoff, had the +impudence to write to the Emperor Alexander, claiming that he had +just won a great victory over the French. This falsehood, which +arrived in St. Petersburg on Alexander's birthday, gave rise to +much rejoicing. A Te Deum was sung and Koutousoff was promoted to +field-marshal. However it was not long before the truth was known +and the joy turned to grief; but Koutousoff was now a +field-marshal, which was what he wanted. Anyone but the timid +Alexander would have severely punished the new field-marshal for +this outrageous lie; but Koutousoff was needed, and so he +remained head of the army. + +Chap. 13. + +The Russians, retreating towards Moscow, were contacted on the +morning of the eighth, when there was a sharp cavalry engagement +in which General Belliard was wounded. Napoleon spent three days +at Mojaisk, partly to draw up the orders necessary in the +circumstances and partly to reply to the back-log of despatches. +One of these, which had arrived on the eve of the battle, had +affected him greatly and had contributed to making him ill, for +it announced that the so-called army of Portugal, commanded by +Marshal Marmont, had suffered a severe defeat at Arpiles, near +Salamanca, in Spain. + +Marmont was one of Napoleon's mistakes. He had been one of +Napoleon's companions at the college of Brienne and later in the +artillery, and Napoleon took an interest in him. Misled by some +success achieved by Marmont at school, the Emperor had a belief +in the Marshal's military talents which his performance in the +field never justified. In 1811, Marmont had replaced Massena as +commander of the army of Portugal, proclaiming that he would +defeat Wellington, but the contrary proved to be the case. +Marmont, defeated, wounded, with his army in disarray and obliged +to abandon several provinces, would have suffered even worse +reverses if General Clausel had not come to his aid. + +When he learned of this disaster, the Emperor must have reflected +deeply on the present operation, for while he was about to enter +Moscow at the head of his largest army, a thousand leagues away +another army had just been defeated. By invading Russia was he +about to lose Spain? Major Fabvier, who brought this despatch, +volunteered to join in the battle for Moscow and was wounded in +the assault on the great redout. It was a long way to come to be +hit by a bullet. + +On the 12th of September Napoleon left Mojaisk, and on the 15th +he entered Moscow. This enormous city was deserted. General +Rostopschine, its governor, had forced all the inhabitants to +leave. This Rostopschine, whom some have described as a hero, +was a barbarian, who would shrink from nothing to achieve his +aims. He had allowed the populace to strangle a number of foreign +merchants, mainly the French, who were living in Moscow, on the +sole grounds that they were suspected of hoping for the arrival +of Napoleon's troops. Some days before the battle of Moscow, the +Cossacks having captured about a hundred sick Frenchmen, +Koutousoff sent them by a roundabout road to the governor of +Moscow, who, regardless of their condition, left them for +forty-eight hours without food and then paraded them triumphantly +through the streets, where a number of these unfortunates +collapsed and died of starvation. As this was happening, +policemen read to the populace a proclamation by Rostopschine in +which, to encourage them to take up arms, he declared that all +the French were in a similar feeble state and would be easily +overcome. When this disgusting performance was over, the majority +of the soldiers still alive were killed by the mob, without +Rostopschine doing anything to protect them. + +The defeated Russian troops had only passed through Moscow, and +had gone to re-group some thirty leagues from there, around +Kalouga. Murat followed them with all his cavalry and several +infantry corps. The Imperial Guard stayed in the town and +Napoleon took up residence in the Kremlin, the ancient fortified +palace of the Czars. Everything seemed peaceful, when, during +the night 15th-16th September, some French and German merchants +who had escaped the governor's attentions came to warn Napoleon's +staff that the city was to be set on fire. This information was +confirmed by a Russian policeman, who refused to carry out the +orders of his superiors: he stated that before leaving Moscow, +Rostopschine had thrown open all the prisons and released the +prisoners and convicts, to whom he had given torches said to have +been supplied by the British, and that these persons were lying +hidden in the abandoned houses waiting for the signal. When the +Emperor heard of this he instituted the strictest precautionary +measures. Patrols went about the streets and killed a number of +those caught setting fires alight, but it was too late; fire +broke out in various parts of the city and spread rapidly owing +to the fact that Rostopschine had taken away all the +fire-fighting equipment. It was not long before the whole of +Moscow was ablaze. The Emperor left the Kremlin and went to the +chateau of Peterskoe. He did not return until three days later, +when the fire was beginning to subside for lack of fuel. I shall +not go into any details about the fire itself, as there are +several eye-witness accounts, but later I shall examine the +consequences of this catastrophic conflagration. + +Napoleon, who did not understand the position in which Alexander +found himself, hoped always for some accommodation and +eventually, tired of waiting, he decided to write to him +personally. In the meantime the Russian army was being +reorganised in the area of Kalouga, from where agents were sent +to direct stray soldiers back to their units. It was estimated +that there were about 15,000 of them concealed in the suburbs and +able to wander about our bivouacs without being challenged. They +sat round the fires with our men and ate with them, yet no one +thought of making them prisoners. This was a great mistake, for +they gradually returned to the Russian army, while our strength +diminished daily owing to sickness and the increasing cold. We +lost an enormous number of horses, which was thought due to the +extraordinary efforts demanded by Murat from the cavalry, of +which he was the commander. Murat, recalling the brilliant +successes obtained against the Prussians in 1806 and 1807 by +pursuing them closely, thought that the cavalry should be equal +to any demands and should march twelve to fifteen leagues a day +without worrying about the fatigue of the horses, the essential +being to reach the enemy with at least some of the columns. +However the climate, the shortage of rations and fodder, the long +duration of the campaign and above all the tenacious resistance +of the Russians had greatly changed the situation, so that by the +time we reached Moscow, half our cavalrymen had no horses, and +Murat managed to finish off the rest at Kalouga. Prince Murat was +proud of his tall stature and his bravery; and being always +decked out in strange but brilliant uniforms, he had attracted +the notice of the enemy, with whom he was pleased to parley, even +exchanging gifts with the Cossack officers. Koutousoff took +advantage of these meetings to encourage in the French the false +hopes of a peace, hopes which Murat passed on to the Emperor. One +day, however, this enemy who claimed to be so weakened, arose, +slipped into our cantonments and captured some supplies, a +squadron of dragoons and a battalion of troops. After this +Napoleon forbade, under pain of death, any communication with the +Russians which he had not authorised. + +The Emperor never entirely lost hope of concluding a peace, on +the 4th of October he sent General Lauriston, his aide-de-camp, +to General Koutousoff's headquarters. The cunning Russian showed +General Lauriston a letter which he had addressed to the Emperor +Alexander, urging him to agree to the French proposals, seeing +that, as he alleged, the Russian army was in no state to continue +the war. The officer carrying this despatch had hardly left for +St. Petersburg, armed with a pass from Lauriston which would +preserve him from attack by any of our men who were in the area +between the two armies, when Koutousoff sent off a second +aide-de-camp to his Emperor. This officer, having no French +laissez-passer, was stopped by one of our patrols, taken prisoner +and his despatches sent to Napoleon. The contents were the exact +opposite to what had been shown to Lauriston. After imploring his +sovereign not to treat with the French, he informed him that +Admiral Tchitchakoff's army, freed from its duties on the +frontier by the peace with Turkey, was moving towards Minsk in +order to cut the French line of retreat. He also told Alexander +of the discussions he had conducted freely with Murat, with the +aim of encouraging the false sense of security entertained by the +French in remaining in Moscow so late in the year. + +When he saw this letter, Napoleon, realising that he had been +tricked, fell into a furious rage, and is said to have +contemplated marching on St. Petersburg; but beyond the +diminished strength of the army and the rigours of the winter, +which militated against such an undertaking, there were pressing +reasons for the Emperor to get closer to Germany, in order to +watch over that country and to see what was going on in France, +where there had been a conspiracy whose leaders had been, for one +day, in control of the capital. A fanatic, General Malet, had +tossed a spark into Paris which could have started a fire, which, +had he not encountered a man as far-seeing and energetic as +Adjutant-major Laborde, might have put an end to the imperial +government. + +This was not heartening, and one can imagine the anxiety of +Napoleon when he learned of the danger which had threatened his +family and his government. + +Chap. 14. + +In Moscow, Napoleon's position grew worse daily. The cold was +already bitter and only the French-born soldiers maintained their +morale, but they composed no more than half the force which +Napoleon had led into Russia. The remainder was made up of +Germans, Swiss, Croats, Lombards, Romanians, Piedmontais, +Spaniards, and Portuguese. All these foreigners, who stayed +loyal as long as the army was successful, now began to complain +and, led astray by the leaflets in various languages which the +Russians spread widely through our camps, they deserted in droves +to the enemy, who promised to repatriate them. + +Added to this, the two wings of the Grande Armee, which consisted +entirely of Austrians and Prussians, were now no longer in line +with the centre as they had been at the beginning of the +campaign, but were in our rear, ready to bar our way on the first +command of their sovereigns, ancient and irreconcilable enemies +of France. The position was critical, and although it would +greatly hurt Napoleon's pride to display to the whole world that +he had failed in his objective of imposing a peace on Alexander, +the word "retreat" was at last uttered. But neither the Emperor +nor the marshals nor anyone else thought of abandoning Russia and +recrossing the Nieman; the idea was to go into winter quarters in +the least unpleasant of the Polish provinces. + +The evacuation of Moscow was agreed on in principle, but before +taking this step, Napoleon, in a last endeavour to obtain a +settlement, sent an emissary to Marshal Koutousoff, who did not +make any response. + +During these delays our army was melting away, day by day, and in +blind overconfidence our outposts remained at risk in the +province of Kalouga in untactical positions, when suddenly a +wholly unforeseen event occurred which opened the eyes of the +most incredulous and destroyed any illusions which the Emperor +still had of achieving peace. + +General Sebastiani, whom we saw allowing himself to be surprised +at Drouia, had replaced General Montbrun as commander of the 2nd +Cavalry Corps and, although close to the enemy, he spent his days +in his slippers, reading Italian poetry and carrying out no +reconnaissance. Taking advantage of this negligence, Koutousoff +attacked Sebastiani on the 18th of October, surrounded him and +overwhelmed him by numbers, forcing him to abandon part of his +artillery. Sebastiani's three divisions of cavalry, separated +from the rest of Murat's troops, were able to rejoin them only +after fighting their way through several enemy battalions who +stood in their way. In the course of this savage combat, +Sebastiani displayed his valour, for he was a brave man, if a +noticeably mediocre general, something which will be demonstrated +anew when we come to the campaign of 1813. + +At the same time as he surprised Sebastiani, Koutousoff ordered +an attack on Murat's lines, in which the Prince was slightly +wounded. Having learned of this unsatisfactory affair, and on +the same day been told of the arrival in the enemy camp of a +reinforcement of ten thousand cavalry from the Russian army in +Wallachia (The Russian border with the Turks, in southern +Romania. Ed.) which the Austrians, our allies, had allowed to +pass, the Emperor gave the order for the departure to begin on +the following day. + +In the morning of the 19th of October, the Emperor left Moscow, +which he had entered on the 15th of September. His Majesty, the +old guard and the bulk of the army took the road to Kalouga; +Marshal Mortier and two divisions of the Young Guard remained +behind for twenty-four hours to complete the destruction of the +city and blow up the Kremlin, after which they brought up the +rear of the march. + +The army trailed behind it more than forty thousand carriages, +which caused an obstruction whenever the road narrowed. When this +was remarked on to the Emperor, he replied that each of these +coaches could carry two wounded men and food for several, and +that their number would gradually diminish. The employment of +this philanthropic system could, I think, be objected to, on the +grounds that the need to speed the march of a retreating army +seems to me to outweigh all other considerations. + +During the French occupation of Moscow, Murat and the cavalry +corps had been stationed in part of the fertile province of +Kalouga, but without seizing the town of that name. The Emperor +wished to avoid passing through the area of the battle of Moscow +(Borodino) and down the road to Mojaisk, which had been stripped +of resources by the army on its approach to Moscow; and for this +reason he took the road to Kalouga, from where he counted on +getting to Smolensk through fertile and, as it were, unspoiled +country. But at the end of several day's march, the army, which +after joining with Murat's force amounted, still, to more than +100,000 men, found itself confronting the Russian army which +occupied the little town of Malo-Iaroslawetz. The enemy was in +an exceedingly strong position; nevertheless the Emperor sent +into the attack Prince Eugene, at the head of the Italian Corps +and the French divisions of Morand and Gerard. Nothing could +stand in the way of these men and they took the town after a long +and murderous fight which cost us 4000 killed or wounded. Among +the dead was General Delzons, a very fine officer. + +The next day, the 24th of October, the Emperor, surprised at the +degree of resistance he had encountered, and knowing that the +whole Russian army barred his way, halted the march and spent +three days considering what course he should follow. + +On one occasion, during a reconnaissance of the enemy line, the +Emperor nearly fell into their hands. There was a very thick fog, +and suddenly shouts of "Hourra! Hourra!" were heard. It was a +group of Cossacks who were emerging from a wood bordering the +road, which they had been going through not twenty paces from the +Emperor, knocking down and spearing anyone that they came across: +but General Rapp rushed forward with the two squadrons of +Chasseurs and mounted Grenadiers which went everywhere with the +Emperor who, wielding their sabres, put the enemies to flight. It +was during this encounter that M. Le Couteulx, my former +companion on the staff of Marshal Lannes, and now an aide-de-camp +to Prince Berthier, having armed himself with the lance belonging +to a Cossack whom he had killed, was unwise enough to come back +brandishing this weapon, and, furthermore, dressed in a pelisse +and a fur hat, which concealed the French uniform. A mounted +Grenadier of the Guard mistook him for a Cossack officer, and +seeing him heading towards the Emperor, went after him and +slashed him across the body with his heavy sabre. In spite of +this serious wound, M. Le Couteulx, placed in one of the +Emperor's carriages, survived the cold and the exhaustion of the +retreat, and managed to reach France. + +The reconnaissance carried out by the Emperor had convinced him +that it would be impossible to continue his march towards Kalouga +without fighting a sanguinary battle against the large force +commanded by Koutousoff. He decided, therefore, to reach Smolensk +by taking the road leading through Mojaisk. The army then left +the fertile countryside to take once more the now devastated +route along which, marking their passage with fires and dead +bodies, they had travelled in September. This movement by the +Emperor left him, after ten weary days, no more than twelve +leagues from Moscow, and caused the troops to feel increasing +anxiety about the future. The weather turned much worse; Marshal +Mortier rejoined the Emperor after having blown up the Kremlin. + +The army saw once more Mojaisk and the battlefield of Borodino. +The ground, furrowed by cannon-balls, was covered with the debris +of helmets, cuirasses, wheels, weapons, fragments of uniform and +thirty thousand bodies, partly eaten by wolves. The Emperor and +the troops passed by quickly, casting a sad look at this immense +graveyard. + +After they had reached Vyazma the snow began to fall and a bitter +wind to blow, which slowed their progress. Many of the vehicles +were abandoned, and some thousands of men and horses perished of +cold by the roadside. The flesh of the horses provided some +nourishment for the men and also for the officers. The command of +the rearguard passed successively from Davout to Prince Eugene +and finally to Marshal Ney, who kept this unpleasant job for the +rest of the campaign. + +Smolensk was reached on the 1st of November. The Emperor had +arranged for a great quantity of food clothing and footwear to be +collected there, but those in charge of these supplies did not +realise the state of disorganisation into which the army had +fallen, and insisted on the paperwork and formalities of a normal +distribution. This delay so exasperated the men, who were dying +of cold and hunger, that they broke into the stores and took, +forcibly, whatever they could. With the result that some had too +much, some enough and some nothing. + +As long as the troops had maintained a proper order of march, the +mixture of nationalities had given rise to no more than minor +inconveniences, but once fatigue and privation had broken the +ranks, discipline was lost. There was no way in which it could be +maintained in a vast body of isolated individuals, lacking every +necessity, walking on their own, without understanding why; for +in this disorderly mass there ruled a veritable babel of tongues. +A few regiments, mainly those in the Guard, held together. Almost +all the troopers of the cavalry, having lost their horses, were +formed into infantry battalions, and those of their officers who +still were mounted were made into special squadrons, commanded by +Generals Latour-Mauberg, Grouchy and Sebastiani, who acted as +ordinary captains, while brigade commanders and colonels filled +the post of sergeant and corporal. This resort alone, shows to +what extremity the army was reduced. + +In this critical position, the Emperor had counted on a strong +division of troops of all arms, which General Baraguey d'Hilliers +was supposed to bring to Smolensk; but, as we neared the town, we +heard the General had laid down his arms before a Russian column, +with the provision that he alone would not be made prisoner and +would be allowed to rejoin the French army in order to explain +his actions. The Emperor, however, refused to see Baraguey +d'Hilliers and ordered him to return to France and to consider +himself under arrest until he was brought before a court-martial. +Baraguey d'Hilliers avoided court-martial by dying in Berlin, it +was said, of despair. + +This General was another of Napoleon's mistakes. He had been +impressed by him at the time of the encampments at Boulogne when +he had promised that he could train dragoons to serve either as +cavalry or infantry. However, when this system was tried out in +1805, during the Austrian campaign, the Dragoons, now on foot and +commanded by Baraguey d'Hilliers in person, were defeated at +Wertingen before the eyes of the Emperor, and when placed once +more on horseback, they once more suffered the same fate. It was +several years before the unit recovered from the effects of this +experiment. The originator of the system, having fallen from +favour and hoping to re-establish himself by asking to come to +Russia, had completed his downfall by capitulating without a +struggle, and violating a decree stating that a commander forced +to surrender should accompany his men into captivity, and +forbidding him from negotiating terms favourable only to himself. + +After spending several days at Smolensk to allow stragglers to +catch up with him, the Emperor went to Krasnoe, from where he +despatched an officer to 2nd Corps, which was still by the Dvina +and was now his only hope of safety. + +The regiments of this corps, although they had not suffered the +hardship and privation of those who had gone to Moscow, had +however been more often in action against the enemy. Napoleon, +wishing to reward them by appointments to vacant positions, had +brought to him for his approval a number of proposals for +promotions, several of which related to me. One of these +recommended me for the rank only of lieutenant-colonel and it was +this that was put before the Emperor for his signature. I have it +from General Grundler who, having been detailed to carry the +despatch, found himself in the Emperor's office during the +signing, that the Emperor scratched out with his own hand the +words Lieutenant-colonel and wrote in the word Colonel, saying "I +am paying off an old debt." So, on the 15th of November, I at +last became Colonel of the 23rd Chasseurs, although I did not +know it until some time later. + +The painful retreat was resumed. The enemy, whose strength +increased continually, cut off from the rest of the army the +Corps of Prince Eugene, Davout and Ney. The first two managed to +fight their way through to join the Emperor, who was very +distressed at the absence of Ney, of whom he had had no news for +several days. + +On the 19th of November Napoleon reached Orscha. It was now a +month since he had left Moscow and there was still a hundred and +twenty leagues to cover before reaching the Nieman. The cold was +intense. + +While the Emperor worried unhappily about the fate of his +rear-guard and the gallant Marshal Ney, the latter was engaged in +one of the finest feats of arms recorded in history. Leaving +Smolensk on the morning of the 17th, after blowing up the +ramparts, the Marshal had hardly begun his march when he was +assailed by a myriad of the enemy, who attacked both flanks and +the front and rear of his column. + +Driving them off continually, Ney marched, surrounded by them for +three days, to halt eventually before the dangerous pass of the +Krasnoe ravine, beyond which could be seen a great mass of +Russian troops and an array of guns which opened a lively and +sustained fire. + +Without being cast down by this unforeseen obstacle the Marshal +took the bold decision to force a passage, and ordered the 48th +of line, commanded by Colonel Pelet, to attack with the bayonet. +At Ney's command, the French soldiers, although tired, hungry and +numb with cold, rushed the Russian batteries and captured them. +They were regained by the enemy and captured once more by our men +but in the end they had to yield to the superiority in numbers. +The 48th, shattered by grape-shot, was largely destroyed. Of the +six hundred and fifty men who entered the ravine only about a +hundred emerged. Colonel Pelet, gravely wounded was among them. + +Night fell, and for the rearguard, all hope of rejoining the +Emperor and the rest of the army seemed to be lost; but Ney had +confidence in his men, and above all in himself. He ordered lines +of fires to be lit, in order to keep the enemy in their camp, in +the expectation of a renewed attack the next day, but he had +decided to put the Dnieper between himself and the Russians and +to entrust his fate and that of his troops to the strength of the +ice covering the river. It was while he was trying to decide +which was the shortest route to the river that a Russian colonel +from Krasnoe arrived as an envoy, and demanded that Ney should +surrender. Ney was indignant, and as the officer was carrying no +written instructions, he replied that he did not regard him as an +envoy but as a spy who would be executed if he did not guide them +to the nearest spot on the bank of the Dnieper. The Russian +Colonel was forced to obey. + +Ney immediately gave the order to quit the camp in silence, +leaving behind the guns, wagons, baggage and those wounded unable +to march with him; and helped by the darkness, he reached, after +four hours, the banks of the Dnieper. The river was frozen over, +but the ice was not everywhere thick enough to bear the weight of +a number of men, so the Marshal sent his troops across one by +one. Once over the river, the troops thought they had reached +safety, but dawn revealed an encampment of Cossacks. This was +commanded by Hetman Platov who, as was his custom, had spent the +evening drinking and was still asleep. + +Discipline is so rigid in the Russian army that no one dared wake +him nor take up arms without his orders, so the remains of Ney's +Corps were able to pass within a league of the camp without being +attacked. The Cossacks did not appear until the next day. + +Under constant attack, the Marshal marched for three days along +the winding bank of the Dnieper, which would lead him to Orscha, +and on the 20th he at last saw this town where he hoped to find +the Emperor and the army. He was, however, still separated from +Orscha by a large area of open ground in which were many enemy +troops, while the Cossacks were preparing to attack him from the +rear. Taking up a good defensive position, he sent of a +succession of officers to find out if the French were still in +Orscha, failing which resistance would no longer be possible. One +of these officers reached Orscha where the general headquarters +still was. The Emperor was delighted to hear of the return of +Marshal Ney, and to rescue him from his dangerous position he +sent Prince Eugene and Marshal Mortier who drove off the enemy +and brought back Ney and what remained of his unit. + +The next day the Emperor continued the retreat. He was joined by +troops under the command of Marshal Victor who had recently +arrived from Germany, and he made contact with 2nd Corps, where +Saint-Cyr had just returned the command to Marshal Oudinot. + +Chap. 15. + +As it is important to understand the events which led to the +reunion of 2nd Corps with the army from which it had been +separated since the start of the campaign, I must describe +briefly what happened after the month of August, when, having +defeated the Russians at Polotsk, Saint-Cyr set up near there an +immense entrenched camp protected by a part of his force, the +remainder of which he spread out on both banks of the Dvina. The +light cavalry provided cover for these cantonments and so, as I +have already said, Castex's brigade, to which my regiment +belonged, was stationed at Louchonski, on a little river named +the Polota, from where we could keep an eye on the main roads +leading from Sebej and Newel. + +Wittgenstein's army, after its defeat, had retired beyond those +towns, so that there was between the French and the Russians a +space of more than twenty-five leagues of no-man's-land, into +which both sides sent reconnaissance parties of cavalry, giving +rise to unimportant skirmishes. For the rest, as the area round +Polotsk was well supplied with forage and standing crops of +grain, and as it seemed plain that we were in for a long stay, +the French soldiers started to reap and thresh the corn, and +grind it in the small hand-mills which are to be found in every +peasant dwelling. + +This process seemed to me to be too slow, so we repaired, with +much difficulty, two water-mills, which stood by the Polota near +Louchonski, and from that time on, a supply of bread for my +regiment was assured. As for meat, the neighbouring woods were +full of abandoned cattle; but as it was necessary to track them +down every day, I had the idea of doing what I had seen done in +Portugal, and that was to form a regimental herd. In a short time +I had rounded up 7 or 8 hundred beasts which I put in the charge +of some unmounted Chasseurs, to whom I gave local ponies, too +small for military use. This herd, which I increased by frequent +searches, lasted for several months and allowed me to make +regular distributions of meat to the regiment, which maintained +the men's health and earned me their gratitude for the care I +took of them. I extended my care to the horses, for which we made +big shelters, thatched with straw, and placed behind the men's +huts, so that our bivouac was almost as comfortable as a regular +camp in peacetime. The other unit commanders did the same sort of +thing, but none of them had a regimental herd: their men lived +from day to day. + +While the French, Swiss, Croat, and Portuguese regiments worked +unceasingly to improve their conditions, the Bavarians alone made +no effort to escape from want and sickness. It was in vain that +General the Comte de Wrede tried to rouse them by pointing out +how the French soldiers were building huts, reaping and threshing +grain, milling it into flour, making ovens and baking bread, the +wretched Bavarians, totally demoralised since they no longer were +issued with regular rations, admired the work done by our men +without attempting to imitate them. So they were dying like flies +and there would have been none left if Marshal Saint-Cyr, shaking +off for a moment his habitual indifference, had not persuaded the +colonels of the other divisions to provide a daily supply of +bread for the Bavarians. The light cavalry, stationed out in the +country and near the woods, sent them some cattle. + +However, these Germans, so feeble when it came to work, were +brave enough in action against the enemy, but the moment the +danger was over they relapsed into complete apathy. Nostalgia or +home-sickness took them; they dragged themselves to Polotsk, and +entering the hospitals established by their commanders, they +asked for somewhere to die, and laying themselves on the straw, +they never rose again. A great many died in this way and General +de Wrede had to take into his wagon the flags of a number of +regiments who had not sufficient men to defend them. And yet it +was only September, the cold weather had not begun and on the +contrary it was very mild. The other troops were in good heart +and awaited cheerfully the outcome of events. + +The men of my regiment were noted everywhere for their good +health, which I attribute firstly to the quantity of bread and +meat which I was able to give them and secondly to the liquor +which I was able to obtain by an arrangement with the Jesuits of +Polotsk. These good Fathers, all of them French, had a big farm +at Louchonski, where there was a distillery for making grain +spirit, but on the approach of war all the workers had fled back +to the monastery, taking with them the stills and utensils, so +that production had stopped, thus depriving the monastery of part +of its revenue. The arrival of so many soldiers in the region had +made alcoholic drinks so scarce and expensive that the owners of +the canteens were undertaking a journey of several days to Wilna +to obtain supplies. It occurred to me that I might be able to +reach an agreement with the Jesuits whereby I would protect their +distillery and have my men reap and thresh the necessary grain, +in return for which my regiment would receive a daily share of +the resulting product. My proposition was accepted by the monks, +who benefitted greatly by being able to sell alcohol in the +camps, while I had the advantage of being able to distribute a +daily ration to my men who, since crossing the Nieman, had drunk +nothing but water. + +At first glance these details may seem pointless, but I am happy +to recall them because the care I took of my men saved many of +their lives and maintained the strength of the 23rd far above +that of the other cavalry regiments in the Corps, which earned me +a token of his satisfaction from the Emperor which I shall refer +to later. + +Among the measures which I took are two which protected the lives +of many of my troopers. The first of these was to insist that +from the 15th of September they should each equip themselves with +a sheepskin coat, many of which were to be found in abandoned +peasant dwellings. Soldiers are like great children, for whom one +must care sometimes against their will. Mine complained that +these heavy pelisses were useless and overburdened their horses, +but come October they were happy to put them on under their +capes, and when it grew really cold they thanked me for having +made them keep them. + +The second step which I took was to send to the rear all those +troopers who were without a mount, either because of enemy fire +or because their horse had died for some other reason. A standing +order required that these men should be sent to Lepel, in +Lithuania, to await horses which were to be sent from Warsaw. I +was preparing to do this when I learned that Lepel was crammed +with dismounted troopers, who were short of all supplies and had +nothing to do because not a single remount had arrived there, so +I took it on myself to send my dismounted men directly to Warsaw +under the command of Captain Poitevin, who had been wounded. I +knew that this was in breach of the regulations, but in a huge +army, so far from its base and under such abnormal conditions, it +was not possible for the general staff to attend to all the needs +of the troops. Occasions therefore arose when a unit commander +had to use his own judgement. Thus, General Castex, who could not +give me official authorisation and having told me that he would +close his eyes to what I was doing, I continued in this manner +for as long as it was possible, so that in the end I had sent 250 +men to Warsaw. After the campaign I found them once more on the +Vistula, all in new uniforms, well-equipped and well-mounted and +a welcome reinforcement for the regiment. The dismounted men from +other regiments, amounting to some 9000, who had been sent to +Lepel, caught unaware by the great retreat from Moscow, were +almost all taken prisoner or died of cold on the roads. Yet it +would have been so easy to have sent them during the summer and +autumn to the remount depot at Warsaw, where there were plenty of +horses but a shortage of riders. + +I remained for a whole month resting at Louchonski, which helped +to heal the wound I had received at Jakoubowo. We were very +comfortable in our camp from the material point of view, but very +worried about the events at Moscow, and it was only on rare +occasions that we had news from France. At last I had a letter in +which my dearest Angelique told me she had given birth to a boy. +My joy at this was mixed with sadness, for I was a long way from +my family, and although I could not foresee all the dangers to +which I would soon be exposed, I could not pretend that there +were not many obstacles to be overcome before our reunion. + +About the middle of September, Marshal Saint-Cyr sent me on a +rather delicate mission. It had two objectives: first to find out +what the enemy were up to in the region round Newel and then to +return via Lake Ozerichtchi in order to get in touch with Count +Lubenski, one of the few Poles who were willing to do anything to +shake off the Russian yoke. The Emperor who, although unwilling +to proclaim the re-establishment of the former Poland, wanted to +organise the areas already conquered into departments, had +received many refusals from the noblemen to whom he had proposed +to confide the administration; but having been assured of Count +Lubenski's patriotism, His Majesty had nominated him Prefect of +Witepsk. As this nobleman lived in an isolated spot outside the +area under French control, it was difficult to inform him of his +nomination and to ensure his safe arrival. Napoleon had therefore +ordered that a body of light cavalry should be sent to the Count. + +Detailed to undertake this mission, with three hundred men of my +regiment, I picked the boldest and best-mounted men and having +provided them with bread, cooked meat and vodka, as well as other +necessities, I left the camp on the 14th of September, taking +with me Lorentz to act as interpreter. + +The life of a partisan is perilous and very tiring. One avoids +the main roads and hides by day in the forest without daring to +make a fire. One takes from a hamlet food and fodder to be eaten +several leagues away to confuse enemy spies; one marches all +night, sometimes arriving at different point from that intended +and one is constantly on the look-out. Such was the life I led +when I found myself with no more than three hundred men, in a +huge area which I did not know, out of touch with the French army +and approaching that of the Russians, a numerous detachment of +whom I might encounter at any time. It was a difficult situation, +but I had confidence in myself and in the men who followed me, so +I went forward resolutely, skirting by two or three leagues the +road which runs from Polotsk to Newel. + +Nothing much of interest happened to us. It is sufficient to say +that thanks to the information given to us by the peasants, who +hated the Russians, we made a tour round Newel, avoiding all the +enemy positions, and after eight days, or rather eight nights, of +marching we came to the shore of Lake Ozerichtchi, where there is +the magnificent chateau which at that time belonged to Count +Lubenski. I shall never forget the scene which greeted us on our +arrival before this ancient and vast manor. It was a splendid +autumn evening. The family of the Count had gathered to celebrate +his birthday and to rejoice in the capture of Moscow by Napoleon, +when some servants ran to announce that the chateau was +surrounded by soldiers on horseback, who had posted sentries and +guards and were now entering the courtyards. It was thought that +these were the Russian police who had come to arrest the Count, +and he, a man of great courage, was waiting calmly to be taken to +the prison of St. Petersburg, when his son, who out of curiosity +had opened a window, came to say that the troopers were speaking +French. + +On hearing this, the Count and his family followed by a crowd of +servants rushed out of the chateau and gathered on an immense +peristyle. When I mounted the steps, he advanced towards me with +arms outstretched to embrace me, and declaimed in theatrical +tones a most fulsome welcome. Not only did the Count embrace me, +but his wife and daughters did the same, then the almoner, the +tutors and governesses came to kiss my hand, and the domestic +staff touched my knee with their lips. I was greatly astonished +at these various honours, and accepted them with all the gravity +I could muster. I had thought the whole performance was over +when, at a word from the Count, they all knelt down and commenced +to pray. + +When we re-entered the chateau, I handed the Count his +appointment as Prefect of Witepsk, adorned with the signature of +the French Emperor, and asked him if he accepted it. "Yes!" he +cried "and I am ready to go with you." The Countess was equally +enthusiastic, and it was agreed that the Count with his eldest +son and two servants would leave with me. I gave them an hour to +get ready, which time was employed in giving my men a good +supper, which they had to eat on horseback because of my fear of +a surprise attack. Having said our farewells, we left to go and +sleep in a forest four leagues from there, where we stayed hidden +all the next day. At night we continued our march, but to put off +our trail any of the enemy who might have been warned of our +presence in the area, I took a different route to that by which I +had come, and going by paths and at times across country, after +five days I reached Polotsk. It was as well that I had taken a +different route, because I learned later from some merchants who +lived in Newel that the Russians had sent a regiment of Dragoons +and 600 Cossacks to wait for me at the source of the Drissa, near +a village I had passed on my way in. + +After reporting to Marshal Saint-Cyr and presenting to him Count +Lubenski, I went back to the camp at Louchonski, where I rejoined +General Castex and the rest of my unit. My expedition had lasted +for thirteen days, during which time we had suffered fatigue and +privation; but I was bringing my men back in good shape. We had +not been obliged to fight since any small bands of the enemy we +did encounter fled when they saw us. + +The journey which Count Lubenski had taken with us had allowed me +to assess his character. He was a well educated man, capable and +patriotic, but one whose enthusiasm was inclined to cloud his +judgement when it came to considering how best to re-build +Poland. Nevertheless, if all his compatriots had shown his +vigour, and had taken up arms on the arrival of the French, +Poland might have regained its freedom in 1812; but, with few +exceptions, they remained profoundly apathetic. + +After leaving Polotsk, the Count went to take up his post as +prefect. He did not keep the position for long, for a month had +hardly passed before the French army, having left Moscow passed +through Witepsk on its retreat. Compelled by this disaster to +abandon his prefecture and to shelter from the vengeance of the +Russians, he took refuge in Galicia, in Austrian Poland, where he +had large landholdings. He lived there peacefully until 1830 when +he returned to Russian Poland to take up arms against the Czar. I +do not know what happened to him after this uprising, but I have +been told by some of his countrymen that he went back to Galicia. +He was a good patriot and a fine man. + +A few days after our return to Louchonski, I was greatly +surprised by the arrival of a detachment of thirty troopers +belonging to my regiment. They had come from Mons and had, in +consequence, travelled through Belgium, the Rhenish provinces, +all of Germany and part of Prussia and Poland, and had come more +than 400 leagues under the command of a simple N.C.O. However not +a man had fallen out and not a horse was injured. That shows the +sort of stuff of which the troopers of the 23rd were made. + +Chap. 16. + +On about the 12th of October, 2nd Corps, which since the 18th of +August had been living in peace and plenty in and around Polotsk, +had to prepare itself to run once more the dangers of war. We +learned that Admiral Tchitchakoff, commander-in-chief of the +Russian army in Walachia, having made peace with the Turks +through the intervention of the English, was heading for Moghilew +with the intention of getting in the rear of Napoleon who, still +nursing the hope of concluding a treaty with Alexander, had not +yet left Moscow. One might be astonished that Prince +Schwartzenberg, who with thirty thousand Austrians, our allies, +was supposed to be watching over the Russian forces in Walachia, +had allowed them to pass, but that is what happened. Not only had +the Austrians failed to block the road taken by the Russians, +which they could have done, but instead of following behind them, +they had stayed comfortably in their cantonments. + +Napoleon had trusted too much in the good faith of the generals +and ministers of his father-in-law, the Emperor of Austria, in +giving them the responsibility of covering the right flank of the +Grande Armee. Whatever excuses are offered, there can be, in my +opinion, no escaping the fact that this was flagrant treachery on +their part, and history will condemn them for it. + +While on our right the Austrians were allowing passage to the +Russian troops coming from Turkey, the Prussians, who had so +unwisely been placed on our left wing, were preparing to do a +deal with the enemy, and that almost openly, without concealment +from Marshal Macdonald, whom the Emperor had put at their head to +ensure their fidelity. As soon as these foreigners learned that +the occupation of Moscow had not led to a peace, they foresaw the +disasters which would befall the French army, and all their +enmity towards us was rekindled. They did not break out in open +revolt, but Marshal Macdonald's orders were obeyed with +reluctance, and the Prussians encamped near Riga could at any +moment join Wittgenstein's Russians to crush 2nd Corps camped +round Polotsk. + +Plainly, Marshal Saint-Cyr's position was becoming difficult. He, +however, did not seem perturbed, and as impassive as ever, he +issued calmly and clearly the orders for an obstinate defence. +All the infantry was concentrated in the town and the entrenched +camp. Several bridges were added to those already uniting the two +banks of the Dvina. The sick and the non-combatants were sent to +Old Polotsk and Ekimania, fortified posts on the left bank. The +Marshal did not consider he had enough troops to dispute the open +ground with Wittgenstein, who had received powerful +reinforcements from St. Petersburg, so he did not keep more than +five squadrons with him, of which he took one from each regiment +of light cavalry. The rest went over to the other bank. + +On the 16th of October the enemy scouts appeared before Polotsk, +the aspect of which had greatly changed, partly because of the +huge, newly established, entrenched camp and partly because of +the numerous fortifications which covered the open country. The +biggest and strongest of these was a redoubt called the Bavarian. +The unhappy remnant of General de Wrede's force asked if they +might defend this redoubt, which they did with much courage. + +The fighting began on the 17th and went on all day without +Marshal Saint-Cyr being forced out of his position. This angered +General Wittgenstein, who attributed the hold-up to his officers +not having distinguished between the stronger and weaker of our +defence works, and wishing to inspect them himself, he boldly +approached them. This devotion to duty nearly cost him his life, +for Major Curely, one of the finest officers in the army, having +spotted the General, dashed forward leading a squadron of the +20th Chasseurs, who sabred some of the escort while he, forcing +his way to General Wittgenstein, put the point of his sword to +his throat and forced him to surrender. + +Having effected the capture of the enemy commander, Major Curely +should have retired swiftly, between two redoubts, and taken his +prisoner into the entrenched camp; but the Major was too keen, +and seeing that the General's escort was about to attempt his +rescue, he thought it would be more creditable if he could keep +his prisoner in spite of all their efforts. Wittgenstein then +found himself in the middle of a group fighting for the +possession of his person. In the course of the struggle Curely's +horse was killed, several of our Chasseurs dismounted in order to +pick up their leader, and, in the confusion this created, +Wittgenstein made off at the gallop, calling for his men to +follow. + +When this event became generally known throughout the army, it +gave rise to much debate. Some maintained that Major Curely +should have killed Wittgenstein as soon as his escort returned to +fight for his rescue, others thought that having accepted his +surrender, Curely was not entitled to do so. Others again, +thought that, having once surrendered, Wittgenstein should not +have tried to escape. Whatever the rights or wrongs of these +arguments may be, when Curely was presented to the Emperor during +the crossing of the Beresina, where General Wittgenstein caused +us many losses, Napoleon said to him, "This would probably not +have happened if you had used your right to kill Wittgenstein at +Polotsk, when the Russians were trying to take him from you." In +spite of this reproach, merited or not, Curely became a colonel +shortly after, and a general in 1814. + +To return now to Polotsk where the enemy, repelled on the 17th, +returned to the attack on the 18th, in so much greater numbers +that, after suffering very heavy losses, Wittgenstein's men +captured the entrenched camp. Saint-Cyr, at the head of Legrand's +and Maison's divisions, drove them out at bayonet point. Seven +times the Russians returned to the attack, and seven times the +French and the Croats drove them off, to remain finally in +control of all their positions. + +Although now wounded, Saint-Cyr continued to direct his troops. +His efforts were crowned with success, for the enemy left the +field and retired into the nearby forest. 50,000 Russians had +been defeated by 15,000 of our men. There was rejoicing in the +French camp, but on the morning of the 19th we heard that General +Steinghel with 14,000 Russians had just crossed the Dvina above +Disna and was moving up the left bank to get behind Polotsk, +seize the bridges and trap Saint-Cyr's force between his own and +Wittgenstein's. And indeed it was not long before Steinghel's +advance-guard appeared, heading for Ekimania, where there were +the division of Cuirassiers and the regiments of Light Cavalry +from each of which the Marshal had retained only one squadron at +Polotsk. + +At once we were all on horseback and we drove off the enemy, who +would in the end have gained the upper hand, for they were being +strongly reinforced, while we had no infantry support until +Saint-Cyr sent us three regiments taken from the divisions who +were protecting Polotsk. However, at this point Steinghel, who +had only to make a little effort to reach the bridges, stopped +short, while on the other side of the river, Wittgenstein did the +same. It seemed that the two Russian generals, after combining to +draw up an excellent plan of attack, were unwilling to put it +into operation, each one leaving it to the other to overcome the +French. + +The French position was now highly critical, for on the right +bank they were pressed back by an army three time their strength +towards a town built entirely of wood and a sizeable river, with +no means of retreat except the bridges which were threatened by +Steinghel's troops on the left bank. + +All the generals urged Saint-Cyr to order the evacuation of +Polotsk, but he wanted to wait for nightfall, because he felt +sure that the 50,000 Russians who faced him were waiting only for +his first backward move to throw themselves on his weakened army +and create a state of disorder in the ranks. So he stayed where +he was, and took advantage of the extraordinary inactivity of the +enemy generals to wait for the onset of the dark, which was +hastened, luckily, by a thick fog which prevented the three +armies from seeing one another. The Marshal seized this +favourable opportunity to effect his withdrawal. + +The large number of guns and some cavalry squadrons who had +remained on the right bank, had already crossed the bridges in +silence, and the infantry were about to follow, their movement +invisible to the enemy, when the men of Legrand's division, +unwilling to leave their huts for the benefit of the Russians, +set them on fire. The two other divisions, believing that this +was an agreed signal, did the same and in an instant the whole +line was aflame. This great conflagration having alerted the +Russians to our retreat, all their guns opened up; their mortars +set fire to the suburbs and the town itself, toward which their +columns charged. However, the French, mainly Maison's division, +disputed every foot of ground, for the fires lit the place as if +it were day. + +Polotsk was burned to the ground. The losses on both sides were +considerable. Nevertheless our retreat was carried out in an +orderly fashion: we took with us those of our wounded whom it was +possible to carry; the rest, together with a great many Russians, +perished in the flames. + +It seemed that there was a complete lack of co-operation between +the leaders of the two enemy armies, for during this night of +fighting Steinghel stayed peacefully in his camp, and made no +more effort to support Wittgenstein than the latter had made to +support him on the previous day. It was only when Saint-Cyr, +after evacuating the place, had put himself beyond the reach of +Wittgenstein by burning the bridges, that Steinghel, on the +morning of the 20th, deployed his troops to attack us. But the +French force was now united on the left bank, and Saint-Cyr +mounted an assault against Steinghel, who was overcome with the +loss of more than 2000 men killed or captured. + +In the course of these fierce engagements, over four days and a +night, the Russians had six generals and 10,000 men killed or +wounded, while the losses of the French and their allies did not +amount to more than 5,000, a huge difference which can be +attributed to the superior firepower of our troops, particularly +the artillery. The advantage which we had in respect of numbers +was in part compensated for by the fact that the wounds which +Marshal Saint-Cyr had suffered would deprive the army of a leader +in whom it had entire confidence. It was necessary to replace +him. The Comte de Wrede claimed that his position as commander in +chief of the Bavarian Corps entitled him to command the French +divisional generals, but they refused to obey a foreigner. So +Saint-Cyr, although in much pain, agreed to remain in control of +the two army corps, and ordered a retreat towards Oula, in order +to reach Smoliany and thus protect on one side the road from +Orscha to Borisoff by which the Emperor was returning from +Moscow. + +This retreat was so well organised that Wittgenstein and +Steinghel, who, after repairing the bridges across the Dvina, +were following our trail with 50,000 men, did not dare to attack +us, although we had no more than 12,000 combatants; and they +advanced only fifteen leagues in eight days. As for the Comte de +Wrede, his injured pride led him to refuse to accept +instructions, so he marched off on his own, with the thousand +Bavarians which he had left and a brigade of French cavalry which +he had acquired by subterfuge, having told General Corbineau that +he had received orders to this effect, which was not the case. +His presumption was soon punished: he was attacked and defeated +by a Russian division. He then retired without authorisation to +Wilna, from where he reached the Nieman. The Corbineau brigade +refused to go with him and returned to join the French army, for +whom its return was a piece of good fortune, as you will see when +we come to the crossing of the Beresena. + +Ordered by the Emperor, Marshal Victor, Duc de Bellune, at the +head of the 9th Army Corps consisting of 25,000 men, half of whom +came from the Confederation of the Rhine, hurried from Smolensk +to join Saint-Cyr for the purpose of driving Wittgenstein back +across the Dvina. This project would have certainly been carried +out if Saint-Cyr had been in overall command; but Victor was the +more senior of the two marshals and Saint-Cyr was unwilling to +serve under his orders, so the evening before their union which +took place at Smoliany on the 31st of October, he declared that +he could no longer continue the campaign and handing over the +command to General Legrand, he set off to return to France. The +departure of Saint-Cyr was regretted by the troops who, although +they disliked him personally, gave him credit for his courage and +his outstanding military talent. Saint-Cyr could have been a +first class army commander if he had been less egoistic and if he +had taken the trouble to gain the affection of officers and men +by caring for their welfare. No man, however, is perfect. + +Marshal Victor had no sooner gathered 9th and 2nd Corps under his +command than chance offered him the opportunity of achieving a +major victory. Wittgenstein, who was unaware of this union, +relying on his superiority in numbers, had decided to attack us +at a place where his line of retreat would be through some narrow +defiles. It would only have required a combined effort from the +two corps to destroy him, for our troops were now as numerous as +his, were inspired by a better spirit and were keen for action; +but Victor, doubtful perhaps of success on terrain which he was +seeing for the first time, retreated during the night, and having +reached Sienno he put the two units into cantonment in the +district. The Russians also withdrew leaving only some Cossacks +to keep an eye on us. This state of affairs which lasted for the +first fortnight of November did the troops much good, for they +lived well, as the country offered many resources. + +One day, Marshal Victor having been told that there was a +considerable enemy force in the area of a certain village, +ordered General Castex to send one of his units to reconnoitre +the place. It was for me to go. We left at dusk and reached the +village without any difficulty. It was situated in a hollow, in +the middle of a huge dried marshland and was entirely peaceful, +the inhabitants whom I interrogated with the aid of Lorentz said +that they had not seen a Russian soldier in the past month, so I +prepared to return to my base. However our return was not as +trouble-free as our journey there had been. + +Although there was no mist, the night was extremely dark and I +was afraid of leading the regiment astray on the many embankments +of the marsh, which I had to cross once more; so I took as a +guide one of the villagers who seemed to me to be the least +stupid. My column had been going along in good order for half an +hour, when suddenly I saw camp fires on the slopes overlooking +the marsh. I halted the column and sent two sous-officiers to +have a look. They reported that there was a large force barring +our advance and another in our rear. I could now see fires +between me and the village which I had just left and it appeared +that I had landed, without knowing it, in the middle of an army +corps which was making ready to bivouac for the night. The +number of fires grew, and I estimated that there was a force of +about 50,000 men present and I was in the middle of it, with 700 +troopers. The odds were too great, and there seemed only one +thing to do, and that was to gallop along the main embankment, on +which we were, and taking the enemy by surprise, cut a path for +ourselves with our sabres. Once free from the light of the fires, +the darkness would prevent the enemy from following us. I made +sure that all my troops knew what I proposed to do, and I have to +admit that I was very uneasy, for the enemy infantry could take +up their arms at the first cry of warning, and cause us many +casualties. + +I was in this state of anxiety when the peasant who was our guide +burst into loud laughter, seconded by Lorentz. I asked them what +they were about, but they did not know enough French to explain +fully. Eventually, however, we understood that these were not +camp fires but marsh fires, or will-of-the-wisp; something none +of us had ever seen before; and so, relieved of one of the +nastiest frights I have ever had, I returned to my camp. + +Chap. 17. + +After several days I was given a new mission, in which we would +face not marsh fires but the muskets of the Russian dragoons. It +happened that General Castex had gone to visit Marshal Victor, +and the 24th was out on patrol, so that my regiment was alone in +the camp when there arrived two peasants, one of whom I +recognised as Captain Bourgoing, Oudinot's aide-de-camp. + +The Marshal, who had gone to Wilna after he had been wounded at +Polotsk on the 18th of August, having heard that Saint-Cyr had +been wounded in his turn on the 18th of October, and had left the +army, decided to rejoin 2nd Corps and take up its command. + +Oudinot knew that his troops were somewhere in the region of +Sienno and was heading for that town when, on arriving at Rasna, +he was warned by a Polish priest that a body of Russian dragoons +and some Cossacks was roaming the area. The Marshal knew that +there was a French cavalry unit at Zapole, so he wrote to the +commander of this unit to request a strong escort, and sent the +letter by Captain Bourgoing, who for additional safety disguised +himself as a peasant. It was as well that he did so, for he had +scarcely covered a league when he encountered a large detachment +of enemy cavalry, who, thinking that he was a local inhabitant, +took no notice of him. Soon after this, Captain Bourgoing heard +the sound of gunfire, and increased his pace towards Zapole. + +As soon as I heard of the serious position in which the Marshal +found himself, I left with my regiment at the trot to bring him +help. It was a good thing that we arrived when we did, for +although the Marshal, joined by his aides-de-camp and some dozen +French soldiers, was barricaded in a stone house, he was on the +point of being captured by the dragoons when we arrived. When +they saw us, the enemy mounted their horses and fled. My troopers +went after them and managed to kill about twenty of them and take +some prisoners; I had two men wounded. The marshal, glad to have +escaped from the Russians, expressed his thanks, and I escorted +him back to the French cantonments where he was out of danger. + +At this period in time, it seemed that none of the marshals was +prepared to recognise the right of seniority amongst themselves, +for not one of them was willing to serve under the orders of his +comrade, no matter how serious the situation. So as soon as +Oudinot took command of the 2nd Corps, Victor, rather than +remaining under his authority to join in combating Wittgenstein, +took himself off with his 25,000 men to Kokhanov. Marshal +Oudinot, left on his own, marched his men for several days round +various parts of the province before setting up his headquarters +at Tschereia, with his advance-guard at Loucoulm. It was here, +during a minor action involving Castex's brigade that I received +my promotion to colonel. If you recall that I had suffered, in +the rank of major, a wound at Znaim in Moravia, two at Miranda de +Corvo in Portugal, one at Jakoubowo, that I had fought in four +campaigns in the same rank and that finally I had been in command +of a regiment since the French entry into Russia, you may think +that I had earned my new epaulets. I was grateful to the Emperor +when I learned that he intended to keep me with the 23rd +Chasseurs, for whom I had great affection, and where I was liked +and valued. In fact this decision was welcomed by all ranks, and +the troops whom I had so often led into battle came, both +officers and men, to tell me of their satisfaction at my +remaining their commander. The good General Castex, who had +always treated me as a brother, welcomed me in front of the +regiment, and even the Colonel of the 24th, with whom I had few +dealings, came to congratulate me with all his officers, whose +respect I had acquired. + +However, the situation of the French army grew worse by the day. +General Schwartzenberg, the Austrian commander-in-chief whom +Napoleon had placed on the right wing of his army, had, by an act +of low treachery, allowed the troops belonging to Admiral +Tchitchakoff to pass, and they had seized control of Minsk, from +where they threatened our rear. The Emperor must now have much +regretted that he had given the command of Lithuania to the +Dutchman Hogendorf, his aide-de-camp, who, having never been in +action, did not know what to do to save Minsk, where he could +have easily have combined the 30,000 men of the Durette, Loison, +and Dombrowski divisions which had been placed at his disposal. +The fall of Minsk, although a serious matter, was one to which +the Emperor attached little importance, for he relied on crossing +the Beresina at Borisoff, where there was a bridge protected by a +fort, in good condition and manned by a Polish regiment. The +Emperor was so confident about this that, in order to speed the +march of his army he burned all his bridging equipment at Orscha. +This was a disastrous mistake, for these pontoons would have +assured us a quick crossing of the Beresina which, in the event, +we had to effect at the cost of so much blood. + +Despite his confidence in relation to the crossing, Napoleon, +when he heard of the Russian occupation of Minsk, ordered Oudinot +to proceed by forced marches to Borisoff. But we arrived there +too late, because General Bronikovski, who was in command of the +fort, seeing himself surrounded by a numerous enemy, thought it +would be a praiseworthy act to save his garrison. So instead of +putting up a determined resistance, which would have given +Oudinot the time to come to his help, he abandoned the fort, +crossed the bridge to the left bank with all his men, and set out +for Orscha to join Oudinot's corps, which he met on the road. The +Marshal gave him a very rough reception and ordered him to return +with us to Borisoff. + +Not only were the town, the bridge across the Beresina, and the +fort which dominates it in the hands of Tchitchakoff, but the +Admiral, carried away by this success and anxious to challenge +the French, had marched from the town with the bulk of his army, +the vanguard of which, consisting of a strong cavalry division, +was led by General Lambert, the most competent of his +lieutenants. + +As the country was open, Oudinot put ahead of his infantry the +division of Cuirassiers, and ahead of them Castex's brigade of +light cavalry. + +It was about three leagues from Borisoff that the Russian +advance-guard, going in the opposite direction to us, came up +against our Cuirassiers, who having done little fighting during +the campaign, had asked to be in the front line. At the sight of +this fine regiment, still strong in numbers and well-mounted, +with their cuirasses gleaming in the sunlight, the Russian +cavalry pulled up short; then, gathering their courage, they +moved forward again, at which point our Cuirassiers, in a furious +charge, overran them, killing or capturing about a thousand. +Tchitchakoff, who had been assured that Napoleon's army was no +more than a disorganised mass of men without arms, had not +expected this display of vitality, and he beat a hurried retreat +towards Berisoff. + +It is well known that after putting in a charge, the big horses +of the heavy cavalry, and above all those of the Cuirassiers, +cannot continue to gallop for very long. So it was the 23rd and +the 24th Chasseurs who took up the pursuit of the enemy, while +the Cuirassiers followed in the second line, at a slower pace. + +Tchitchakoff had not only made a mistake in attacking Oudinot but +he had also brought with him all the baggage of his army, which +filled more than fifteen hundred vehicles, so that the rapid +retreat of the Russians caused such confusion that the two +regiments of Castex's brigade often found themselves hindered by +the carts which had been abandoned by the enemy. This confusion +became even worse when we entered the town, where the streets +were cluttered with baggage and draught horses, through which +obstructions Russian soldiers, who had thrown away their arms, +wove their way as they sought to rejoin their units. We managed +to reach the centre of the town, but only after losing precious +time, which allowed the Russians to cross the river. + +Our orders were to reach the bridge and try to cross it at the +same time as the fleeing Russians; but to do this one had to know +where the bridge was, and none of us knew the town. My troopers +brought me a Jew whom I questioned in German, but he either did +not know, or pretended not to know the language, and I could get +no information from him. I would have given a great deal to have +had with me my Polish servant, Lorentz, to act as interpreter, +but the coward had remained behind as soon as there was any +fighting. So we had to comb the town until we eventually came to +the Beresina. The river was not yet sufficiently frozen to permit +one to cross on the ice, so it was necessary to use the bridge, +but to take the bridge would require infantry, and our infantry +was still three leagues from Borisoff. To take their place, +Marshal Oudinot, who had arrived on the scene, ordered General +Castex to dismount three quarters of the troopers of the two +regiments, who armed with muskets could attack the bridge on +foot. We left the horses in the nearby streets guarded by one or +two men, and headed for the river behind General Castex, who on +this perilous enterprise wished to be at the head of his brigade. + +The defeat suffered by the advance-guard had produced +consternation in Tchitchakoff's army, the utmost disorder ruled +on the side of the river which it occupied, where we could see a +mass of fugitives disappearing into the distance; so although it +had at first seemed to me that it would be extremely difficult +for dismounted troopers, without bayonets, to force a passage +over the bridge, and keep possession of it, I began to hope for a +successful outcome, for the opposition was no more than a few +musket shots. I therefore ordered that as soon as the first +platoon reached the right bank it should occupy houses adjoining +the bridge so that being in control of both ends we could defend +it until the arrival of our infantry. Suddenly, however, the +cannons of the fort thundered into action, covering the bridge +with a hail of grape-shot, which forced our little group to fall +back. A body of Russian sappers used this breathing space to set +fire to the bridge, but as their presence prevented the gunners +from firing, we took the opportunity to attack them, killing or +throwing into the river the greater part of them. Our Chasseurs +had already extinguished the fire when they were charged by a +battalion of Russian Grenadiers, and driven at bayonet point off +the bridge, which was soon set alight in many places and became a +huge bonfire whose intense heat made both sides move away. + +The French had now to give up hope of crossing the Beresina at +this point, and their line of retreat was cut!...This was for us +a fatal calamity, and contributed largely to changing the face of +Europe, by shaking the Emperor on his throne. + +Marshal Oudinot, once he saw that it was impossible to force a +passage over the river at Borisoff, considered that it would be +dangerous to have the town choked by the rest of his troops, so +he ordered them to halt and set up camp while they were still +some distance away. Castex's brigade stayed on its own in +Borisoff and was forbidden to communicate with the other units, +from which it was hoped to conceal for as long as possible the +disastrous news of the burning of the bridge, which they did not +hear about until forty-eight hours later. + +Under the conventions of war, the enemy's baggage belongs to the +captors. General Castex therefore authorised the troopers of my +regiment and those of the 24th to help themselves to the booty +contained in the 1500 wagons and carts abandoned by the Russians +in their flight to the other side of the bridge. The quantity of +goods was immense, but as it was a hundred times more than the +brigade could carry, I called together all the men of my regiment +and told them that as we were to make a long retreat, during +which I would probably be unable to make the distributions of +rations which I had done during all the campaign, I would advise +them to provide themselves mainly with foodstuff, and think also +about protection from the cold, I reminded them that an +overloaded horse will not last for long, and that they should not +weigh theirs down with articles of no use in war. "What is more," +I told them, "I shall hold an inspection, and anything which is +not food, clothing, or footwear will be rejected without +exception." General Castex, to avoid all argument, had planted +markers, which divided the mass of vehicles into two parts, so +that each regiment had its own area. + +Oudinot's forces surrounded the town on three sides, the fourth +was bounded by the Beresina, and there were a number of +observation posts, so that our soldiers could examine the +contents of the Russian carts in safety. It appeared that the +officers of Tchitchakoff's army treated themselves well, for +there was a profusion of hams, pastries, sausages, dried fish, +smoked meat and wines of all sorts, plus an immense quantity of +ships' biscuits, rice, cheese, etc. Our men also took furs and +strong footwear, which saved the lives of many of them. The +Russian drivers had fled without taking their horses, almost all +of which were of good quality. We took the best to replace those +of which the troopers complained, and officers used some as +pack-horses to carry the foodstuff which they had acquired. + +The brigade spent another day in Borisoff, and as in spite of the +precautions which had been taken, the news of the destruction of +the bridge had spread throughout 2nd Corps, Marshal Oudinot, in +order to allow all his troops to take advantage of the goods +contained in the enemy vehicles, arranged that successive +detachments from all the regiments might enter the town, to take +their share of the plunder. Notwithstanding the quantity of +goods of all kinds taken by Oudinot's men, there remained enough +for the numerous stragglers returning from Moscow on the +following day. + +The supreme command ,and indeed all officers who were able to +appreciate the situation, were extremely worried. We had before +us the Beresina, on the opposite bank of which were gathered +Tchitchakoff's forces, our flanks were threatened by +Wittgenstein, Koutousoff was on our tail, and except for the +debris of the Guard and Oudinot's and Victors' corps, reduced now +to a few thousand combatants, the rest of the Grande Armee, +recently so splendid, was composed of sick men and soldiers +without weapons, whom starvation had deprived of their former +energy. Everything conspired against us; for although, owing to a +drop in the temperature, Ney had been able, a few days +previously, to escape across the frozen Nieman, we found the +Beresina unfrozen, despite the bitter cold, and we had no +pontoons with which to make a bridge. + +On the 25th of November, the Emperor entered Borisoff, where +Marshal Oudinot awaited him with the 6000 men he had left. +Napoleon, and the officers of his staff were astonished at the +good order and discipline which obtained in 2nd Corps, whose +bearing contrasted so markedly with that of the wretched groups +of men whom they were leading back from Moscow. Our troops were +certainly not so smart as they would have been in barracks, but +every man had his weapons and was quite prepared to use them. The +Emperor was so impressed by their turn-out that he summoned all +the colonels and told them to inform their regiments of his +satisfaction with the way they had conducted themselves in the +many savage actions which had been fought in the province of +Polotsk. + +Chap. 18. + +You will recall that when the Bavarian General Comte de Wrede +made his unauthorised departure from 2nd Corps, he took with him +Corbineau's cavalry brigade, after assuring General Corbineau +that he had orders to do so, which was not true. Well, this piece +of trickery resulted in the saving of the Emperor and the remains +of his Grande Armee. + +General Corbineau, dragged unwillingly away from 2nd Corps, of +which he was a part, had followed General Wrede as far as +Gloubokoye, but there he had declared that he would go no further +unless the Bavarian general showed him the order, which he +claimed to have, instructing him to keep Corbineau with him. +General Wrede was unable to do this, so Corbineau left him and +headed for Dokshitsy and the headwater of the Beresina, then, +going down the right bank of the river, he intended to reach +Borisoff, cross the bridge and take the road to Orscha to look +for Oudinot's Corps, which he thought was in the region of Bobr. + +The Emperor, who had available the services of several thousand +Poles belonging to the Duchy of Warsaw, has been blamed for not +attaching, from the beginning of the campaign, some of them to +every general or even every colonel to act as interpreters, for +this would have avoided many mistakes. This was proved during the +dangerous journey of several days which the Corbineau brigade had +to undertake through unknown country, the language of whose +inhabitants none of the Frenchmen could understand, for it so +happened that among the three regiments which the General +commanded was the 8th Polish Lancers, whose officers extracted +from the local people all the necessary information. This was a +tremendous help to Corbineau. + +When he was about half a day's journey from Borisoff, some +peasants told the Polish Lancers that Tchitchakoff's troops were +occupying the town, information which dashed his hopes of +crossing the Beresina; however these same peasants having +persuaded him to turn round, led him to the village of Studianka, +not far from Weselovo, four leagues above Borisoff, where there +is a ford. The three regiments crossed the ford without loss and +the General, going across country and avoiding some of +Wittgenstein's troops who were moving towards Borisoff, +eventually rejoined Oudinot on the 23rd of November at a place +called Natscha. + +This daring march undertaken by Corbineau was much to his credit, +but more than that, it was a stroke of remarkable good fortune +for the army, for the Emperor, realising the impossibility of +re-building the bridge at Borisoff in the near future, resolved, +after discussing the matter with Corbineau, to cross the Beresina +at Studianka. Tchitchakoff, who had been told of the crossing at +this point effected by Corbineau's brigade, had placed a strong +division and many guns opposite Studianka, so Napoleon, to +deceive him, employed a stratagem, which although very old, is +almost always successful. He pretended that he was not interested +in Studianka and that he intended to use one of two other fords +which were below Borisoff, the most practicable of which was at +the village of Oukolada. To this end he sent ostentatiously to +the spot one of the still armed battalions, followed by a horde +of stragglers, which the enemy might take for a full-strength +division of infantry. At the tail of this column were numerous +wagons, a few guns and the division of Cuirassiers. Having +arrived at Oukolada these troops placed the guns in position, and +did all they could to look as if they were about to build a +bridge. + +Told of these preparations, Tchitchakoff had no doubt that it was +Napoleon's intention to cross the river at this point so as to +reach the road to Minsk, which ran nearby. He therefore hurriedly +sent down the right bank, to face Oukoloda, the entire garrison +of Borisoff. Not only that, for some extraordinary reason, the +Russian general, who had sufficient troops to protect both the +upper and lower parts of the river, removed all of those which he +had placed previously in a position to oppose a crossing at +Studianka and sent them too down to Oukoloda. He had now +abandoned the place where the Emperor intended to build a bridge, +and had concentrated his force, uselessly, six leagues +downstream. + +In addition to the error of massing all his army below Borisoff, +Tchitchakoff made a mistake which a sergeant would not have made, +and one for which his government never forgave him. The town of +Zembin, which is opposite to the ford at Studianka, is built on a +vast marsh, through which runs the road to Wilna. The road goes +over twenty-two wooden bridges which the Russian general could +have easily reduced to cinders before leaving the district, as +they were surrounded by many stacks of dry reeds. If Tchitchakoff +had done this, the French army would have been left without hope. +It would have served it nothing to have crossed the river, for it +would have been halted by the deep marshland surrounding Zembin; +but the Russian general left the bridges intact, and foolishly +went down the Beresina with all his men, leaving only about fifty +Cossacks to keep an eye on the ford. + +While the Russians, taken in by Napoleon's subterfuge, were +deserting the real point of attack, Napoleon gave his orders. +Oudinot and his army Corps were to go by night to Studianka, and +there arrange for the building of two bridges, before crossing to +the right bank and occupying the area between the town of Zembin +and the river. Marshal Victor, leaving Natscha, was to form the +rear-guard. He was to drive before him all the stragglers, and +was to try to hold Borisoff for a few hours before going to +Studianka and crossing the bridges. Those were the Emperor's +orders, the execution of which in detail was frustrated by +events. + +On the evening of the 25th, Corbineau's brigade, whose commander +knew the area well, proceeded up the left bank of the Beresina +towards Studianka, followed by Castex's brigade and several +battalions of light infantry; after which came the bulk of 2nd +Corps. + +We were sorry to leave Borisoff where we had spent two happy +days. + +We had perhaps a presentiment of the bad times which were to +come. + +At daybreak on the 26th of November we arrived at Studianka, +where there were no signs of any preparation for defence on the +opposite bank, so that, had the Emperor not burned the bridging +equipment a few days previously at Orscha, the army could have +crossed immediately. The river, which some have described as +huge, is more or less as wide as the Rue Royale in Paris where it +passes the Ministry of Marine. As for its depth, it is enough to +say that the three regiments of Corbineau's brigade had forded it +seventy-two hours previously without accident, and did so again +on the day of which I write. Their horses never lost their +footing and had to swim only at two or three places. At this time +the crossing presented only a few minor inconveniences to the +cavalry, the artillery and the carts, one of which was that the +riders and carters were wet up to their knees, which was not +insupportable because, regrettably the cold was not sufficiently +severe to freeze the river, which would have been better for us. +The second inconvenience which arose from the lack of frost was +that the marshy ground which bordered the opposite bank of the +river was so muddy that the saddle-horses had difficulty in +crossing it and the carts could sink in to their axles. + +Esprit de corps is certainly very praiseworthy, but it should be +moderated or forgotten in difficult circumstances. This did not +happen at the Beresina, where the commanders of the artillery and +the engineers both demanded sole responsibility for building the +bridges, and as neither would give way, nothing was being done. +When the Emperor arrived on the 26th, he ended this quarrel by +ordering that two bridges should be built, one by the artillery +and one by the engineers. Immediately beams and battens were +seized from the hovels of the village and the sappers and the +gunners got to work. Those gallant men showed a devotion to duty +which has not been sufficiently recognised. They went naked into +the freezing water and worked for six or seven hours at a +stretch, although there was not a drop of "eau de vie" to offer +them, and they would be sleeping in a field covered by snow. +Almost all of them died later, when the severe frosts came. + +While the bridges were being built and while my regiment and all +the troops of 2nd Corps were waiting on the left bank for the +order to cross the river, the Emperor, walking rapidly, went from +regiment to regiment, speaking to the men and officers. He was +accompanied by Murat. This brave and dashing officer who had so +distinguished himself as the victorious French were advancing on +Moscow, the proud Murat had been, so to speak, eclipsed since we +had left that city and during the retreat he had taken part in +none of the fighting. One saw him following the Emperor in +silence, as if he had nothing to do with what was going on in the +army. He seemed to shed some of his torpor at the Beresina at the +sight of the only troops who were still in good order, and who +constituted the last hope of safety. + +As Murat was very fond of the cavalry, and as of the many +squadrons which had crossed the Nieman there remained none except +those in Oudinot's corps, he urged the Emperor's footsteps in +their direction. + +Napoleon was delighted with the state of these units and of my +regiment in particular, for it was now stronger than several of +the brigades. I had more than 500 men on horseback, whereas the +other colonels in the corps had scarcely 200, so I received some +flattering comments from the Emperor, a great share of which was +due to my officers and men. + +It was at this time that I had the good fortune to be joined by +Jean Dupont, my brother's servant, a man of exemplary loyalty, +devotion and courage. Left on his own after the capture of my +brother early in the campaign, he had followed the 16th Chasseurs +to Moscow and taken part in the retreat, while caring for my +brother Adolphe's three horses, of which he had refused to sell a +single one in spite of many offers. He reached me after five +months of hunger and hardship, still carrying all my brother's +effects, though he told me, with tears in his eyes, that having +worn out his shoes and been reduced to walking barefoot in the +snow, he had dared to take a pair of boots belonging to his +master. I kept this admirable man in my service, and he was a +great help to me when, some time later, I was wounded once more, +in the midst of the most horrible days of the great retreat. + +To return to the crossing of the Beresina. Not only did our +horses cross the river without difficulty, but our "cantiniers" +or sutlers, drove their carts across. This made me think that it +might be possible, if one unharnessed some of the many carts +which followed the army, to fix them in the river in a line, one +after the other, to make a sort of causeway for the infantrymen, +something which would greatly ease the flow of the mass of +stragglers who the next day would be crowding round the entries +to the bridges. This seemed to me to be such a good idea, that +although I was wet to the waist, I recrossed the ford to offer it +to the generals of the Imperial staff. + +They accepted my suggestion, but made no attempt to pass it on to +the Emperor. Eventually, General Lauristan, one of his +aides-de-camp, said to me, "I suggest that you yourself undertake +the building of this footbridge, the usefulness of which you have +so well explained." I replied to this wholly unacceptable +proposition that I had at my disposal neither sappers nor +infantrymen, nor tools, nor stakes, nor rope, and that in any +case I could not leave my regiment, which being on the right +bank, could be attacked at any time. I had offered him an idea +which I thought was a good one, I could do no more and would now +go back to my normal duties. Having said this I went back into +the water and returned to the 23rd. + +When the sappers and the gunners had finally completed the +trestle bridges, they were crossed by the infantry and the +artillery of Oudinot's corps, who, having reached the right bank, +went to set up their bivouacs in a large wood, where the cavalry +were ordered to join them. We could from there watch the main +road from Minsk, down which Admiral Tchitchakoff had led his +troops to the lower Beresina, and up which he would have to come +to reach us, once he heard that we had crossed the river at +Studianka. + +On the evening of the 27th, the Emperor crossed the bridge with +his guard and went to settle at a hamlet named Zawniski, where +the cavalry were ordered to join him. The enemy had not appeared. + +There has been much discussion about the disasters which occurred +at the Beresina; but what no one has yet said is that the greater +part of them could have been avoided if the general staff had +paid more attention to their duty and had made use of the night +27th-28th to send over the bridge not only the baggage, but the +thousands of stragglers who would be obstructing the passage the +next day. It so happened that, after seeing my regiment well +settled in their bivouac, I noticed the absence of the pack +horse, which, as it carried the strong-box and the accounts of +the regiment, could not be risked in the ford. I expected that +its leader and the troopers of its escort had waited until the +bridges were ready, but they had been so for some hours and yet +these men had not arrived. Being somewhat worried about them, and +the precious burden committed to their charge, I thought I would +go in person and expedite their crossing, for I imagined that the +bridges would be crowded. I hurried to the river where, to my +great surprise, I found the bridges completely deserted. There +was no one crossing them, although, by the bright moonlight, I +could see not a hundred paces away, more than 50,000 stragglers +or men cut off from their regiments, whom we called "rotisseurs." +These men, seated calmly before huge fires, were grilling pieces +of horseflesh, little thinking that they were beside a river, the +passage of which would, the next day, cost many of them their +lives, whereas at present they could cross it unhindered, in a +few minutes, and prepare their supper on the other side. +Furthermore, not one officer of the imperial household, not an +aide-de-camp of the army general staff, or that of a marshal was +there to warn these unfortunate men and to drive them, if need +be, to the bridges. + +It was in this disorganised camp that I saw for the first time +the soldiers returning from Moscow. It was a most distressing +spectacle. All ranks were mixed together, no weapons, no military +bearing! Soldiers, officers and even generals, clad only in rags +and having on their feet strips of leather or cloth roughly bound +together with string. An immense throng in which were thrown +together thousands of men of different nationalities gabbling all +the languages of the European continent without any mutual +understanding. + +However, if one had used one of the regiments from Oudinot's +corps or the Guard, which were still in good order, it would have +been easy to herd this mass of men across the bridges, for, as I +was returning to Zawniski, having with me only a few orderlies, I +was able by persuasion and a bit of force to make several +thousand of these wretched men cross to the right bank; but I had +other duties to perform, and had to return to the regiment. + +When I was passing by the general staff, and that of Marshal +Oudinot, I reported the deserted state of the bridges and pointed +out how easy it would be to bring the unarmed men across while +there was no enemy opposition; all I got were evasive answers, +each one claiming that it was a colleague's responsibility to see +to such an operation. + +On returning to the regimental bivouac, I was pleasantly +surprised to see the corporal and the eight troopers who during +the campaign had been in charge of our herd of cattle. These good +fellows were desolate that the crowd of "rotisseurs" had set on +their cattle, butchered and eaten them before their eyes without +their being able to stop them. It was some consolation to the +regiment that each trooper had taken from Borisoff enough food to +last for twenty-five days. + +My adjutant, M. Verdier, thought it his duty to go across the +bridge to try to find the guardians of our accounts, but he got +swallowed up in the crowd and was unable to get back. He was +taken prisoner during the struggle on the next day , and I did +not see him again for two years. + +Chap. 19. + +We now come to the most terrible event in the disastrous Russian +campaign... to the crossing of the Beresina; which took place +mainly on the 28th of November. + +At dawn on this ill-fated day, the position of the two +belligerents was as follows. On the left bank, Marshal Victor, +having evacuated Borisoff during the night, had arrived at +Studianka with 9th Corps, driving in front of him a mass of +stragglers. He had left, to form his rear-guard, the infantry +division of General Partouneaux, who had been told not to leave +the town until two hours after him, and who should, in +consequence, have sent out a small detachment of men, who could +follow the main body and leave guides to signpost the route. He +should also have sent an aide-de-camp to Studianka to reconnoitre +the road and return to the division: but Partouneaux neglected +all these precautions and simply marched off at the prescribed +time. He came to a fork in the road, and he did not know which +way to go. He must have been aware, since he had come from +Borisoff, that the Beresina was on his left, and he should have +concluded that to reach Studianka, at the side of this +watercourse, it was the road on the left which he should take... +but he did not do so, and following blindly some light infantry +which had been ahead of him, he took the right hand road and +landed in the middle of a large force of Wittgenstein's Russian +troops. + +Soon Partouneaux's division, completely surrounded, was forced, +after a brave defence, to surrender. Meanwhile a simple battalion +commander who was in charge of the divisional rear-guard, had the +good sense to take the road to the left, by means of which he +joined Marshal Victor at Studianka. The Marshal was greatly +surprised to see the arrival of this battalion instead of the +division of which it was the rear-guard, but his astonishment +turned to dismay when he was attacked by Wittgenstein's Russians, +whom he thought had been intercepted by Partouneaux. He could not +then doubt that the General and all his regiments had been +defeated and taken prisoner. + +Fresh misfortunes awaited him, for the Russian General +Koutousoff, who had been following Partouneaux from Borisoff with +a strong body of troops, once he heard of his defeat, speeded up +his march and came to join Wittgenstein in his attack on Marshal +Victor. The Marshal, whose army corps had been reduced to 10,000 +men, put up a stout resistance. His troops, even the Germans who +were included among them, fought heroically though they were +attacked by two armies, had their backs to the Beresina, and had +their movements hampered by the swarm of carts driven by +undisciplined stragglers who were endeavouring, in a mob, to +reach the river. Regardless of these circumstances they held off +Koutousoff and Wittgenstein for the whole day. + +While this confusion and fighting were going on at Studianka, the +enemy, who aimed to gain control of both ends of the bridges, +attacked Oudinet's Corps, which was in position before Zawniski, +on the right bank. Some thirty thousand Russians, shouting +loudly, advanced towards 2nd Corps, which was by now reduced to +no more than eight thousand combatants. However, our men had not +yet been in contact with those returning from Moscow, and had no +idea of the disorder which ruled amongst them, so that their +morale was excellent and Tchitchakoff was driven back before the +very eyes of the Emperor, who arrived at that moment with a +reserve of 3000 infantry and 1000 cavalry from the old and the +Young Guard. The Russians renewed their attack, and overran the +Poles of the Legion of the Vistula. Marshal Oudinot was seriously +wounded, and Napoleon sent Ney to replace him. General Condras, +one of our best infantry officers, was killed. The gallant +General Legrand received a dangerous wound. + +The action took place in a wood of enormous pine trees. The enemy +artillery could not, therefore, see our troops clearly, so that, +although they kept up a vigourous bombardment, their cannon-balls +did not hit us, but going over our heads, they broke off +branches, some as thick as a man's body, which in their fall +killed or injured a good number of our men and horses. As the +trees were widely spaced, mounted men could move through them, +although with some difficulty, despite which, Marshal Ney, on the +approach of a strong Russian column, launched a charge against it +with what remained of our division of Cuirassiers. This charge, +carried out under such unusual conditions, was nevertheless one +of the most brilliant which I have seen. Colonel Dubois, at the +head of the 7th Cuirassiers, split the enemy column in two and +took 2000 prisoners. The Russians, thrown into disarray, were +pursued by the Light Cavalry and driven back to the village of +Stakovo with great loss. + +I was re-forming the ranks of my regiment, which had taken part +in this engagement, when M. Alfred de Noailles, with whom I was +friendly, arrived. He was returning from carrying an order from +Prince Berthier, whose aide-de-camp he was; but instead of going +back to the Marshal, he said as he left me, that he was going as +far as the first houses of Stakovo to see what the enemy was +doing. This curiosity proved fatal, for as he approached the +village, he was surrounded by a group of Cossacks who, having +knocked him off his horse, dragged him away by his collar while +raining blows on him. I immediately sent a squadron to his aid, +but this effort at rescue did not succeed, because a volley of +fire from the houses prevented the troopers from getting into the +village. Since that day nothing has been heard of M. de Noailles. +It is likely that his superb furs and his uniform covered in gold +braid having roused the cupidity of the Cossacks, he was murdered +by these barbarians. M. de Noailles' family, knowing that I was +the last person to speak to him, asked me for news about his +disappearance, but I could tell them no more than what I have +described. Alfred de Noailles was an excellent officer and a good +friend. + +This digression has diverted me from Tchitchakoff, who, after his +defeat by Ney, did not dare to attack us again nor to leave the +village of Stakovo for the rest of the day. + +Having described briefly the position of the armies on the two +banks of the Beresina, I shall tell you, in a few words what +happened at the river itself during the fighting. The mass of +unattached men who had had two nights and two days in which to +cross the bridges, and who had, apathetically, failed to do so +because they were not compelled, when Wittgenstein's cannon-balls +began to fall among them, rushed in a body to get across. This +huge multitude of men, horses, and carts piled up at the entrance +to the bridges, trying to force their way on to them.... Many of +those who missed the entrance were pushed by the crowd into the +Beresina where most of them were drowned. + +To add to the disaster, one of the bridges broke under the weight +of the guns and the heavy ammunition wagons which followed them! +Everyone then headed for the second bridge, where the crowd was +so thick that strong men were unable to withstand the pressure +and a large number were stifled to death. When they saw that it +was impossible to cross the overcrowded bridges, many of the cart +drivers urged their horses into the river, but this method of +crossing, which would have been very successful if it had been +carried out in an orderly manner on the two preceding days, +failed in the great majority of instances, because driving their +carts in a tumultuous mob, they crashed into one another and +turned over! Some, however reached the opposite side, but as no +one had prepared an exit by smoothing the slope of the river +bank, which the general staff should have seen to, few vehicles +could climb out, and many more people perished there. + +During the night of 28th 29th November, the Russian cannons added +to these scenes of horror by bombarding the wretched men who were +trying to cross the river, and finally at about nine in the +evening there was a crowning disaster, when Marshal Victor began +his withdrawal, and when his divisions, in battle order, arrived +at the bridge, which they could cross only by dispersing the +crowds which blocked their way! ...We should perhaps draw a veil +over these dreadful events. + +At dawn on the 29th, all the vehicles remaining on the left bank +were set on fire, and when finally General Eble saw the Russians +nearing the bridge, he set that on fire also! Several thousand +unfortunates left at Studianka fell into the hands of +Wittgenstein. + +So ended the most terrible episode of the Russian campaign, an +episode which would have been a great deal less terrible if we +had made proper use of the time which the Russians allowed us +after we had reached the Beresina. The army lost in this crossing +20 to 25,000 men. + +Once this major obstacle had been crossed, the disorganised mass +of men who had escaped from the disaster was still huge. They +were directed to go along the road to Zembin. The Emperor and the +Guard followed. Then came the remains of several regiments, and +finally 2nd Corps, for whom Castex's brigade formed the last +rear-guard. + +I have already explained that the Zembin road, the only way left +open for us, goes through an immense marsh by means of a great +number of bridges which Tchitchakoff neglected to burn when he +occupied this position a few days previously. We did not make the +same mistake, for after the army had passed, the 24th Chasseurs +and my regiment easily set them on fire by means of the stacks of +dry reeds heaped up in the neighbourhood. + +By ordering the burning of the bridges, the Emperor had hoped to +rid himself for a long time of pursuit by the Russians, but fate +was against us. The cold which at this time of year could have +frozen the waters of the Beresina to give us a pathway across, +had left the river running; but we had scarcely crossed over when +there was sharp frost which froze it to the point where it would +bear the weight of a cannon... and as it did the same to the +marsh of Zembin, the burning of the bridges was of no value to +us. The three Russian armies which we had left behind, could now +pursue us without meeting any obstacle; but fortunately the +pursuit was not very energetic, and Marshal Ney, who commanded +the rear-guard and who had gathered together all the troops still +capable of fighting, made frequent sallies against the enemy if +they dared to approach too near. + +Since Marshal Oudinot and General Legrand had been wounded, +General Maison commanded 2nd Corps, which being, in spite of many +losses, now numerically the strongest in the army, was always +given the task of holding off the Russians. We kept them at a +distance during the 30th of November and the 1st of December; but +on the 2nd of December they pressed us so hard, in considerable +numbers, that a serious engagement took place in which I received +a wound, made even more dangerous because the temperature on that +day registered 25 degrees of frost. I should perhaps limit myself +to telling you that I was injured by a lance without going into +further details, for they are so unpleasant that I still do not +like to remember them. However, I said I would tell the story of +my life, and so this is what happened at Plechtchenitsoui. + +It so happened that a Dutch banker named Van Berchem, with whom I +had been a close friend at the college of Soreze, had sent to me, +at the start of the campaign, his only son, who having become +French by the incorporation of his country into the Empire, had +enlisted in the 23rd, although he was barely sixteen years +old!... He was a fine and intelligent young man, and I made him +my secretary, so that he went everywhere fifteen paces behind me +with my orderlies. That is where he was on the day in question, +when 2nd Corps, for whom my regiment was acting as rear-guard +while crossing a vast open plain, saw coming towards them a mass +of Russian cavalry, who quickly surrounded them and attacked them +on all sides. General Maison deployed his troops with such skill +that our squares repelled all the charges made by the enemy +regular cavalry. + +The Russians then sent in a swarm of Cossacks, who came +impudently to attack with their lances the French officers who +stood before their troops. Seeing this, Marshal Ney ordered +General Maison to chase them off, using what remained of the +division of Cuirassiers and also Corbineau's and Castex's +brigades. My regiment, which was still numerically strong, was +confronted by a tribe of Cossacks from the Black Sea, wearing +tall astrakhan hats, and much better clad and mounted than the +usual run of Cossacks. We engaged them, but as it is not their +custom to stand and fight in line, they turned round and made off +at the gallop; but not knowing the locality, they headed for an +obstacle which is very unusual in these enormous plains, and that +is a large, deep gully, which owing to the perfect flatness of +the surrounding country could not be distinguished from any +distance. This pulled them up short, and seeing that they could +not get across with their horses, they bunched together and +turned to present to us their lances. + +The ground, covered by frost, was very slippery, and our +over-tired horses could not gallop without falling. There was, +therefore, no question of a charge, and my line advanced at a +trot towards the massed enemy, who remained motionless. Our +sabres could touch their lances, but as they are thirteen or +fourteen feet long, we could not reach our foes, who could not +retreat for fear of falling into the gulch, and could not advance +without encountering our swords. We were thus face to face, +regarding one another when, in less time than it takes to tell, +this is what happened. + +Anxious to get to grips with the enemy, I shouted to my troops to +grab some of the lances with their left hands and pushing them to +one sided, get into the middle of this crowd of men, where our +short weapons would give us an enormous advantage over their long +spears. To encourage them to obey, I wanted to set an example, +so dodging several lances, I managed to reach the front rank of +the enemy!... My warrant officers and my orderlies followed me, +and soon the whole regiment. There then ensued a general mˆlee; +but at the moment when it started, an old white-bearded Cossack, +who was in the rear rank and separated from me by some of his +comrades, lent forward and thrusting his lance skillfully between +the horses he drove the sharp steel into my right knee, which it +pierced, passing through beneath the kneecap. + +Enraged by the pain of this injury, I was pushing my way towards +the man to take my revenge, when I was confronted by two handsome +youths of about eighteen to twenty, wearing a brilliant costume, +covered with rich embroidery, who were the sons of the chieftain +of this clan. They were accompanied by an elderly man who was +some sort of tutor, but who was unarmed. The younger of his two +pupils did not draw his sword, but elder did and attacked me +furiously!... I found him so immature and lacking strength that I +did no more than disarm him, and taking his arm pushed him behind +me, telling Van Berchem to look after him. I had hardly done this +when a double explosion rang in my ears and the collar of my cape +was torn by a ball. I turned round quickly, to see the young +Cossack officer holding a pair of double-barrelled pistols with +which he had treacherously tried to shoot me in the back and had +blown out the brains of the unfortunate Van Berchem! + +In a transport of rage I hurled myself at this rash stripling, +who was already aiming his second pistol at me. Seeing death in +my face, he seemed momentarily paralysed. He cried out some words +in French. But I killed him. + +Blood calls for blood! The sight of young Van Berchem lying dead +at my feet, the act I had just carried out, the excitement of +battle and the pain of my wound, combined to induce a sort of +frenzy. I rushed at the younger of the Cossack officers and +grabbing him by the throat I had already raised my sabre when his +elderly mentor, to protect his charge, laid the length of his +body on my horses neck in a manner which prevented me from +striking a blow and called out, "Mercy! In the name of your +mother, have mercy! He has done nothing!" + +On hearing this appeal, in spite of the scenes around me, I +seemed to see the white hand I knew so well, laid on the young +man's breast and to hear my mother's gentle voice saying,"Be +merciful!" I lowered my sabre and sent the youth and his guardian +to the rear. + +I was so disturbed by what had happened that I would have been +unable to give any further orders to the regiment if the fighting +had continued for any length of time, but it was soon finished. +Many of the Cossacks had been killed and the remainder, +abandoning their horses, slid into the depths of the ravine, +where a number died in the huge snow-drift which the wind had +created. + +In the evening following this affair, I questioned my prisoner +and his guardian. I learned that the two youngsters were the sons +of a powerful chieftain, who, having lost a leg at Austerlitz, +hated the French so much that being unable to fight them himself, +he had sent his two sons to do so. I thought it likely that, as a +prisoner, the cold and misery would be fatal to the one survivor. +I took pity on him and set both him and his venerable mentor at +liberty. On taking his leave of me the latter said, "When she +thinks of her eldest son, the mother of my two pupils will curse +you, but when she sees the return of her youngest she will bless +you, and the mother in whose name you spared him." + +The vigour with which the Russian troops had been repulsed in +this last contact having cooled their ardour, we did not see them +again for two days, which allowed us to reach Molodechno; but if +the enemy allowed us a momentary truce the cold increased its +attack. The temperature fell to 27 degrees of frost. Men and +horses were falling at every stride, frequently not to rise +again. Notwithstanding, I remained with the debris of my +regiment, in the midst of which I made my nightly bivouac in the +snow. There was nowhere I could go to be better off. My gallant +officers and men regarded their commanding officer as a living +flag. They endeavoured to preserve me and offered me all the care +which our appalling situation permitted. The wound to my knee +prevented me from sitting astride my horse, and I had to rest my +leg on my horse's neck to keep it straight, which made me get +even colder. I was in great pain but there was nothing that could +be done. + +The road was lined with the dead and dying, our march was slow +and silent. What remained of the guard formed a little square, in +which travelled the Emperor's carriage, in which was also King +Murat. + +On the fifth of December, after dictating his twenty-ninth +bulletin, which created stupefaction throughout all of France, +the Emperor left the army at Smorgoni to return to Paris. He was +nearly captured at Ochmiana by some Cossacks. The Emperor's +departure greatly affected the morale of the troops. Some blamed +him and accused him of abandoning them. Others approved, saying +that it was the only way to preserve France from civil war, and +invasion by our so-called allies, the majority of whom were +waiting only for a favourable opportunity to turn against us, but +who would not dare to make a move if they heard that Napoleon had +returned to France, and was organising fresh military forces. + +Chap. 20. + +On his departure, the Emperor handed the command of the remains +of the army to Murat, who in the circumstances proved unequal to +the task, which it must be admitted was extremely difficult. The +cold paralysed the mental and physical activity of everyone; all +organisation had broken down. Marshal Victor refused to relieve +2nd Corps, who had formed the rear-guard since the Beresina, and +Marshal Ney had, unwillingly, to keep it there. Each morning a +multitude of dead were left in the bivouac where we had spent the +night. I congratulated myself on having, in September, made my +men equip themselves with sheepskin coats, a precaution which +saved the lives of many of them. The same applied to the supplies +of food which we had taken from Borisoff, for without these it +would have been necessary to dispute with the starving hordes +over the dead bodies of horses. + +I may mention here that M. de Segur claims that there were +instances of cannibalism. I have to say that there were so many +dead horses lying along the route that there was no need for +anyone to resort to this. What is more, it would be a great +mistake to think that the countryside was completely bare: there +was shortage in localities close to the road, which had been +stripped by the army on its march to Moscow, but the army had +passed in a torrent, without spreading out to the sides. Since +then the harvest had been gathered and the country had recovered +somewhat, so that it was only necessary to go for one or two +leagues from the road to find plenty. It is true, however, that +only a well-organised detachment could do this without being +picked off by the parties of Cossacks which prowled around us. + +I arranged, with some other colonels, the formation of foraging +parties, who came back not only with bread and a few cattle, but +with sledges loaded with salted meat, flour and oatmeal taken +from villages which had not been abandoned by the peasantry. This +proves that if the Duc de Bassano and General Hogendorp, to whom +the Emperor had confided, in June, the administration of +Lithuania, had done their job properly, during the long period +which they spent at Wilna, they could have created large storage +depots, but they were interested only in supplying the town, +without bothering about the troops. + +On the 6th of December, the cold increased and the temperature +fell to nearly minus thirty; so that this day was even more +deadly than its predecessors, particularly for troops who had not +been conditioned gradually to the climate. Amongst this number +was the Gratien division, consisting of 12,000 conscripts, who +left Wilna on the 4th to come in front of us. The sudden +transition from warm barracks to a bivouac in twenty-nine and a +half degrees of frost, within forty-eight hours was fatal to +nearly all of them. The rigour of the season had an even more +terrible effect on the 200 Neapolitan cavalrymen who formed King +Murat's bodyguard. They also came to join us after a long stay in +Wilna, but they all died on the first night which they spent on +the snow. + +The remnants of the Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Croats and +other foreigners whom we had led into Russia, saved their lives +by means which the French found repugnant: they deserted, went to +villages adjoining the road and awaited, in the warmth of their +houses, the arrival of the enemy. This often took some time for, +surprisingly, the Russian soldiers, used to spending the winter +in draught-free houses, warmed by continuously burning stoves, +are more susceptible to the cold than the inhabitants of other +parts of Europe, and their army suffered heavy losses; which +explains the slowness of the pursuit. + +We did not understand why Koutousoff and his generals did no more +than follow us with a weak advance-guard, instead of attacking +our flanks and going to the head of our column to cut off all +means of retreat. But they were unable to carry out this +manoeuvre which would have finished us because their soldiers +suffered as much from the cold as we did, many of them dying as a +result. The cold was so intense that one could see a sort of +steam coming from one's eyes and ears, which froze on contact +with the air and fell like grains of millet onto one's chest, and +one had to stop frequently to rid the horses of huge icicles +which were formed by their breath freezing on the bits of their +bridles. + +There were, however, thousands of Cossacks, attracted by the hope +of plunder, who braved the seasonal bad weather and hung around +our columns, even attacking places where they saw baggage, though +a few shots would drive them off. Eventually, in order to harass +us without running any danger, for we had been forced to abandon +our artillery, they mounted light cannons on sledges, and used +them to fire on our men, until they saw an armed detachment +advancing towards them, when they took to their heels. These +sneak attacks did little real damage, but they became very +unpleasant because of their constant repetition. Many of the sick +and wounded were taken and despoiled by these raiders, some of +whom had acquired an immense amount of booty, and the greed for +enrichment attracted new enemies, who came from the ranks of our +allies: these were the Poles. Marshal de Saxe, the son of one of +their kings, said rightly that the Poles were the biggest thieves +in the world, and would rob even their own parents, so, not +surprisingly, those in our ranks showed little respect for the +property of their allies. On the march or in bivouac, they stole +anything they saw; but as no one trusted them, petty thieving +became more difficult, so they decided to operate on a grand +scale. They organised themselves into bands, and at night they +would don peasant headgear and slip out of the bivouac to meet at +an agreed spot, then they would return to the camp shouting the +Cossack war-cry of "Hourra! Hourra!" which so frightened men +whose morale had been broken, that many of them fled abandoning +their possessions and food. The false Cossacks, after stealing +all they could would return to the camp before daylight and +become once more Poles, ready to become Cossacks again on the +next night. + +When this form of brigandage was disclosed, several generals and +colonels decided to put a stop to it. General Maison kept such a +close watch in the lines of 2nd Corps, that one fine night our +guards surprised a group of about fifty Poles at the moment when +they were about to play their role of Cossacks. Seeing that they +were surrounded these bandits had the impudence to claim that +they were just having a joke, but as this was not the time nor +place for laughter, General Maison had them all shot out of hand. +It was some time before we saw robbers of this kind again, but +they reappeared later. + +On the 9th of December, we arrived at Wilna, where there were +some stores; but as the Duc de Bassano and General Hogendorp had +left for the Nieman, there was no one to give orders, so that +there, as at Smolensk, the officials demanded proper receipts for +the issue of food and clothing, which was virtually impossible +because of the disorganization of almost all the regiments. We +lost some precious time in this way. General Maison broke into +several stores and his men took some supplies, but the remainder +was taken the next day by the Russians. Soldiers from other corps +wandered round the town in the hope of being taken in by the +inhabitants, but the people who six months previously had +welcomed the French with open arms, closed their doors to us when +they saw us in distress. Only the Jews would accommodate those +who could pay for temporary shelter. + +Admitted neither to the stores nor to private houses, the +majority of famished men headed for the hospitals where, although +there was not enough food for all of them, they were at least +sheltered from the piercing cold. This respite was enough to +decide 20,000 sick and wounded, among whom were two hundred +officers and eight generals, to go no further. They had reached +the end of their physical and mental resources. + +Lieutenant Hernoux, one of the most vigourous and brave officers +in my regiment, was so overcome by what he had been through that +he lay down on the snow, refusing to move, until he died. Several +soldiers, of all ranks, blew their brains out, to escape from +their suffering. + +During the night 9th-10th December, in thirty degrees of frost, +some Cossacks came and began shooting at the gates of Wilna. Many +people thought this was the entire army of Koutousoff, and in a +panic they fled from the town. I regret to say that King Murat +was among them. He left without giving any orders, but Marshal +Ney stayed and organised the retreat as best he could. We quitted +Wilna on the morning of the 10th, leaving behind not only a great +number of men, but also an artillery park and a part of the +army's funds. + +We had scarcely left the town when the infamous Jews turned on +the men whom they had taken into their houses, stripped them of +their clothes and threw them out, naked into the snow. Some +officers of the Russian advance-guard, which was entering the +town, were so indignant at this behaviour that they killed a +number of them. + +In the midst of this chaos, Marshal Ney had urged onto the road +to Kowno all those whom he could stir into movement, but he had +gone no more than a league when he came to the hill of Ponari. +This small slope which in other circumstances the army would have +hardly noticed, now became a most serious obstacle because the +ice with which it was covered made it so slippery that the +draught-horses were unable to drag up it the carts and wagons, so +that what remained of the army's money would have fallen into the +hands of the Cossacks had not Marshal Ney ordered that the wagons +should be opened and the soldiers allowed to empty the +strong-boxes. This sensible measure gave rise later to assertions +that the men had robbed the Imperial treasury. + +Several days before our arrival at Wilna, the intense cold having +killed many of our horses and made the rest unfit to ride, my +troopers all went on foot. I would have very much liked to join +them but my injury prevented this, so I took to a sledge to which +was harnessed one of my horses. This new method of transport gave +me the idea that I might by this means save the sick men, of whom +I had a considerable number. There is no dwelling in Russia so +poor that it does not have a sledge, and it was not long before I +had a hundred or so, each one drawn by a troop horse, carrying +two sick men. This method of travel seemed to General Castex to +be so convenient that he authorised me to put all my men on +sledges. The commander of the 24th did the same and so the +remains of the brigade became a sledge-borne unit. + +You may think that in doing this we deprived ourselves of any +means of defence, but you would be wrong, for we were much more +mobile with the sleds, which could go anywhere, and whose shafts +held up the horses, than we would have been in the saddle of +animals which fell down all the time. + +As the road was covered with abandoned muskets, each of our +Chasseurs took two of them and an ample provision of cartridges, +so that if any Cossacks dared to approach, they were met by a +volume of fire which quickly drove them off. Our troopers could +also fight on foot if need be. In the evening we formed a big +square with our sledges, in the middle of which we lit our fires. +Marshal Ney and General Maison often came to spend the night +here, where they were secure, since the only enemies present were +the Cossacks. This was undoubtedly the first time anyone had seen +a rear-guard mounted on sledges; but it was a success in the +prevailing conditions. + +We continued to cover the retreat until, on the 13th of December, +we saw the Nieman once more, and Kowno (Kaunas), the last town in +Russia. It was at this spot that, five months earlier, we had +entered the empire of the Czars. How greatly had our +circumstances changed since then!... What appalling losses had we +suffered! + +On entering Kowno with the rear-guard, Marshal Ney found that the +only garrison was a small battalion of Germans some 400 strong, +whom he joined to the troops which he still had in order to +defend the town for as long as possible, to give the sick and +wounded the opportunity to cross into Prussia. When he heard that +Ney had arrived, King Murat left for Gumbinnen. + +On the 14th, Platov's Cossacks, followed by two battalions of +Russian infantry, mounted on sledges together with several guns, +appeared at Kovno which they attacked at a number of points. But +Marshal Ney, helped by General Gerard, held them off until +nightfall, when he took us across the frozen Nieman, and was the +last to leave Russian territory. + +We were now in Prussia, an allied country!... Marshal Ney, worn +out and ill, and regarding the campaign as finished, left us and +went to Gumbinnen, where there was a gathering of all the +marshals. From that moment the army had no overall commander, and +each regiment made its own way into Prussia. The Russians, who +were at war with this country, would have been entitled to follow +us there, but satisfied with having re-conquered their territory, +and not sure whether they should present themselves to the +Prussians as friends or enemies, they decided to await +instructions from their government, and halted at the Nieman. We +took advantage of their hesitation to head for the towns of old +Prussia. + +The Germans are usually humane; many of them had relatives or +friends in the regiments which had gone with us to Moscow. We +were received well enough, and I can promise you that having +slept for five months in the open, I was delighted to find myself +in a warm room and a comfortable bed; but this sudden transition +from a glacial bivouac to long-forgotten repose made me seriously +ill. Nearly all the army were affected in this way: a number of +them died, including Generals Eble and Lariboisiere, the +artillery commanders. + +In spite of the adequate reception given to us, the Prussians +remembered their defeat at Jena, and the way in which Napoleon +had treated them in 1807 when he seized part of their kingdom. +Secretly they hated us and would have disarmed and captured us at +the first signal from their King. Already General York, who led +the numerous Prussian units which the Emperor had so unwisely +placed on the left wing of the Grande Armee, and who were +stationed between Tilsit and Riga, had made a pact with the +Russians and had sent back Marshal Macdonald, whom, from some +remnant of conscience, he did not dare to arrest. + +The Prussians of all classes approved of General York's +treachery, and as the provinces through which the sick and +disarmed French soldiers were then passing were full of Prussian +troops, it is probable that the inhabitants would have sought to +take hold of them had it not been that they feared for their +King, who was in Berlin, in the midst of a French army commanded +by Marshal Augereau. This fear and the repudiation by the King +(the most honest man in his kingdom) of General York, who was +tried for treason and condemned to death, prevented a general +uprising against the French. We profited from this to reach the +Vistula and leave the country. + +My regiment crossed the river near the fortress of Graudenz at +the same place at which we had crossed on our way to Russia. But +this time the crossing was much more dangerous because the thaw +had already begun some leagues upstream and the ice was covered +by about a foot of water and one could hear frightening crackings +which heralded a general break-up. Added to which, it was in the +middle of a dark night that I was given the order to cross the +river immediately, for the General had just been informed that +the King of Prussia had left Berlin and taken refuge in Silesia, +in the midst of a considerable armed force, and that the populace +was becoming restless and it was feared that they would rise +against us as soon as the thaw prevented us from crossing the +river. We had to get across at all costs, but this was a very +dangerous operation, for the Vistula is quite wide at Graudenz, +and there were many gaps in the ice which it was difficult to see +by the light of the fires lit on both banks. + +As there was no possibility of crossing with our sledges, we +abandoned them. We led the horses and, preceded by some men armed +with poles to indicate the crevasses, we commenced the perilous +journey. We had icy water half-way up our legs, which was not +good for the sick and injured, but the physical discomfort was +nothing compared to the anxiety produced by the cracking of the +ice, which threatened, at any moment, to sink beneath our feet. +The servant of one of my officers fell into a crevasse and did +not reappear. We eventually reached the other side where we spent +the night warming ourselves in some fishermen's huts, and the +next day we witnessed a total thaw of the Vistula, which, had we +delayed our crossing for a few hours, would have made us +prisoners. + +From the spot where we had crossed the Vistula, we made our way +to the little town of Sweld, where my regiment had been in +cantonment before the war, and it was there that I greeted the +year 1813. The year which had ended was certainly the hardest of +my life. + +Chap. 21. + +Let us now cast an eye rapidly over the reasons for the failure +of the Russian campaign. + +Undoubtedly the principal one of these was Napoleon's error in +believing that he could make war in the north of Europe, before +ending that which had been going on for a long time in Spain, +where his armies were suffering serious reverses, at a time when +he was preparing to invade Russian territory. The soldiers of +French nationality, being thus spread from north to south, were +in insufficient numbers everywhere. Napoleon thought he could +supplement them by joining to their battalions those of his +allies, but this was to dilute a good wine with muddy water. The +quality of the French divisions was lowered, the allied troops +were never better than mediocre, and it was they, who, during the +retreat, sowed disorder in the Grande Armee. + +A no less fatal cause of our defeat was the inadequacy, or indeed +the total lack of organisation in the occupied countries. Instead +of doing as we had done during the campaigns of Austerlitz, Jena +and Friedland, and leaving behind the advancing army small bodies +of troops which, stretching back in echelon, could keep in +regular touch with one another to ensure tranquillity in our +rear, to expedite the forwarding of munitions and individual +soldiers and the departure of convoys of wounded, we unwisely +pushed all our available forces towards Moscow, so that between +that city and the Nieman, if one excepts Wilna and Smolensk, +there was not one garrison, nor storage depot, nor hospital. Two +hundred leagues of countryside were left to roving bands of +Cossacks. The result of this was that men who had recovered from +illness were unable to rejoin their units, and as there was no +system of evacuation, we had to keep all the wounded from the +battle for Moscow in the monastery of Kolotskoi for more than two +months. They were still there at the time of the retreat and were +nearly all taken prisoner, while those who felt able to follow +the army died of exhaustion and cold on the roads. Finally, the +retreating troops had no supply of stored food in a country which +produces vast amounts of grain. + +This lack of small garrisons in our rear was the reason why of +the more than 100,000 prisoners taken by the French during the +campaign, not a single one left Russia, because there was no way +in which they could be passed back from hand to hand. All these +prisoners escaped with ease and made their way back to the +Russian army, which thus recovered some of its losses, while ours +increased from day to day. + +The absence of interpreters also contributed to our disasters, +more than you might think. How, for example can one obtain +information about an unknown country, if one cannot exchange a +single word with the inhabitants? When, on the bank of the +Beresina, General Partouneaux mistook the road, and instead of +taking that leading to Studianka, took the one leading to General +Wittgenstein's position, he had with him a peasant from Borisoff, +who, not knowing a word of French, tried to indicate by signs +that the encampment was Russian, but, as he was not understood, +through lack of an interpreter we lost a fine division of 7 or +8000 men. + +In very similar circumstances, during October, the 3rd Lancers, +taken by surprise, in spite of the advice of their guide, whom +they did not understand, lost two hundred men. Now the Emperor +had in his army some bodies of Polish cavalry, nearly all of +whose officers and most of their N.C.O.s. spoke fluent Russian; +but they were left in their regiments whereas some should have +been taken from each unit and attached to generals and colonels, +where they would have been extremely useful. I consider the +provision of interpreters an important but often neglected +element in military operations. + +I have already commented on the major mistake that was made in +forming the two wings of the army from the Prussian and Austrian +contingents. The Emperor must have greatly regretted this, +firstly on learning that the Austrians had given passage to the +Russian army of Tchitchakoff, who then cut our line of retreat on +the banks of the Beresina, and secondly when told of the +treachery of General York, the head of the Prussian Corps. His +regret must have increased further during and after the retreat, +for if he had formed the two wings from French troops and had +taken to Moscow the Austrians and Prussians, the two latter, +having suffered their share of the hardships and the casualties +would have been as much enfeebled as all the other corps, while +Napoleon would have kept intact the French troops he had left on +the two wings. I would go even further and say that to weaken +Prussia and Austria Napoleon should have required from them +contingents triple or quadruple the size of those which they +contributed. It has been said, with hindsight, that neither of +the two states would have complied with such a demand, but I +disagree; the King of Prussia who had come to Dresden to beg the +Emperor to accept his son as an aide-de-camp would not have dared +to refuse, while Austria, in the hope of recovering some of the +rich provinces which Napoleon had snatched from her, would have +done everything to satisfy him. The overconfidence which Napoleon +had, in 1812, in the fidelity of those two states was his +undoing. + +It is often claimed that the fire of Moscow, for which praise is +given to the courage and resolve of the Russian government and +General Rostopschine, was the principal cause of the failure of +the 1812 campaign. This assertion seems to me to be contestable. +To begin with the destruction of Moscow was not so complete that +there did not remain enough houses, palaces, churches and +barracks to accommodate the entire army, and there is evidence of +this in a report which I have seen in the hands of my friend +General Gourgaud, who was then principal aide-de-camp to the +Emperor. It was not therefore lack of shelter which forced the +French to quit Moscow. Many people think that it was the fear of +food shortage, but this is also erroneous, for reports made to +the Emperor by M. le Comte Daru, the quartermaster-general of the +army, show that even after the fire there was in the city an +immense quantity of provisions, which would have supplied the +army for six months, so it was not the prospect of starvation +which decided the Emperor to retreat. These facts would appear to +indicate that the Russian government had failed to achieve its +aim, if this was indeed the aim it was pursuing; but in reality, +its aim was quite different. + +The court wished, in fact, to deliver a mortal blow to the +ancient aristocracy of the Boyars by destroying the city which +was the centre for their continual opposition. The Russian +government, although entirely despotic, has to pay much attention +to the great nobles, whose displeasure has cost several emperors +their lives. The richest and most powerful of these noblemen made +Moscow the backdrop for their intrigues, so the government, more +and more alarmed at the growth of the city, saw in the French +invasion an opportunity for its destruction. General +Rostopschine, who was one of the authors of this plan, was +entrusted with its execution, the blame for which he later laid +on the French. But the aristocracy was not taken in: it accused +the government so loudly and manifested so much discontent at the +useless burning of its palaces that the Emperor Alexander, to +avoid a personal catastrophe, was obliged not only to permit the +rebuilding of the city, but to banish Rostopschine who, in spite +of his protestations of patriotism, died in Paris, hated by the +Russian nobility. + +Whatever the motives may have been for the fire of Moscow, I +think that its preservation would have been more harmful than +useful to the French, for in order to control a city inhabited by +some 300,000 citizens always ready to revolt, it would have been +necessary to take from the army, and place as a garrison in +Moscow, 50,000 men, who, when the time came to retreat, would +have been assailed by the inhabitants, whereas the fire having +driven out almost all the populace, a few patrols were enough to +ensure tranquillity. + +The only influence which Moscow had on the events of 1812 was due +to the fact that Napoleon was unable to understand that Alexander +could not sue for peace without being assassinated by his +subjects, and believed that to leave the city without a treaty +would be to admit that he was not able to hold on to it. The +French Emperor insisted, therefore, on staying as long as +possible in Moscow, where he wasted more than a month waiting in +vain for a proposal of peace. This delay was fatal for it allowed +the winter to become established before the French army could go +into cantonments in Poland. Even if Moscow had been preserved +intact it would not have made any difference; the disaster arose +because the retreat was not prepared in advance and was carried +out at the wrong time. It was not difficult to forecast that it +would be very cold in Russia during the winter!... But, I repeat, +the hope of a peace misled Napoleon and was the sole cause of his +long stay in Moscow. + +The losses suffered by the Grande Armee were enormous, but they +have been exaggerated. I have already said that I have seen a +situation report, covered with notes in Napoleon's hand, which +gives the figure of those who crossed the Nieman as 325,000, of +whom 155,000 were French. Reports issued in February 1813 gave +the number of French who returned across the Nieman as 60,000, +added to this figure can be that of 30,000 prisoners returned by +the Russians after the peace of 1814. Giving a total loss of +French lives of 65,000. + +The loss inflicted on my regiment was, in proportion, much +smaller. At the beginning of the campaign we had 1018 men in the +ranks and we received 30 reinforcements at Polotsk, so that I +took into Russia 1048 troopers. Of this number I had 109 killed, +77 taken prisoner, 65 injured and 104 missing. This amounted to a +loss of 355 men, so that after the return of the men whom I had +sent to Warsaw, the regiment, which from the bank of the Vistula +had been sent beyond the Elbe to the principality of Dessau, had +in the saddle 693 men, all of whom had fought in the Russian +campaign. + +When he saw this figure, the Emperor, who from Paris was +supervising the reorganising of his army, thought it was a +mistake, and sent the report back to me with an order to produce +a corrected version. When I returned the same figure once more, +he ordered General Sebastiani to go and inspect my regiment and +give him a nominal roll of the men present. This operation having +removed all doubt, and confirmed my report, I received a few days +later a letter from the Major-general couched in the most +flattering terms and addressed to all officers and N.C.O.s and +particularly to me, in which Prince Berthier stated that he had +been directed by the Emperor to express his Majesty's +satisfaction at the care we had taken of our men's lives, and his +praise for the conduct of all our officers and N.C.O.s. + +After having had this letter read out before all the squadrons, I +had intended to keep it as a precious memento for my family, but +on further consideration, I decided that it would not be right to +deprive the regiment of a document in which was expressed the +Emperor's satisfaction with all its members, so I sent it to be +included in the regimental archive. I have frequently repented of +this, for scarcely a year had passed before the government of +Louis XVIII was substituted for that of the Emperor, and the 23rd +Chasseurs was combined with the 3rd. The archives of the two +regiments were collected together, badly cared for, and after the +total disbanding of the army in 1815, they disappeared into the +yawning gulf of the war office. I tried in vain, after the +revolution of 1830, to recover this letter, which was so +flattering to my old regiment and to me, but it could not be +found. + +Chap. 22. + +The year 1813 began very badly for France. The remains of our +army, returning from Russia, had scarcely crossed the Vistula and +started to reorganise,when the treachery of General York and the +troops under his command forced us to retire beyond the Elbe, and +shortly to abandon Berlin and all of Prussia, which rose against +us, helped by the units which Napoleon had imprudently left +there. The Russians speeded up their march as much as possible, +and came to join the Prussians, whose King now declared war on +the French Emperor. + +Napoleon had in northern Germany no more than two divisions, +commanded, it is true, by Augereau, but consisting mainly of +conscripts. As for those French troops who had fought in Russia, +once they were well fed and no longer slept on the snow, they +recovered their strength, and could have been used oppose the +enemy; but our cavalry were almost all without horses, very few +infantrymen had kept their weapons, we had no artillery, the +majority of the soldiers had no footwear, and their uniform was +in rags. The government had employed part of the year 1812 in +making equipment of all sorts, but owing to the negligence of the +war department, then in the hands of M. Lacuee, Comte de Cessac, +no regiment received the clothing allotted to it. The conduct of +the administration in these circumstances deserves some comment. + +When a regimental depot had got together, at great expense, the +numerous items required by its active battalions or squadrons, +the administration arranged with forwarding agents the transport +of the supplies as far as Mainz, which was then part of the +Empire. These goods were in no danger while crossing France to +the bank of the Rhine; however, M. de Cessac ordered a detachment +of troops to escort them as far as Mainz. There they were handed +over to foreign agents, who were supposed to forward them to +Magdeberg, Berlin, and the Vistula, without any French +supervision. This undertaking was carried out with so much bad +faith and delay that the packages containing the supplies of +clothing and footwear took six to eight months to go from Mainz +to the Vistula, a distance they should have covered in forty +days. + +This had been no more than a serious inconvenience when the +French armies were in peaceful occupation of Germany and Poland, +but it became a calamity after the Russian campaign. More than +two hundred barges laden with supplies for our regiments were +ice-bound in the Bromberg canal, near Nackel, when we passed this +point in January 1813, but as there was, in this immense convoy, +no French agent, and as the Prussian bargees already considered +us as enemies, no one told us that these vessels were loaded with +goods. The next day the Prussians took possession of this huge +quantity of clothing and footwear and used it to equip several of +the regiments they sent against us. Although the result of this +was that the increasing cold killed a large number of French +soldiers, there are those who boast of our efficient +administration! + +The lack of order in the French army's line of march as it went +through Prussia was due principally to the ineptitude of Murat, +who had assumed command after the departure of the Emperor, and +later to the feebleness of Prince Eugene de Beauharnais, the +Vice-Roi of Italy. + +When the time came for us to re-cross the Elbe and enter the +territory of the Confederation of the Rhine, the Emperor, before +removing his troops from Poland and Prussia, wanted to facilitate +a return to the offensive by leaving strong garrisons in the +fortresses which could assure the crossing of the Vistula, the +Oder and the Elbe, such as Thorn, Stettin, Magdeberg, Danzig, +Dresden, etc. + +This major decision on the part of the Emperor may be looked at +in two ways. So it has been praised by some knowledgeable +military observers and condemned by others. + +The first party say that the need to provide a place of rest and +safety for the numerous sick and wounded, which the army brought +back from Russia, compelled the Emperor to occupy these +fortresses, which, in addition, could store a massive amount of +military equipment and foodstuffs. They add that these fortresses +hindered enemy movements and by investing them, the enemy reduced +the number of troops which could be actively employed against us; +and finally that if the reinforcements which Napoleon was +bringing from France and Germany enabled him to win a battle, the +possession of the forts would help to ensure a new conquest of +Prussia, which would bring us to the banks of the Vistula and +force the Russians to return to their country. + +In reply to this it is claimed that Napoleon weakened his army by +breaking it up into so many scattered units who could not give +each other mutual assistance; that it was not necessary to +compromise the security of France in order to save a some +thousands of sick and wounded, very few of whom would return to +active service, and of whom nearly all died in the hospitals. It +was also said that the regiments of Italians, Poles, and Germans +from the Confederation of the Rhine, which the Emperor mingled +with the garrisons in order to lessen the requirement of French +units, would not be much use; and in fact almost all the foreign +troops fought very badly and ended up by going over to the enemy. +Finally it was claimed that the occupation of the forts gave very +little trouble to the Russian and Prussian armies, which, after +blockading them with an observation force, could continue their +march towards France. Which is what actually happened. + +I find myself in agreement with latter of these two opinions, +because it is evident that the forts could be of use to us only +if we overcame the Russian and Prussian armies, which was a +reason for concentrating our disposable manpower rather than +dispersing it. + +It might be said that as the enemy would no longer have to +blockade the forts, they would thus have an increase in their +manpower to match ours. But this is not so, for the enemy would +have to leave strong garrisons in the forts which we abandoned, +while we could make use of the men which were at present +immobilised. I may add that the defence of these useless forts +deprived the army in the field of the services of a number of +experienced generals, among others, Marshal Davout, who alone was +worth several divisions. I accept that during a campaign one must +leave behind several brigades to guard places on which the safety +of a country depends, such as Metz, Lille, and Strasbourg, in the +case of France, but the forts situated on the Vistula, the Oder, +and the Elbe, two or three hundred leagues from France, were of +only conditional importance, that is to say dependent on the +success of our army in the field. When this did not come about, +over eighty thousand men whom the Emperor had left in those +garrisons in 1812 were obliged to surrender. + +The position of France in the first months of 1813 was extremely +critical, for in the south our armies in Spain had suffered some +very serious reverses due to the weakening of their strength by +the continual withdrawal of regiments, while the English +ceaselessly sent reinforcements to Wellington, who had fought a +brilliant campaign during 1812, and had captured Cuidad-Rodrigo, +Badajoz, and the fort of Salamanca, had won the battle of +Arapiles, occupied Madrid and now threatened the Pyrenees. + +In the north, the numerous battle-hardened soldiers whom Napoleon +had led into Russia had nearly all died in action or of cold and +starvation. The still-intact Prussian army had just joined the +Russians, and the Austrians were on the point of following their +example. Finally, the sovereigns, and more importantly, the +people of the Germanic Confederation, stirred up by the English, +were wavering in their allegiance to France. The Prussian Baron +Stein, an able and enterprising man, took this opportunity to +publish a number of pamphlets in which he appealed to all Germans +to shake off the yoke of Napoleon and regain their liberty. This +appeal was readily received, as the passage, the accommodation, +and the maintenance of the French troops who had occupied Germany +since 1806 had occasioned great expense, to which was added the +confiscation of English merchandise, as a result of Napoleon's +continental blockade. The Confederation of the Rhine would have +defected if the rulers of the various states of which it was +composed had decided to listen to the wishes of their subjects; +but none of them dared budge, so ingrained was their habit of +obedience to the French Emperor, and so great their fear of +seeing him arrive at any moment, to head the considerable forces +which he was organising with such speed and building up +constantly in Germany. + +The greater part of the French nation still had the greatest +confidence in Napoleon. Those who were well-informed blamed him, +no doubt, for having the previous year led his army to Moscow, +and in particular for having awaited the winter there, but the +mass of the people, who were used to considering the Emperor as +infallible and had no notion of the events of this campaign nor +of the losses suffered by our men, saw only the glory which the +occupation of Moscow reflected on our arms, and were more than +willing to give the Emperor the means to heap victories round his +eagles. Every department and every town gave patriotic gifts of +horses, though the numerous levies of conscripts and money soon +cooled this enthusiasm. Nevertheless, the nation complied with +reasonably good grace, and battalions and squadrons seemed to +rise out of the ground, as if by some enchantment. It was +remarkable that after all the levies of conscripts which had been +made over the last twenty years, we had never recruited a finer +body of men. There were several explanations for this. + +To begin with, each of the eight hundred departments which then +existed had, for several years, maintained a company of so-called +departmental infantry, a sort of praetorian guard for the +Prefects, who made a point of selecting men of a high physical +standard for this duty. These men never left the principal towns +of the department, where they were very well housed, fed, and +clad, and as they had very few duties to perform, they were able +to build up their physical strength, for most of them led this +life for six or seven years, during which time they were +exercised regularly in the handling of arms, and in marches and +manoeuvres. They lacked only the "baptism of fire" to become +complete soldiers. These companies, depending on the importance +of the department, were of 150 to 250 men. The Emperor sent them +all to the army, where they were absorbed into the line +regiments. + +In the second place there was called into service a great number +of conscripts from previous years, who had by protection, +cunning, or temporary illness obtained deferment, that is to say +permission to remain at home until further orders. These older +men were nearly all strong and vigourous. + +These measures were legal; but what was not was the call-up of +those who had already taken part in the ballot for conscription +and whose names had not been drawn. These people, to whom this +lottery had given the legal right to remain civilians, were +nevertheless compelled to take up arms if they were less than +thirty years old. This levy produced a large number of men fit +to support the hardships of war. There was some objection raised +to this measure, mainly in the Midi and the Vendee, but the +greater part of the contingent fell into line, so great was the +habit of obedience. This meekness on the part of the populace +enticed the government into practices even more illegal and more +dangerous withal, in that they struck at the upper class; for +after forcibly enlisting men who had been exempted by lot, the +same measure was applied to those who had quite legally paid for +a replacement, and they were forced into the army, although some +families had been financially strained and even ruined in an +attempt to save their sons, for at that time replacements cost +from 12 to 20,000 francs, which had to be paid in cash. There +were even young men who had been replaced two or three times, but +who were still forced to go, and it was not unknown for one to +find himself serving in the same company as the man he had paid +to be his substitute! This injustice was the result of advice +given by Clarke, the Minister for War and Savary, the Minister of +Police, who persuaded the Emperor that to prevent any disturbance +during the war, it was necessary to remove the sons of +influential families from the country and put them in the army, +to serve, in some respects, as hostages!... To reduce somewhat +the odium felt by the upper class towards this imposition, the +Emperor created, under the name of "Guards of Honour," four +regiments of light cavalry, specially reserved for young +gentlemen of good family. These units, which were given a +brilliant Hussar's uniform, were commanded by general officers. + +To these more or less legal levies, the Emperor added the men +produced by an early conscription and a number of battalions +formed from the seamen, sailors, and gunners of the navy, all +trained men, used to handling arms and bored with the monotonous +life in port, keen to join their comrades in the army. There were +more than thirty thousand of these seamen, and it did not take +long for them to become first class infantry soldiers. Finally +the Emperor, obliged to use every means to rebuild his army, of +which the greater part had perished in the frozen wastes of +Russia, further weakened his forces in Spain by taking not only +several thousands of men to make up his guard, but several +brigades and entire divisions composed of old soldiers, +accustomed to hardship and danger. + +For their part, the Russians, and particularly the Prussians, +were preparing for war. The indefatigable Baron de Stein +travelled the provinces, preaching a crusade against the French, +and organising his "Tugenbond" whose members swore to take up +arms for the liberation of Germany. This society, which stirred +up so many enemies against us, operated openly in Prussia, which +was already at war with the Emperor, and insinuated itself into +the states and armies of the Confederation of the Rhine, despite +the opposition of some sovereigns and with the tacit permission +of others, to such an extent that almost the whole of Germany +was, in secret, our enemy, and the contingents which were joined +to our military forces were prepared to betray us at the first +opportunity, as events would shortly show. These events would not +have taken so long to come about if the German's natural laxity +and sloth had not prevented them from acting sooner than they +did, for the debris of the French army which crossed the Elbe in +1812 stayed peacefully in cantonment on the left bank of the +river for the first four months of 1813, without being attacked +by the Russians and Prussians who were stationed on the opposite +bank, and who did not feel themselves strong enough to do so, +although Prussia had mobilised its landwehr, made up of all fit +men, and Bernadotte, forgetting that he was born a Frenchman, had +declared war on us, and had joined his Swedish troops to those +belonging to the enemies of his native country. + +During the period which we spent on the left bank of the Elbe, +although the army received continual reinforcements, there was +still very little in the way of cavalry except for some +regiments, one of which was mine, so we had been allotted as +cantonments several communes and the two little towns of Brenha +and Landsberg, in pleasant country near Magdeberg. While we were +there I had a great disappointment. The Emperor wished to speed +the organisation of the new levies and thought that for this +purpose the temporary presence of unit commanders at their +regimental depots would be useful. So he decided that all +colonels should return to France except those who had a certain +number of men in their unit, the number fixed for the cavalry was +four hundred, and I had more than six hundred mounted men!... I +was therefore forced to stay behind, when I so much longed to +embrace my wife and the child which she had given me during my +absence. + +To the disappointment which I felt was added another vexation, +the good General Castex, whom I had held in such high regard +during the Russian campaign, was to leave us and join the mounted +Grenadiers of the Guard. His brigade, and that of General +Corbineau, who had been given the position of aide-de-camp to the +Emperor, were both put in charge of General Exelmans. General +Wathiez was to replace Castex, and General Maurin to replace +Corbineau. These three generals had, however, gone to France +after the Russian campaign and I was the only colonel left, so +General Sebastiani, to whose corps the new division was to be +attached, ordered me to take over the command, which added a +great deal of work to my regimental duties, for I had to make +frequent visits, in appalling weather, to the cantonments of the +other three regiments. The wound to my knee, although it had +healed, was still painful and I did not know if I would be able +to remain on duty until the end of the winter, when after a month +General Wathiez returned to take up the command of the division. + +A few days later, without my having asked, I was ordered to go to +France to organise the large number of recruits and horses which +had been sent to my regimental depot. The depot was in the +department of Jemmapes, at Mons in Belgium, which was then part +of the Empire. I left immediately and travelled quickly. I +realised that as I was authorised to go to France on duty, it +would not be acceptable for me to request even the shortest +period of leave to go to Paris, so I welcomed the offer made by +Mme. Desbrieres, my mother-in-law, to bring my wife and my son to +Mons. After a year of separation, during which I had experienced +so many dangers, it was with the greatest pleasure that I once +more saw my wife, and held in my arms our little Alfred, now +eight months old. This was one of the happiest days of my life! +The joy which I felt on holding my little son was increased by +the recollection that he very nearly became an orphan on the day +of his birth. + +I spent the end of April and the months of May and June at the +depot, where I was extremely busy. Many recruits had been sent to +the 23rd, men of good physique and from a warrior race, for they +mostly came from the neighbourhood of Mons, the former province +of Hainault, from where the Austrians used to draw their finest +cavalrymen, at the time when they possessed the low countries. +These are people who love and care well for horses, but as the +horses which come from this district are a little too heavy for +Chasseurs, I obtained permission to buy some in the Ardennes, +from where we obtained a fair selection. + +I found at the depot some good officers and N.C.O.s, several of +whom had been in Russia and had gone to the depot to recover from +injuries or illness, and the ministry sent me some young officers +from the school of cavalry at Saint-Cyr. From this material I +made up various squadrons, which, although not perfect, could +mingle without difficulty with the old cavalrymen from Russia +whom I had left on the banks of the Elbe, and throughout whom +they would be spread on their arrival. As soon as a squadron was +ready it was sent off to join the army. + +Chap. 23. + +While I was busily engaged in rebuilding my regiment, as were +many other colonels, mainly from the cavalry, who were in France +for the same reason, hostilities broke out on the Elbe, which had +been crossed by the allies. + +The Emperor left Paris, and on the 25th of April he was at +Naumbourg, in Saxony, at the head of 170,000 men, of whom only a +third were French, a detachment of troops which had been sent to +Germany having not yet arrived. The other two thirds of his army +was formed of units from the Confederation of the Rhine, the +majority of which were very reluctant to fight on his behalf. +General Wittgenstein, who had gained some celebrity following our +disaster at the Beresina, although the weather did us far more +harm than his manoeuvres, was in overall command of the Russian +and German troops, a combined force of 300,000 men, which faced +Napoleon's army on the 28th of April, in the region of Leipzig. + +On the 1st of May there was a sharp engagement at Poserna, in an +area where Gustavus Adolphus had died, during which Marshal +Bessieres was killed by a cannon-ball. The Emperor regretted his +death more than did the army, which had not forgotten that it was +the advice given to Napoleon by the Marshal in the evening of the +battle for Moscow which had deterred him from achieving victory +by committing his guards to the action, which had he done, it +would have changed the outcome and led to the complete +destruction of the Russian force. + +The day after Bessieres' death, while Napoleon was continuing his +march towards Leipzig, he was attacked unexpectedly on the flank, +by the Russo-Prussians, who had crossed the river Elster during +the night. In this battle, which was given the name of the Battle +of Lutzen, there was some fierce fighting, in which the troops +newly arrived from France showed the greatest courage, the marine +regiments being particularly notable. The enemy, soundly beaten, +withdrew towards the Elbe, but the French, having almost no +cavalry, were able to take few prisoners and their victory was +incomplete. Nevertheless it produced a great moral effect in +Europe, and above all in France, for it showed that our troops +had retained their fighting qualities, and that only the frosts +of Russia had overcome them in 1812. + +The Emperor Alexander and the King of Prussia, after being +present at Lutzen and witnessing the defeat of their armies, had +gone to Dresden, from where they had to withdraw on the approach +of the victorious Napoleon, who took possession of the town on +the 8th of May, where he was shortly joined by his ally, the King +of Saxony. After a brief stay in Dresden, the French crossed the +Elbe and pursued the Prusso-Russians, whose rear-guard they +caught up with and defeated at Bischofswerda. + +The Emperor Alexander, dissatisfied with Wittgenstein, assumed +personal command of the allied armies, but having been defeated +in his turn by Napoleon at Wurtchen, it seems likely that he +recognised his lack of ability in this field, for he soon +relinquished the position. + +The Russo-Prussians having come to a halt and dug in at Bautzen, +the French emperor ordered Ney to outflank their position, which +resulted in a victory on the 21st of May, which lack of cavalry +once more rendered incomplete though the enemy lost 18,000 men +and fled in disorder. + +On the 22nd, the French, in pursuit of the Russians, made contact +with their rear-guard at the pass of Reichenbach. What little +cavalry Napoleon had was commanded by General Latour-Maubourg, a +most distinguished soldier, who led it with such elan that the +enemy were overwhelmed and abandoned the field after heavy +losses. Those suffered by the French, though fewer, were most +painful. The cavalry general, Bruyere, a fine officer, had both +his legs carried away and died of this dreadful injury; but the +saddest event of the day was the result of a cannon-ball which, +after killing General Kirgener (brother-in-law of Marshal +Lannes), mortally wounded Marshal Duroc, the grand marshal of the +palace, a man liked by everyone, and Napoleon's oldest and best +friend. Marshal Duroc survived for a few hours following his +injury, and the Emperor who was at his side showed every sign of +the deepest grief. Those who witnessed this melancholy scene, +noted that the Emperor, who was forced to leave his friend by the +demands of duty, parted from him in tears, having given him a +rendez-vous in "A better world!" + +The French army now pressed on into Silesia, whose capital, +Breslau (Wroclaw) it occupied on the 1st of June. The allies, and +in particular the Prussians, much alarmed, realised that in spite +of their boasts, they were unable, without help, to stop the +French, and wanted to gain a respite in the hope that the +Austrians would end their hesitation and join forces with them. +They sent out envoys, given the task of soliciting an armistice +which, subject to the mediation of Austria, would lead, they +said, to a peace treaty. Napoleon thought that he should agree +to this armistice, and so it was signed on the 4th of June, to +last until the 10th of August. + +While Napoleon was going from success to success, Marshal Oudinot +was defeated at Luckau, and lost 1100 men. The Emperor hoped that +during the armistice the numerous reinforcements from France +which he was awaiting, particularly the cavalry which had been +sorely missed, would make their appearance, and would take part +in a new campaign if that became unavoidable. There were, +however, several generals who regretted that the Emperor had not +followed up his victory. They argued that if the armistice +permitted us to build up our reserves, it did the same for the +Russo-Prussians, who hoped that they would be joined by the +Austrians, as well as by the Swedes, who were marching to their +aid. The former were not yet ready, but they would have more than +two months to organise and put into motion their numerous troops. + +When at Mons I heard of the victories of Lutzen and Bautzen, I +was sorry not to have been there, but my regrets were diminished +when I found that my regiment had not been involved; it was, in +fact, before Magdeburg on the road to Berlin. M. Lacour, a former +aide-de-camp to General Castex, had been posted as squadron +commander to the 23rd, about the end of 1812, and he took command +of the regiment in my absence. He was a brave man, who had +acquired some education by reading, which gave him pretentions +which were out of place in a military milieu; in addition to +which his lack of experience as a commanding officer, resulted in +the regiment suffering losses which should have been avoided, and +of which I shall speak later. While I was at the depot, I gained +as second squadron commander M. Pozac, a very fine officer in all +respects who had been awarded a "sabre of honour" for his conduct +at the battle of Marengo. + +Towards the end of June, all the colonels who had been sent to +France to organise the new forces, having completed this task, +were ordered to return to their posts with the army, although +hostilities would be suspended for some time. I was therefore +forced to leave my family, with whom I had passed so many happy +days, but duty called and I had to obey. + +I once more took the road to Germany, and went first to Dresden, +to where the Emperor had summoned all the colonels in order to +question them about the composition of the detachments they had +sent to the army. There I learned something which annoyed me +greatly! At the depot I had organised four superb squadrons of +150 men each. The two first of which (happily the smartest and +best) had joined the regiment; the third had been taken, by +Imperial decision, and sent to Hamburg to be incorporated in the +28th Chasseurs, one of the weakest regiments in the army. This +was a lawful order, and I accepted it without complaint: but it +was not the same when I was told that the 4th squadron which I +had sent from Mons, having been noticed as it passed through +Cassel, by Jerome, the King of Westphalia, this prince had found +it so desirable that he had, on his own authority, enrolled it in +his Guard! I knew that the Emperor, very irritated that his +brother had taken it upon himself to make off with some Imperial +troops, had ordered him to send them on their way immediately, +and I had hopes that I would receive them; but King Jerome got +hold of some of the Emperor's aides, who represented to his +Majesty that as the King of Westphalia's Guard was composed +entirely of Germans, who were not by any means to be relied upon, +it was right that he should have a French squadron on whose +loyalty he could count; in the second place the King had, at much +expense, equipped the squadron with the brilliant uniform of +Hussars of his Guard; and finally, that even without this +squadron, the 23rd would still be the strongest regiment in the +French cavalry. Whatever the reason, my squadron remained in the +Westphalian guard, in spite of my loud protests. I could not get +over this loss, and found it supremely unjust that I should be +deprived of the fruits of my trouble and labour. + +I rejoined my regiment not far from the Oder in the region of +Zagan, where it was in cantonment in the little town of +Freistadt, as was Exelman's division, of which it was a part. + +During our stay in this area, a curious incident occurred. A +trooper by the name of Tantz, the only bad character in the +regiment, having got thoroughly drunk, threatened an officer who +had ordered him to be put in the police cell. Put before a +court-martial he was found guilty, condemned to death and the +sentence confirmed. Now when the guard, commanded by +Warrant-officer Boivin, went to fetch Tantz to take him to the +place where he was to be shot, they found him in the cell +completely naked, on the pretext that it was too hot. + +The warrant-officer, a brave fellow, but one whose brains did not +match his courage, instead of making him dress, told him to wrap +himself in a cloak. However, having arrived on the draw-bridge +across the large moat which surrounded the chateau, Tantz threw +the cloak in the faces of the guard, leapt into the moat which he +swam across, and having reached the other side made off to join +the enemy on the opposite bank of the Oder. We never heard +anything more of him!... I broke the warrant-officer for being +so careless, but he soon regained his rank, by an act of bravery +which I shall describe shortly. + +The squadrons which I had recently added to the regiment, brought +its strength up to 993 men, of whom almost 700 had fought in the +Russian campaign. The newly arrived soldiers were a well-built +body of men who had nearly all come from the departmental legion +of Jemmapes, which made it easier to train them as cavalrymen; I +incorporated the newcomers in the older squadrons. Both sides +were preparing for the coming struggle but our opponents had made +good use of their time, and had presented us with a powerful +adversary by persuading the Austrians to take up arms against us. + +The Emperor Napoleon, whom numerous victories had accustomed to +taking little account of his enemies, believed himself to be once +more invincible, when he saw himself in Germany at the head of +300,000 men, but he did not examine sufficiently closely the +composition of the forces with which he was about to oppose the +whole of Europe, united against him. + +The French army had received an intake of fine quality recruits, +and had never looked better; but with the exception of some +regiments, the majority of these new soldiers had never been in +action, and the disasters of the Russian campaign had generated +an uneasy feeling in the corps, the effects of which were still +felt. Our superb army was better suited to being put on show to +obtain terms, than to being engaged, at this moment, in combat. +Nearly all the generals and colonels, who saw the regiments at +close quarters, were of the opinion that they needed some years +of peace. If one were to pass from the French army to an +examination of those of her allies, one would see nothing but +apathy, ill-will and the wish for an opportunity to betray +France! Everything should have led Napoleon to treat with his +enemies, and to do this he should have first settled with his +father-in-law, the Emperor of Austria, by giving back to him +Dalmatia, Istria, the Tyrol, and some of the other provinces +which he had seized in 1805 and 1809. Some concessions of this +sort offered to Prussia would have quietened the allies who, it +seems, were willing to return to Napoleon the colonies which had +been taken from France and to guarantee his occupation of all the +provinces this side of the Rhine and the Alps, and also upper +Italy; but in return he would have to give up Spain, Poland, +Naples, and Westphalia. These terms were acceptable; but at a +conference with the diplomats sent to discuss them, Napoleon was +rude to M. Metternich, the principal member of the delegation, +and sent them away without any concessions. It is said that as he +saw them leave the palace of Dresden, he remarked "We'll give +them a sound thrashing!" The Emperor seemed to forget that the +enemy armies were almost three times the size of his own forces. +He had, in fact, no more than 320,000 men in Germany, while the +allies could put in the line almost 800,000 fighting men. + +The Emperor's birthday was on the 15th of August, but he ordered +that it should be celebrated in advance, because the armistice +ended on the 10th. The rejoicings of Saint-Napoleon's day then +took place in the cantonments. This was the last time that the +French army celebrated the birthday of its Emperor! There was not +much enthusiasm, for even the least perceptive of officers was +aware that we were on the brink of a catastrophe, and the worries +of the commanders affected the morale of their subalterns. +However each one prepared to do his duty, though with little hope +of success, in view of the great inferiority in numbers of our +army as opposed to the innumerable troops of the enemy. Already, +among our allies of the Confederation of the Rhine, the Saxon +General Thielmann had deserted with his brigade to join the +Prussians, after trying to hand over to them the fortress of +Torgau. Among our troops there was much uneasiness and lack of +confidence. + +It was at this time that one heard of the return to Europe of +General Moreau who, condemned to banishment after the conspiracy +of Pichegru and Cadoudal, had retired to America. The hatred +which Moreau had for Napoleon made him forget the duty he owed to +his country. He soiled his reputation by ranging himself with the +enemies of France; however, it was not long before he paid the +price of this infamous conduct. + +Now an immense semi-circle was formed around the French army. A +body of 40,000 Russians was in Mecklemberg; Bernadotte, the +Prince Royal of Sweden, occupied Berlin and the surrounding +district with an army of 120,000 men, composed of Swedes, +Russians, and Prussians. Two great Russian and Prussian armies, +220,000 men strong, of whom 35,000 were cavalry, were in Silesia +between Schweidnitz and the Oder; 40,000 Austrians were stationed +at Lintz, and the main Austrian army of about 140,000 men was +concentrated in Prague; finally, a short distance behind this +front line of 560,000 combatants, an enormous body of reserves +was ready to march. + +The distribution of his troops made by Napoleon was as follows: +70,000 men were concentrated around Dahmen in Prussia, to oppose +Bernadotte; Marshal Ney with 100,000 occupied part of Silesia. A +corps of 70,000 was in the region of Zittau. Marshal Saint-Cyr +with 16,000 men occupied the camp at Pirna and gave cover to +Dresden. Finally the Imperial Guard, 20 to 25,000 strong was +spread round this capital, ready to go wherever was necessary. +Including the troops left in the garrisons of the forts, the +troops at Napoleon's disposal were infinitely fewer than those of +the enemy. This enumeration did not include the forces left in +Spain and Italy. + +Chap. 24. + +The French Emperor had divided his army into 14 Corps, called +infantry, although they each contained at least a brigade of +light cavalry. The commanding generals were as follows:-- + +1 Corps. Gen. Vandamme. + +2 Corps. Marshal Victor. + +3 Corps. Marshal Ney. + +4 Corps. Gen. Bertrand. + +5 Corps. Gen. Lauriston. + +6 Corps. Marshal Marmont. + +7 Corps. Gen. Reynier. + +8 Corps. Prince Poniatowski. + +9 Corps. Marshal Augereau. + +10 Corps. (confined in Danzig) Gen. Rapp. + +11 Corps. Marshal Macdonald. + +12 Corps. Marshal Oudinot. + +13 Corps. Marshal Davout. + +14 Corps. Marshal Saint-Cyr. + +Finally came the Guard, under the direct orders of the Emperor. + +The cavalry was divided into 5 Corps, commanded by 1. Gen. +Latour-Mauberg, 2. Gen. Sebastiani, 3. Gen. Arrighi, 4. Gen. +Kellermann. 5. Gen. Milhau. The cavalry of the Guard was +commanded by general Nansouty. + +The army, as a whole, approved of some of these appointments but +disapproved of others. They disliked such important posts being +given to Oudinot, who had made more than one mistake during the +Russian campaign, to Marmont, whose rashness had lost the battle +of Arpiles, to Sebastiani, who did not seem equal to the task, +and finally it was regretted that for a campaign which was to +decide the destiny of France, the Emperor had seen fit to try out +the strategic talents of Lauriston and Bertrand. The first was a +good artillery officer, and the second an excellent engineer, but +neither had directed troops in the field, and so lacked the +experience needed to command an army Corps. + +Napoleon, recalling that when he was named as commander-in-chief +of the army of Italy, he had hitherto commanded only some +battalions, which had not prevented him from successfully filling +the post, probably believed that Lauriston and Bertrand could do +the same thing. But men of such universal talent as Napoleon are +rare, and he could not hope that his new corps commanders could +follow his example. It is thus that the personal affection which +he felt for these generals led him to commit once more the error +which he had previously made in giving command of an army to the +artilleryman Marmont. + +The history of past wars shows quite clearly that to be +commander-in-chief, theoretical knowledge will not suffice, and +with a very, very few exceptions, it is necessary to have served +in an infantry or cavalry unit and to have commanded one in the +rank of colonel, to be competent to direct masses of men in the +field. This is a basic training which very few men can acquire as +generals or as commanders of an army. Louis XIV never confided +the command of troops in the open country to Marshal de Vauban, +who was, however, one of the most able men of his century, and +one presumes that if he had been offered the post, Vauban would +have turned it down in order to concentrate on his own specialty, +which was the attack and defence of fortresses. Marmont and +Bertrand, lacked this modesty, and the affection which Napoleon +had for them prevented him from listening to any observations on +the subject. + +King Murat, who had gone to Naples after the Russian campaign, +rejoined the Emperor at Dresden. The coalition, that is to say +the Austrians, Russians, and Prussians, opened the campaign with +an act of bad faith, unworthy of civilised nations. Although +under the terms of the previous convention, hostilities should +not have begun until the 16th of August, they attacked our +outposts on the 14th, and put the greater part of their forces in +motion after the defection of Jomini. + +Until this time, only the two Saxon generals, Thielmann and +Langueneau, had, shamefully, changed sides, but no general +wearing French uniform had sullied it in such a manner. It was a +Swiss, General Jomini, who was the first to do so. Jomini was a +simple clerk, on a salary of 1200 francs, in the ministerial +offices of the Republic of Helvetia, when, in 1800, General Ney +was sent to Berne by the First Consul to discuss with the Swiss +government the defence of their state, which was then our ally. +The duties of the clerk Jomini, which involved dealing with +confidential government documents, put him in contact with +General Ney, who was thus in a position to appreciate his +outstanding ability, and, yielding to his urgent requests, he +arranged for him to admitted as lieutenant, and shortly captain, +in the Swiss regiment which was being formed to serve with the +French army. General Ney took an increasing interest in his +protege. He had him enrolled as a French officer, took him as an +aide-de-camp and gave him the means to publish works which he had +written on the art of war, works which, although over-valued, are +not without some merit. + +Thanks to protection of this kind, Jomini advanced rapidly to the +rank of colonel and brigadier-general, and at the resumption of +hostilities in 1813 was chief-of-staff to Marshal Ney. Seduced, +however, by the extravagant promises made by the Russians, he +deserted, in possession of much information about Napoleon's +plans of campaign. It was fear that, on hearing of this +defection, Napoleon would change these plans that induced the +allies to commence hostilities two days before the date agreed +for the ending of the armistice. To the surprise of everyone, the +Emperor Alexander rewarded the treacherous Jomini by taking him +as an aide-de-camp, which is said to have outraged the delicate +susceptibilities of the Austrian Emperor. + +The information which Jomini was able to give the allies was a +serious blow to Napoleon, for several of his corps were attacked +in the course of moving into position and had to give up a number +of important points for lack of time to prepare their defence. +However, the Emperor, whose plan it was to move into Bohemia, +finding that his opponents were forewarned and on their guard +against this, resolved to attack the Prussian army in Silesia, +and re-engage in the offensive those troops which had been +compelled to retreat before Blucher. In consequence Napoleon +arrived at L”wenberg on the 20th of August, where he attacked a +considerable force of the allies consisting of Prussians, +Austrians, and Russians. Various actions took place on the 21st, +22nd, and 23r, in the areas of Goldberg, Graditzberg, and +Bunzlau. The enemy lost 7000 men killed or taken prisoner, and +retired behind the Katzbach. + +During one of the numerous engagements which took place during +these three days, Wathiez's brigade, which was pursuing the +enemy, was held up by a wide and swift-flowing stream, a +tributary of the Bobr. There was no way of crossing except by two +wooden bridges about a quarter of a mile apart, which were +covered by Russian artillery fire. The 24th Chasseurs, who had +passed into the command of the gallant Colonel Schneit, having +received the order to attack the left hand bridge, advanced to +the assault with their usual courage, but it was a different +matter when it came to the 11th (Dutch) Hussars, recently +incorporated into the brigade. Ordered to take the right hand +bridge, their Colonel M. Liegeard, the only Frenchman in the +unit, called in vain on his troops to follow him, they were so +overcome by fear that not one of them moved. As my regiment, +which was in the second line, was being subjected to as much fire +as the 11th Hussars, I hastened to the side of their colonel to +give him some help in urging his men to attack the enemy +artillery, which was the only way of stopping the cannonade, but +when I saw that I would have no success, and that the cowardice +of the Hollanders would result in many casualties in my regiment, +I led my troops to the front of them and was about to move into +the attack when I saw the bridge on the left collapse under the +first section of men from the 24th, throwing them into the river +where several men and horses were drowned. The Russians, during +their withdrawal, had prepared this trap by sawing so cunningly +through the main timbers supporting the bridge that, unless one +were warned, it was impossible to see what had been done. + +The sight of this disaster made me fear that the same treatment +had been given to the bridge towards which I was leading my men, +so I called a halt in order to arrange an inspection. This was a +dangerous undertaking, for not only was the bridge within range +of the enemy guns, but it was also within range of the muskets of +an infantry battalion. I was about to call for a volunteer for +this perilous task, when warrant-officer Boivin, whom I had +recently demoted for negligently allowing the Chasseur condemned +to death to escape, got off his horse and coming to me said, +rather than risking the life of one of his comrades, would I +please permit him to carry out the mission, in order to redeem +his mistake. Pleased with this courageous declaration, I said, +"Go then, and you will recover your epaulets at the end of the +bridge!" + +Boivin went forward and, ignoring cannon-balls and bullets, he +examined the superstructure of the bridge and its supports and +returned to assure me that it was in order and that the regiment +could cross. I thereupon re-instated him in his rank. He +remounted his horse and placing himself at the head of the +squadron which was about to cross the bridge he led the way +towards the Russians, who did not wait for us to attack, but +withdrew smartly. The month following, when the Emperor reviewed +the regiment and awarded several promotions, I had Boivin made a +sous-lieutenant. + +Our new brigade commander, General Wathiez, was able during the +these various actions to win the affection and regard of the +troops. As for the divisional commander, General Exelmans, we +knew only his reputation in army circles which was that of a man +of outstanding bravery; but he was also regarded as being +somewhat unreliable. We had proof of this in an event which +occurred at the re-commencement of hostilities. + +At a time when the division was carrying out a withdrawal, to +which my regiment was giving cover, General Exelmans, on the +pretext that he was about to lay a trap for the Prussian advance +guard, ordered me to place at his disposal my elite company and +25 of my best marksmen, whom he put under the command of Major +Lacour; then he put these 150 men in a meadow surrounded by +woodland, and after telling them not to move without his +permission, he went off and completely forgot them!... The enemy +arrived, and seeing the detachment abandoned in this manner, they +halted, fearing that it had been put there to lure them into an +ambush. To reassure themselves, they sent some individual men to +slip into the wood, on the right and left, and when they heard no +sound of gunfire, they gradually built up the number until they +had completely surrounded our troopers. It was in vain that +several officers pointed out to Major Lacour that this movement +was going to cut off his retreat; Lacour, brave but lacking +initiative, stuck rigidly to the order he had been given, without +considering that General Exelmans might have forgotten him and +that it might be as well to send someone to remind him, and at +least to reconnoitre the terrain over which he might be able to +retreat. He had been ordered to stay there, and he would stay +there even if his men were killed or taken prisoner! + +While Major Lacour was carrying out his instructions in the +manner of a simple sergeant rather than that of a senior officer, +the division marched into the distance! General Walthiez and I, +when we saw that the detachment did not return, and not knowing +how to contact General Exelmans, who was galloping across +country, had serious misgivings. I then asked permission from +General Walthiez to return to Major Lacour, and on receiving it I +left at the gallop with a squadron and arrived just in time to +see a most distressing sight, particularly for a commanding +officer who cared for his soldiers. + +The enemy, having infiltrated both flanks and even the rear of +our detachment, had mounted a frontal attack by a greatly +superior force, so that some 700 to 800 Prussian lancers +surrounded our 150 men, whose only way of retreat was over a +wretched footbridge of wooden planks which joined the two steep +banks of a nearby mill-stream. Our horsemen could cross here only +one by one so that there was congestion, and the elite company +lost several men. A number of riders then noticed a large +farmyard which they thought might lead to the mill-stream, and in +the hope of finding a bridge they entered it, followed by the +rest of the detachment. The stream did, in fact, run past the +farmyard, but it there formed the mill-pool, the banks of which +were lined by slippery flagstones, making access extremely +difficult for horses. This gave the enemy a great advantage, and +in an attempt to capture all the French who had entered this huge +yard, they closed the gates. + +It was at this critical moment that I appeared on the other side +of the stream with the squadron which I had hurriedly brought +with me. I ordered them to dismount, and while one man held four +horses, the rest, armed with their carbines, ran to the +footbridge, which was guarded by a squadron of Prussians. The +Prussians being on horseback and having only a few pistols as +firearms, were unable to reply to the sustained fire from the +carbines of our Chasseurs, and were forced to remove themselves +to a distance of several hundred paces, leaving behind some forty +dead and wounded. + +The troops who had been shut in the farmyard wanted to take +advantage of this momentary respite to force the main gate and +make a rush for it on horseback; but I called to them not to +attempt it, because to join me they would have had to cross the +footbridge, which they could do only one by one, and at this +point they would offer a target to the Prussians who would +undoubtedly charge and destroy them. The river banks were +garnished by many trees, amongst which an infantrymen can easily +withstand the attacks of cavalry, so I placed the dismounted men +along the riverside, and once they were in communication with the +mill's yard, I passed a message to the men there to dismount +also, take their carbines, and while a hundred of them held off +the enemy by their fire, the remainder could slip behind this +protective screen and pass the horses from hand to hand over the +footbridge. + +While this manoeuvre, covered by the fire from a cordon of 180 +dismounted Chasseurs, was proceeding in an orderly fashion, the +Prussian lancers, furious that their prey was about to escape, +tried to disorganise our retreat by a vigourous attack, but their +horses, caught up in the willow branches, amid the numerous holes +and pools of water, could scarcely move at a walk over the muddy +ground, and could never reach our foot-soldiers, whose well-aimed +fire, directed at close range, inflicted on them heavy losses. + +The Prussian major who led this charge, forcing his way boldly +into the centre of our line, killed with a pistol shot to the +head, Lieutenant Bachelet, one of my good regimental officers. I +greatly regretted his loss, which was, however, promptly revenged +by the Chasseurs of his section, for the Prussian major, hit by +several bullets, fell dead beside him. + +The death of their leader, the numerous casualties they had +suffered, and above all the impossibility of getting at us +determined the enemy to give up the enterprise and they withdrew. +I was able to pick up the wounded and make my retreat without +being followed. My regiment lost in this deplorable affair an +officer and nine troopers killed, and thirteen who were made +prisoner, among whom was Lieutenant Marechal. The loss of these +twenty-three members of the regiment I found all the more +distressing because it served no useful purpose, and fell wholly +on the finest soldiers in the unit, most of whom had been +earmarked for decoration or promotion. I have never forgotten +this undeserved setback! It resulted in our taking a poor view of +General Exelmans, who got away with a reprimand from General +Sebastiani and from the Emperor, who was influenced by his +friendship with Murat. Old General Saint-Germain, a former +commander, and almost the creator, of the 23rd Chasseurs, for +whom he had retained much affection, having stated loudly that +Exelmans deserved exemplary punishment, the two generals fell out +and would have come to blows if the Emperor had not personally +intervened. Major Lacour, whose incapacity had been largely +responsible for this catastrophe, I no longer regarded with any +confidence. + +Chap. 25. + +After the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of August, days on which we had +defeated Field-marshal Blucher's corps, and forced him to retire +behind the Katzbach, the Emperor gave orders for the follow-up on +the next day. However, on hearing that the combined army of the +allies, some 200,000 strong, commanded by Prince Schwartzenberg, +had just emerged, on the 22nd, from the mountains of Bohemia and +was heading for Saxony, Napoleon, taking his Guard, as well as +the cavalry of Latour-Maubourg and several divisions of infantry, +hastened by forced marches to Dresden, where Marshal Saint-Cyr +had shut himself in with the troops he had hurriedly withdrawn +from the camp at Pirna On leaving Silesia, the Emperor told +Marshal Ney to follow him, and left Marshal Macdonald in charge +of the large force which he left on the Bobr, that is to say the +3rd, 5th and 11th Infantry Corps and the 2nd Cavalry, with a +powerful element of artillery, making a total of 75,000 men. The +control of such a great body of combatants was too much for +Marshal Macdonald, as subsequent events will show. + +You must have noticed that the larger the number of troops +involved, the less detail I give of their movements: firstly +because this could require an enormous work, which I might not be +able to complete, and secondly because it could make the reading +of these memoirs too wearisome. I shall therefore be even more +concise in my description of events in the War of 1813, in which +600,000 to 700,000 men took part, than I have been in describing +previous campaigns. + +On the 25th of August, the allies having surrounded the town of +Dresden, whose fortifications were not proof against a major +attack, the position of Saint-Cyr became critical for he had no +more than 17,000 French troops to resist the immense numbers of +the enemy. The latter, badly served by their spies, were unaware +of the approaching arrival of Napoleon, and full of confidence in +their superior numbers, they delayed the attack until the +following day. This confidence was increased when they were +strengthened by two Westphalian regiments who had deserted from +King Jerome to join the Austrians. + +The worried Marshal Saint-Cyr expected to be attacked on the +morning of the 26th; but he was reassured as to the outcome of +the struggle by the presence of the Emperor, who had arrived that +very day at an early hour, at the head of the Guard and a +numerous body of all arms. Soon after his arrival, the enemy, who +still thought that they faced only Saint-Cyr's Corps, assaulted +the town in force and captured several redoubts. The Russians and +the Prussians, who now controlled the suburbs of Pirna, were +attempting to break down the Freyberg gate when, on the Emperor's +orders, it swung open to allow the emergence of a column of +infantry of the Imperial Guard, the leading brigade of which was +commanded by General Cambronne!... It was as if the head of +Medusa had appeared!... The enemy recoiled horrified, their guns +were captured at the double and the gunners killed on their +mountings! Simultaneous sorties were made from all the gates of +Dresden with the same results, and the allies, abandoning the +redoubts they had taken, fled into the surrounding country where +they were pursued by the cavalry to the foot of the hills. On +this first day the enemy had 5000 men put out of action, and we +took 3000 prisoners. The French had 2500 killed or wounded, +amongst the latter there being five generals. + +The next day it was the French army which took the initiative, +although they had 87,000 fewer men than their adversaries. The +action was at first fierce and sanguinary; but the rain which +fell in torrents on the heavy soil soon covered the battle-field +with pools of muddy water through which our troops moved with +much difficulty on their advance towards the enemy. Nevertheless, +advance they did, and the Young Guard had already driven back the +enemy left, when Napoleon, having observed that Prince +Schwartzenberg, the allies' commander-in-chief, had not given +sufficient support to his left wing, overwhelmed it with an +attack by Marshal Victor's infantry and Latour-Maubourg's +cavalry. + +King Murat, who was in command of this part of the line, was +highly successful. He forced his way through the pass of Cotta +and outflanking Klenau's corps, he separated it from the Austrian +army and attacked it, sabre in hand, at the head of his +carabiniers and Cuirassiers. Klenau was unable to withstand this +fearsome charge, almost all his battalions were compelled to +surrender, and two other divisions of infantry suffered the same +fate. + +While Murat was defeating the enemy left, their right wing was +routed by the Young Guard, so that after some three hours, +victory was assured and the allies beat a retreat towards +Bohemia. + +As a result of this second day of heavy fighting, the enemy left +on the field of battle 18 flags, 26 cannons and 40,000 men, of +whom 20,000 were prisoners. The main losses were suffered by the +Austrian infantry, who had two generals killed, three wounded and +two taken prisoner. + +It may be remarked that at this epoch percussion caps were +virtually unknown, and the infantry of all nations still used +flint-lock muskets, which it was almost impossible to fire once +the priming powder became wet. Now, as it had rained without +ceasing for the whole day, this contributed largely to the defeat +of the enemy infantry by our cavalry, and gave rise to an +extraordinary incident. + +A division of Cuirassiers, commanded by General Bordesoulle, +found itself facing a strong Austrian infantry division formed +into a square. Bordesoulle called on the enemy general to +surrender, which he refused to do. Bordesoulle then pointed out +to the Austrian that not one of his men's guns was capable of +being fired, to which he replied that his men could defend +themselves successfully with their bayonets, as the cavalry, +whose horses were in mud up to their hocks, would be unable to +charge them down. "Then I will blast your square with my +artillery!" "But you don't have any guns, they are stuck in the +mud." "If I show you my cannons, which are behind my first +regiment, will you then surrender?" "I would have no alternative, +for I would have no means of defence." + +The French general then advanced, to within thirty paces of the +enemy, a battery of six guns, the gunners with their slow-matches +in their hands, prepared to fire on the square. At this sight the +Austrian general and his division laid down their arms. + +The rain having prevented the infantry of both armies from using +their muskets and greatly slowed the movements of the cavalry, it +was the artillery which, in spite of the difficulty of +manoeuvering on the rain sodden ground, played a decisive role: +in particular the French artillery, whose teams of horses +Napoleon had doubled up, using animals from the headquarters +wagons, which remained safely in Dresden; so that our guns did +great damage, and it was one of their cannon-balls which struck +Moreau. + +It had been rumoured for some time that the former illustrious +French general had returned to Europe and had joined the ranks of +his country's enemies. Few people believed this, but it was +confirmed in the evening following the battle of Dresden in a +bizarre manner. Our advance-guard was in pursuit of the routed +enemy when one of our Hussars saw, on entering the village of +Notnitz, a magnificent Great Dane, which seemed to be searching +in distress for its owner. + +He took hold of the dog, and read on its collar the words "I +belong to General Moreau." He was then told by the cure of the +village that that General Moreau had undergone a double +amputation in his house. A French cannon-ball had landed in the +middle of the Russian general staff, it had struck one of the +General's legs, and going through his horse had then struck the +other. This had happened at the moment when the Austrian army had +been defeated, and to prevent Moreau falling into French hands, +the Emperor Alexander had arranged for him to be carried by some +Grenadiers until, the pursuit having slackened, it was possible +to dress his wounds and amputate both legs. The Saxon cure who +had witnessed this cruel operation, said that Moreau, who was +well aware that his life was in danger, had repeatedly cursed the +fate that had left him mortally wounded by a French missile, +amongst the enemies of his country. He died on the 1st of +September, and the Russians took away his body. + +No one in the French army regretted the death of Moreau, when it +was known that he had taken arms against his country. A Russian +envoy came to claim the dog on behalf of Colonel Rapatel, +Moreau's aide-de-camp, who had stayed with him; it was returned +but without the collar, which was given to the King of Saxony and +is now on display in Dresden. + +As Prince Schwartzenberg, the commander of the enemy troops +defeated at Dresden, had given Teplice as the rallying point for +the remains of his defeated armies, the Austrians retreated +through the valley of Dippoldiswalde, the Russians and the +Prussians on the Telnitz road, and the remnants of Klenau's corps +via Freiberg. Napoleon accompanied the French columns which were +pursuing the vanquished as far as Pirna, but just before he +arrived in that town, he was taken by a sudden indisposition, due +perhaps to the fact that he had spent five days constantly on +horseback, exposed to incessant rain. + +It is one of the misfortunes of princes that there are always to +be found in their entourage people who, to demonstrate their +attachment, claim to be alarmed at the slightest indisposition +and exaggerate the precautions which should be taken, which is +what happened on this occasion. The master-of-horse, +Caulaincourt, advised the Emperor to return to Dresden, and the +other great officers dared not give the much more sensible advice +to continue to Pirna, which was no more than a league distant. +The young Guard was already there and the Emperor would have been +able to have the rest which he required while remaining in a +position to guide the movements of the troops in pursuit of the +enemy, which he could not do from Dresden which was much further +from the center of operations. + +Napoleon then left to Marshals Mortier and Saint-Cyr the task of +supporting General Vandamme, commander of 1st Corps, who, +detached from the Grande Armee for three days, had defeated a +Russian corps and now threatened the enemy rear, had cut the road +from Dresden to Prague and occupied Peterswalde, from where he +dominated the Kulm basin and the town of Teplice, a most +important point through which the allies had to make their +retreat. However the return of the Emperor to Dresden nullified +these successes and led to a disastrous reverse which contributed +greatly to the fall of the Empire. + +General Vandamme was fine and courageous officer who, already +well-known from the earliest wars of the revolution, had been +almost continually in command of various Corps during those of +the empire; so that it was surprising that he had not yet been +awarded the baton of a marshal; withheld, perhaps, because of his +brusque and abrupt manner. His detractors said after his defeat +that his desire to obtain this coveted honour had driven him, +with no more than 20,000 men, to stand rashly in the path of +200,000 of the enemy, with the aim of barring their passage; but +the truth is that having been informed by the Emperor's chief of +staff that he would be supported by the armies of Marshals +Saint-Cyr and Mortier, and been given a direct order to capture +Teplice and so seal off the enemy's line of retreat, General +Vandamme had perforce to obey. + +Under the impression that he would be supported he descended +boldly, on the 29th of August, towards Kulm from where, pushing +enemy troops before him, he sought to reach Teplice; it is a +certainty that if Mortier and Saint-Cyr had carried out the +orders which they had been given, the Russian, Austrian, and +Prussian forces stuck on the appalling roads, cut off from +Bohemia and finding themselves attacked in front and in the rear, +would have laid down their arms. Vandamme would have then been +eulogised by the same people who have since blamed him. + +However that may be, Vandamme arrived at Teplice on the morning +of the 30th of August to be confronted by the division of +Ostermann, one of the best of the Russian generals. Vandamme went +confidently into the attack, as he saw, coming down from the +heights of Peterwalde, and taking the route which he had taken +the day previously, a body of troops which he took to be the +armies of Mortier and Saint-Cyr, whose help the Emperor had +promised him. But instead of friends, these newcomers were two +large Prussian divisions commanded by General Kleist, and which, +on the advice of Jomini, had passed between the corps of Mortier +and Saint-Cyr without these two marshals taking any notice, such +was the reluctance of Saint-Cyr to got to the aid of one of his +colleagues. A reluctance which, on this occasion, spread to +General Mortier. Neither of them budged and this at a time when +their co-operation joined to the gallant efforts of Vandamme +would have led to the total defeat of the enemy, whose columns of +infantry, cavalry, artillery, and baggage were piled up in +disorder in the narrow passes of the high mountains which lie +between Silesia and Bohemia. + +In place of the help he was expecting, General Vandamme saw +appear the two divisions of General Kleist, which instantly +attacked him. Vandamme, continuing to fight the Russians of +Ostermann in front of Teplice, turned round his rear-guard to +face Kleist, whom he attacked furiously, but although the enemy +was weakening, the huge reinforcements which they recieved, +bringing their strength to around 100,000 men as opposed to +Vandamme's remaining 15,000, made him think, in spite of his +courage and tenacity, that he should retire towards the corps of +Mortier and Saint-Cyr, whom he believed to be close at hand in +accordance with what Prince Berthier had written to him on the +Emperor's instructions. + +On their arrival at the pass of Telnitz, the French found it +occupied by General Kleist's divisions, who completely blocked +their passage; but nevertheless, our battalions, preceded by the +cavalry of General Corbineau who, in spite of the rough, +mountainous terrain, had insisted on remaining the advance-guard, +fell on the Prussians with such ferocity that they overcame them +and broke through the pass after taking all the enemy guns, from +which they took away only the horses because of the bad state of +the roads. + +Any soldier will be aware that such a success could be won only +at the cost of many casualties, and after this savage engagement +the strength of 1st Corps was greatly reduced. However, Vandamme, +completely surrounded by forces ten times more numerous than his +own, refused to surrender and placing himself at the head of two +battalions of the 85th, the only ones left to him, he hurled +himself into the midst of the enemy in a fight to the death. But +his horse having been killed, a group of Russians seized him and +made him prisoner. It is said that he was brought before the +Emperor Alexander and his brother, the Grand Duke Constantin, +and was rash enough to exchange insults with them. He was then +taken to Wintka, on the frontier of Siberia, and did not see his +country again until after the peace of 1814. + +The battle of Kulm cost 1st Corps 2000 men killed and 8000 made +prisoner, amongst whom was their commanding general. The 10,000 +who were left managed to fight their way through the enemy lines +to join Saint-Cyr and Mortier. Those two generals had gravely +failed in their duty by not pursuing the beaten enemy and instead +stopping, Saint-Cyr at Reinhards-Grimme and Mortier at Pirna, +from where they could hear the noise of the battle being fought +by Vandamme. + +It is surprising that, from nearby Dresden, Napoleon did not send +one of his aides-de-camp to make certain that Saint-Cyr and +Mortier had gone to the aid of Vandamme, as he had ordered. The +two marshals, having failed to carry out their orders, should +have been court-martialled, but the French army, overwhelmed by +the enormous number of enemies which Napoleon had raised against +it, had reached such a point of exhaustion that had Napoleon +wished to punish all those who failed in their duty, he would +have had to dispense with the services of almost all his +marshals. He therefore did no more than reprimand Saint-Cyr and +Mortier. + +He had an increasing need to conceal his disasters, for it was +not only at Kulm that his troops had suffered a reverse, but at +all points of the immense line which they occupied. + +(Subsequent historical research has made it quite clear that as +Napoleon was in control of the operations the two marshals were +entirely correct in waiting to receive his instructions, as they +did not know to where he intended them to go. As for the order to +support Vandamme with two divisions, it did not arrive until the +30th, that is to say at a time when the catastrophe had already +occurred, and no blame can be attributed to the marshals.) + +Chap. 26. + +It has been rightly said that in the last campaigns of the +Empire, battles were rarely fought with any skill unless Napoleon +himself was in command. It is regrettable that this great captain +was not fully aware of this, and placed too much confidence in +his lieutenants, of whom several were not up to the tasks which +they presumed to undertake, as will be seen from some examples. +Instead of ordering his corps commanders, when they were acting +on their own initiative, to remain as much as possible on the +defensive until he could come with a powerful reserve to crush +the force facing them, the Emperor allowed them too much +latitude, and, as each one was jealous of his own reputation and +wanted to have his personal Battle of Austerlitz, they often +went, ill-advisedly, on the offensive and were defeated as a +result. + +This is what happened to Marshal Oudinot, to whom Napoleon had +given a considerable army made up of the Corps of Bertrand and +Reynier, in order to keep a watch on the numerous Prussian and +Swedish troops stationed near Berlin under the command of +Bernadotte, who had now become the Prince of Sweden. Marshal +Oudinot was not as strong as his opponent and should have +temporised, but the habit of advancing, the sight of the steeples +of Berlin, and the fear of not living up to the confidence +Napoleon reposed in him, led him to push forward Bertrand's +corps, which was repulsed, a setback which did not prevent +Oudinot from persisting in his aim of taking Berlin. However, he +lost a major battle at Gross-Beeren and was forced to retire via +Wittemberg, having suffered heavy losses. + +A few days later, Marshal Macdonald, whom Napoleon had left on +the Katzbach at the head of several army corps, thought that he +also would take advantage of the liberty given him by the absence +of the Emperor to attempt to win a battle, which would compensate +for the bloody defeat which he had endured on the Trebia during +the Italian campaign of 1799; but once more he was defeated! + +Macdonald, although personally very brave, was constantly +unfortunate in battle, not that he lacked ability but because, +like the generals of the Austrian army, and in particular the +famous Marshal Mack, he was too rigid and blinkered in his +strategic movements. Before the battle he drew up a plan of +action which was almost always sound, but which he should have +modified according to circumstances; this, however, his stolid +temperament did not permit. He was like a chess player who, when +he plays against himself, can make all the right moves, but does +not know what to do when a real opponent makes moves which he had +not foreseen. So, on the 26th of August, the day on which the +Emperor was winning a resounding victory at Dresden, Macdonald +lost the battle of Katzbach. + +The French army, 75,000 strong, of which my regiment was a part, +was drawn up between Liegnitz and Goldberg, on the left bank of +the little river named the Katzbach,(Kaczawa) which separated +them from several Prussian Corps commanded by Field-marshal +Blucher. The area which we occupied was dotted with small wooded +hills, which, although practicable for cavalry, made movement +difficult, but, by the same token, offered much advantage to the +infantry. Now, as the main body of Macdonald's troops consisted +of this arm, and he had only 6000 cavalry of Sebastiani's Corps, +and as the enemy had 15 to 20,000 horse on the immense plateau of +Jau‰r,(Jawor) where the ground is almost everywhere level, it was +plainly Macdonald's duty to await the Prussians in the position +which he occupied. In addition to this, the Katzbach does not +have a steep approach on the left bank, where we were, but on the +other side it does, so that to reach the plateau of Jau‰r one has +to climb a high hill covered with rocks and affording only a +steep and stony road. + +The Katzbach, which runs at the foot of this hill has no bridges +except at the few villages and only some narrow fords, which +become unpassable on the least rise in the water-level. This +river covered the French army front, which was greatly in our +favour; but Marshal Macdonald wanted to attack the Prussians, and +he abandoned this highly advantageous position and put the +Katzbach at his back by ordering his troops to cross it at +several points. Sebastiani's cavalry, of which Exelmans' +division, which included my regiment, formed a part, were +instructed to cross the river by the ford at Chemochowitz. + +The weather, which was already threatening in the morning, should +have warned the Marshal to put off the attack to another day, or +at least to act rapidly. He did neither, and wasted precious time +in giving detailed orders so that it was not until two in the +afternoon that his columns began to move, and no sooner had they +done so than they were overtaken by a tremendous storm which +swelled the Katzbach and made the ford so difficult that General +Saint-Germain's Cuirassiers were unable to cross. + +Having arrived on the other bank, we climbed, by a narrow gully, +a very steep slope which the rain had made so slippery that the +horses were falling at every step. We had to dismount and did not +get back into the saddle until we had reached the great plateau +which dominates the valley of the Katzbach. There we found +several divisions of our infantry, which the generals had wisely +placed near the clumps of trees which are scattered over this +plain; for, as I have said, the enemy were far stronger than us +in cavalry, and had a further advantage in that the rain had made +it impossible for the infantrymen to fire their weapons. + +When we had arrived on this vast open space, we were astonished +to see no signs of the enemy! The complete silence that reigned +there seemed to me to conceal some kind of a trap, for we were +certain that on the previous night Marshal Blucher was in this +position with more than 100,000 men. It was, in my view, +necessary to reconnoitre the countryside thoroughly before going +any further. General Sebastiani thought differently; so, as soon +as Rousel d'Urbal's division was formed up, he despatched them +into the distance, with not only their own guns but those +belonging to Exelmans' division, which we had dragged onto the +plateau with so much difficulty. + +As soon as Exelmans, who had been separated from his troops, +rejoined us, as we emerged from the gully, and saw that +Sebastiani had made off with his guns, he hurried after him to +reclaim them, leaving his division without orders. The two +brigades of which it was composed were some five hundred paces +from one another, facing the same way and formed into columns by +regiment. My regiment was at the head of Wathiez's brigade and +had behind it the 24th Chasseurs. The 11th Hussars were in the +rear. + +The plateau of Jau‰r is so huge that although the Roussel d'Urbal +division, which had gone ahead, was made up of seven regiments of +cavalry, we could scarcely see them on the horizon. A thousand +paces to the right of the column of which I was a part, was one +of the clumps of trees which dot the plain. If my regiment had +been on its own I would certainly have had this wood searched by +a platoon; but as Exelmans, who was very jealous of his +authority, had established it as a rule that no one was to leave +the ranks without his order, I had not dared to take the usual +precautions, and for the same reason the general commanding the +brigade had felt obliged to do the same. This passive obedience +was nearly fatal. + +I was at the head of my regiment which, as I have said, was +leading the column, when I suddenly heard a great outcry behind +me; this arose from an unforeseen attack by a numerous body of +Prussian lancers who, emerging unexpectedly from the wood, +charged the 24th Chasseurs and the 11th Hussars, whom they took +on the flank and threw into the greatest disorder. The enemy +charge being on the oblique, had first struck the tail of the +column, then the centre, and was now threatening the head. My +regiment was about to be hit on the right flank. The situation +was critical, for the enemy was advancing rapidly; however, +confident in the courage and skill of all ranks of my cavalrymen, +I ordered them to form line facing right at the full gallop. + +This movement, so dangerous in the presence of the enemy, was +carried out with such speed and accuracy that in the blink of an +eye the regiment was in line facing the Prussians who, as they +approached us obliquely, exposed a flank, which our squadrons +took advantage of to get among their ranks where they effected +great carnage. + +When they saw the success obtained by my regiment, the 24th +recovered from the surprise attack which had at first +disorganised them, and rallying smartly, they repelled the part +of the enemy line which faced them. As for the 11th Hussars, +composed entirely of Hollanders whom the Emperor had believed he +could turn into Frenchmen by a simple decree, their commander +found it impossible to lead them into a charge. But we were able +to do without the assistance of these useless soldiers, for the +23rd and the 24th were enough to rout the three Prussian +regiments which had attacked us. + +While our Chasseurs were pursuing them, an elderly enemy colonel +who had been unhorsed, recognising my rank by my epaulets, and +fearing that he might be killed by one of my men, came to take +refuge beside me where, in spite of the excitement of the action, +no one would dare to strike him while he was under my protection. +Although he was on foot, in the clinging mud, he followed for a +quarter of an hour the hurried movements of my horse, supporting +himself by a hand on my knee and repeating all the time "You are +my guardian angel!" I was truly sorry for the old fellow, for +although he was dropping with fatigue he was unwilling to leave +me, so when I saw one of my men leading a captured horse, I had +him lend it to the Prussian colonel, whom I sent to the rear in +the charge of a trusted Sous-officier. You will see that this +enemy officer was not slow in showing his gratitude. + +The plateau of Jau‰r now became the theatre for a desperate +struggle. From each of the woods there emerged a horde of +Prussians, so that the plain was soon covered by them. My +regiment, whose pursuit of their opponents I had been unable to +slow down, found itself before long facing a brigade of enemy +infantry, whose muskets put out of action by the rain, could not +fire a shot at us. I tried to break the Prussian square, but our +horses, bogged down in the mud to their hocks, could move only at +a slow walk, and without the weight of a charge it is almost +impossible for cavalry to penetrate the close-packed ranks of +infantry who, calm and well-led, present a hedge of bayonets. We +could go close enough to the enemy to speak with them and strike +their muskets with the blades of our sabres, but we could never +break through their lines, something which we could have done +easily if General Sebastiani had not sent our brigade artillery +elsewhere. + +Our situation and that of the enemy infantry was really rather +ridiculous for we were eye to eye without being able to inflict +the least harm, our sabres being too short to reach the enemy, +whose muskets could not be fired. We remained in this state for a +considerable time, until General Maurin, the commander of a +neighbouring brigade, sent the 6th Regiment of Lancers to help +us. Their long weapons, outreaching the bayonets of the +Prussians killed many of them and allowed not only the Lancers +but also the Chasseurs of the 23rd and 24th to get into the enemy +square, where they did great carnage. During the fighting, one +could hear the sonorous voice of Colonel Perquit shouting in a +very pronounced Alsatian accent "Bointez, Lanciers! Bointez!" + +The victory which we had won on this part of the vast battlefield +was snatched from us by the unexpected arrival of more than +20,000 of Prussian cavalry who, after overwhelming the Roussel +d'Urbal division, which had been so unwisely sent alone more than +a league ahead of us, now came to attack us with infinitely +greater numbers. + +The approach of this enormous body of enemy troops was signalled +by the arrival of General Exelmans who, as I have said, had +briefly left his division to go almost unaccompanied to claim +back from General Sebastiani his battery of artillery, which that +General had so inappropriately despatched to join that of Roussel +d'Urbal. Having been unable to find General Sebastiani, he +arrived close to the leading division only to witness the capture +of Roussel d'Urbal's guns and also his own, and to find himself +involved in the utter rout of his colleague's squadrons. We had a +warning of some disaster in the sight of our General, his +appearance altered by the fact that he had lost his hat and even +his belt! We hastened to recall our soldiers, who were busy +sabring the enemy infantry which we had just broken into, but +while we were engaged in forming them up in good order we were +completely overrun by the many Prussian squadrons who were +pursuing the debris of d'Urbal's division. + +Instantly, Sebastiani's cavalry division, consisting at the most +of 5 to 6000 men was confronted by 20,000 enemy horsemen who, as +well as outnumbering us, had the advantage of being almost all of +them Uhlans, that is to say armed with lances, while we had only +a few such squadrons! So in spite of the stiff resistance which +we put up, the groups which we formed were broken up by the +Prussians, who drove us steadily back to the edge of the plain +and to the verge of the steep descent into the gorge, at the +bottom of which ran the river Katzbach. + +We were met here by two divisions of French infantry, together +with which we hoped to make a stand; but the muskets of our men +were so wet that they would not fire, and they had no other means +of defence but a battery of six guns and their bayonets, with +which they momentarily arrested the Prussian cavalry; but the +Prussian generals having brought up some twenty cannons, the +French guns were instantly disabled and their battalions crushed! +Then, cheering loudly, the twenty thousand enemy cavalry advanced +on our troops and drove them in confusion towards the Katzbach. + +This river, which we had crossed in the morning with so much +difficulty although it was not very deep, had been transformed +into a raging torrent by the pouring rain which had continued +ceaslessly throughout the whole day. The water, surging between +the two banks, covered almost entirely the parapet of the bridge +at Chemochowitz and made it impossible to discover if the ford at +that point was still passable. However it was by those two points +we had crossed in the morning, and it was to them that we went. +The ford proved impassable for the infantry and a number were +drowned there, but the great majority were saved by the bridge. + +I gathered together my regiment, as much as was possible, and +having been formed into tight-packed half-platoons which could +give each other mutual support, they entered the water in +reasonably good order and gained the other bank with the loss of +only two men. All the other cavalry units took the same route, +for in spite of the confusion inseparable from such a retreat, +the troopers realised that the bridge had to be left for the +infantry. I must confess that the descent of the slope was one of +the most critical moments in my life... The very steep hillside +was slippery under our horses' feet, and they stumbled at every +pace over numerous outcrops of rock; in addition the constant +hail of grape-shot which was hurled from the enemy guns made our +position highly precarious. I came out of this without any +personal accident, thanks to the courage, determination, and +skill of my excellent Turkish horse, which by walking along the +edge of precipices like a cat on a roof, saved my life, not only +on this occasion but on several others. I shall mention this +admirable creature later. + +The French infantry and cavalry who had been driven down from the +Jau‰r plateau thought themselves safe from their enemies once +they had crossed the river, but the Prussians had sent a strong +column to a bridge upstream of that at Chemochowitz, where they +had crossed the Katzbach, so that having arrived on the bank +which we had quitted in the morning, we were astonished to be +attacked by squadrons of Uhlans. However, in spite of the +surprise, several regiments, among which Marshal Macdonald in his +report mentioned mine, unhesitatingly attacked the enemy... +Nonetheless, I do not know what would have happened without the +arrival of the division of General Saint-Germain. He had remained +on the left bank of the river in the morning, and having in +consequence taken no part in the fighting, found himself in full +readiness to come to our aid. This division composed of two +regiments of carabiniers, a brigade of Cuirassiers, and with six +twelve pounders, fell furiously on the enemy and drove back into +the river all those who had crossed with the aim of cutting off +our retreat, and as there is nothing so terrible as troops who, +having suffered a setback, resume the offensive, the troopers of +Exelmanns' and d'Urbal's divisions slaughtered all whom they +could reach. + +This counter-attack did us much good, for it halted the enemy +who, for that day, did not dare to follow us across the Katzbach. + +However, the French army suffered an immense disaster, for +Marshal Macdonald having crossed the river by all the bridges and +fords which there were between Liegnitz and Goldberg, that is to +say on a line of more than five leagues, and now finding nearly +all these crossing points cut off by flooding, the French army +was extended in a long cordon with the Prussians at their back +and facing an almost uncrossable river, and so the frightful +scenes which I had witnessed on the Jau‰r plateau were reproduced +at all points of the field of battle. Everywhere the rain +prevented our infantry from firing and aided the attacks of the +Prussian cavalry, four times more numerous than ours; everywhere +retreat was made highly perilous by the difficulty of crossing +the flooded Katzbach. Most of the men who tried to swim across +were drowned, Brigadier-general Sibuet being among their number; +we were able to save only a few pieces of artillery. + +Chap. 27. + +After the unhappy affair at the Katzbach, Marshal Macdonald, in +an attempt to re-unite his troops, indicated as rallying points +the towns of Bunzlau, Lauban, and Gorlitz. A pitch-dark night, +rutted roads, and continuous torrential rain made movement slow +and very difficult; and many soldiers, particularly those of our +allies, went astray or lagged behind. + +Napoleon's army lost at the battle of the Katzbach 13,000 men +killed or drowned, 20,000 prisoners, and 50 cannons. A veritable +calamity! Marshal Macdonald, whose faulty tactics had led to this +irreparable catastrophe, although he forfeited the confidence of +the army, was able to retain his personal esteem by the frankness +and loyalty with which he admitted to his mistakes; for the day +following the disaster he called together all the generals and +colonels, and after engaging us to do all we could to maintain +order, he said that every officer and man had done his duty, and +there was only one person who was responsible for the loss of the +battle, and that was himself; because, in view of the rain, he +should not have left a well-broken terrain to go and attack, in a +vast open space, an enemy who squadrons greatly outnumbered our +own, nor, during a rain-storm, have put a river at his back. This +contrite admission disarmed the critics, and everyone buckled to +in order to help save the army, which retreated towards the Elbe +via Bautzen. + +Fate now seemed to be against us; for a few days after Marshal +Oudinot had lost the battle of Gross-Beeren, Macdonald that of +the Katzbach, and Vandamme that of Kulm, the French forces +suffered another major reverse. Marshal Ney, who had succeeded +Oudinot in command of the troops who were destined to march on +Berlin, not having a sufficiently powerful force to accomplish +this difficult task, was defeated at Jutterbach (Juterbog) by the +turncoat Bernadotte, and compelled to quit the right bank of the +Elbe. + +The Emperor came back to Dresden with his Guard. The various +units under the command of Macdonald took up positions not far +from that town, while Marshal Ney, having pushed back the Swedes +to the right bank, concentrated his troops on the left bank at +Dassau and Wittemberg. For almost a fortnight, between the end of +September and the beginning of October, the French army remained +almost motionless around Dresden. My regiment was in bivouac +close to Veissig on the heights of Pilnitz, which were occupied +by a division of infantry supported by the cavalry of Sebastiani +and Exelmans. + +Although there was no official armistice, the weariness of both +sides led to a de facto suspension of hostilities, from which +both parties profited to prepare for new and more terrible +conflicts. + +While we were in camp at Pilnitz, I received a letter from the +colonel of Prussian cavalry to whom I had lent a horse after he +had been captured and injured by the men of my regiment at the +start of the battle of the Katzbach. This senior officer, named +M. de Blankensee, who had been freed by his own troops when +things turned against us, was nonetheless grateful for what I had +done, and to prove it he sent me ten Chasseurs and a lieutenant +belonging to my regiment who had been left wounded on the +battlefield and taken prisoner. M. de Blankensee had seen that +their wounds were dressed, and after caring for them for a +fortnight he had obtained permission to have them led to the +French outposts, with a thousand thanks to me, for having, as he +assured me, saved his life. I believe he was right, but I was +still touched by this expression of thanks from one of the +leaders of our opponents. + +During the time we were in this camp there took place a strange +event which was witnessed by all the regiments. A corporal of the +4th Chasseurs, while drunk, had shown disrespect to an officer, +and a Lancer of the 6th whose horse had bitten him and would not +let go had struck it in the belly with some scissors which led to +its death. Certainly the two men deserved to be punished, but +only by proper disciplinary procedures. General Exelmans +condemned them both to death on his own authority, and having +ordered that the division should mount their horses, he drew them +up in a huge square, one side of which was left open, where two +graves were dug, to the side of which the two convicted men were +led. + +I had been away all night and returned to the camp in time to see +these lugubrious preparations. I had no doubt that the prisoners +had been tried and condemned, but I soon learned that this was +not the case, and drawing near to a group formed by General +Exelmans, the two brigadiers and all the regimental commanders, I +heard M. Devence, Colonel of the 4th Chasseurs, and Colonel +Perquit of the 6th Lancers beg General Exelmans to pardon the two +culprits. General Exelmans refused to do so. + +I have never been able to see an act which I consider unjust +without expressing my indignation. It was perhaps wrong of me, +but I addressed Colonels Devence and Perquit saying that it was +an affront to their dignity that men of their regiments should be +paraded through the camp as criminals when they had not had a +proper trial, and I added, "The Emperor has given no one the +power of life or death, and has reserved for himself the right to +grant pardon." + +General Exelmans was sufficiently influenced by the effect +produced by my outburst to announce that he would pardon the +Chasseur of the 4th, but that the Lancer would be shot; that is +to say he would pardon the soldier who had been disrespectful to +his officer, but condemn to execution the one who had killed a +horse. + +In order to carry out this execution each regiment was asked to +provide two N.C.O.s., but as they did not carry muskets, they +would have to use those belonging to other soldiers. When this +order reached me, I did not reply to my regimental +sergeant-major, who took my meaning; so that no one from the 23rd +presented himself to take part in the execution. General Exelmans +noticed this but said nothing! Eventually a shot rang out, and +all those present muttered with indignation! Exelmans ordered +that, as was usual, the troops would be marched past the corpse. +The march began. My regiment was second in the column and I was +in some doubt whether I should make it march past the unlucky +victim of Exelmans' severity when a great burst of laughter was +heard from the 24th Chasseurs, who were in front of me and had +already arrived at the scene of the execution. I sent a warrant +officer to find out the cause of this unseemly mirth in the +presence of the dead, and I soon discovered that the dead man was +in remarkably good health! + +The truth was that all that had happened was a theatrical +performance staged to scare any soldiers who were tempted to +indiscipline; a performance which included shooting a man with +blanks; and to keep the operation secret from the rank and file, +our chief had formed the firing squad of sous-officiers, to whom +he had issued the blank cartridges. However, to complete the +illusion it was necessary for the troops to view the body, and +Exelmans had told the Lancer who was to play the part to throw +himself on his face at the sound of the shots and pretend to be +dead, then to leave the army the next night, dressed as a peasant +and with a sum of money which he had been given for the purpose; +but the soldier who was a sharp-witted Gascon, had understood +perfectly well that General Exelmans was exceeding his authority, +and had no more right to have him shot without trial than he had +to dismiss him from the army without a proper discharge, and so +he remained standing when the shots were fired and refused to +leave the camp without a pass which would guarantee him from +arrest by the gendarmerie. + +When I learned that it was this discussion between the General +and the dead man which had produced the shouts of laughter from +the 24th Chasseurs at the head of the column, I thought it better +that my regiment did not take part in this comedy which seemed to +me to be as much contrary to discipline as the misdemeanors it +was supposed to punish or prevent. I therefore turned my +squadrons about, and setting off at the trot I left this +unhelpful scene and, returning to the camp, I ordered them to +dismount. My example having been followed by all the brigadiers +and regimental commanders of the division, Exelmans was left +alone with the "dead man", who set off calmly down the road to +the bivouac where he tucked into a meal with his comrades, amid +much more laughter. + +During our stay on the plateau of Pilnitz, the enemy, and above +all the Russians, received many reinforcements, the main one, led +by General Benningsen was of not less than 60,000 men, and was +composed of the corps of Doctoroff and Tolsto‹ and the reserve of +Prince Labanoff. This reserve came from beyond Moscow and +included in its ranks a large number of Tartars and Baskirs, +armed only with bows and arrows. + +I have never understood with what aim the Russian government +brought from so far and at such great expense these masses of +irregular cavalry, who having neither sabres nor lances nor any +kind of firearm, were unable to stand up against trained +soldiers, and served only to strip the countryside and starve the +regular forces, which alone were capable of resisting a European +enemy. Our soldiers were not in the least alarmed at the sight of +these semi-barbarous Asiatics, whom they nicknamed cupids, +because of their bows and arrows. + +Nevertheless, these newcomers, who did not yet know the French, +had been so indoctrinated by their leaders, almost as ignorant as +themselves, that they expected to see us take flight at their +approach; and so they could not wait to attack us. From the very +day of their arrival in sight of our troops they launched +themselves in swarms against them, but having been everywhere +repulsed by gunfire, the Baskirs left a great number of dead on +the ground. + +These losses, far from calming their frenzy, seemed to excite +them still more, for without any order and in all directions, +they buzzed around us like a swarm of wasps, flying all over the +place and being very hard to catch, but when our cavalry did +catch them they effected a fearful massacre, our lances and +sabres being immensely superior to their bows and arrows. All the +same, as the attacks by these barbarians were incessant and the +Russians supported them with detachments of Hussars to profit +from the confusion which the Baskirs could create at various +points on the line, the Emperor ordered the generals to be doubly +watchful, and to make frequent visits to our advance posts. + +Now both sides were preparing to renew hostilities which, as I +have already said, had not been suspended by any agreement, but +simply de facto. All was completely peaceful in my camp, and I +had as usual taken off my coat and was preparing to shave in the +open air before a little mirror nailed to a tree, when I was +given a slap on the shoulder. As I was in the middle of my +regiment, I turned round sharply to see who had used this +familiarity with his commanding officer... I found myself facing +the Emperor, who, wishing to examine some neighbouring positions +without arousing the enemy, had arrived with only one +aide-de-camp. As he was not accompanied by a detachment of his +Guard, he was followed by squadrons chosen in equal numbers from +all the regiments in the division, and having, on his orders, +taken command of this escort, I spent the entire day at his side, +and have nothing but praise for his kindliness. + +When we were preparing to return to Pilnitz, we saw a horde of +Baskirs hurrying towards us, with all the speed of their little +Tarter horses. The Emperor, who had never before seen troops of +this sort, stopped on a hillock and asked for the capture of some +prisoners. To this end, I ordered two squadrons of my regiment to +hide behind a clump of trees, while the remainder continued their +march. This well-known ruse would not have deceived Cossacks, but +it succeeded perfectly with the Baskirs, who have not the +slightest notion of tactics. They passed close to the wood +without sending anyone to inspect it, and were continuing to +follow the column when they were unexpectedly attacked by our +squadrons who, falling on them suddenly, killed a great number +and took some thirty prisoners. + +I had these brought to the Emperor, who, after examining them +expressed his surprise at the spectacle of these wretched +horsemen who were sent, with no other arms than bows and arrows, +to fight European soldiers armed with sabres, lances, guns, and +pistols!... These Tarter Baskirs had Chinese features and wore +extravagant costumes. When we got back to the camp, my Chasseurs +amused themselves by giving wine to the Baskirs who, delighted +with this novel reception, got drunk and expressed their joy by +such extraordinary grimaces and capers that all the watchers, +including Napoleon, were in fits of laughter. + +On the 28th of September, after reviewing our army corps, the +Emperor treated me with quite exceptional benevolence, for +although he very rarely gave more than one reward at a time, he +created me an officer of the Legion of Honour, a Baron, and +awarded me a grant of money!... He loaded favours on the +regiment, saying that it was the only one of Sebastiani's corps +which had maintained good order at the Katzbach, had captured +some enemy guns and had driven off the Prussians whenever they +met them. + +The 23rd Chasseurs owed this distinction to the high praise of +its conduct received by the Emperor from Marshal Macdonald, who, +after the debacle at the Katzbach, had sought refuge in the ranks +of my regiment and had taken part in the fierce charges it made +to drive the enemies back across the river. + +After the review, when the troops were on the road to their camp, +General Exelmans came to the front of the regiment and loudly +complemented them for the recognition given by the Emperor to +their courage. Then, turning to me, he embarked on a veritable, +and exaggerated, eulogy of their colonel. + +The French army now was concentrated in the area of Leipzig. All +the enemy forces also proceeded to the town, around which their +great number allowed them to form a huge circle, which contracted +every day, and whose aim was obviously to hem in the French +troops and cut off all means of retreat. + +On the 14th of October there was a sharp encounter between the +Austro-Russian advance-guard and our own; but after an indecisive +result, both sides returned to their previous positions, and the +action ended with one of the most ridiculous features of war, a +cannonade which went on until nightfall, with no result but the +loss of many men's lives. + +The Emperor, after leaving at Dresden a garrison of 25,000 men +commanded by Marshal Saint-Cyr, came to Leipzig, where he arrived +on the morning of the 15th. + +Chap. 28. + +The exact details of the battle of Leipzig will never be known, +partly because of the extent and complexity of the area over +which fighting continued for several days, and partly because of +the immense number of troops of different nations which took part +in this memorable encounter. It is principally the documents +relating to the French army which are missing, because several +commanders of army corps and divisions, and some members of the +general staff, having been killed or left in enemy hands, most of +their reports have never been finished, and those which have +been, reflect the inevitable haste and disorder surrounding their +compilation. At Leipzig I was the colonel of a regiment, a part +of a division whose movements I was bound to follow, so it was +not possible for me to know what was happening elsewhere, in the +manner which it had been in previous campaigns, when as an +aide-de-camp to various marshals, I was able to acquire a general +view of operations as I carried orders to different parts of the +battlefield. I must therefore, more than ever, limit my +description to what is absolutely necessary for an understanding +of the main events of the battle of Leipzig, the outcome of which +had such a profound influence on the destinies of the Emperor, of +France and of Europe. + +The iron circle within which the allies were preparing to enclose +the French army, had not yet completely surrounded Leipzig, when +the King of Wurtemburg, a man of violence but honourable, thought +it his duty to warn Napoleon that the whole of Germany, incited +by the English, was about to rise against him, and that he had +barely sufficient time to retire with the French troops behind +the Main, before all of the German Confederation abandoned him to +join his enemies. He added that he himself, King of Wurtemburg, +could not avoid doing likewise, as he was forced to accede to the +demands of his subjects, who clamoured for him to go with the +torrent of German public opinion and, breaking with Napoleon, +range himself with the enemies of France. + +The Emperor, shaken by this advice from the most able and most +faithful of his allies, is said to have considered retiring +towards the mountains of Thuringia and Hesse, to get behind the +river Saale and there wait for the allies to attack him, where +they would be at a disadvantage on the difficult terrain, heavily +wooded and full of narrow passes. + +This plan could have saved Napoleon; but it had to be executed +quickly, before the enemy armies were completely united and near +enough to attack us during the retreat. However, when it came to +deciding to abandon a part of his conquests, the Emperor could +not make up his mind; he was most unwilling to have it thought +that he considered himself defeated because he sought refuge +behind these inaccessible mountains. The over-boldness of this +great captain was our undoing; he did not stop to consider that +his army, weakened by numerous losses, contained in its ranks +many foreigners who were waiting only for a favourable +opportunity to betray him, and that it was liable to be +overwhelmed by superior forces in the great open plains of +Leipzig. He would have been wiser to lead it to the mountains of +Thuringia and Hesse, which offered good defensive positions, and +so nullify some of the numerical advantage of the royal +coalition. In addition, the approach of winter and the need to +feed their many troops would have soon compelled the enemies to +separate, while the French army, its front and its flanks +protected by the extreme difficulty of mounting an attack in a +country bristling with natural obstacles, would have had behind +it the fertile valleys of the Main, the Rhine, and the Necker. + +Such a position would at least have given us some time and +perhaps tired the allies to the point of desiring a peace; but +the confidence which Napoleon had in himself and in the valour of +his troops overcame these considerations, and he elected to await +his enemies on the plains of Leipzig. + +This fatal decision had hardly been taken, when a second letter +from the King of Wurtemburg informed the Emperor that the King of +Bavaria, having suddenly changed sides, had made a pact with the +allies, and that the two armies, the Austrian and the Bavarian, +in cantonment on the banks of the Inn, had joined into a single +unit under the command of General de Wrede and were marching to +the Rhine; and finally that, to his regret, he was compelled by +force to join his army to theirs. In consequence, the Emperor +could expect that soon 100,000 men would surround Mainz, and +threaten the frontier of France. + +At this unexpected news, Napoleon thought he should return to the +project of retiring behind the Saale and the mountains of +Thuringia; but it was too late, for already the main forces of +the allies were in contact with the French army, and too close +for it to be possible to carry out a retreat without being +attacked in the course of this difficult operation. So the +Emperor decided to stand and fight!... It was a disastrous +decision, for the effective strength of the French troops and +their allies amounted to no more than 157,000 men, of whom only +29,000 were cavalry, while Prince Schwartzenberg, the enemy +generalissimo, disposed of a force of 350,000, of whom 54,000 +were cavalry!... + +This huge army consisted of Russians, Austrians, Prussians, and +Swedes, whom the former French Marshal Bernadotte was leading +against his fellow countrymen and one-time brothers in arms. The +total number of those engaged amounted to 507,000 without +counting the troops left in fortresses. + +The town of Leipzig is one of the most commercial and richest in +Germany. It stands in the middle of a great plain which extends +from the Elbe to the Harz mountains, to Thuringia, and to +Bohemia. Its situation has made it almost always the principal +theatre for the wars which have bloodied Germany. A little river +named the Elster, which is so small and shallow that one could +call it a stream, runs from south to north through water-meadows +in a slight valley as far as Leipzig. This water-course divides +into a great number of branches which are a real obstacle to the +usual operations of war, and require a multiplicity of bridges +for communication between the villages which edge the valley. + +The Pleisse, another river of the same sort but even smaller than +the Elster, runs about a league and a half from the latter, which +it joins under the walls of Leipzig. + +To the north of the town is a small stream called the Partha +which winds through a narrow valley and has at every pace fords +or little bridges across it. + +Leipzig, being at the confluence of these three streams and +almost surrounded to the north and west by their multiple +branches, is the key to the terrain through which they run. The +town, which is not very large, was at this period surrounded by +an old wall in which were four large gates and three small ones. +The road to Lutzen via Lindenau and Markranstadt was the only one +by which the French army could communicate freely with its rear. + +It is in the area of ground between the Pleisse and the Partha +that the heaviest fighting took place. There, a noticeable +feature is a small isolated hillock called the Kelmberg, known +also as the Swedish redoubt, because in the thirty years war, +Gustavus Adolphus built some fortifications at this spot, which +dominates the surrounding countryside. + +The battle of Leipzig began on the 16th of October 1813 and +lasted three days; but the fighting on the 17th was infinitely +more savage than that on the 16th and 18th. + +Without wishing to go into the details of this memorable +encounter, I think I should indicate the principal positions +occupied by the French army, which will give a general idea of +those of the enemy, since each of our army corps had facing it +one and sometimes two of the enemy. + +King Murat was in control of our right wing, the extremity of +which was bounded by the Pleisse near the villages of Connewitz, +D”litz, and Mark-Kleeberg which were occupied by Prince +Poniatowski and his Poles. Next to him and behind the market-town +of Wachau was the corps of Marshal Victor. Marshal Augereau +occupied D”sen. + +These various corps of infantry were flanked and supported by +several masses of Marshals Kellermann's and Michaud's cavalry. + +The centre, under the direct command of the Emperor, was at +Liebert-Wolkwitz. It was made up of the infantry corps of General +Lauriston and Marshal Macdonald, having with them the cavalry of +Latour-Maubourg and Sebastiani. My regiment, which was part of +this last general's corps, was positioned facing the hillock of +Kelmberg, or the Swedish redoubt. + +The left wing, commanded by Marshal Ney, comprised the infantry +Corps of Marshal Marmont, and of Generals Souham and Reynier, +supported by the cavalry of the Duc de Padoue. They occupied +Taucha. + +A body of 15,000 men under the command of General Bertrand was +sent from Leipzig to guard the crossings of the Elster and the +road to Lutzen. + +At Probstheyda, behind our centre, was the reserve commanded by +Marshal Oudinot and consisting of the young and the Old Guard, +and Nansouty's cavalry. + +The venerable King of Saxony, who had been unwilling to desert +his friend the Emperor of France, remained in the town of Leipzig +with his guard and several French regiments who were there to +maintain order. + + +During the night of 15th-16th, Marshal Macdonald's troops were +moved to concentrate in Liebert-Wolkwitz, leaving the area of the +Kelmberg: but as there was no wish to abandon this position to +the enemy before dawn, I was told to keep it under surveillance +until first light. This was an operation of some delicacy, since +I had to advance with my regiment to the foot of the hillock, +while the French army retired for half a league in the opposite +direction. I ran the risk of being surrounded and perhaps +captured with all my men by the enemy advance-guard, whose scouts +would not fail to climb to the top of the hillock as soon as the +dawn light allowed them to see what was going on in the vast +plains below them, which were occupied by the French army. + +The weather was superb and, although it was night, one could see +reasonably well by the light of the stars; but as in these +circumstances it is much easier to see what is overhead than to +see what is below one's feet, I brought my squadrons as close as +possible to the hillock so that its shadow would conceal the +riders, and after ordering silence and immobility, I awaited +events. + +The event which fortune had in store was one which could have +changed the future of France and the Emperor and made my name for +ever celebrated! + +Half an hour before first light, three riders, coming from the +direction of the enemy, climbed, at walking pace, the hillock of +Kelmberg, from where they could not see us, although we could see +clearly their silhouettes and hear their conversation. They were +speaking in French, the one being Russian and the other two +Prussians. The first, who seemed to have some authority over his +companions, ordered one of them to go and inform their majesties +that there were no Frenchmen at this spot, and they could climb +up, for in a few minutes it would be possible to see the whole of +the plain; but they should do this right away, in case the French +sent sharp-shooters to the area. + +The officer to whom these words were addressed observed that the +escort was still a long way off. "What does it matter?" was the +reply, "There is no one here but us." At these words my troops +and I redoubled our attention, and soon we saw on the top of the +hillock some twenty enemy officers, of whom one dismounted. + +Although on setting up an ambush, I had no expectation of making +any great capture, I had, however warned my officers that if we +saw anyone on the Swedish redoubt, at a signal from me two +squadrons would go round it, one to left and one to right, in +order to encircle any enemy who had risked coming so close to our +army. I had high hopes, when the over-keenness of one of my +troopers ruined my plan. This man having accidently dropped his +sabre, immediately took his carbine, and fearing that he would be +late when I gave the order to attack, he fired into the middle of +the group, killing a Prussian major. + +You may imagine how, in an instant, all the enemy officers, who +had no other guard but a few orderlies, seeing themselves on the +point of being surrounded, made off at the gallop. We dared not +follow them too far for fear of falling ourselves into the hands +of the approaching escorts. We did manage to capture two +officers, from whom we could get no information; but I learned +later from my friend, Baron de Stoch, who was a colonel in the +guard of the Grand Duke of Darmstadt, that the Emperor Alexander +of Russia and the King of Prussia had been among the group of +officers who almost fell into French hands, an event which would +have changed the destiny of Europe. However, fate having decided +otherwise, there was nothing left for me to do but to withdraw +smartly with my regiment to the French lines. + +On the 16th of October at eight o'clock in the morning, the +allied batteries gave the signal for the attack. A lively +cannonade was directed at our lines and the allied army marched +towards us from every point. The fighting commenced on our right, +where the Poles, driven back by the Prussians, abandoned the +village of Mark-Kleeberg. + +At our centre the Russians and the Austrians attacked Wachau and +Liebert-Wolkwitz six times and were repeatedly repulsed with +great losses. The Emperor regretting, no doubt, that he had +abandoned that morning the Swedish redoubt which the enemy had +occupied and from where their gunners rained down grape-shot, +ordered its recapture, which was promptly carried out by the 22nd +Light Infantry aided by my regiment. + +Having obtained this first success, the Emperor, not being able +to outflank the enemy wings because their superior numbers +allowed them to present too long a front, decided to keep them +occupied while he attempted to break through their centre. To +this end, he sent Marshal Mortier to Wachau with two divisions of +infantry, and Marshal Oudinot with the Young Guard. General +Drout, with sixty cannons aided the attack, which was successful. + +For his part, Marshal Victor overcame and routed the Russian +Corps commanded by Prince Eugene of Wurtemberg; but after +suffering considerable losses, the Prince was able to rally his +Corps at Gossa. + +At this moment General Lauriston and Marshal Macdonald debouched +from Liebert-Wolkwitz and the enemy was overthrown. The French +then took possession of the wood of Grosspossnau. General Maison +was wounded in the taking of this important point. + +It was in vain that the numerous Austrian cavalry commanded by +General Klenau and aided by a host of Cossacks tried to restore +the situation, they were defeated by General Sebastian's cavalry +corps. This was a very fierce encounter; my regiment took part; +I lost several men and my senior Major was wounded in the chest +by a lance, having failed to protect himself by carrying his +rolled cape. + +Prince Schwartzenberg, seeing his line badly shaken, advanced his +reserves to support it, which decided the Emperor to order a +massive cavalry charge which involved the two corps of Kellermann +and Latour-Maubourg as well as the Dragoons of the Guard. +Kellermann overcame a division of Russian Cuirassiers, but taken +on the flank by another division he had to fall back to the +heights of Wachau after taking several enemy flags. + +King Murat then advanced the French infantry and the fighting was +renewed. The Russian Corps of the Prince of Wurtemberg was once +more overwhelmed and lost twenty-six guns. This treatment +resulted in the enemy centre yielding and it was about to give +way when the Emperor of Russia, who had witnessed the disaster, +rapidly advanced the numerous cavalry of his guard which, +encountering the squadrons of Latour-Maubourg in the state of +confusion which always follows an all-out charge, repelled them +in their turn and took back twenty-four of the guns which they +had just captured. It was during this charge that General +Latour-Maubourg had his leg carried away by a cannon-ball. + +So far neither side had secured a marked advantage and Napoleon, +to achieve a victory, had just launched against the enemy centre +the reserve consisting of the infantry and cavalry of the Old +Guard and a corps of fresh troops newly arrived from Leipzig, +when a regiment of enemy cavalry which had either deliberately or +accidently got behind French lines created some alarm amongst the +moving troops, who halted and formed a square so as not to be +taken by surprise, and before it was possible to find out the +cause of this alert, night had everywhere suspended military +operations. + +There had been other events on our extreme right. For the whole +day General Merfeld had tried fruitlessly to secure a passage +across the Pleisse, defended by Poniatowski's Corps and his +Poles; however, towards the end of the day, he managed to take +the village of D”litz, which compromised our right wing; but the +infantry Chasseurs of the Old Guard, having come from the reserve +at the Pas de Charge chased the Austrians back across the river +and took some hundreds of prisoners, among whom was General +Merfeld, who found himself for the third time, in French hands. + +Although the Poles had allowed the capture of D”litz, the +Emperor, to boost their morale, thought he should give the baton +of a marshal of France to their leader, Prince Poniatowski, who +did not enjoy the honour of bearing it for very long. + +On the other side of the river Elster, the Austrian General +Giulay had taken the village of Lindenau after seven hours of +fierce fighting. When the Emperor was told of this serious event, +which compromised the way of retreat for the major part of his +troops, he ordered an attack by General Bertrand, who re-took the +position by a vigourous bayonet charge. + +On our left, the impatience of Ney nearly led to a major +catastrophe. The Marshal, who commanded the left wing which had +been placed in position by the Emperor, seeing that by ten +o'clock in the morning no enemy troops had appeared, sent, on his +own authority, one of his army corps, commanded by General +Souham, to Wachau, where there seemed to be an active engagement; +but while this ill-considered movement was being carried out, the +Prussian Marshal Blucher, who had been delayed, arrived with the +Silesian army and captured the village of M”ckern. Then Ney, +deprived of a part of his force, and having at his disposal only +Marmont's division, was compelled to withdraw to the walls of +Leipzig and do no more than defend the suburb of Halle. + +The French lost many men in this engagement, which also had a +very disturbing effect on those of our soldiers who were in +positions in front of or to one side of Leipzig, for they heard +the sound of cannon and small-arms fire coming from behind them. +However, at about eight in the evening, the fighting ceased in +all parts and the night was peaceful. + +Chap. 29. + +This first day led to no decisive victory; but the French had the +advantage, since with very much smaller numbers, they had not +only held their own against the coalition, but had driven them +off some of the ground they had occupied the day before. + +The troops on both sides were preparing to renew the fighting on +the following morning; but contrary to their expectations, the +17th passed without any hostile movement on the part of either +side. The coalition was awaiting the arrival of the Russian +Polish army, and the troops which were being brought by the +Prince Royal of Sweden, Bernadotte, which would greatly increase +their strength. + +For his part, Napoleon, now regretting his rejection of the peace +offers which had been made to him two months previously during +the armistice, hoped to have some result from a peace mission +which he had sent the previous evening to the allied sovereigns +through the Austrian General Comte de Merfeld, who had recently +been taken prisoner. + +Here could be seen a strange sequence of events. It was the Comte +de Merfeld who sixteen years previously had come to ask General +Bonaparte, then the commander of the army in Italy, for the +armistice of Leoben. It was he who had brought back to Vienna the +peace treaty concluded between the Austrian government and the +directory, represented by General Bonaparte. It was he who had +carried to the French emperor, on the night following the Battle +of Austerlitz, the proposal for an armistice made by the Austrian +Emperor; now, as a remarkable turn of fate had brought General +Merfeld once more into the Emperor's presence at a moment when he +in his turn was in need of an armistice and peace, he had high +hopes that this intermediary would return with the result he +desired. However things had gone too far for the allied +sovereigns to treat with Napoleon, from whom such a plea denoted +the weakness of his position. So, although unable to conquer us +on the 16th, they hoped to overcome us by a renewed effort with +their superior numbers, and relied heavily on the defection of +the German units which were still with us, and whose leaders, all +members of the secret society, the Tugenbund, took advantage of +the lull in hostilities of the 17th to agree on the manner in +which they would execute their treacherous designs. The Comte de +Merfeld's mission did not even receive a reply. + +On the morning of the 18th, the coalition began its attack. The +2nd Cavalry Corps, of which my regiment was a part, was placed as +it had been on the 16th, between Liebert-Wolkwitz and the +Kelmberg. The fighting, which broke out everywhere was fiercest +towards our centre at the village of Probstheyda which was +attacked simultaneously by a Russian and a Prussian Corps, who +were driven off with tremendous losses. The Russians vigourously +attacked Holzhausen, which Macdonald defended successfully. + +About eleven o'clock, a cannonade was heard from behind Leipzig, +in the direction of Lindenau, and we learned that at this point +our troops had broken through the ring within which the enemy +believed they could contain the French army, and that General +Bertrand's corps was marching towards Weissenfeld in the +direction of the Rhine, without the enemy being able to stop him. +The Emperor then ordered to evacuation of the equipment to +Lutzen. + +Meanwhile, the Leipzig plateau around Connewitz and L”ssnig was +the scene of a massive engagement; the earth shook with the noise +of a thousand cannon, and the enemy tried to force a passage +across the Pleisse. They were driven back, although the Poles +managed to ruin some of the bayonet charges made by our infantry. +Then the 1st French Cavalry Corps, seeing the Austrian and +Prussian squadrons going to the aid of their allies, emerged from +behind the village of Probstheyda and hurled themselves at the +enemy, whom they overwhelmed and drove back to their reserves +which were led by Prince Constantine of Russia. Defeated again at +this spot the allies built up an immense force in order to +capture Probstheyda, but this formidable mass had such a hot +reception from some divisions of our infantry and the infantry +Chasseurs of the Old Guard that they promptly withdrew. We lost +there Generals Vial and Rochambeau. The latter had just been made +a Marshal of France by the Emperor. + +Bernadotte had not yet attacked the French and seemed, it was +said, to waver; but at last urged on or even threatened by the +Prussian Marshal Blucher, he decided to cross the Partha above +the village of Mockau, at the head of his troops and a Russian +corps which had been placed under his command. When a brigade of +Saxon Hussars and Lancers which was positioned at this point saw +approaching the Cossacks who preceded Bernadotte, they marched +towards them as if to give battle; but then, turning round +suddenly and forgetting about their aged King, our ally who was +in the midst of Napoleon's troops, the infamous Saxons aimed +their muskets and cannons at the French! + +This force led by Bernadotte, following the left bank of the +Partha, headed for Sellerhausen which was defended by Reynier. +Reynier, whose corps was almost entirely made up of German +contingents, having seen the desertion of the Saxon cavalry, +distrusted their infantry, which he had placed next to the +cavalry of Durette in order to restrain them; but Marshal Ney, +with misplaced confidence, ordered him to deploy the Saxons and +send them to assist a French regiment which was defending the +village of Paunsdorf. The Saxons had gone only a little distance +from the French, when seeing the Prussian ensigns in the fields +of Paunsdorf they ran towards them at top speed, led by the +shameless General Russel, their commander. Some French officers +could not believe such treachery, and thought that the Saxons +were going to attack the Prussians; so that General Gressot, +Reynier's chief-of-staff rushed towards them to moderate what he +thought was an excess of zeal, only to find himself confronted by +enemies! This defection of an entire army corps produced a +frightening gap in the French centre, and had the additional +effect of raising the allied morale. The Wurtemberg cavalry +promptly followed the example of the Saxons. + +Not only did Bernadotte welcome the perfidious Saxons into his +ranks, but he used their artillery to bolster up his own, which +the former Marshal of France now aimed at Frenchmen. + +The Saxons had scarcely entered the enemy ranks when they +celebrated their treachery by firing at us a hail of projectiles, +many of which were directed to my regiment, for I lost some +thirty men, among whom was Captain Bertain, an excellent officer +who had his head taken off by a cannon-ball. + +So now it was Bernadotte, a man for whom French blood had +procured a throne, who was attempting to deliver to us the coup +de grace. + +Amid this general disloyalty, the King of Wurtemberg presented an +honourable exception, for as I have said, he had informed +Napoleon that circumstances forced him to renounce his +friendship; but even after he had taken this final step, he +ordered his troops not to attack the French without giving them +ten days warning, and although he was now an enemy of France, he +dismissed from his army the general and several officers who had +handed over their troops to the Russians at the battle of +Leipzig, and withdrew all their decorations from the turncoat +regiments. + +Probstheyda, however, continued to be the theatre of a most +murderous struggle. The Old Guard, deployed behind the village, +held itself in readiness to hasten to the aid of its defenders. +Bulow's Prussian corps having attempted to push forward, was +heavily defeated; but we lost in the action General Delmas, a +distinguished soldier and a man of high principles who, having +been involved with Napoleon since the creation of the Empire, had +spent ten years in retirement, but asked to be returned to active +service when he saw his country in danger. + +Facing a terrible cannonade, and continual attacks, the French +line remained steadfastly in position. Towards our left, Marshal +Macdonald and General Sebastiani were holding the ground between +Probstheyda and St”tteritz, in spite of numerous attacks by +Klenau's Austrians and the Russians of Doctoroff, when they were +assailed by a charge of more than 20,000 Cossacks and Baskirs, +the efforts of the latter being directed mainly at Sebastiani's +cavalry. + +With much shouting, these barbarians rapidly surrounded our +squadrons, against which they launched thousands of arrows, which +did very little damage because the Baskirs, being entirely +irregulars, do not know how to form up in ranks and they go about +in a mob like a flock of sheep, with the result that the riders +cannot shoot horizontally without wounding or killing their +comrades who are in front of them, but shoot their arrows into +the air to describe an arc which will allow them to descend on +the enemy. But as this system does not permit any accurate aim, +nine-tenths of the arrows miss their target, and those that do +arrive have used up in their ascent the impulse given to them by +the bow, and fall only under their own weight, which is very +small, so that they do not as a rule inflict any serious +injuries. In fact, the Baskirs, having no other arms, are +undoubtedly the world's least dangerous troops. + +However, since they attacked us in swarms, and the more one +killed of these wasps, the more seemed to arrive, the huge number +of arrows which they discharged into the air of necessity caused +a few dangerous wounds. Thus, one of my finest N.C.O.s. by the +name of Meslin had his body pierced by an arrow which entered his +chest and emerged at his back. The brave fellow, taking two +hands, broke the arrow and pulled out the remaining part, but +this did not save him, for he died a few moments later. This is +the only example which I can remember of death being caused by a +Baskir arrow, but I had several men and horses hit, and was +myself wounded by this ridiculous weapon. + +I had my sabre in my hand, and I was giving orders to an officer, +when, on raising my arm to indicate the point to which he was to +go, I felt my sabre encounter a strange resistance and was aware +of a slight pain in my right thigh, in which was embedded for +about an inch, a four-foot arrow which in the heat of battle I +had not felt. I had it extracted by Dr. Parot and put in one of +the boxes in the regimental ambulance, intending to keep it as a +memento; but unfortunately it got lost. + +You will understand that for such a minor injury I was not going +to leave the regiment, particularly at such a critical time... +The reinforcements brought by Bernadotte and Blucher were +determinedly attacking the village of Sch”nfeld, not far from +where the Partha enters Leipzig. Generals Lagrange and +Friederichs, who were defending this important point, repelled +seven assaults and seven times drove the allies out of houses +they had captured. General Friederichs was killed during this +action; he was a fine officer who among his other qualities, was +the most handsome man in the French army. + +Nevertheless, it looked as if the allies might take Sch”nfeld +until Marshal Ney went to the aid of the village, which remained +in French hands. Marshal Ney received a blow on his shoulder +which forced him to leave the field of battle. + +By nightfall the troops of both sides were, in most parts of the +line, in the same positions which they had occupied at the +beginning of the battle. In the evening my troopers and those of +all the divisions of Sebastiani's cavalry tethered their horses +to the same pickets which they had used for the three preceding +days, and almost all the battalions occupied the same bivouacs. +So this battle which our enemies have celebrated as a great +success, was in fact indecisive, since being greatly inferior in +numbers, having almost all the nations of Europe against us and +harbouring a crowd of traitors in our ranks, we had not yielded +an inch of ground. The English general, Sir Robert Wilson, who +was in Leipzig in the role of British representative and whose +testimony cannot be suspected of partiality, said of this battle: + +"In spite of the defection of the Saxon army in the middle of the +battle, in spite of the courage and perseverance of the allied +troops, it proved impossible to take from the French any of the +villages which they regarded as essential to their position. +Night ended the fighting, leaving the French, and in particular +the defenders of Probstheyda, in the well-earned position of +having inspired in their enemies a generous measure of +respect..." + +After sunset, when it was beginning to grow dark, I was ordered +to put a stop, at the front of my regiment, to the useless +exchange of fire which usually goes on after a serious +engagement. There is some difficulty in separating men on both +sides who have been fighting each other, the more so because, to +prevent the enemy from knowing what is going on, and making use +of it to fall unexpectedly on our advance-posts, one cannot use +drums or trumpets to instruct the infantrymen to cease fire and +to form up to rejoin their regiments; but a warning is given to +platoon commanders, in quiet tones, and they then send +sous-officiers to look silently for the small, scattered groups. +As the enemy were doing the same, the firing gradually grew less +and soon stopped entirely. + +To make sure that no sentinel was forgotten and that this little +withdrawal to bivouac was carried out in good order, it was my +custom to have it supervised by an officer. The one who was on +duty on this evening was a Captain Joly, a brave and well-trained +officer but inclined to be obstinate. He had given evidence of +this trait some months before the battle when, given the job of +distributing some officer's remounts which had been presented on +the Emperor's instructions to those who had taken part in the +Russian campaign, M. Joly, ignoring my advice and that of his +friends, had selected for himself a magnificent light grey, which +neither I nor my friends would have because of its striking +colour, and which I had at first reserved for the trumpeters. So +on the evening of the battle of Leipzig, while M. Joly, in +carrying out his duty, was riding at a walk behind the lines of +infantry, his horse stood out so clearly in spite of the failing +light, that it was picked on by the enemy and both horse and +rider were seriously wounded. The captain had a musket ball +through his body and died during the night in a house in the +suburb of Halle, to where, on the previous evening, I had sent +Major Pozac. + +Although the latter's wound was not dangerous, he was grieved to +think that the French army would probably leave and he would +become a prisoner of the enemy, who would deprive him of the +sabre of honour which he had been awarded by the First Consul +after the battle of Marengo when he was still only a +sous-officier; but I calmed his anxieties by taking charge of the +precious sabre which, given into the care of one of the +regimental surgeons, was handed back to Pozac when he returned to +France. + +Chap. 30. + +The calm of the night having replaced in the fields of Leipzig +the terrible battles which they had just witnessed, the leaders +of both sides could examine their positions. + +That of the Emperor Napoleon was the least favourable: if one +could blame this great man for not retreating behind the Saale +eight days before the battle, when he could have still avoided +risking the safety of his army, which was threatened by +infinitely more numerous forces, there is now even more reason to +disapprove of his judgement when, at Leipzig, one sees him +completely surrounded on the field of battle by his enemies. I +use the word "completely" because, on the 18th, at eleven in the +morning, Lichtenstein's Austrian corps seized the village of +Kleinzschocher, on the left bank of the Elster, and for a time +the route from Leipzig to Weissenfels, the only way of escape for +the French, was cut and Napoleon's army entirely encircled. + +It is true that this situation did not last for more than half an +hour, but would Napoleon not have been wiser to avoid all the +consequences which might have arisen from such an event by taking +shelter behind the mountains of Thuringia and the river Saale +before all the enemy forces could combine to surround him? + +We now come to a very critical situation!... The French had held +on to their positions for the three days of the battle, but this +success had been achieved only at the expense of much blood, for +in killed and wounded we had 40,000 casualties! It is true that +the enemy had suffered 60,000, a figure greatly to their +disadvantage, which was attributable to the persistence with +which they attacked our entrenched positions. As, however, they +had many more men than we did, having lost 40,000 we were +proportionately much more weakened than they were. + +In addition to this, the French artillery had fired during the +three days 220,000 rounds, of which 95,000 were fired on the +18th, and there were no more than 16,000 rounds left in the +reserves, that is to say enough to continue in action for only +two hours. This shortage of ammunition, which should have been +foreseen before we engaged a powerful enemy so far from our +frontiers, prevented Napoleon from renewing the battle, which he +might possibly have won, and forced him to order a retreat. + +This was a movement which it was very difficult to carry out, +because of the nature of the terrain which we occupied, which was +full of water-meadows and streams and traversed by three rivers +which created many narrow defiles which would have to be +negotiated under the eyes and within close range of the enemy, +who might easily throw our ranks into disorder during this +perilous march. + +There was only one means of assuring our retreat, and that was +the construction of a large number of pathways and footbridges +across the meadows, ditches, and small streams, together with +larger bridges across the Partha, the Pleisse, and principally, +over the Elster, which was joined by these various tributaries at +the gates and even within the town of Leipzig. Now, nothing could +have been easier than the creation of these indispensable means +of passage, for the town and suburbs of Leipzig, barely a +musket-shot away, offered a ready source of planks and beams, +girders, nails, and rope etc. The whole army believed that +numerous crossing places had been made since their arrival before +Leipzig, and that these had been increased on the 16th and above +all on the 17th, when the whole day had passed without any +fighting. Well!... for a number of deplorable reasons and by +unbelievable negligence, nothing whatsoever had been done!... and +among those official documents which we possess relating to this +famous battle, one can find nothing, absolutely nothing, which +would show that any measures had been taken to facilitate, in +case of a retreat, the movement of the many columns which were in +action beyond the obstructions formed by the rivers and the +streets of Leipzig and its suburbs. None of the officers who +escaped from the disaster, nor any of the authors who have +written about it, have been able to show that any of the senior +staff of the army took steps to establish new crossing points or +to ensure free use of those which existed. Only General Pelet, +who is a great admirer of Napoleon and who, for this reason, is +sometimes given to exaggeration, writing fifteen years after the +battle, states that M. Odier, the deputy quartermaster of the +Imperial Guard, told him several times that he was present when +one morning (he does say on what day) the Emperor ordered a +general on his staff to look into the construction of bridges and +made him specially responsible for the task. General Pelet does +not disclose the name of the general to whom the Emperor gave +this order, although it would be most important to know it. + +M. Fain, Napoleon's secretary, says in his memoirs "The Emperor +ordered the construction in the neighbouring marshes of new +pathways which would ease the passage of this long defile." + +I do not know how much credit history will give to the accuracy +of these assertions; but even supposing them to be true, there +are those who think that the head of the French army should have +done more than give an order to a general staff officer, who +perhaps did not have at his disposal sappers or the necessary +material, and that he should have given the responsibility for +creating new crossing points to several officers, at least one +from every regiment in each army corps, for it is plain that no +one was doing anything. Here now is the truth of the matter, +which is known to very few people. + +The Emperor had for head of his general staff, Marshal Prince +Berthier, who had never left him since the Italian campaign of +1796. He was capable, precise, and loyal but having often +suffered the effects of the imperial temper, he had developed +such a fear of Napoleon's outbursts that he had decided never to +take the initiative on any matter, never to ask any questions, +and simply to carry out those orders he received in writing. This +system, which maintained good relations between the Major-general +and his chief, was harmful to the interests of the army; for no +matter how great the Emperor's energy and ability, it was +impossible for him to see everything and undertake everything; +and so if he overlooked something of importance nothing was done. + +It seems that this is what happened at Leipzig, where, when +almost all the marshals and generals had on several occasions, +and particularly on the last two days, pointed out to Berthier +how necessary it was to provide adequate ways out, in the event +of a retreat, his invariable reply had been "The Emperor has not +ordered it." No materials were supplied, and so not a plank nor +beam had been placed across a rivulet when, during the night of +18th-19th the Emperor ordered a retreat to Weissenfels and the +river Saale. + +The allies had suffered such heavy losses that they felt it +impossible to renew the struggle. They did not dare to attack us +afresh, and were on the point of retiring themselves when they +noticed the heavy equipment of the army heading for Weissenfels +via Lindenau, and realised that Napoleon was preparing to +retreat. Whereupon they took steps to place themselves in a +position to profit from any opportunities which this movement +might present to them. + +The most unhappy moment of a retreat, particularly for a unit +commander, is that when he has to leave behind those wounded whom +he is compelled to abandon to the mercy of the enemy, who +frequently does not have any, and robs and murders those who are +too badly injured to follow their comrades. However, since the +worst of all things is to be left lying on the ground, I took +advantage of the night to have my men pick up all the wounded +from my regiment, whom I put in two adjoining houses, firstly to +shield them from the drunken fury of the enemy, who would occupy +the suburb, and secondly to allow them to help one another and +keep up their spirits. An assistant surgeon, M. Bordenave, +offered to remain with them. I accepted his offer, and after the +peace I recommended this estimable doctor, whose care saved the +lives of many men, for the award of the Legion of Honour. + +The troops now began their march away from the battlefield where +they had shown so much courage and shed so much blood! The +Emperor left his bivouac at eight in the evening and went to the +town, where he stayed at an inn named the "Prussian Arms" in the +horse market, and after giving some orders he went to visit the +aged King of Saxony, whom he found preparing to follow him. + +This King, a devoted friend, expected that to punish his +unshakable adherence to the French Emperor, the allied sovereigns +would seize his kingdom, but what grieved him more was the +thought that his army had been dishonoured by deserting to the +enemy. Napoleon was unable to comfort the good old man, and it +was with difficulty that he persuaded him to remain in Leipzig, +in the heart of his state, and send an envoy to the confederates +to ask for terms. + +When this emissary had left, the Emperor said adieu to the old +King, the Queen and the Princess their daughter, a model of +virtue who had followed her father even to face the guns of the +enemy. The separation was made more unhappy when it was learned +that the allies would make no promises about the fate reserved +for the Saxon monarch, who would thus be at their mercy. He ruled +over some fine provinces, an invitation to his enemies to be +implacable. + +About eight in the evening the retreat began, with the corps of +Marshals Victor and Augereau, the ambulances, a part of the +artillery, the cavalry, and the Imperial Guard. While these +troops filed through the suburb of Lindenau, Marshals Ney, +Marmont and General Reynier guarded the suburbs of Halle and +Rosenthal. The Corps of Lauriston, Macdonald and Poniatowski +entered the town in succession and took up positions at the +barriers which pierced the walls, all was thus arranged for a +stubborn resistance by the rear-guard to allow the army to +retreat in good order. Nevertheless, Napoleon wished to spare +Leipzig the horrors which always result from fighting in the +streets, and so he permitted the magistrates to address a request +to the allied sovereigns asking them to allow, by an armistice of +a few hours, the peaceful evacuation of the town. This proposal +was rejected and the allies, hoping that the rear-guard might be +thrown into a confusion by which they could profit, did not +hesitate to expose to the risk of total destruction one of the +finest towns in Germany. + +Several French generals then suggested, indignantly, to Napoleon +that he could assure the retreat of his army by massing it in the +centre of the town and then setting fire to all the suburbs +except that of Lindenau, by which our troops could leave while +the fire held up the enemy. + +In my opinion, the allies' refusal to consent to an arrangement +which would allow the retreat to be carried on without fighting, +gave us the right to employ all possible means of defence, and +fire being the most effective in such a situation, we should have +used it; but Napoleon could not bring himself to do so, and this +excessive magnanimity cost him his throne, for the fighting which +I am about to describe resulted in the loss of almost as many men +as the three days of battle in which we had just been involved, +and worse even than that, it disorganised the army which would +otherwise have arrived in France still a potent force. The stiff +resistance which for three months the weak remnants put up +against the allies is evidence enough of what we might have done +if all the French fighting men who had survived the great battle +had crossed the Rhine in good order with their weapons. France +would probably have repelled the invaders. + +That, however is not what happened, for while Napoleon, with what +I regard as misplaced generosity, refused to burn an enemy town +in order to ensure the unopposed retreat of part of his army, the +infamous Bernadotte, dissatisfied with the ardour displayed by +the allies in destroying his fellow Frenchmen, launched all the +troops under his command against the suburb of Taucha, captured +it and from there reached the avenues of the town. + +Encouraged by this example, Marshal Blucher and his Prussians, +the Austrians, and the Russians did the same and attacked from +all sides the tail end of the French, who were retreating towards +the bridge at Lindenau. Finally, for good measure, a lively +fusillade broke out near this bridge, the only way for our troops +to cross the Elster. This fusillade came from the battalions of +the Saxon guard who had been left in the town with their King, +and who, regretting not to have deserted with the other regiments +of their army, wanted to show their German patriotism by +attacking from behind the French who were passing the chateau +where their monarch was in residence!... It was in vain that the +venerable prince appeared on the balcony, amidst the firing, +crying out "Kill me, you cowards! Kill your King, so that I may +not witness your dishonour!" The wretches continued to slaughter +the French, while the King, going back to his apartments, took +the flag of his Guard and threw it in the fire. + +A parting stab in the back was given to our troops by a battalion +of men from Baden who, being notorious cowards, had been left in +the town during the battle to split logs for the fires of the +bakery. These worthless Badeners, sheltered by the walls of the +big bakery, fired from its windows on our soldiers, of whom they +killed a great many. + +The French fought back bravely from house to house and although +the whole of the allied force was massed in the town filling the +avenues and main streets, our troops disputed every foot of +ground as they retired towards the big bridge across the Elster +at Lindenau. + +The Emperor had difficulty in getting out of the town and +reaching the outskirts through which the army was marching. He +stopped and dismounted at the last of the smaller bridges, known +as the mill bridge and it was then that he ordered the big bridge +to be mined. He sent orders to Marshals Ney, Macdonald, and +Poniatowski to hold the town for a further twenty-four hours, or +at least until nightfall, to allow the artillery park, the +equipment, and the rear-guard time to go through the suburb and +across the bridges. But the Emperor had scarcely remounted his +horse and gone a thousand paces down the road towards Lutzen when +suddenly there was a massive explosion!... + +The big bridge across the Elster had been blown up! Macdonald, +Lauriston, Reynier, and Poniatowski, with their troops as well as +200 artillery pieces, were still on the streets of Leipzig and +all means of retreat were now cut off. It was a total +disaster!... + +To explain this catastrophe, it was said later that some Prussian +and Swedish infantrymen, for whom the Badeners had opened the +Halle gate, had gradually worked their way to the region of the +bridge where, having joined some of the Saxon guard, they had +occupied some houses from which they started to fire on the +French columns. The sapper charged with the responsibility of +detonating the mine was deceived by this fire into thinking that +the enemy had arrived, and that the time had come for him to +carry out his mission, and so he put a light to the fuse. Others +blamed a colonel of the engineers named Montfort, who at the +sight of some enemy infantrymen had taken it on himself to order +the detonation of the explosives. This last version was adopted +by the Emperor, and M. de Monfort was put on a charge and made a +scapegoat for the fatal event, but it later became clear that he +had nothing to do with it. However this may be, the army laid the +blame once more on the Major-general, Prince Berthier, and it was +justly claimed that he should have put the protection of the +bridge in the hands of an entire brigade, whose general should +have been made personally responsible for giving the order to +blow it up, when he thought the moment had come to do so. Prince +Berthier defended himself with his usual response "The Emperor +had not ordered it!..." + +After the destruction of the bridge, some of the French whose +retreat was thus cut off, jumped into the Elster in the hope of +swimming across. Several of them succeeded in doing so, Marshal +Macdonald being among them; but the greater number, including +among others Prince Poniatowski, were drowned, because after +crossing the river they were unable to climb the muddy bank, +which was lined by enemy soldiers. + +Those of our soldiers who were trapped in the town and its +suburbs aimed only to sell their lives as dearly as possible. +They barricaded themselves behind the houses and fought all day +and part of the night, but when their ammunition was exhausted +they were forced to retire into their improvised defences where +they were nearly all slaughtered! The carnage did not end until +two o'clock in the morning!... + +The number of those massacred in the houses is given as 13,000, +while 25,000 were taken prisoner. The enemy collected 250 +cannons. + +After describing in general the events which followed the battle +of Leipzig, I shall now describe some of those which related +particularly to my regiment and Sebastiani's cavalry corps to +which it belonged. Seeing that we had for three consecutive days +repelled the enemy attacks and maintained our positions on the +field of battle, the men were greatly surprised and disgusted +when, in the evening of the 18th, we learned that because of +shortage of ammunition we were about to retreat. We hoped that at +least(and that appeared to be the Emperor's intention) we would +go no further than across the river Saale to the proximity of the +fortress of Erfurt, where we could renew our stocks of ammunition +and recommence hostilities. So we mounted our horses at eight in +the evening on the 18th of October, and abandoned the battlefield +on which we had fought for three days and where we left the +bodies of so many of our gallant comrades. + +We had hardly left our bivouac when we ran into some of the +difficulties arising from the failure of the general staff to +make any arrangements for the withdrawal of such a large body of +troops. At every minute the columns, particularly the artillery +and cavalry, were held up by the need to cross wide ditches, +bogs, and streams over which it would have been easy to put small +bridges! Wheels and horses sank into the mud and, the night being +very dark, there was congestion everywhere; our progress was +therefore extremely slow, even when we were in the open country, +and often completely arrested in the streets of the suburbs and +the town. My regiment which was at the front of the column formed +by Excelmans' division, which led this wearisome march, did not +reach the bridge at Lindenau until four in the morning on the +19th. When we had crossed over, we were far from foreseeing the +appalling catastrophe which would occur in a few hours. + +Day broke; the fine, wide road was covered by troops of all arms, +which showed that the army would still be of considerable +strength on arriving at the Saale. The Emperor passed... but as +he galloped along the side of the marching column, he did not +hear the cheers which usually greeted his presence!... The army +was displeased with the little effort which had been made to +secure its retreat since leaving the battlefield. What would the +troops have said if they had known of the inadequate arrangements +made at the Elster, which they had just crossed, but where so +many of their comrades would lose their lives? + +It was during a halt at Markranstadt, a little town some three +leagues from Leipzig, that we heard the explosion of the mine +which destroyed the bridge; but instead of being alarmed, we +rejoiced, for we all believed that the fuse would not have been +lit until after the passage of all our columns, and in order, +then, to prevent that of the enemy. + + +During the few hours of rest which we had at Markranstadt, +without being aware of the catastrophe which had occurred at the +river, I was able to review our squadrons in detail and find out +what losses we had suffered during the three days of conflict. I +was dismayed! For they came to 149 men, of whom 60 were killed, +among whom were two captains, three lieutenant and eleven +N.C.O.s. A very large fraction of the 700 men with which the +regiment had arrived on the battlefield on the morning of October +the 16th. Nearly all the wounded had been hit by cannon-balls or +grape-shot which, sadly, gave them little hope of recovery. My +losses might have been doubled if I had not, during the battle, +taken precautions to shield my regiment from cannon fire, as much +as possible. This requires some explanation. + +There are circumstances where the most humane of generals finds +himself in the painful position of having to expose his troops +openly to enemy fire; but it often happens that certain +commanders deploy their men uselessly in front of enemy +batteries, and take no steps to avoid casualties, although +sometimes this is very easy, particularly for cavalry, who +because of the rapidity of their movements can go swiftly to the +point where they are required and take up the desired formation. +It is when large masses of cavalry are involved on extensive +battlefields that these measures of preservation are most +required, and where, however, they are least employed. + +At Leipzig, on the 16th of October, Sebastiani, commanding the +2nd Cavalry Corps, having placed his three divisions between the +villages of Wachau and Liebert-Wolkwitz, and indicated to each +divisional general roughly the position he should occupy, Exelman +found himself placed on undulating ground intersected, as a +result, by small ridges and hollows. The Corps formed a line of +considerable length. The enemy cavalry, being a long way from +us, could not take us by surprise. I took advantage of the +hollows in the ground where our brigade was positioned to conceal +my regiment which, though formed up and ready for action, saw the +greater part of the day pass without losing a single man, for the +cannon-balls went over their heads while neighbouring corps +suffered considerable casualties. + +I was congratulating myself on having done this when General +Exelmans, on the pretext that everyone should be equally exposed +to danger, ordered me, in spite of the representations of my +brigade commander, to take the regiment a hundred paces forward. +I obeyed, but in a short time I had a captain, M. Bertin, killed +and some twenty men put out of action. I then had recourse to a +different tactic: this was to send some troopers, well spaced +out, to subject the enemy gunners to carbine fire. The enemy then +advanced some infantrymen to counter this, and the two groups +being involved in a fire-fight between the lines, the artillery +could not use their guns for fear of hitting their own men. It is +true that our gunners were in the same boat, but the cessation of +gunfire in a minor corner of the battlefield was to our benefit, +since the enemy had many more guns than we did. In addition to +this, our infantry and that of the enemy being in action at the +village of Liebert-Wolkwitz, the cavalry of both sides had to +await the outcome of this savage fighting; it served no useful +purpose for them to demolish one another by cannon fire, rather +than leave the fighting to the infantrymen, who were for the most +part only frightening the birds. My example was followed by all +the regimental commanders of the other brigades, and the cannons +opposite them too ceased fire, sparing the lives of many men. A +greater number would have been spared if General Exelmans had not +come and ordered the withdrawal of the men on foot, which was the +signal for a hail of cannon-balls hurled at our squadrons. +Fortunately the day was almost over. + +It was now the evening of the 16th. All the colonels of cavalry +belonging to 2nd Corps had found this method of sparing their men +so effective that by common accord we all used it in the battle +of the 18th. When the enemy started firing their cannons, we sent +out our foot-soldiers, and as they would have captured the guns +if they were not defended, the enemy had to send infantrymen to +defend them, and so the guns were silenced on both sides. The +commanders of the enemy cavalry which faced us, having probably +realised what we were up to, started doing the same, so that on +the third day the guns attached to the cavalry of both parties +were much less used. This did not prevent vigourous cavalry +engagements, but at least they were directed to the taking or +holding of positions, in which we did not spare ourselves, but +the cannonades aimed at stationary targets, which too often +replace cavalry to cavalry actions, do nothing but kill good men +for no useful purpose. This was something which Exelmans did not +grasp, but as he was on the move all the time from one wing to +the other, as soon as he had left a regiment the colonel sent out +his foot-soldiers and the guns were silent. + +All the cavalry generals, including Sebastiani, were so much +persuaded of the advantages of this method, that eventually +Exelmans was ordered not to irritate the enemy gunners by firing +our guns at them, when the cavalry was only standing-to, and had +neither an attack nor a defence to undertake. Two years later I +used the same tactics at Waterloo against the English guns, and I +lost far fewer men than I would have done otherwise: but now let +us return to Markranstadt. + +Chap. 31. + +It was while the Emperor and the divisions which had come out of +Leipzig were halted at this spot, that we heard the dreadful news +of the destruction of the bridge at Lindenau, which deprived the +army of almost all its artillery and half of its men, who were +taken prisoner; and which delivered some thousands of our wounded +comrades to the assaults and knives of the brutish enemy, full of +liquor and encouraged to massacre by their unscrupulous officers! +There was widespread grief! Each regretted the loss of a +relative, a friend, some comrade in arms! The Emperor seemed +appalled!... However, he ordered Sebastiani's cavalry to retrace +their steps to the bridge, in order to gather and protect any +stragglers who had been able to cross the river at some point, +after the explosion. + +In order to speed this help, my regiment and the 24th, who were +the best mounted in the corps, were told to go ahead of the +column and leave at a rapid trot. As General Wathiez was +indisposed, and I was the next in seniority, I had to take +command of the brigade. + +When we had reached half way to Leipzig, we heard much gunfire, +and as we approached the avenues we could hear the despairing +cries of the unfortunate French, who having no means of retreat +and no cartridges for their firearms, were unable to defend +themselves and were hunted from street to street, and house to +house, and, overwhelmed by numbers, were disgracefully butchered +by the enemy, mainly the Prussians, the Badeners, and the Saxon +guards. + +It would be impossible for me to express the fury felt then by +the two regiments which I commanded. All longed for vengeance and +regretted that this was denied them, since the Elster, with its +broken bridge, separated us from the assassins and their victims. +Our anger was increased when we came across about 2000 Frenchmen, +most of them without clothes and nearly all wounded, who had +escaped death only by jumping into the river and swimming across +in the face of the shots being fired at them from the opposite +bank. Marshal Macdonald was among them; he owed his life to his +physical strength and his ability as a swimmer. The Marshal was +completely naked and his horse had been drowned, so I quickly +found some clothes for him and lent him the spare horse which +always came with me, which allowed him to go immediately to +rejoin the Emperor at Markranstadt, and to give him an account of +the disaster of which he had been a witness, and in which one of +the principal episodes had been the death of Prince Poniatowski, +who had perished in the waters of the Elster. + +The remainder of the French who had managed to cross the river +had been obliged to discard their arms in order to swim, and had +no means of defence. They ran across the fields to avoid falling +into the hands of four or five hundred Prussians, Saxons, and +Badeners, who, not satisfied with the blood-bath of the massacres +in the town, had made a footbridge of beams and planks across the +remaining arches of the bridge, and had come to kill any of our +unfortunate soldiers whom they could find on the road to +Markranstadt. + +As soon as I caught sight of this group of assassins, I +instructed Colonel Schneit of the 24th to combine with my +regiment to form a vast semi-circle round them, and then sounded +the charge!... The result was horrifying! The bandits, taken by +surprise, put up very little resistance and there ensued a +massacre, for no quarter was given!... + +I was so enraged at these wretches, that before the charge +started I had promised myself that I would run my sabre through +any of them I could catch; however, when I found myself in their +midst and saw that they were drunk and leaderless except for two +Saxon officers who were fear-stricken at our vengeful approach, I +realised that this was not a fight but an execution, and that it +would not be a good thing for me to take part in it. I feared +that I might find pleasure in killing some of these scoundrels, +so I put my sabre back in its scabbard and left to our soldiers +the business of exterminating these assassins, two-thirds of whom +were laid dead. + +The remainder, including two officers and several Saxon guards, +fled towards the debris of the bridge, hoping to recross the +footbridge; but as they could cross only one by one and our +Chasseurs were hard on their heels, they entered a large nearby +inn and began to shoot at my men, helped by some Prussians and +Badeners on the opposite bank. + +As it seemed likely that the noise of firing would attract larger +forces to the bank from where, without crossing the river, they +could destroy my regiment by small-arms and cannon fire, I +decided to bring matters to a conclusion, and ordered the +majority of the Chasseurs to dismount and taking their carbines +and plenty of ammunition to attack the rear of the inn and set on +fire the stables and the hay loft. The assassins, shut in the +inn, seeing that they were about to be caught in the flames, +tried to make a sortie; but as soon as they appeared in the +doorway our Chasseurs shot them with their carbines. + +It was in vain that they sent one of the Saxon officers to me to +intercede; I was pitiless, and refused to treat as soldiers +surrendering after an honourable defence, these monsters who had +murdered our comrades who were prisoners of war. So the four to +five hundred Prussians, Badeners, and Saxons who had crossed the +footbridge were all killed! I sent this information to General +Sebastiani, who halted, midway, the other brigades of the Light +Cavalry. + +The fire which we had lit in the forage store of the inn soon +spread to the neighbouring houses. A major part of the village of +Lindenau, which lines both sides of the road, was burned, which +would delay the repair of the bridge and the passage of enemy +troops, bent on pursuing and harrying the retreating French army. + +The mission being completed, I led the brigade back to +Markranstadt, together with the 2000 Frenc, who had escaped from +the calamity at the bridge. Among them were several officers of +all ranks; The Emperor questioned them on what they knew about +the blowing up of the bridge, and about the massacre of the +French prisoners of war. It seems likely that this sorry tale +made the Emperor regret that he had not taken the advice given +him in the morning, to bar the enemy advance by setting fire to +the suburbs, and even, if need be, the town of Leipzig itself, +most of whose inhabitants had fled during the three day's battle. + +In the course of this return to the bridge of Lindenau, the +brigade which I was commanding suffered only three casualties, +one of which was a member of my regiment; but it was one of my +finest sous-officiers. He had been awarded the Legion of Honour +and was named Foucher. A bullet wound, received at the inn, had +gone through both thighs, leaving four holes; but in spite of +this serious injury the brave Foucher made the retreat on +horseback, refused to enter the hospital at Erfurt, which we +passed a few days later and remained with the regiment until we +reached France. It is true that his friends and all the men in +his platoon took great care of him, but he thoroughly deserved +it. + +As I left Leipzig, I was concerned about the fate of the wounded +from my regiment, whom I had left behind, including Major Pozac; +but luckily the distant suburb in which I had put them was not +visited by the Prussians. + +You have seen that during the last day of the great battle, an +Austrian Corps tried to cut off our retreat by capturing +Lindenau, through which passes the main road leading to +Weissenfels and Erfurt, and how, on the Emperor's orders, they +had been driven off by General Bertrand, who, after re-opening +this route, had made his way to Weissenfels, where we rejoined +him. + +After the losses occasioned by the destruction of the bridge at +Lindenau, it was impossible to think of stopping what remained of +the army at the Saale, so Napoleon crossed the river. + +A fortnight before the battle, this water-course had offered him +an impregnable position, which he had spurned to risk a general +engagement in open country, putting behind him three rivers and a +large town, which presented obstructions at every step!... The +great captain had relied too much on his "star" and on the +incapacity of the enemy generals. + +In the event, they made such serious mistakes that in spite of an +immense superiority in numbers, they were not only unable, during +a battle lasting three days, to take from us a single one of the +villages we were defending, but I have heard the King of Belgium, +who was then serving with the Russian army, say to the Duc +d'Orleans that on two occasions the allies were in such confusion +that the order for a retreat was given: but then the situation +changed and it our army which had to submit to the fortune of +war. + +After crossing the Saale, Napoleon thanked and dismissed those +officers and soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine, who +either from some sense of honour or from lack of opportunity were +still in our ranks. He even carried magnanimity so far as to +allow them to retain their arms, although he was entitled to +treat them as prisoners of war, since their sovereigns had joined +the forces of our enemies. The French army continued its retreat +to Erfurt, without anything happening but an encounter at Kosen, +where a single French division defeated an Austrian army corps, +and took prisoner its commanding general the Comte de Giulay. + +Led on always by the hope of a fighting return to Germany, and by +the help which he would receive in such a case from the +fortresses which he was now forced to leave behind him, Napoleon +put a numerous garrison into Erfurt. He had left in Dresden +25,000 men, under the command of Saint-Cyr; at Hamburg 30,000 +under Davout, and many strongholds on the Oder and the Elbe, +manned in accordance with their importance; these garrisons made +up a loss in manpower to add to that due to the forts of Danzig +and the Vistula. + +I shall not repeat what I have already said about the +disadvantages of deploying too many of one's troops to man forts +which one is forced to leave behind. I shall merely point out +that Napoleon left in the forts of Germany 80,000 men, not one of +whom returned to France until after the fall of the empire, which +they might perhaps have prevented, had they been defending our +frontiers. + +The arsenal at Erfurt was able to make good the loss of our +artillery. The Emperor, who up till now had borne his reverses +with stoical resignation, was however upset by the departure of +his brother-in-law, the King Murat, who, with the excuse that he +was going to defend his kingdom of Naples, abandoned Napoleon, to +whom he owed everything!... Murat, at one time so brilliant in +war, had done nothing much during this campaign of 1813. It is +certain that, although he was in our ranks, he was carrying on a +correspondence with M. de Metternich, the prime minister of +Austria, who, dangling before his eyes the example of Bernadotte, +guaranteed, in the name of the allied sovereigns, the protection +of his kingdom if he would join Napoleon's enemies. Murat left +the French army at Erfurt and had scarcely arrived in Naples when +he began preparations for war against us. + +It was also at Erfurt that the Emperor learned of the audacious +scheme of the Bavarians, his former allies, who, after deserting +his cause, and joining with an Austrian Corps and several groups +of Cossacks had set off under the command of General the Comte de +Wrede, whose ambition it was not only to stop the French army, +but to make it captive, along with its Emperor. + +General de Wrede marching parallel to us but at two days distance +had already reached Wartzbourg with 60,000 men. He detached +10,000 to Frankfort and with the remaining 50,000 he went to the +little fort of Hanau in order to bar the passage of the French. +General de Wrede, who had fought on our side in Russia, thought +that he would find the French army in the deplorable state to +which cold and hunger had reduced those retreating from Moscow by +the time they reached the Beresina, but we soon showed him that +in spite of our misfortunes, we still had soldiers in good heart, +and quite capable of defeating Austro-Bavarians. + +General de Wrede, who did not know that the troops which we had +fought at Leipzig, though following, were a long way behind us, +had become very bold and believed he could trap us between two +fires. It was not possible for him to do so; though, as several +enemy corps were trying to mount an attack on our right by going +through the mountains of Franconia, while the Bavarians stood in +front of us, the situation could have become serious. + +Napoleon rose to the challenge and marched briskly towards Hanau, +whose approaches are protected by thick forests and notably by +the well-known pass of Gelnhausen, through which runs the river +Kinzig. This river, whose banks are very steep, runs between two +mountains which are separated by a narrow gap which allows the +passage of the river, beside which has been made a fine main +road, cut into the rock, and running from Fulde to +Frankfort-on-main via Hanau. + +Sebastiani's cavalry corps which had been the advance-guard from +Weissenfels to Fulde, where one enters the mountains, should have +been replaced by infantry at this point. I have never understood +for what reason this well known principle of warfare was not +followed in these grave circumstances; but to our astonishment, +Exelmans' cavalry division continued to march in front of the +army, led by my regiment and the 24th Chasseurs. I was in command +of the brigade. We learned from the peasants that the +Austro-Bavarian army already occupied Hanau, and that a strong +division was facing the French, to dispute the passage of the +defile. + + +My position, as commander of the advance-guard, was now very +difficult; for how could I, without a single infantryman and with +cavalry packed between two high mountains and an uncrossable +torrent, fight troops on foot whose scouts, climbing up the +rocks, would shoot us at close range? I sent at once to warn the +divisional general, but Exelmans could not be found. However I +had been ordered to advance and I could not stop the divisions +which were following me, so I continued my march until at a bend +in the valley my scouts told me that they were in sight of a +detachment of enemy Hussars. + +The Austro-Bavarians had made the same mistake as our leaders; +for if the latter had sent cavalry to attack a long and narrow +pass where no more the ten or twelve horsemen could ride abreast, +our enemies had sent cavalry to defend a position where a hundred +sharpshooters could hold up ten regiments of cavalry! I was +highly delighted to see that the enemy had no infantry, and as I +knew from experience that when two opposing columns meet at a +narrow spot, victory always goes to the one which, hurling itself +at the head of the enemy, drives it back into the troops behind +it, I launched at the gallop my elite company, of which only the +leading platoon could engage the enemy; but they did so with such +elan that the head of the Austrian column was overwhelmed and the +rest thrown into such complete confusion that my troopers had +only to take aim. We continued the pursuit for more than an hour. +The enemy regiment in front of us was that of General Ott. I had +never seen such well turned out Hussars. they had come from +Vienna, where they had been fitted with completely new uniforms, +Their outfit, although a little theatrical, looked very handsome: +the pelisse and dolman in white and the trousers and the shako in +lilac; all clean bright and shining. One might have thought they +were going to a ball, or to play in a comedy! This brilliant +appearance contrasted somewhat with the more modest toilette of +our Chasseurs, many of whom were still dressed in the worn +clothing in which they had bivouacked for eighteen months, in +Russia, Poland, and Germany, and whose distinguishing colours had +been dimmed by the smoke of cannon and the dust of battlefields. +However, under those threadbare garments were brave hearts and +sturdy limbs. So the white pelisses of Ott's Hussars became +horribly bloodstained, and this pretty regiment lost in killed +and wounded more than 200 men, without one of our Chasseurs +having the smallest sabre cut, the enemy having always fled +without ever turning to fight. Our Chasseurs took a large number +of excellent horses and gold-braided pelisses. + +Up until then everything had gone well, but as I galloped after +the victors who pursued the vanquished, I was a bit worried about +the end of this strange encounter, for the diminishing height of +the mountains which bordered the Kinzig indicated that we were +nearing the end of the valley, and it was likely that we would +find ourselves in a small plain, full of infantry whose volleys +and cannon fire would make us pay dearly for our success: but +happily there was no such thing, and as we emerged from the pass +we saw not a single infantryman, but only some cavalry, part of +which comprised the main body of that section of Ott's regiment +of Hussars, which we had so roughly manhandled and who in their +panic continued their headlong flight, taking with them some +fifteen squadrons, who retired to Hanau. + +General Sebastiani then deployed his three divisions of cavalry +which were soon supported by the infantry of Marshals Macdonald +and Victor, and several batteries. Then the Emperor with part of +his guard, appeared and the rest of the French army followed. + +It was now the evening of the 29th of October; we established our +bivouacs in a nearby wood; we were only a league from Hanau and +the Austro-Bavarian army. + +Chap. 32. + +Here now are the reasons why Exelmans dropped behind when we were +going through the pass. Before we entered the valley, the scouts +had brought to him two Austrian soldiers who, absent from their +unit, were scrounging and drinking in an isolated village. +Exelmans was having them questioned in German by one of his +aides, when he was surprised to hear them reply in fluent French. +One of these men, half-drunk, and thinking it would do him good, +announced that they were Parisians. As soon as he uttered these +words, the general, furious that Frenchmen should take up arms +against their fellow countrymen, ordered them to be immediately +shot. The poor lad who had boasted of being French was about to +be put to death, when his companion, sobered by this fearful +spectacle, protested that neither of them had ever set foot in +France, but having been born in Vienna to parents who, although +they came from Paris, were naturalised Austrians, they were +regarded as Austrian subjects and had been forced to join the +regiment assigned to them. To prove this he showed his army +record which confirmed the fact. Exelmans, yielding to the advice +of his aides-de-camp, agreed to spare the innocent man. + +At this stage, hearing the sound of firing, the General wished to +reach the head of the column which I was commanding; but on his +arrival at the mouth of the pass, he found it impossible to get +through and take a place in the ranks because of the speed with +which the two regiments were galloping after the enemy. After +trying many times he was so jostled that he fell with his horse +into the Kinzig and nearly drowned. + +The Emperor, who was preparing for battle, took advantage of the +night to reduce the amount of wheeled transport by sending all +the baggage off to the right, in the direction of Coblentz, +escorted by some battalions of infantry and the cavalry of +Lefebvre-Denouettes and Milhau. This was a great relief to the +army. + +On the morning of the 30th, the Emperor had at his disposal only +the infantry Corps of Macdonald and Victor, amounting to 5000 +men, supported by Sebastiani's cavalry division. + +In the direction from which we were coming, a large forest, +through which the road runs, covers the approach to Hanau. The +tall trees of this forest allow movement without much difficulty. +The town of Hanau is built on the other side of the river Kinzig. + +General de Wrede, although not lacking in military skill, had, +however, made the serious mistake of placing his army where it +had the river at its back, which deprived it of the support which +it could have received from the fortifications of Hanau, with +which the Bavarian general could not communicate except by the +bridge of Lamboy, which was his only road of retreat. It is true +that the position he occupied barred the way to Frankfort and to +France, and he felt certain that he could prevent us from forcing +a passage. + +On the 30th of October at dawn, the battle began, like a great +hunting party. Some grape-shot and some small-arms fire from our +infantry, together with a charge in open order by Sebastiani's +cavalry, scattered the first line of the enemy, somewhat +unskillfully placed at the extreme edge of the wood; but as one +penetrated a little further, our squadrons could not operate +except in the few clearings which they came across, only the +Light Infantry followed in the steps of the Bavarians, whom they +pursued from tree to tree to the end of the forest. At that point +they had to stop, faced by an enemy line of forty thousand men, +whose front was covered by eighty guns! + +If the Emperor had had with him all the troops which he brought +from Leipzig, a vigorous attack would have made him master of the +Lamboy bridge, and General de Wrede would have paid dearly for +his temerity, but Marshals Mortier and Marmont, and General +Bertrand, as well as the artillery, were held up by various +passes, mainly that of Gelnhausen, and had not yet arrived. +Napoleon had no more than ten thousand troops. The enemy should +have taken advantage of this to attack us in force, but they did +not dare, and this hesitation gave time for the artillery of the +Imperial Guard to arrive. + +As soon as General Drouet, their commander, had fifteen pieces in +the field, he began firing, and his line grew in size until he +had fifty cannons, which he advanced, firing continuously, +although he still had very few troops behind him to give support; +however it was not possible for the enemy to see through the +thick smoke from the guns, that the gunners had little to back +them up. Eventually the infantry Chasseurs of the Imperial Old +Guard appeared, just as a gust of wind blew away the smoke. + +At the sight of their busbies, the Bavarian infantry recoiled in +fear. General de Wrede, wishing to stop this disorder at all +costs, ordered all his cavalry, Austrian, Bavarian, and Russian, +to charge our artillery, and in an instant our battery was +surrounded by a swarm of horsemen!... But at the voice of their +commander, General Drouet, who, sword in hand, set them an +example in resistance, the French gunners, taking their muskets, +remained calmly behind their guns, from where they fired +point-blank at the enemy. Nevertheless, the great number of the +latter would have eventually triumphed, had not, on the Emperor's +order, all Sebastiani's cavalry, along with all that of the +Imperial Guard, mounted Grenadiers, Dragoons, Chasseurs, +Mamelukes, Lancers, and Guards of Honour, hurled themselves +furiously on the enemy cavalry, killing a great number and +dispersing the rest. + +Then, falling on the Bavarian infantry squares, they broke them +and inflicted tremendous losses, at which stage the Bavarian +army, put to rout, fled to the bridge over the Kinzig and to the +town of Hanau. + +General de Wrede was a brave man, so, before admitting himself +beaten by forces half as numerous as his, he resolved to make +another effort, and gathering all the troops remaining to him, he +made a surprise attack on us. Suddenly a fusillade broke out and +the forest rang once more to the sound of artillery; cannon-balls +whistled through the trees, from which great branches fell with a +crash... The eye sought in vain to pierce the depths of the wood; +one could hardly see the flash of the guns, which lit, at +intervals, the shade cast by the foliage of the huge beeches, +beneath whose canopy we fought. + +Hearing the noise made by this attack, the Emperor sent, from his +position, the infantry Grenadiers of his Old Guard, led by +General Friant who soon overcame this last effort of the enemy, +who now hastily left the field of battle to re-group under the +protection of the fort of Hanau, which they abandoned during the +night, leaving behind a great number of wounded. The French +occupied the fort. + +We were no more than two short leagues from Frankfort, a +considerable town, with a stone bridge across the Main. The +French army would need to go along the bank of this river to +reach Mainz and the frontier of France, which was a day's march +from Frankfort; so Napoleon detached Sebastiani's corps and a +division of infantry to go and occupy Frankfort, and to take over +and destroy the bridge. The Emperor and the bulk of the army +bivouacked in the forest. + +The main road from Hanau to Frankfort runs along the right bank +of the river Maine. General Albert, a friend of mine, who +commanded the infantry which accompanied us, had been married, +some years previously, at Offenbach, a charming little town built +on the left bank exactly opposite the spot where, after emerging +from the woods of Hanau, we rested our horses, on the immense and +beautiful plain of Frankfort. + +Finding himself so close to his wife and their children, General +Albert was unable to resist the temptation to have news of them, +and to reassure them of his well-being after the dangers he had +encountered at the battles of Leipzig and Hanau. To do this he +exposed himself to more risk, perhaps, than he had run during +either of these sanguinary affairs, for, advancing on horseback +and in uniform, to the edge of the river, he hailed, in spite of +our warnings, a boatman who knew him; but while he was chatting +with this man, a Bavarian officer ran up with a picket of +infantry, who aiming their weapons, prepared to shoot at the +French general. However, a large body of citizens and boatmen +crowded in front of the soldiers and prevented them from firing, +for General Albert was very well liked in Offenbach. + +As I looked at this town, to where I had come while fighting for +my country, I did not dream that one day it would be my refuge +from the proscription of a French government, and that I would +spend three years there in exile!... + +After leaving the forest of Hanau to go on his way to Frankfort, +the Emperor had hardly gone two leagues when he learned that +fighting had broken out once more behind him. This was because +the Bavarian general, who, following his defeat the day before, +had expected to be chased, with the Emperor at his heels, had +taken reassurance from seeing the French army more concerned to +reach the Rhine than to pursue him, and had launched a brisk +attack on our rear-guard. However Macdonald, Marmont, and +Bertrand, who with their troops had occupied Hanau during the +night, having allowed the Bavarians to attack them on that side +of the Kinzig, received them with their bayonets, overwhelmed and +massacred them! General de Wrede was seriously injured, and his +son-in-law, Prince d'Oettingen was killed. + +The command of the enemy army then devolved onto the Austrian +General Fresnel, who ordered a retreat, and the French army +continued on its way peacefully towards the Rhine. We recrossed +the river on the 2nd and 3rd of November 1813, after a campaign +which included brilliant victories and disasterous defeats, the +main cause of which, as I have said, was the mistake made by +Napoleon when, instead of making peace in June, following the +victories of Lutzen and Bautzen, he quarreled with Austria, which +involved the Confederation of the Rhine, that is to say all of +Germany, so that he soon had the whole of Europe ranged against +him. + +After we had returned to France, the Emperor spent only six days +at Mainz, and then went to Paris, preceded by twenty-six flags +taken from our enemies. The army disapproved of this rapid +departure on the part of Napoleon. It was accepted that there +were important political reasons which called him to Paris, but +it was thought that he should have divided his time between his +capital and the need to re-organise his army, and that he should +have gone from one to the other to encourage the activity of +each, for he should have learned by experience that in his +absence little or nothing was done. + +The last cannon shots which I heard in 1813 were fired at the +battle of Hanau, where I nearly spent the last day of my life. My +regiment carried out five charges, two on infantry squares, one +on artillery, and two on Bavarian cavalry; but the greatest +danger I ran was when an ammunition wagon, loaded with mortar +bombs, caught fire and exploded close to me. I have told how, on +the Emperor's order, all the cavalry were in action at a +particularly difficult moment. Now, in these circumstances, it +is not good enough for a unit commander to send his troops +blindly forward, a thing I have seen done on several occasions, +but he must pay the closest attention to the ground over which +his squadrons are about to pass, in case he sends them into bogs +and marshes. + +I was therefore, a few paces ahead, followed by my regimental +staff and with my trumpeter at my side, who, at a given command, +would signal to the various squadrons the obstacles which they +would find in their way. Although the trees were widely spaced, +the passage through the forest was difficult for the cavalry +because the ground was littered with dead and wounded men and +horses, arms, cannons and ammunition wagons, abandoned by the +Bavarians; and you can understand that in these conditions when +one is galloping through shot and shell to reach the enemy one +cannot always take much care of oneself, and I relied greatly on +the intelligence and suppleness of my excellent and brave Turkish +horse, Azolan! The little group which followed me had been much +reduced by a blast of grape-shot which had wounded several of my +orderlies and I had beside me only the trumpeter, a charming and +good young man, when I heard from all along the line, cries of +"Look out, Colonel!" And I saw ten paces away a Bavarian +ammunition wagon which one of our shells had set on fire. + +A huge tree which had been knocked down by cannon-balls barred my +way forward, and to go round it would have taken too long. I +shouted to the trumpeter to duck, and crouching on my horse's +neck, I urged him to jump the tree. Azolan leapt a long way, but +not far enough to clear all the leafy branches in which his legs +became entangled. The wagon was now in flames and the powder +about to catch! I thought I was done for... when my horse, as if +he realised our common danger, started bounding four or five feet +into the air, getting always further from the wagon, and as soon +as he was clear of the branches he galloped off with such speed +that he really seemed to be "Ventre … terre". + +I was shaken when the explosion occurred, but it seemed I was out +of range of the bursting shells for neither I nor my horse were +touched. + +Sadly it was not so for my poor young trumpeter, for when we +resumed our march after the explosion we saw his body, mutilated +by the shell fragments, and his horse also cut to pieces. + +My brave Azolan had already saved my life at the Katzbach. I now +owed him my life for the second time. I made much of him, and as +if to show his pleasure he whinnied at the top of his voice. It +is at times like these that one has to believe that some animals +are more intelligent than is generally thought. + +I greatly regretted the death of my trumpeter, who by his courage +and his behaviour had made himself liked by all the regiment. He +was the son of a teacher at the college in Toulouse, and had had +a good education. He delighted in producing Latin quotations, and +an hour before his death, the poor lad, having noticed that +almost all the trees in the forest of Hanau were beeches, whose +branches stretched out to make a sort of roof, had thought it a +suitable occasion to declaim one of Virgil's eclogues, beginning: + +"Tityre, tu patulae recubans sub tegmine fagi..." + +which greatly amused Marshal Macdonald who happened to be passing +and who exclaimed, "There's a jolly lad whose memory isn't upset +by his surroundings; I'll bet it's the first time anyone has +recited Virgil to the sound of enemy cannon fire!" + +"Those who live by the sword, perish by the sword" says the +scripture, and if this is not applicable to every soldier, it was +to a great many under the Empire. For example, M. Guindet, who +killed Prince Louis of Prussia in the fighting at Saalefeld, was +himself killed at the battle of Hanau. It was no doubt the fear +of meeting a similar fate which led the Russian General +Czernicheff to run away from danger. + +You may remember that in the first months of 1812, this officer, +then a colonel, an aide-de-camp and favourite of the Emperor +Alexander, came to Paris where he abused his position to corrupt +two poor employees in the Ministry of War, who were executed for +having sold to him situation reports on the French army, and that +the Russian Colonel only escaped the penalty of the law by +secretly fleeing the country. On his return to Russia, M. de +Czernicheff, although he was a courtier rather than a soldier, +was given the rank of general officer and the command of a +division of 3000 Cossacks, the only Russian troops who appeared +at Hanau, where their leader played a role which made him a +laughing stock among the Austrians and Bavarians who were present +at this engagement. + +Czernicheff, as he marched towards us, spoke loudly of victory, +believing that he had to face only soldiers who were sick and +disorganised; but he changed his tune when he saw himself in the +presence of the hardy and vigorous troops returning from Leipzig. + +General de Wrede had great difficulty in persuading him to enter +the line, and as soon as he heard the fearsome cannonade of our +artillery, he and his 3000 Cossacks trotted bravely off the +field, to the cat-calls of the Austro-Bavarian troops, who +witnessed this shameful conduct. When General de Wrede went +personally to make some scathing observations, M. de Czernicheff +replied that his regiment's horses needed feeding and that he was +taking them for this purpose to nearby villages. This excuse was +regarded as so ridiculous that for some time afterwards the walls +of German villages were decorated by caricatures of M. de +Czernicheff feeding his horses with bunches of laurels gathered +in the forest of Hanau. + +Once across the Rhine, the soldiers who made up the remains of +the French army expected to see an end to their hardships as soon +as they set foot on the soil of their motherland; but they were +much mistaken, for the government, and the Emperor himself, had +so much counted on success, and had so little foreseen that we +might leave Germany, that nothing had been made ready at the +frontier to receive and re-organise the troops. So, from the very +day of our arrival at Mainz, the men and the horses would have +gone short of food if we had not spread them out and lodged them +with the inhabitants of nearby villages and hamlets. But they, +since the first wars of the revolution, had lost the habit of +feeding soldiers, and complained vociferously, and it is true +that the expense was too great for the communes. + +As it was necessary to guard, or at least to watch over the +immensely long frontier formed by the Rhine from Basle to +Holland, we settled, as best we could, the numerous sick and +wounded in the hospitals of Mainz. All fit men rejoined the core +of their regiments, and the various units of the army, which for +the most part consisted only of a small cadre, were spread along +the river. My regiment, together with what was left of +Sebastiani's cavalry corps, went down the Rhine by short marches; +but although the weather was perfect and the countryside +charming, we were all deeply unhappy, for one could foresee that +France was going to lose possession of this fine land, and that +her misfortunes would not stop there. + +My regiment spent some time in Cleves, next a fortnight in the +little town of Urdingen, and then went on to Nimeguen. During +this sad journey we were painfully affected by the sight of the +inhabitants on the opposite bank, the Germans and the Dutch, +tearing down the French flag from their steeples and replacing it +with the flags of their former sovereigns. In spite of these +gloomy reflections, all the colonels tried to re-organise the few +troops which remained to them, but what could one do without +clothing, equipment or replacement of arms?... + +The need to provide food for the army compelled the Emperor to +keep it dispersed, whereas to re-organise it would require the +creation of large centres of concentration. We were therefore in +a vicious circle. However, the allies, who should have crossed +the Rhine a few days after us, to prevent our re-organisation, +felt themselves still so weakened as a result of the hard blows +we had delivered during the last campaign, that they needed time +to recover. + +They left us in peace for the months of November and December, +the greater part of which I spent on the bank of the Rhine, in +the ghost of the army corps commanded by Marshal Macdonald. + +I was eventually ordered, as were the other cavalry colonels, to +take all my dismounted men to my regimental depot for the task of +building up new squadrons. The depot of the 23rd was still at +Mons, in Belgium, and that is where I went. It was there that I +saw the end of the year 1813, so filled with great events and in +which I had had encountered many dangers and undergone so many +trials. + +Before I end my chronicle of the year, I ought to summarise +briefly the final events of the campaign of 1813. + +Chap. 33. + +The German fortresses in which the retreating French had left +garrisons were soon surrounded and in some cases besieged. Almost +all surrendered. Four only were still holding out at the end of +1813. + +The first of these was Hamburg, commanded by the intrepid Marshal +Davout, who held on to this important fort until after the +abdication of the Emperor, when the French government recalled +the garrison to France; the second was Magdeburg, where General +Le Marois, an aide-de-camp to the Emperor, also held out until +the end of the war; the third was Wittemburg, defended by the +elderly General Lapoype, and which was taken by assault on the +12th of the following January; and finally Erfurt, which had to +capitulate for lack of food. + +All the other fortresses beyond the Rhine, which the Emperor had +wanted to keep, the most important of which were Dresden, Danzig, +Stettin, Zamosk, Torgau and Modlin, were already in the hands of +the enemy. + +The circumstances surrounding the taking over of the first two of +these fortresses do not reflect much honour on the allies. After +the battle of Leipzig, Napoleon withdrew with the remains of his +army, leaving at Dresden a corps of 25000 men commanded by +Marshal Saint-Cyr, who tried by force of arms to cut a passage +through the enemies who blocked his way. He drove them back +several times, but eventually overcome by stronger forces and +short of food, he was compelled to accept the honourable +capitulation which was offered to him. This stipulated that the +garrison would keep its arms, would not be made prisoners of war +and would march back to France in day-long stages. + +The Marshal wanted his troops to move as a corps and to bivouac +all together at the same place, which would allow them to defend +themselves in case of treachery; but the enemy generals pointed +out that owing to the exhaustion of the countryside, it would be +impossible to provide at any one place twenty-five thousand +rations, and the French marshal had to accept this. He then +agreed that his force should be divided into several small +columns of 2 or 3000 men who would travel one or even two days +apart. + +For the first few days all went well, but as soon as the last +French column had left Dresden, having handed over the fort and +the munitions of war, the foreign generals announced that they +did not have the authority to sign the capitulation without the +agreement of their generalissimo, Prince Schwartzenberg, and as +he did not approve, the agreement was null and void. They offered +to allow our troops to return to Dresden in exactly the same +state as they had been previously, that is to say with only +enough food for a few days, a shortage which they had concealed +from the enemy for as long as they occupied the place, and which, +as it was now known to them, made the offer worthless. + +Our troops were indignant at this odious lack of good faith, but +what action could be taken by isolated detachments of 2 or 3000 +men, whom the enemy had taken the precaution of surrounding by +battalions of their own, before they could hear of the breakdown +of the capitulation? Any resistance was impossible and our men +were forced to lay down their arms. + +To the treachery practised on the field of battle, was now added +that of the breaking of agreements of capitulation. This did not +prevent the Germans from celebrating a victory, for they regarded +any measures, however despicable, as justified in order to defeat +Napoleon. This new morality was put into operation at Danzig. + +General Rapp had defended this place for a long time, but having +run out of food, he was compelled to surrender on condition that +the garrison would be allowed to return to France. However, in +spite of a treaty signed by the Prince of Wurtemberg, the +commander of the army which conducted the siege, the conditions +were violated and the garrison of 16000 men were sent as +prisoners to Russia where most of them died. + +One of the most remarkable stories of this siege concerns a +Captain de Chambure, who asked for and obtained permission to +form an independent company, chosen from hand-picked volunteers. +They engaged on the most daring ventures, going out at night and +surprising enemy posts, getting into their entrenchments, into +their camps, destroying their siege-works under the nose of their +batteries, spiking their guns and going far into the country to +capture or pillage their convoys. Chambure, having gone out one +night with his men, surprised a Russian cantonment, set fire to +an ammunition dump, destroyed several stores and killed or +wounded one hundred and fifty men, for the loss of three of his +own; and returned to the fort in triumph. + +Now, however, let us return to examine the position of the French +armies in December 1813. + +Spain, the principal cause of all the catastrophes which marked +the end of Napoleon's reign, had been stripped, in the course of +the year, of all its best troops, which the Emperor had sent to +reinforce the army in Germany. However, the effective strength of +those who remained in the Iberian peninsula amounted to more than +100,000 men. A number which, although inadequate, would have +contained the enemy if Napoleon had left the command to Marshal +Soult. But as he most earnestly wished to make of his brother +Joseph a general who could defend the kingdom which he had given +him, it was to this prince, an estimable man, but no soldier, +that the Emperor entrusted the command of the armies of Spain. He +gave him, it is true, as chief of staff and military advisor, +Marshal Jourdan; but the Marshal was prematurely aged and had not +been involved in active warfare since the first campaigns of the +revolution; he was so worn out, both mentally and physically, +that he inspired no confidence in the troops. So, in spite of the +talents displayed by the generals who served under the orders of +King Joseph, the Anglo-Portuguese army commanded by Lord +Wellington and helped by Spanish guerrillas, caused us +irreparable losses. + +The French, under pressure at every point, had already been +compelled to abandon Madrid, the two Castiles, and to recross the +Ebro, to concentrate their main forces round the town of +Vittoria. Attacked in this position by three times their number, +they lost a battle; a loss which was made all the more disastrous +by the fact that King Joseph and Marshal Jourdan had made no +arrangements for the carrying out of a retreat, so that it became +chaotic. The King's suite, the artillery parks, the many coaches +of a crowd of Spaniards, who having taken sides with Joseph, +sought to escape the vengence of their compatriots, the wagons of +the treasury, of the military administration, etc., etc., all +found themselves piled up in confusion, so that the roads were +obstructed and the regiments had great difficulty in moving. +However they did not lose their formation, and in spite of +vigorous attacks by the enemy, the greater part of the army +managed to reach Salvatierra and the road to Pamplona, by which +the retreat was made. + +The battle of Vittoria demonstrated the talent and courage of +General Clausel, who rallied the army and gave it some direction. +It was, however, an unhappy day. The French lost 6000 men killed, +wounded or taken prisoner, and left in the hands of the enemy a +large part of their artillery and almost all their baggage. + +Despite this set-back, the troops, whose morale was excellent, +could have remained in Navarre, with the aid of the fortress of +Pamplona and the Pyrenees mountains, but King Joseph ordered the +continuation of the retreat and the crossing of the Bidassoa, +where our rear-guard, commanded by General Foy, was ordered to +blow up the bridge. So, from the end of June, we abandoned that +part of the Spanish frontier; nevertheless, Marshal Suchet still +held out in Aragon (The region of Zaragossa. Ed.), and Catalonia, +and in the kingdom of Valencia; but the results of the battle of +Vittoria had so much weakened us that when Wellington sent +reinforcements to central Spain, Suchet found it necessary to +leave the town and the kingdom. + +These events were taking place at a time when Napoleon was still +triumphant in Germany. As soon as he was told of the state of +affairs across the Pyrenees, he hastily revoked the powers which +he had given to King Joseph and Marshal Jourden, and appointed +Marshal Soult commander of all the armies in Spain. + +Soult, after re-organising the divisions, made a great effort to +help the French garrison left in Pamplona, but in vain; they were +forced to capitulate and Marshal Soult had to take his troops +back across the Bidassoa. The fortress of San-Sebastian, governed +by General Rey, held out for a long time; but was eventually +taken by assault by the Anglo-Portuguese, who, ignoring the laws +of humanity, robbed, raped and massacred the unfortunate +inhabitants of this Spanish town, although they were their +allies! The English officers made no attempt to stop these +atrocities, which went on for three days, to the shame of +Wellington, his generals, and the English. + +Marshal Soult defended the Pyrenees foot by foot, and beat +Wellington on several occasions; but the greater numbers at the +latter's disposal allowed him unceasingly to take the offensive, +so that he was able eventually to cross our frontier and set up +his headquarters in Saint-Jean de Luz, the first town in France, +which had never previously been lost, even during the defeats +suffered by Francis I, or the disastrous wars of the end of the +reign of Louis XIV. + +It was evident that after the defection of the German troops at +Leipzig, Marshal Soult could not hope to keep in the army of the +Pyrenees several thousand soldiers from across the Rhine. They +all went over to the enemy in a single night, thus augmenting +Wellington's strength. + +However, Marshal Soult, after concentrating several divisions +below the ramparts of Bayonne, once more attacked the +Anglo-Portuguese. On the 9th of December, at Saint-Pierre de +Rube, there was a battle which lasted for five days, and was one +of the bloodiest of the war, for it cost the enemy 16,000 lives +and the French 10,000, but we were able to remain in position +around Bayonne. + +Before these events in the Pyrenees, Marshal Suchet, having +learned of the reverses suffered by Napoleon in Germany, realised +that it would be impossible for him to remain in the middle of +Spain, and prepared to return to France. To do this he withdrew +to Tarragon, where after taking the garrison into his army he +blew up the ramparts. The retreat, although harried by the +Spanish, was carried out in good order, and by the end of +December 1813, Suchet and the troops under his command were +established in Gerona. + +To complete this examination of the position of the French armies +at the end of 1813, one needs to recall that in the spring of +that year, the Emperor, who distrusted Austria, had built up in +the Tyrol and in his kingdom of Italy, a large army, the command +of which he had given to his step-son Eugene de Beauharnais, the +viceroy of the country. This prince was a good man, very gentle +and greatly devoted to the Emperor, but although much more of a +soldier than King Joseph of Spain, he lacked many of the +qualities required to lead an army. The Emperor's affection for +Eugene led him astray in this matter. + +It was on the 24th of August, the day when the armistice between +Napoleon and the allies was due to expire, that the Austrians +abandoned their neutrality and declared themselves our enemies. +The Italian troops continued to serve with us, but the Dalmatians +(Croats) left us to join the Austrians. Prince Eugene had under +his command a number of excellent lieutenants, but the fighting +was never very strenuous because the commanders on both sides +realised that the events in Germany would determine the outcome +of the campaign. There were however, a number of actions, with +various results. In the end the larger forces of the Austrians, +who were shortly joined by an English contingent which +disembarked in Tuscany forced the viceroy to lead the +Franco-Italian army beyond the Adige. + +In November came news of the defection of Murat, the King of +Naples. The Emperor, to whom he owed everything, could not at +first believe it. It was, however, only too true. Murat had +joined forces with the Austrians, against whom he had fought for +so long, and his troops already occupied Bologna. Such is the +volatility of the Italians that everywhere they welcomed with +acclamation the Austro-Neapolitans, whom they had previously +detested, and whom they would soon hate even more. By December, +the vice-roi's army of only 43,000 men, occupied Verona and its +surroundings. + +The Emperor, seeing the whole of Europe combined against him, +could not fail to realise that the first condition which a peace +would demand of him would be the re-installment of the Bourbons +on the throne of Spain. He decided therefore to do of his own +volition what he would be forced to do later: he set free King +Ferdinand, who had been detained at Valancay, and ordered +Suchet's army to retire behind the Pyrenees. + +Thus, at the end of 1813, we had lost all of Germany, all of +Spain, the greater part of Italy, and Wellington's army, which +had crossed the Bidassoa and the western Pyrenees, was encamped +on French soil and threatening Bayonne, Navarre, and Bordeaux. + +Chap. 34. + +I began the year 1814 at Mons. Where I did not undergo such +physical dangers as I had done in previous years, but where I +suffered much more mentally. + +As I had left, at Nimeguen, all the troopers of my regiment who +still had horses, I had none at Mons, where the depot was +situated, except dismounted men, for whom I was trying to get +horses from the Ardennes, when events prevented this. + +On the 1st of January, the enemies, after hesitating for three +months before invading France, crossed the Rhine at several +points, the two most important of these being firstly at Kaub, a +market town situated between Bingen and Coblentz, where a rocky +gorge greatly reduces the width of the river, and then at Basle +where the Swiss handed over the stone bridge, in violation of +their neutrality, a neutrality which they maintain or abandon +according to their interests. + +It is estimated that some five to six hundred thousand allied +soldiers entered a France exhausted by twenty-five years of war, +half of whose troops were prisoners in foreign lands, and many of +whose provinces were ready to defect on the first suitable +occasion, amongst which was that containing the department of +Jemmapes, of which Mons was the principal town. + +This huge area of rich country which had been annexed to France, +firstly "de facto" by the war of 1792, and then by right after +the treaty of Amiens, had been so accustomed to this union that +after the disasters of the Russian campaign, it had shown great +enthusiasm and made considerable sacrifices to help the Emperor +to put his troops back on a sound footing. Men, horses, +equipment, clothing... it had complied with all demands without a +murmur! But the losses we had suffered in Germany had discouraged +the Belgians, and I found the attitude of the populace had +completely changed. They loudly regretted the paternal government +of the house of Austria, under which they had lived for so long, +and were most anxious to separate themselves from France, whose +continual wars were ruining their trade and industry. In a word, +Belgium awaited only a favourable moment to revolt, an event +which would be the more serious for us because, by its +geographical situation, the province was in the rear of the +weakened army corps which we still had on the Rhine. The Emperor +sent some troops to Brussels, whom he placed under the command of +General Maisons, a capable and very determined man. Maisons, +having, visited several departments, recognised that Jemmapes, +and particularly the town of Mons, was the most disaffected. +There was there, open discussion of the possibility of taking up +arms against the weak French garrison, something which its +commander general "O"... could not have prevented, for the old +general, stricken by gout, and lacking in energy, who had been +born in Belgium, seemed afraid to earn the dislike of his +compatriots. General Maisons suspended him from duty and gave me +the command of the department of Jemmapes. + +My job was made more difficult because, after the inhabitants of +Liege, those who live in Borinage are the boldest and most +turbulent in all Belgium, and to control them I had only a small +unit of 400 conscripts, a few gendarmes and 200 unmounted +cavalrymen from my regiment, among whom there were some fifty men +who were born in the area and who, in case of trouble, would join +the insurgents. I could rely entirely only on the other 150 +Chasseurs, who born in France, and having been in action with me, +would have followed me anywhere. + +There were some good officers; those in the infantry, and in +particular the battalion commander, were very willing to back me +up. + +I could not, however, disguise the fact that if it came to blows, +the two sides were not equally matched. From the hotel where I +stayed I saw every day 3 or 4,000 peasants and workmen from the +town, armed with big sticks who gathered in the main square to +listen to speeches from former Austrian officers, all of them +wealthy nobles, who had quitted the service on the union of +Belgium with France, and now spoke out against the Empire which +had loaded them with taxes, taken their children to send them to +the wars, etc.,etc. These speeches were listened to with all the +more attention, in that they were delivered by great landed +proprietors, and addressed to their tenants and employees, over +whom they wielded much influence. + +Add to this that each day brought news of the advance of our +enemies, who were approaching Brussels, driving before them the +debris of Marshal Macdonald's Corps. All the French employees +left the department to take refuge in Valenciennes and Cambrai. +Finally the mayor of Mons, M. Duval of Beaulieu, an honourable +man, thought it his duty to warn me that neither my feeble +garrison nor myself were safe in the midst of an excited and +numerous population, and that I would be wise to leave the town, +a move which would not be opposed since my regiment and I had +always lived at peace with the inhabitants. + +I was aware that this proposition came from a committee composed +of former Austrian officers, which had instructed the mayor to +put it to me, in the hope that I would be intimidated. I resolved +then to show my teeth, I said to M. Duval that I would be most +grateful if he would summon the town council and the leading +citizens, and that I would then give my reply to the proposals +which he had brought me. + +Half an hour later, all the garrison were armed, and when the +municipal council accompanied by the wealthiest citizens had +assembled in the square, I mounted on horseback, in order to be +heard by all, and after I had told the mayor that before talking +with him and his council, I had an important order to give to my +troops, I told my men about the suggestion which had been made +that we should abandon, without a struggle, the town which had +been put in our care. + +They were most indignant, and said so loudly! I added that I +could not conceal the fact that the ramparts were broken down at +several points, and a lack of artillery would make defence +difficult against regular troops, though if need be we would do +our best; but that if it was the inhabitants of the town and the +countryside who rose against us, we would not confine ourselves +to defence, we would attack with all the means at our disposal, +for we would be dealing with revolutionaries. As a consequence I +was ordering my men to take over the church tower, from where, +after a delay of half an hour and three rolls on the drums they +would fire on the occupants of the square, while patrols would +clear the streets by shooting, mainly at those who had left their +work in the country to come and do us harm. I added that if it +came to fighting, I would order, as the best means of defence, +the setting on fire of the town, in order to keep the inhabitants +busy, and I would shoot at them continually to prevent its +extinction. + +This speech may seem a little drastic, but consider the critical +position in which I found myself; with no more than 700 men, few +of whom had seen action, no expectation of reinforcements, and +surrounded by a multitude which increased in size by the moment, +for the officer in charge of the detachment sent to the church +tower told me that the roads leading to the town were full of +miners from the pits of Jemmapes, heading for the town of Mons. +My little troupe and I were at risk of being wiped out if I had +not taken decisive action. My address had produced a marked +effect among the rich noblemen, the promoters of this +disturbance, and also among the townspeople, who began to +disperse, but as the peasants did not budge, I brought up two +ammunition wagons to issue a hundred cartridges to each soldier, +and when they had loaded their weapons, I ordered the three rolls +on the drums, the prelude to the fusillade. + +At this frightening sound, the huge crowd which filled the square +began to run in tumult to the neighbouring streets, where each +one rushed to find shelter, and a few moments later the leaders +of the Austrian party, with the mayor at their head, came to +clutch at my hand and beg me to spare the town. I agreed on the +condition that they would send immediately to tell the miners and +workmen to go back to their homes. They hastened to comply, and +the elegant young men who were the best mounted, jumped on their +fine horses and went out through all the city gates to meet the +mob which they sent back to their villages without any +opposition. + +This passive obedience confirmed me in my opinion that the +disturbance had powerful backers, and that my garrison and I +would have been held prisoner, had I not frightened the leaders +by threatening to use all means, even fire, rather than hand over +to rioters the town confided to my charge. + +The Belgians are very fond of music, and it so happened that +there was a concert to be given that evening, to which I and my +officers had been invited, as was M. de Laussat, the prefect of +the department. + +We agreed that we should go there as usual, which was the right +decision, for we were received with cordiality, at least on the +surface. While talking to the nobles, who had been behind the +disturbance, we put it to them that it was not for the populace +to decide by rebellion the fate of Belgium, but rather for the +contending armies; and it would be folly on their part to incite +the workmen and peasants to shed their blood, in order to hasten +by a few days a solution which would presently become evident. + +An elderly Austrian general, who had retired to Mons, his +birthplace, then said to his compatriots that they had been wrong +to plot the seizure of the garrison, for that would have resulted +in much damage to the town, as no soldiers would lay down their +arms without a fight. They all agreed that this assessment was +correct, and from that day forward the garrison and the townsfolk +lived peacefully together as in the past. The people of Mons even +gave us a few days later a striking demonstration of their +support. + +As the allied armies advanced, a crowd of partisans, mainly +Prussians, disguised themselves as Cossacks, and driven by the +desire for plunder they grabbed anything which had belonged to +the French administration, and had no hesitation in seizing the +goods of even non-military French citizens. + +A large band of these imitation Cossacks, having crossed the +Rhine and spread out on the left bank, had reached as far as the +gates of Brussels, and had pillaged the imperial chateau of +Tervueren, from where they took all the horses of the stud farm +which the Emperor had installed there; then, splitting into +smaller groups, these marauders infested Belgium. Some of them +came to the department of Jemmapes, where they tried to stir up +the populace, but when they did not succeed in doing so, they put +this down to the fact that Mons, the principal town of the +region, had not supported them because of the terror inspired by +the colonel in command of the garrison. Whereupon they decided to +capture or kill me, but in order not to awaken my suspicions by +employing too great a number of men for this exploit, they +limited the number to three hundred. It appeared that the leader +of these partisans had been well briefed, for, knowing that I had +too few men to guard the old gates and ancient, partly +demolished, ramparts, he took his men, during a dark night, to +the rampart, where the major part of them dismounted and made +their way silently through the streets to the main square and the +Hotel de la Poste, where I had at first stayed. However, since I +had heard of the crossing of the Rhine by the enemy, I had gone +every evening to the barracks, where I spent the night surrounded +by my troops. It was as well that I had done so, for the German +Cossacks surrounded the hotel and rifled through all the rooms. +Then, furious at not finding any French officers, they set on the +inn-keeper, whom they robbed and maltreated, and whose wine they +drank until both officers and soldiers were drunk. + +A Belgian, a former corporal in my regiment, named Courtois, for +whom I had obtained a decoration as one of my bravest soldiers, +arrived at this moment at the hotel. This man, born at +Saint-Ghislain near Mons, had lost a leg in Russia the previous +year, and happily I had been able to save him by securing means +for him to return to France. He was so grateful for this that +during my stay in Mons in the winter of 1814, he came often to +visit me, and on those occasions he dressed in the uniform of the +23rd Chasseurs which he had once so honourably worn. Now, it so +happened that on the night in question, Curtois, while returning +to the house of one of his relatives where he had been staying, +saw the enemy detachment heading in the direction of the hotel, +and although the gallant corporal knew that I did not sleep +there, he wanted to be sure that his colonel was in no danger, so +he went to the hotel, taking with him his relative. + +At the sight of the French uniform and the Legion of Honour, the +Prussians shamefully grabbed the crippled man and tried to snatch +the cross of the Legion from him. When he resisted, the Prussian +Cossacks killed him and dragged his body into the street before +continuing their drinking. + +Mons was so large in comparison to my small garrison, that I had +taken refuge in the barracks, and having arranged my defences for +the night at this spot, I had forbidden my men to go near the +main square, although I had been told that the enemy were there, +because I did not know their strength and feared that the local +populace would combine with them. But when the townspeople heard +of the murder of Courtois, their fellow countryman and one +regarded with affection by all, they resolved to be revenged, and +forgetting their complaints against the French, they sent a +deputation, comprising the brother of the dead man and some of +the leading citizens, to ask me to put myself at their head in +order to drive away these "Cossacks." + +I was well aware that the pillage and excess at the Hotel de La +Poste inspired in every bourgeois fear for his family and his +house, which motivated them to expel the Cossacks as much as the +death of Curtois, and that they would have acted very differently +if, instead of robbers and assassins, it had been regular troops +who had entered the town; nonetheless I thought it my duty to +take advantage of the good-will of those inhabitants who were +prepared to take up arms to help us. I then took part of my troop +and set off for the square, while the remainder, in charge of the +battalion commander, who knew the town well, I sent to lie in +wait at the breach in the wall through which the Prussian +Cossacks had entered. + +At the first shots fired by our people at these rogues, there was +a great tumult in the hotel and the square! Those who were not +killed took to their heels, but many got lost in the streets and +were finished off one by one. As for those who reached the place +where they had left their horses tied up to trees in the +promenade, they ran into the battalion commander, who greeted +them with a withering fusillade! At daylight we counted in the +town and in the old breach more than 200 dead, while we had not +lost a single man because our adversaries, fuddled by wine and +strong liquor, had offered no defence. Those of them who escaped +into the country were caught and killed by the peasantry, who +were enraged at the death of the unfortunate Curtois, who was +something of a local celebrity, and who, given the name of "Jambe +de bois", had become as dear to them as General Daumesnil, +another "Jambe de bois," was to the working class of Paris. + +I do not cite this fighting in Mons as something to be +particularly proud of, for with the national guard, I had twelve +or thirteen hundred men compared to the three hundred of the +Prussians. But I thought it worth recording this bizarre +encounter to demonstrate the volatility of the masses, which is +shown by the fact that all the peasants and coal miners of +Borinage, who a month previously had come in a mass to +exterminate or at least disarm the few Frenchmen remaining in +Mons, had come to join us to oppose the Prussians because they +had killed one of their compatriots. I greatly regretted the +death of the brave Courtois, who had fallen victim to his regard +for me. + +The most important trophy from our victory was the three hundred +horses which the enemy abandoned. They nearly all came from the +region of Berg and were of very good quality, so I took them into +my regiment, for which this unexpected provision of remounts was +extremely welcome. + +I passed a further month at Mons, whose inhabitants treated us +perfectly well despite the approach of the enemy armies. However +their continued advance meant that the French were forced not +only to abandon Brussels but the whole of Belgium, and recross +the frontiers into their motherland. I was ordered to take my +regimental depot to Cambrai where, with the horses which I had +taken from the Prussian Cossacks, I was able to remount 300 good +troopers who had returned from Leipzig, and make two fine +squadrons, which commanded by Major Sigaldi, were sent to the +army which the Emperor was assembling in Champagne. There they +upheld the honour of the 23rd chasseuers, particularly at the +battle of Champaubert, where the gallant Captain Duplessis, an +outstanding officer, was killed. + +I have always favoured the lance, a lethal weapon in the hands of +a good cavalryman. I asked for and obtained permission to +distribute to my squadrons some lances which artillery officers +had been unable to carry away when they left the forts on the +Rhine. They were so much appreciated that several other cavalry +units followed my example, and were glad to have done so. + +The regimental depots were obliged to cross to the left bank of +the Seine to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy; mine went +to Nogent-le-Roi, an arrondissment of Dreux. We had a fair number +of troopers but almost no horses. The government was making great +efforts to collect some at Versailles, where it had created a +central cavalry depot commanded by General Preval. + +The General, like his predecessor General Bourcier, knew much +more about remounts and organisation than he did about war, in +which he had rarely been involved. He did his utmost to fulfil +the difficult task which the Emperor had given him; but as he +could not, however, improvise horses or equipment, and as he +would not send out detachments until they were fully organised, +departures were not very frequent. I grumbled, but no colonel +could return to his unit without the permission of the Emperor, +who, to conserve his resources, had forbidden the employment of +more officers in any unit than was justified by the number of men +they had to command. It was therefore useless for me to beg +General Preval to let me go to Champagne. He fixed my departure +for the end of March, at which time I would lead to the army a +draft composed of mounted men from my own depot and several +others. + +Until this time I was authorised to live in Paris with my family, +for M. Caseneuve, my second-in-command, could take care of the +200 men who were still at Nogent-le-Roi, which I could reach, if +necessary, in a few hours. So I went to Paris, where I spent the +greater part of March, which, although I was with those I loved +most, was one of the most miserable months of my life. The +imperial government, to which I was attached, and which I had for +so long defended at the cost of my blood, was everywhere +crumbling. The armies of the enemy, spreading from Lyon, occupied +a large part of France, and it was easy to see that they would +soon arrive at the capital. + +Chap. 35. + +The Emperor's greatest antagonists are forced to admit that he +excelled himself in the winter campaign which he conducted in the +first three months of 1814. No previous general had ever shown +such talent, or achieved so much with such feeble resources. With +a few thousand men, most of whom were inexperienced conscripts, +one saw him face the armies of Europe, turning up everywhere with +these troops, which he led from one point to another with +marvellous rapidity. + +Taking advantage of all the resources of the country in order to +defend it, he hurried from the Austrians to the Russians, and +from the Russians to the Prussians, going from Blucher to +Schwarzenberg and from him to Sacken, sometimes beaten by them, +but much more often the victor. He hoped, for a time, that he +might drive the foreigners, disheartened by frequent defeats, +from French soil and back across the Rhine. All that was required +was a new effort by the nation; but there was general +war-weariness, and there was in all parts, and particularly in +Paris, plotting against the Empire. + +There are those who have expressed surprise that France did not +rise in mass, as in 1792, to repel the invader, or did not follow +the Spanish in forming, in each province, a centre of national +defence. + +The reason is that the enthusiasm which had improvised the armies +of 1792 had been exhausted by twenty-five years of war, and the +Emperor's over-use of conscription, so that in most of the +departments there remained only old men and children. As for the +example of Spain, it is not applicable to France, where too much +influence has been allowed to Paris, so that nothing can be done +unless Paris leads the way, whereas in Spain each Province was a +little government and was able to create its own army, even when +Madrid was occupied by the French. It was centralisation which +led to the loss of France. + +It is no part of the task which I have set myself, to relate the +great feats performed by the French army during the campaign of +1814, to do so I would have to write volumes, and I do not feel +inclined to dwell on the misfortunes of my country. I shall +content myself by saying that after disputing, foot by foot, the +territory between the Marne, the Aube, the Saone, and the Seine, +the Emperor conceived a daring plan which, if it had succeeded, +would have saved France. This was to go, with his troops, by way +of Saint-Dizier and Vitry towards Alsace and Lorraine, which, by +threatening the rear of the enemies, would make them fear being +cut off from their depots and finding themselves without any +route of retreat. This would decide them to withdraw to the +frontier while they still had the opportunity. + +However, to ensure the success of this splendid strategic +movement, it required the fulfilment of two conditions which +failed him; these were: the loyalty of the high officers of +state, and some means of preventing the enemy from seizing Paris, +if they ignored the movement of the Emperor towards their rear +and launched an attack on the city. + +Sadly, loyalty to the Emperor was so much diminished in the +Senate and the legislative body, that there were leading members +of these assemblies, such as Tallyrand, the Duc de Dalberg, +Laisne and others, who through secret emissaries informed the +allied sovereigns of the dissatisfaction among the upper-class +Parisians with Napoleon, and invited them to come and attack the +capital. + +As for defences, it must be admitted that Napoleon had not given +this sufficient thought, and they were limited to the erection of +a spiked palisade at the gates on the right bank, without the +provision of any positions for guns. As the garrison, formed by a +very small number of troops of the line, of invalids, veterans, +and students from the polytechnic, was insufficient to even +attempt resistance, the Emperor, when he left the capital in +January to go and head the troops assembled in Champagne, +confided to the National Guard the defence of Paris, where he +left the Empress and his son. He had called together at the +Tuileries the officers of this bourgeois militia, who had +responded with numerous vows and bellicose undertakings to the +rousing speech which he addressed to them. The Emperor named the +Empress as Regent and appointed as overall commander his brother +Joseph, the ex-King of Spain, the pleasantest but most +unsoldierlike of men. + +Napoleon, under the illusion that he had thus provided for the +safety of the capital, thought that he could leave it for some +days to its own devices, while he went with those troops which +still remained to him to carry out the project of getting behind +the enemy. He left for Lorraine about the end of March, but he +had been on his way for only a few days, when he learned that the +allies, instead of following him as he had hoped, had headed for +Paris, driving before then the weak debris of Mortier's and +Marmont's corps who, positioned on the heights of Montmartre, +attempted to defend the city without any help from the National +Guard except an occasional infantryman. + +This alarming news opened Napoleon's eyes; he turned his troops +to march towards Paris, for where he set out immediately. + +On the 30th of March, the Emperor, riding post and with no +escort, had just passed Moret when a brisk cannonade was heard; +he held on to the hope of arriving before the allies entered the +capital, where his presence would certainly have had a remarkable +effect on the population, who were demanding arms. (There were +one hundred thousand muskets and several million cartridges in +the barracks of the Champ de Mars, but General Clarke, the +Minister for War, would not allow their distribution.) + +On his arrival at Fromenteau, only five leagues from Paris, the +Emperor could no longer hear gunfire and he realised that the +city was in the hands of the allies, which was confirmed at +Villejuif. Marmont had, in fact, signed a capitulation which +delivered the capital to the enemy. + +As danger approached, the Empress and her son, the King of Rome, +had gone to Blois, where they were shortly joined by King Joseph, +who abandoned the command which the Emperor had given him. The +troops of the line left by the Fontainebleau gate, a route by +which the Emperor was expected to arrive. + +It is not possible to describe the agitation which seized the +city whose inhabitants, divided by so many different interests, +had been surprised by an invasion which few of them had +foreseen... As for me, who had expected it, and who had seen at +close quarters the horrors of war, I was most anxiously thinking +of a way to ensure the safety of my wife and our young child, +when the elderly Marshal Serurier offered a shelter for all my +family at Les Invalides, of which he was the governor. I was +comforted by the thought that as everywhere the homes for old +soldiers had always been respected by the French, the enemy would +act in the same way towards ours. I therefore took my family to +the Invalides and left Paris, before the entry of the allies, to +report to General Preval at Versailles. I was given command of a +small column made up of available cavalrymen from my own regiment +and from the 9th and 12th Chasseurs. + +Even if the allies had not marched on Paris, this column was due +to be assembled at Rambouillet, and it is to there that I went. I +found there my horses and my equipment, and I took command of the +squadrons which had been allotted to me. The road was full of the +carriages of those who were flying from the capital. I was not +surprised by that; but I was unable to understand where the great +number of troops of all arms came from, which one saw arriving +from all directions in detachments, which if they had been +combined would have formed a corps of sufficient size to hold up +the enemy at Montmartre, and allow time for the army which was +hurrying from Champagne and Brie to arrive and save Paris. The +Emperor, misled by his Minister for War, had given no +instructions regarding the matter, and was probably unaware that +he still had so great a capacity for defence at his disposal, a +description of which follows, taken from Ministry of War +documents. + +There were at Vincennes, the military school of the Champ de +Mars, and the central artillery depot, some four hundred cannons +with ammunition and 50,000 muskets. As for men, there were the +troops brought by Marshals Marmont and Mortier, which together +with troops gathered from other sources including 20,000 workmen, +nearly all of them old soldiers, who had volunteered to help +defend the city, amounted to some 80,000. + +It would have been possible for Joseph and Clarke to assemble +this force in a few hours and to defend the city until the +arrival of the Emperor and the army which was following him. + +Joseph and Clarke had forty-eight hours warning of the enemy +approach, but did nothing, and as a final act of incompetence, at +the moment when the enemy troops were attacking Romainville, they +sent 4000 men of the Imperial Guard to Blois, to reinforce the +escort of the Empress, which was already quite big enough. + +When the Emperor learned that Paris had capitulated and that the +two small corps of Marmont and Mortier had left, and were +retiring towards him, he sent them orders to take up positions at +Essonnes, seven leagues from Paris and mid-way between that city +and Fontainebleau. He went himself to this last town, where were +arriving the heads of the columns coming from Saint-Dizier, an +indication that he intended to march on Paris as soon as his army +was gathered together. + +The enemy generals have later stated that if they had been +attacked by the Emperor, they would not have risked a battle, +with the Seine behind them and also the great city of Paris, with +its million inhabitants, which might rise in revolt at any moment +during the fighting and barricade the streets and the bridges, +thus cutting off their line of retreat. So they had decided to +draw back and camp on the heights of Belleville, Charonne, +Montmartre, and the slopes of Chaumont, which dominate the right +bank of the Seine and the route to Germany, when new events in +Paris kept them in the city. + +M. de Tallyrand, a former bishop now married, who had always +appeared to be devoted to the Emperor, by whom he had been loaded +with riches and made prince of Benevento, Grand Chamberlain, +etc., etc., felt his pride injured when he was no longer +Napoleon's confidant, and the minister directing his policy. So, +after the disasters of the Russian campaign, he had put himself +at the head of an underground conspiracy, which included all the +malcontents from every party, but mainly the Faubourg +Saint-Germain, that is to say the high aristocracy, who, after +appearing at first submissive and even serving Napoleon in the +time of his prosperity, had become his enemy, and without openly +compromising themselves, attacked, by all means, the head of +government. + +These people, guided by Tallyrand, the most cunning and scheming +of them all, had been waiting for an occasion to overthrow +Napoleon. They realised that they would never have a more +favourable opportunity than that offered by the occupation of the +country by a million and a half enemies, and the presence in +Paris of all the crowned heads of Europe, most of whom had been +grossly humiliated by Napoleon at one time or another. Napoleon, +however, though greatly weakened, was not yet entirely beaten, +for, apart from the army which he had with him, and with which he +had performed prodigies, there was Suchet's army, between the +Pyrenees and the Haute-Garonne, there were troops commanded by +Marshal Soult, there were two fine divisions at Lyon, and +finally, the army in Italy was still formidable, so that in spite +of the occupation of Bordeaux by the English, Napoleon might +still assemble considerable forces and prolong the war +indefinitely, by raising a population, exasperated by the +exactions of the enemy. + +Tallyrand, for his part, realised that if they gave the Emperor +time to bring to Paris the troops who were with him, he might +beat the allies in the streets of the capital, or withdraw to +some loyal provinces, where he might continue the war, until the +allies were exhausted and ready to make peace. In the view of +Tallyrand and his friends, it was therefore necessary to change +the government. Here there arose a great difficulty, for they +wanted to restore the Bourbons to the throne, in the person of +Louis XVIII, while other parts of the country wanted to retain +Napoleon, or at most to install his son. + +The same difference of opinion existed amongst the allied +sovereigns. The kings of England and Prussia were on the side of +the Bourbons, while the emperor of Russia, who had never liked +them, and who feared that the antipathy felt by the French nation +towards these princes and the emigres would lead to a fresh +revolution, was inclined to favour Napoleon's son. + +To cut short these discussions, and decide the question by making +the first move, the astute Tallyrand, in an attempt to force the +hand of the foreign sovereigns, arranged for a group of about +twenty young men from the Faubourg Saint-Germain to appear on +horseback in Louis XV square, decked with white cockades, and led +by Vicomte Talon, my former comrade in arms, from whom I have +these details. They went towards the mansion in the rue +Saint-Florentin occupied by the Emperor Alexander, shouting at +the top of their voices "Long live King Louis XVIII! Long live +the Bourbons! Down with the tyrant!" + +The effect produced on the curious gathering of onlookers by +these cries, was at first one of astonishment, which was quickly +succeeded by threats and menaces from the crowd, which shook even +the boldest of the cavalcade. This first royalist demonstration +having been unsuccessful, they repeated the performance at +various points on the boulevards. At some places they were booed, +at others applauded. As the entry procession of the allied +sovereigns approached, and as the Parisians need a slogan to +animate them, the one produced by Vicomte Talon and his friends +rang in the ears of the Emperor Alexander throughout the whole +day, which permitted Tallyrand to say to that monarch in the +evening, "Your Majesty can judge for himself with what unanimity +the nation desires the restoration of the Bourbons!" + +From that moment, although his supporters greatly outnumbered +those of Louis XVIII, as the events of the following year would +show, Napoleon's cause was lost. + +End of Volume 2, The Memoirs of General the Baron de Marbot. +Translated by Oliver C. Colt + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg etext of The Memoirs of the General +the Baron de Marbot, translated by Oliver C. Colt. + |