French generals.—Desaix.—Ney.—Lasnes.—Soult.—Suchet.—Augereau.—Berthier.—Rapp.—Macdonald.—Beauharnois.—Maret.—Jourdan.—Grouchey.—Vandamme.—Bertrand.—Gourgaud.—Junot.—Massena.—Davoust.—Moreau.—Lefebre.—Marmont.—Mortier.—Dupont.—Victor.—Oudinot.—Bernadotte.—Murat.—Soldiers of the army of Italy.—Battle of Marengo.—The Napoleon Pillar.

“What say you, boys, shall I give you a few anecdotes of French generals, as France has long been considered the first nation in the world in 294a military point of view? Not that French soldiers are superior to English soldiers, for he who would say that, must altogether mistake the matter; but they have had so much to do in warfare with the countries around them, and their armies have been so successful, that their fame has spread all over the world. The battle of Waterloo sadly humbled their pride, but for all that we must not undervalue the intrepidity of a brave people.”

“The more anecdotes you give us the better. Tell us of all the generals that you can remember.”

“I have spent much of my time in reading of military characters, and could, therefore, tell you of a great number. Many a day has passed since I slept in the camp, and mingled in the stormy fight, but old habits cling to us closely, and there is hardly a day of my life but I take up a book on naval or military subjects. I read of admirals and sea captains, of generals and distinguished commanders, and then I think of my earlier days, and of the wild scenes of war. Many of my old comrades, though living, are dead to me, for they are scattered about the world, and many who are really dead are alive in my remembrance. You shall have a few anecdotes of some of the French generals. Whatever may have been their failings, no one can call in question their personal bravery; and a true soldier will never cover the name of an enemy with the slime of slander, but rather speak the truth, be it good or evil.”

295“Please to begin about the French generals.”

“General Desaix was called by the Germans, ‘The good Desaix,’ for though he was among them as a conqueror, he treated them with humanity. The Arabs called him the ‘Just Sultan.’ He feared no danger when in the field, and met the death of a soldier bravely. At the battle of Marengo he was fatally struck by a ball, at the first charge of his division. ‘Tell the first consul,’ said he, ‘that I only regret having done nothing for posterity.’ The day before the battle, he observed to one of his aides-de-camp, ‘It is a long while since I fought in Europe, something will happen, for the bullets will not know me again.’ Buonaparte, though in the hottest of the engagement, when he heard of his death was much affected, and one of his earliest commands after the fight was, that a splendid monument should be erected on the top of Mont St. Bernard to the memory of his fallen general.”

“Poor Desaix! He was not so cruel as many conquerors have been. Who was the very bravest of Buonaparte’s generals?”

“Marshal Ney was one of the most daring of Buonaparte’s generals, and indeed, the Emperor called him ‘The bravest of the brave.’ When retreating from Smolensko, under the most disastrous circumstances, he found himself almost on the edge of a ravine manned by Russians, with a line of batteries on the opposite bank, before he 296was aware of his situation. It was almost a hopeless position, and a Russian officer appeared and summoned him to capitulate, when his answer was, ‘A Mareschal of France never surrenders.’ Though the batteries opened on him a tremendous fire, he fearlessly plunged into the ravine, cleared a passage over the stream in spite of all opposition, and attacked his enemies at their guns. None but a soldier can estimate his danger and his daring. Again and again he was beaten back, but all in vain, for in the face of the whole army of his foes he maintained his position, disdaining to surrender or retire.”

“If Buonaparte had not had such generals he could never have won so many victories.”

“That is very true. The French general Lasnes, Duke of Montebello, distinguished himself much in fighting against the Austrians. He headed the storming party in the attack on Ratisbonne, crying out, ‘Soldiers, your general has not forgotten that he was once a grenadier.’ At the battle of Asperge a cannon shot took away both his legs, and when the surgeons told him his wounds were mortal, he broke out into furious imprecations, crying out for the Emperor. When Buonaparte came to him, it was only to hear him blaspheme heaven and earth, because he could not live to see the end of the campaign. He was called the Roland of the camp, on account of his enthusiastic valour.”

297“He might be brave, but he must have been a very bad man to blaspheme in that manner.”

“You are right. The bravery of a soldier will never excuse his blasphemies. Soult was a very brave and able soldier; he is held in high estimation in France at the present time by King Louis Philippe. Suchet, Augereau, Berthier, Rapp, Macdonald, and Beauharnois, were all generals of high reputation, as well as Maret, Jourdan, Grouchey, and Vandamme. Generals Bertrand and Gourgaud accompanied Buonaparte when he was exiled to St. Helena.”

“Well, they did right in not forsaking him in his misfortunes.”

“Junot was one of the generals in the French army under Buonaparte. During the siege of Toulon, Junot was only a sergeant. Buonaparte, while constructing a battery under the enemy’s fire, had occasion to prepare a dispatch, and called aloud for some one who could use his pen. Junot leaped forward; but while he was leaning on the breastwork, writing down what Buonaparte dictated, a shot struck the ground and scattered the dust all over him. ‘Good!’ said Junot, laughing, ‘this time we shall spare our sand?’ Buonaparte was so much pleased by the cool intrepidity and gaiety of the sergeant that he kept his eye on him afterwards. In course of time Junot became Marshal of France and Duke of Abrantes.”

298“A bold man was sure to be taken notice of by Buonaparte.”

“Massena and Davoust were able generals, but very, very cruel: it would be hard to say which were the greater, the atrocities practised by Junot and Massena in Portugal, or those perpetrated by Davoust on the banks of the Elbe. Courage is a noble quality, but it will never atone for cold-hearted cruelty.”

“If they had come over to England they would have served us in just the same manner.”

“The celebrated Moreau, who fought on the side of the Russians against his countrymen the French, was wounded amid a group of reconnoitring officers. Buonaparte seeing these officers together, ordered half-a-dozen cannons to be fired at them, when a commotion took place as though one had been wounded. In the evening a peasant brought a greyhound and a bloody boot to the camp; on the collar of the greyhound was graven the name of Moreau. They belonged, he said, to a great man, who had fallen.”

“Ah! no doubt it was Moreau!”

“Yes it was. A shot had taken away both his legs; yet such was his firmness that he smoked a cigar while undergoing amputation, in the presence of the Emperor Alexander. He died shortly after.”

“What dreadful things soldiers go through, and yet they hardly seem to care for them.”

“When General Lefebre besieged Saragossa, 299the place was defended by Don Jose Palafox, a young............