#Austrian Napoleonic Artillery

[empirearchives]

Is it true that Napoleon Bonaparte used to know and associate with the Robespierre brothers? Like from what I've heard, he was pretty serious about it, to the point that it hampered his career post-thermidor. (It would make the stereotypical depictions of the Terror in Napoleon 2023 pretty hillarious, honestly.)

Yeah, it’s true. According to Saliceti (a Montagnard politician from Corsica), Napoleon was “their man” (1).

The first known mention of Robespierre by Napoleon was on 23 January 1791. He wrote a piece called Lettre à Buttafuoco. Matteo Buttafuoco was a Corsican politician. In it, he writes: “O Lameth! Oh Robespierre! O Pétion! O Volney! O Mirabeau! O Barnave! O Bailly! O La Fayette! This is the man who dares to sit next to you!” (2)

Napoleon was a political ally of the Robespierre brothers. As far as I know, he never met the older Robespierre brother in person, but he did meet and know the younger brother. They were associates and even became friends. Augustin Robespierre wrote to his older brother “the citizen Bonaparte commanding the artillery is of transcendent merit.” (2)

In 1794, Napoleon accepted an “unofficial” position in the Committee of Public Safety’s war office, specifically at the historical and topographical office. While he worked there, he wrote to his brother “I am swamped with work at the Committee.” (3)

This is how Pontécoulant, who oversaw him at the topographical bureau, described Napoleon at this job:

“It was not a mere sinecure that he had accepted, he sometimes worked fifteen hours a day, . . . and the considerable number of memoranda, reports, letters, and documents of all kinds that he wrote . . . would fill several volumes. Never, even during the campaign of 1794, had the topographical office of the Committee of Public Safety . . . deployed such activity; he maintained continuous communications with the leaders of the different armies, and their staffs, astonished, learned from then on to know this nervous style, full of precision, movement and masculine energy.” (4)

It was during this time that he was asked to write a general memorandum on grand strategy. It was titled Sur la position politique et militaire de nos armées de Piémont et d'Espagne (On the political and military position of our armies of Piedmont and Spain). The person he submitted it to was Augustin Robespierre in June 1794.

Frank McLynn’s description of the memoranda:

“Basing his strategy on the writings of Guibert de Bourcet, Napoleon devised a plan that enabled the Army of Italy to advance to the watershed of the Maritime Alps, having secured control of the passes of Col d'Argentière, Tende and St-Bernard. With the enthusiastic support of Augustin Robespierre, who took Bonaparte's memorandum to Paris with him, Napoleon argued that if the French attacked in Piedmont, Austria would be forced to come to the aid of her Austrian possessions and thus weaken her position on the Rhine, allowing the French to strike a knockout blow there. Napoleon's chances of getting the plan accepted looked good, for his new commander-in-chief, General Dumerbion, deferred in all things to the political commissars; Saliceti and Augustin Robespierre, in turn, nodded through anything military that came from the pen of Napoleon.” (5)

Augustin sent Napoleon to Genoa for a diplomatic mission on 11 July 1794. So, the Robespierres were behind the beginning of Napoleon’s long diplomatic career. In fact, Napoleon was still on this mission when he learned about the death of the Robespierre brothers (28 July 1794).

Earlier that year, the younger Robespierre brother had actually proposed that Napoleon take command as head of the Paris National Guard and replace François Hanriot in Paris. Napoleon considered it, but decided to keep his post instead.

Hanriot was executed the same day as the Robespierre brothers. Who knows, perhaps the same fate would have happened to Napoleon had he accepted the offer.

Nevertheless, according to Jean Tulard “the 9th of Thermidor opens a difficult period for him”. (2) He was arrested in the south of France for his association with the Robespierre brothers. The order was signed on August 6th, and he was imprisoned for over a week (August 9th-20th).

The fact that Napoleon had been in a foreign country (Genoa) on a mission for the Robespierre brothers at the time of 9 Thermidor was used against him.

According to Patrice Gueniffey, “Napoleon spent his spare time reading the history of Marshal Maillebois’s campaigns in Italy and writing a long, self-justifying memorandum addressed to the representatives […] without saying anything against Robespierre”. (3)

The appeal which released him specified his military acumen. He was considered too crucially important to the war effort to kill or keep imprisoned.

“We are convinced of the possible utility to us of this soldier's talents, which, we cannot deny it, are becoming very necessary in an army that he knows better than anyone, and in which men of this kind are extremely difficult to find.” (3)

So he was released, with his head still attached to his body. But, the situation had definitely changed for him. The representatives were cautious about him and refused to reemploy Napoleon as commander of the artillery. Nevertheless, he continued to work on the campaigns as part of the staff of General Dumerbion, and working his way up from there.

In 1797, Napoleon evoked Robespierre in a speech in Ancona to a surprised dinner party. He defended Robespierre for his “alleged crimes” and said of him:

“Since its origin,” he tells us, “France has had only one strong government: that of Robespierre.”

The impression of horror that the memory of this man had left on everyone’s minds was so recent, so profound, that it is difficult to imagine the painful surprise this opinion excited, and with what ardor it was opposed. Far from abandoning it, General Bonaparte tenaciously supported it:

“What,” he said, “is a strong government? It is one which has a well-determined useful purpose; the firm will to achieve it; the force capable of making will triumph; finally, the intelligence necessary to properly lead this force. Let’s examine if Robespierre combined all these advantages: What was his goal? The triumph of the revolution. He felt that a counter-revolution would be more bloody, would lead to more cruel, more lasting evils than those that our revolution had demanded and would still require. So he wanted to accomplish it at all costs.” (6)

Did this association have an effect on Napoleon’s career? I would say it definitely impacted his reputation and the perception everyone had of him.

To Madame de Staël (and eventually Victor Hugo), Napoleon was “Robespierre on horseback” (2). Mallet du Pan calls Napoleon “a Corsican terrorist” (7). The royalist pamphleteers had titles like “Robespierre and Buonaparte or the two tyrannies” and “The Jacobins and Buonaparte or historical essay on the alliance of the two tyrannies which oppressed the French nation” (2). In them, Napoleon was described as a “worshiper of Marat, accomplice of Robespierre, vile complacent of Barras” (2). To Metternich, “Napoleon seemed to me the incarnation of the Revolution” (8). He tried to warn the other countries in Europe against making peace with France, because, to him, “No peace is possible with a revolutionary system, whether with a Robespierre who declares war on chateaux or a Napoleon who declares war on Powers” (9). William Pitt the Younger spoke of the “jacobinism of Robespierre, of Barrere” and called Napoleon “the child and the champion of all its atrocities and horrors” (10).

This is a royalist caricature of Napoleon created by Pierre-Marie Bassompierre Gaston. The caption says “One is always faithful to one's first love”. (Source)

Here is Napoleon’s stance on Robespierre:

“Robespierre died because he tried to stop the effects of the Revolution, and not as a tyrant. Those who wanted to bring him down were crueler than he was: Billaud-Varenne, Collot d'Herbois, etc. He had against him Danton's party, which was powerful and immense. Probably he could not have acted otherwise. I believe that Robespierre was without ambition. . . . Everything I read in the Moniteur teaches me nothing, but it confirms me in the opinion that I had, and settles me in it even more. To be sure, Robespierre was not an ordinary man. He was very superior to everything around him. His discourse on the Supreme Being proves it. Disgusted by what he was hearing, he felt the necessity of a religious system among people who did not want anything, either religion or morals. Morality had to be raised up again. He had the courage to do it and he did it... That was great politics. No doubt he shed blood; that is the other side of the coin, but he is certainly less guilty than Tallien, who slaughtered Bordeaux, or Fréron whom I saw in Marseille taking poor unfortunates by the collar to have them shot. Those men were real killers. Had he [Robespierre] not succumbed, he would have been the most extraordinary man who appeared.” (3)

Sources:

(1) Adam Zamoyski, Napoleon: A Life

(2) Jean Tulard, De Napoléon et de quelques autres sujets: Robespierre vu par Napoléon

(3) Patrice Gueniffey, Bonaparte: 1769–1802

(4) Le Doulcet de Pontécoulant, Souvenirs historiques et parlementaires

(5) Frank McLynn, Napoleon: A Biography

(6) J. P. Collot, La chute de Napoléon

(7) Albert Sorel, L'Europe et la Révolution française, V. 5

(8) Memoirs of Prince Metternich 1773-1815 Vol. 1

(9) Henry Kissinger, A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the Problems of Peace 1812–1822

(10) The speeches of the Right Honourable William Pitt, in the House of Commons, V. 3

[xtruss]

Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day, which falls on Sunday, May 5 in 2024, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican American populations.

David Handschuh/NY Daily News Archive Via Getty Images

Cinco de Mayo History

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, a popular misconception. Instead, it commemorates a single battle. In 1861, Benito Juárez—a lawyer and member of the Indigenous Zapotec tribe—was elected president of Mexico. At the time, the country was in financial ruin after years of internal strife, and the new president was forced to default on debt payments to European governments.

In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz, Mexico, demanding repayment. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew their forces.

France, however, ruled by Napoleon III, decided to use the opportunity to carve an empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large force of troops and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat.

The Battle of Puebla

Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either Indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla.

The vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans, led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez gathered his army—supported by heavy artillery—before the city of Puebla and led an assault.

How Long Did the Battle of Puebla Last?

The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.

Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at the Battle of Puebla on May 5 represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. In 1867—thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War—France finally withdrew.

The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico in 1864 by Napoleon, was captured and executed by Juárez’s forces. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his historic triumph there.

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico 🇲🇽

Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely victory occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration.

Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open.

Why Do We Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States 🇺🇸?

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations.

Chicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of Indigenous Mexicans (such as Juárez) over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla.

Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

Confusion With Mexican Independence Day

Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla.

Independence Day in Mexico (Día de la Independencia) is commemorated on September 16, the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Grito de Dolores” (“Cry of Dolores,” referring to the city of Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico), a call to arms that amounted to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.

[josefavomjaaga]

Soult’s plundering (part 1 of ?)

As so far I have been posting all the nice and kind things about marshal Soult … uh, yes. Those were the nice and kind things! … it’s about time we address the elephant in the room: the fact that Soult was considered one of the great plunderers among the marshals, together with Masséna.

Not even Nicole Gotteri in her biography denies that Soult was constantly trying to make money for himself, though she, and I think rightfully, points out that this was true for almost all of the marshals. It just does not get adressed in most other cases. As to Soult’s methods, I have the impression that he went about it in a very different – and more prudent - manner compared to people like Masséna, Ney or Mortier, who usually just demanded contributions from occupied towns and kept some of the extorted money for themselves. Only to be severely rebuked and punished whenever Napoleon felt like playing the generous ruler and defending the oppressed.

From what I have read so far, Soult did not overtly abuse the inhabitants of conquered countries. He abused the French army administration instead.

Already in Vienna in 1805, after the battle of Austerlitz, Austrian texts repeat that the French soldiers called marshal Soult greedy and the greatest plunderer. 

To be noted: The French called him that.

Artillery officer Pion des Loches relates an incident that might explain how this worked. It involves a certain general Salligny (or Saligny), who during this campaign held the position of Soult’s chief-of-staff.

Setting out alone with colonel Demarçay on 28 Brumaire (19 November) for Unterwesternitz, I witnessed one of General Salligny's masterstrokes. [...] Towards midday, we arrived in a village where there was a castle of fairly good appearance and from which we saw carriages of wine being taken out by an officer to 5th Corps.

That would be Lannes’. Uh-hum. More reason for discord.

We entered and the intendant served us dinner.  No sooner had we sat down to dinner when General Salligny entered with his entire staff; he reproaches in very harsh terms the colonel for having strayed from the army corps and asks the intendant what are these carriages of wine that he has met in the village; he has them detained under the pretext that Marshal Lannes cannot requisition provisions so close to the passage of Marshal Soult's army corps; he confiscates them for us, then sells them to the intendant, and we could distinctly hear the sound of coins being counted in the next room by one of the general's aides-de-camp.

During the five days that our march from Znaïm to Austerlitz lasted, General Salligny, at the head of his staff, requisitioned victuals from all the villages near which we passed, then sold them to the authorities who had supplied them, and one day the Vandamme division ran out of bread. I heard him accuse Salligny at the head of his division and even pass the blame on to Marshal Soult.

So, I guess the procedure is clear: requisition victuals for the soldiers, then sell those goods back and pocket the money.

To be fair, I am completely at a loss as to how the distribution of victuals in the French army worked (or rather: was supposed to work, as for the most time it seems to have not worked). The army was often spread out over huge distances. What happened if one unit managed to requisition large amounts of bread, or shoes, or alcohol? They could not share their booty with their comrades easily, even if they wanted to. Would the surplus then be sold to French army suppliers by one corps, in order to be sold to other corps by those? - In all seriousness, I do not know in how far selling (some of the) requisitioned goods may even have been part of standard procedure.

Selling them to the very people you had taken them from, however, and letting the soldiers starve, clearly was not. (It should also be added that, from what I have read, Soult usually was not known to be that careless towards the soldiers under his command.)

The incident of Vandamme – who, by the way, seems to have a long history of financial misappropriations himself, so he probably knew all the tricks - publicly accusing Saligny is well-documented, too. Gotteri cites some of the letter Soult wrote to Vandamme on that occasion in her book (I can try to find it and quote it if somebody’s interested).

Needless to say that general Saligny, for the campaign of 1805, is a key figure when it comes to financial shenanigans. He also seems to have been notoriously disliked by Soult’s aides, according to Petiet. After 1805, he will leave Soult’s service and enter that of … wait for it ... Joseph Bonaparte 😁. Who clearly appreciated guys with a knack for making money at least as much as Soult did. Saligny even received a title of nobility from Joseph and would later accompany him to Spain.

---

(Continued in Part 2)

[captainknell]

Happy birthday Marshal Lannes! April 10, 1769

I got a few selections about Jean Lannes from "Napoleon's Military Career" by Montgomery B. Gibbs

The first three, from the Italian campaign 1796/1797

At Dego:

Here also, Lannes, who lives to be a marshal of the empire, first attracted the notice if Napoleon, and was promoted from lieutenant-colonel to colonel.

At Lodi:

Lannes, Napoleon, Berthier, and L'Allemand now hurried to the front, rallied and cheered the men, and as the column dashed across and over the dead bodies of the slain which covered the passageway, and in the face of a tempest of fire that thinned their ranks at every step, the leaders shouted: "Follow your generals, my brave fellows!"

At Bassano:

Lannes seized one of the standards with his own hands, and, in consequence, Bonaparte demanded for him the rank of general of brigade. "He was," he said, "the first who put the enemy to route at Dego, who the Po at Plaisance, the Adda at Lodi, and the first to enter Bassano."

At Marengo:

"The shower of balls from the Austrian musketry was at one time so intense that Lannes, speaking of it afterwards, described it's effect with a horrible, graphic homeliness. "Bones were cracking in my division," he said, "like a shower of hail upon a skylight." Lannes was subsequently created Duke of Montebello.

At Ratisbon:

Napoleon now sent an aid-de-camp to Lannes urging him to expedite the taking of Ratisbon. This intrepid marshal has directed all his artillery against a projecting house, which rose above the wall surrounding the town. The house was knocked down and the ruins fell into the ditch. Still there were two fortified positions to take. Ladders were procured and placed at the critical points by the grenadiers, but every time one of them appeared he was instantly brought down by the well-aimed balls of Austrian sharpshooters. After some men had been thus struck, the rest appeared to hang back. Thereupon Lannes advanced, covered with decorations, seized one of the ladders and cried out: "You shall see that your marshal, for all he is a marshal, has not ceased to be a grenadier!"

At Aspern-Essling:

Just as Napoleon was about to retire for a few hours' rest he was interrupted by a violent altercation between two of the chief lieutenants, Bessieres and Lannes, the former of whom complained of the language used by the latter, his inferior in rank, in giving a necessary order for a charge of cuirassiers and Chasseurs, then under the orders of Marshal Bessieres himself. Massena, who was on the spot, was obligated to interfere between these gallant men, who, after having braces for a whole day the crossfire of three hundred pieces of cannon, were ready to draw their swords for the sake of their offended pride. Napoleon allayed their quarrel, which was to be terminated the best day by the enemy in the saddest way for themselves and for the army.

[dan-the-history-man]

For trans day of visibility

A character from “The Napoleon Route”, a story I’m trying to bring back once I get more experience writing.

Louis is part of an artillery regiment, joining the army as the Austrians invaded France, some out of revolutionary fervor and some to get away from his abusive father. Before the war he often dressed as a man for work reasons in the city, but found himself dressing more and more outside of work, as if his clothes fit right for the first time.

A loyal friend who is first in any fight and first to break it up, a habitual artist with a sketchbook full of people and wildlife, and a competent soldier who often muses of strapping his father to a cannon to dump in the ocean, he’s always willing to help others when they need, and hoping to find a place he belongs. He will find friendship with Henri and Pierre, two other soldiers with their own secrets he more than understands.

[thenapoleonicwars]

The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14th June, 1800 between French forces under the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria, in Piedmont, Italy. 

Surprised by the Austrian advance toward Genoa in mid-April 1800, Bonaparte hastily led his army over the Alps in mid-May and reached Milan on 2nd June. After cutting Melas's line of communications by crossing the River Po and defeating Feldmarschallleutnant (FML) Peter Karl Ott von Bátorkéz at Montebello on 9th June, the French closed in on the Austrian Army, which had massed in Alessandria. Deceived by a local double agent, Bonaparte dispatched large forces to the north and the south, but the Austrians launched a surprise attack on 14th June against the main French army, under General Louis Alexandre Berthier.

Initially, their two assaults across the Fontanone stream near Marengo village were repelled, and General Jean Lannes reinforced the French right. Bonaparte realized the true position and issued orders at 11:00 am to recall the detachment under Général de Division (GdD) Louis Desaix while he moved his reserve forward. On the Austrian left, Ott's column had taken Castel Ceriolo, and its advance guard moved south to attack Lannescs flank. Melas renewed the main assault, and the Austrians broke the central French position. By 2:30 pm, the French were withdrawing, and Austrian dragoons seized the Marengo farm.

Bonaparte had by then arrived with the reserve, but Berthier's troops began to fall back on the main vine belts. Knowing that Desaix was approaching, Bonaparte was anxious about a column of Ott's soldiers marching from the north and so he deployed his Consular Guard infantry to delay it. The French then withdrew steadily eastward toward San Giuliano Vecchio as the Austrians formed a column to follow them, as Ott also advanced in the northern sector.

Desaix's arrival at around 5:30 pm stabilized the French position, as the 9th Light Infantry Regiment delayed the Austrian advance down the main road and the rest of the army reformed north of Cascina Grossa. As the pursuing Austrian troops arrived, a mix of musketry and artillery fire concealed the surprise attack of Général de Brigade (GdB) François Étienne de Kellermann’s cavalry, which threw the Austrian pursuit into disordered flight back into Alessandria, with about 14,000 killed, wounded or captured.

The French casualties were considerably fewer but included Desaix. The whole French line chased after the Austrians to seal une victoire politique (a political victory) that secured Bonaparte's grip on power after the coup.

It would be followed by a propaganda campaign that sought to rewrite the story of the battle three times during his rule.

(Information From Wikipedia)

Painting - THE BATTLE OF MARENGO

Artist(s) : LEJEUNE Louis François (baron)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.6 (before 1900)

371 BC – The Battle of Leuctra shatters Sparta's reputation of military invincibility. 640 – Battle of Heliopolis: The Muslim Arab army under 'Amr ibn al-'As defeat the Byzantine forces near Heliopolis (Egypt). 1253 – Mindaugas is crowned King of Lithuania. 1348 – Pope Clement VI issues a papal bull protecting the Jews accused of having caused the Black Death. 1411 – Ming China's Admiral Zheng He returns to Nanjing after the third treasure voyage and presents the Sinhalese king, captured during the Ming–Kotte War, to the Yongle Emperor. 1415 – Jan Hus is condemned by the assembly of the council in the Konstanz Cathedral as a heretic and sentenced to be burned at the stake. 1438 – A temporary compromise between the rebellious Transylvanian peasants and the noblemen is signed in Kolozsmonostor Abbey. 1483 – Richard III and Anne Neville are crowned King and Queen of England. 1484 – Portuguese sea captain Diogo Cão finds the mouth of the Congo River. 1495 – First Italian War: Battle of Fornovo: Charles VIII defeats the Holy League. 1536 – The explorer Jacques Cartier lands at St. Malo at the end of his second expedition to North America. He returns with none of the gold he expected to find. 1557 – King Philip II of Spain, consort of Queen Mary I of England, sets out from Dover to war with France, which eventually resulted in the loss of the city of Calais, the last English possession on the continent, and Mary I never seeing her husband again. 1560 – The Treaty of Edinburgh is signed by Scotland and England. 1573 – Córdoba, Argentina, is founded by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera. 1573 – French Wars of Religion: Siege of La Rochelle ends. 1614 – Raid on Żejtun: The south east of Malta, and the town of Żejtun, suffer a raid from Ottoman forces. This was the last unsuccessful attempt by the Ottomans to conquer the island of Malta. 1630 – Thirty Years' War: Four thousand Swedish troops under Gustavus Adolphus land in Pomerania, Germany. 1685 – Battle of Sedgemoor: Last battle of the Monmouth Rebellion. Troops of King James II defeat troops of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. 1751 – Pope Benedict XIV suppresses the Patriarchate of Aquileia and establishes from its territory the Archdiocese of Udine and Gorizia. 1777 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Ticonderoga: After a bombardment by British artillery under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York. 1779 – Battle of Grenada: The French defeat British naval forces in the Caribbean during the American Revolutionary War. 1791 – At Padua, the Emperor Leopold II calls on the monarchs of Europe to join him in demanding the king of France Louis XVI's freedom. 1801 – First Battle of Algeciras: Outnumbered French Navy ships defeat the Royal Navy in the fortified Spanish port of Algeciras. 1809 – The second day of the Battle of Wagram; France defeats the Austrian army in the largest battle to date of the Napoleonic Wars. 1854 – The Republican Party of the United States held its first convention in Jackson, Michigan. 1885 – Louis Pasteur successfully tests his vaccine against rabies on Joseph Meister, a boy who was bitten by a rabid dog. 1887 – David Kalākaua, monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, is forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution, which transfers much of the king's authority to the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. 1892 – Three thousand eight hundred striking steelworkers engage in a day-long battle with Pinkerton agents during the Homestead Strike, leaving ten dead and dozens wounded.

[crackspinewornpages]

War and Peace 40/198 -Leo Tolstoy

31 

It was dark now but as canons die down the rattle of musketry increased, when Tushin and his wounded men got out of range, they met the staff officer Zherkof and all gave conflicting orders. Tushin rode to the rear of the artillery on the verge of tears, the order was to abandon the wounded, he allowed an injured man on his cart, they removed the dead officer to make room for Rostof. By this time, it was too dark to see ten paces, the musketry was slackening, suddenly shots were heard again near the right, the last attack of the French, Tushin awaited fate. 

When the firefight died down the French won't bother them again, Captain Tushin made arrangements for the company. Racked with pain Rostof couldn’t sleep, Bagration had had a cottage and dinner ready getting a review of the battle by Bravnau confused himself at what he did. “How was it possible to decide, in the general confusion, what had happened and what had not happened?”p.116 Dolokhof took a French prisoner and Zherkof claimed to see the charge of hussars despite not seeing a single one that day. (I see Russia has the best of the best) 

Bagration thanks them but demands to know why two field pieces were abandoned in the center, one was dismantled but no explanation for the second. Tushin was sent for and when asked Andrei said he didn’t see the staff officer there. When Tushin arrived Bagration asked how the guns were abandoned and Tushin felt the horror of his disgrace of losing two guns. He says he does not know, he had no men and so not to compromise his superior officers wouldn’t say there were no forces covering him, but Andrei spoke up and said most of the success was in Tushin’s heroic company. Bagration dismissed Tushin and Tushin thanked Andrei.  

Rostof was in delima, his arm getting worse, he wishes he were home where he’s loved, why did he come here. The French renewed their attack the next day, what was left of Bagration’s division combined with Kutuzof’s army. 

PART THIRD 

32 

1805 the campaign ended in disaster against Napoleon, he deserted the Austrian army at Ulm and occupied Vienna and Austerlitz was one of his most famous victories.  

Vasili wasn’t in the habit of planning ahead, he didn't think to make friends with Pierre or marry him to his daughter. But if he met a man in power his instinct was to strike friendship for profit. Pierre was under his tutelage and got him an appointment to the gentleman in waiting to the Tsar and insisted he take up residence in his own mansion in Petersburg, now did everything to marry Pierre to his daughter. After his inheritance Pierre’s lonely life was now occupied so much he could only have a moment alone in bed. He did many duties and appointments, he began to believe the false praise of him being clever, even people who disliked him now were affectionate, even his cold sister changed her attitude after the funeral. (well yeah they now all want his money and influence) The winter of 1805-6 Anna Pavlovna sent him an invitation and mentioned that Helene will be there it alarmed Pierre others noticed no bond between them and seemed he was now under obligations he couldn’t fill but it still amused him. 

Anna’s party was like the last one except instead of Montemort she had a diplomat from Berlin, the groups arranged themselves in the drawing room. Anna pulled Pierre to Helene and sent her off and Pierre calls her charming, the man who gets her will be fortunate. As the conversation went to snuff boxes Pierre examined one and he was close to Helene, so close his near sightedness could see her beautiful neck and shoulders, he just noticed she was a woman any man, even him, could win. The only barrier between them was his own will. At home Pierre could barely sleep, thinking of what happened to him, but she is stupid, he has a revolting feeling she stirs in him. (is he horny but too emotionally stunted to realize) There was a rumor she and her brother Anatol were in love, it was a scandal, Vasili is her father, it’s all ugly. (I agree best not to get involved with that family don’t you think) While thinking of her faults he thought of her as a wife, he saw her as a woman and came to a decision. (not the right one is it) 

33 

November 1805, Vasili had to inspect four provinces of his in Tonton, to see a ruined estate and pick up his son Anatol and visit Nikolai Bolkonsky to marry his son to his daughter Maria. Before then he had to bring the moping Pierre’s affair to a crisis, he had been acting in love with Helene but not voicing it. Two weeks after Anna’s party Pierre made up his mind a marriage to Helene would lead to unhappiness, but he was still at Vasili’s and felt each day becoming more attached to her, he was agitated and confused. Pierre knew all were waiting for him to step over the line and he would sooner or later cross it, he needs to decide. (all this trouble and he still is as incompetent as ever)  

On Helen’s saints' day (her birthday) there was a party at Vasili’s and all who attended believed the lady’s fate would be decided. Pierre and Helene were side by side at the table, Vasili was rounding the table chatting with guests and ignoring the two. Pierre was conscious he was the center of attention pleasing and making him uncomfortable and understood nothing except it was all over, they all expected, it he can't disappoint them but how. (of yes you can they don’t care about you you’re just a chess piece to them) Vasili brought him out of his crisis by asking about Count Bolkonsky, the letter came from Olmutz. 

At dinner Pierre led Helene to the drawing room and guests left without bidding Helene farewell. In the last two weeks he never said a word to Helene about love but now he couldn’t make up his mind to take the step, it seemed he occupied someone else's place. He made small talk, when Vasili neared Pierre remarked it was late, but Vasili made him sit again. Vasili turned to his daughter and Pierre thought he couldn’t take the step. Others were talking in whispers of the match and Vasili sent his wife Alina to check on them, (he has a wife like a know he was married but I thought she was dead this is the first time she’s mentioned and probably the last isn’t it) they were still talking, displeasing Vasili. Determined, he walked up and loudly congratulated the two, Pierre was just thankful it was decided for him. (face palm) Helene has him take off his glasses and kisses him, Pierre thought it was too late and decided for him, says he loves her, but it sounded meager. (so he doesn’t actually love her) Two weeks later they were married and settled in the established Count Bezukhof mansion in Petersburg. 

34 

In December, Nikolai Bolkonsky received a letter from Vasili that he and his son would visit and they’d arrived two weeks later. Bolkonsky had low opinions of Vasili intensified by his advances in rank by Emperors Paul and Alexander, that day Bolkonsky was especially surly and irritable. He asked of Lisa and was told she was feeling ill in reality she was so afraid of his bad mood she wouldn’t leave her room afraid for her baby. (since being secluded she grew attached to Mlle spending all day with her and wanting her to sleep in her bed) Mlle changed the subject to their visitors, Bolkonsky wants to know why he’s bringing his son, he doesn’t want him and Mlle spoke to him until he became more genial. After dinner he went to see Lisa who withered in her new surroundings, she denied offered medicine and he left her.  

Vasili arrived in the evening over snow that had been heaped back on the road. (that’s a level of petty I aspire to be) Anatol theorized that this visit might lead to something amusing and good, if she is rich why not marry her. (what a catch you are) Vasili reminded him to be respectful and prudent with Bolkonsky but Anatol says if he’s rude he’ll leave, Vasili reminds him his future relies on this. Maria had to be present but her father terrified her, Lisa and Mlle tried to improve Maria’s appearance, but nothing could be done about her pitiful face. Maria tells them to leave her be and they knew they couldn’t change her mind and left her alone. Maria imagined how her husband should be strong, commanding, attractive, (the opposite of Anatol) carrying her off into this different world full of happiness, looking at her affectionately, but it’s impossible she’s too homely. (oh honey) She was called to tea, horror struck by her own thoughts she went to the chapel, she dreamed of a happy family but her principle one was of earthly love. (girl wants to bone) She prayed to God after she went to tea not thinking of her dress, how she would enter or what to say. 

35 

When Maria came down they greeted her and she was dazed by Anatol’s beauty he acted in a manner that piques curiosity and wishing to show she’s not into it turned to his father. Maria and Vasili talked and he included Anatol into it. Anatol saw how pretty Mlle was and hoped when he married Maria she’d take her companion with her. (...what) Bolkonsky was annoyed by his guests, life without his daughter was unthinkable, also who would take Maria for love, she is homely, (gee thanks dad) girls would be happier unmarried. Here is Lisa, it would be hard to find a better husband than Andrei. (considering how he treats her not really) Vasili brought his son for a proposal, he has no objection but he must prove himself. 

Maria was dressed horribly and Anatol didn’t care of making her acquaintance, Bolkonsky asked about recent politics while glancing at Maria and scolded her on her clothes. Lisa tries to take the blame, but Bolkonsky says Maria is already ugly, she has no right to disfigure herself like this. (gee thanks dad) The three women felt their lives hadn't been lives until Anatol came. (damn these girls are lonely) Maria didn’t think of her looks but the man who might be her husband, convinced he is a manly, resolute and noble and tried not to think of family life. (especially with him) Anatol thought she was ugly. (see) Mlle was excited by Anatol’s arrival, she had no desire to devote her life to Bolkonsky, playing companion to Maria and waited for a Russian prince to see her superior over Maria and Lisa became a flirt forgetting her condition. Anatol generally affected the attitude that he considered it a bore to have women running after him felt vanity when he realized he had power over them and felt animal passion for Mlle. (her full name is Mademoiselle Amelie Bourienne but I’m not writing all that) 

After tea, they went to the sitting room, Maria played the clavichord as Anatol watched her and filled his gaze with joy. But he wasn’t thinking of her but of Mlle’s foot touching his, her eyes had a hope Maria never saw before. Maria thought it was happiness for her and her potential husband. (oh honey) After supper Anatol went to kiss the women’s hands and Maria thought Mlle’s blush was that she thought Maria would be jealous of her and not appreciate her devotion to her, she kissed her to reassure her. Anatol went to kiss Lias’s hand, but she refused. 

36 

Except for Anatol it was a long time before anyone fell asleep. Maria was afraid the devil was watching her thinking of her future husband and called her maid to sleep in her room. Mlle walked for hours vainly expecting someone and Lisa scolded her maid because she couldn’t find a comfortable position to sleep and Anatol’s presence brought back memories of before she was married, when she was merry. Bolkonsky felt insulted through his daughter, Anatol had eyes for Mlle, she must be gotten rid of and show his daughter it’s for her own sake. He called his valet, Vasili and his son were already in bed, so he went to sleep on the couch. 

Though Anatol and Mlle spoke few words to each other they struck up a romance and talked in secret in the early morning. That morning Maria was afraid to see her father in his study, it seemed that day fate would be decided. That morning he was affectionate and kind to his daughter and explained he received an offer of marriage for her to consider him out of the question. “I’m not the one who is going to be married. What’s your opinion? That is what must be known.”p.138 She could tell her father didn’t regard it favorably and realized her future hung in the balance. She wants to fulfil his will when her father explains Anatol will only take her fortune and have Mlle as a wife and she starts to cry and he takes it back saying he was only jesting. He tells her to remember, “I stick to my principles that a girl has a perfect right to choose for herself. I give you your freedom. Remember this, though, the happiness of your whole life depends upon your decision. Leave me out of the consideration.”p.138 (huh this is surprisingly progressive for the time) She doesn’t know, he tells her to think it over for an hour, pray if she likes, only she better use reason. 

Her fate was already happily decided but what her father said about Mlle was horrible, she kept thinking about it, she tried to cut through the garden when she heard Mlle’s voice. Anatol had Mlle in his arms when they caught sight of Maria, Mlle ran off and Anatol made a bow before leaving. After an hour the valet Tikhon fetched Maria who was hugging a crying Mlle declaring she loves Mlle more than ever and will do everything for her happiness, she tells her she understands before going to see her father. Vasili asked for her to decide his son’s fate and her father wants to know, yes or no. Maria says she has no desire to leave her father or wish to marry, her father calls it nonsense and Vasili wants hope she’ll change her mind, no. Bolkonsky dismisses her to her room, she believes her vocation is to be happy in the happiness of others, happiness of love and self-sacrifice she will bring about means so Anatol and Mlle can marry. (oh honey you really have no self esteem do you) 

37 

November 24, Kutuzof’s army was to be reviewed by the emperor of Russia and Austria. Rostof had just been promoted from cadet, just brought Denisof’s horse and was in debt to his comrades. He rode off to find his friend Boris, he still only had his old, soiled cadet uniform and thought he’d impress them as appearing like a veteran. Boris had marched the whole campaign with Captain Berg and by letter introduction became acquainted with Pierre Bolkonsky and hoped to obtain a place on the staff through him. The two friends met for the first time in six months and changed so much and were eager to show it. They recounted their experiences and Boris gave Rostof his letters and money before taking his leave. Among the letters was a recommendation to Bagration from Anna Mikhailovna for her son. He threw it away but Boris says it could be useful, but he doesn’t want to be anyone’s aide. Boris would rather be an aide that stick to the line, best to make one’s career as brilliant as possible. As wine is brought, they have Berg sent for and the conversation becomes livelier. 

As Rostof was describing Schongraben, Andrei entered the room, Boris made a pleasant expression on him, but he couldn’t endure Rostof. Rostof could sense it and grew angry and saw Boris looked ashamed of being in the company of a hussar of the line. Berg and Boris asked Andrei questions of news of headquarters that claimed he couldn’t give and asks Rostof to continue his tale of Schongraben, there’s many stories circulating about it. Rostof says they are different, “Our accounts have some weight, and are very different from the stories of those staff officers, milk suckers, who win awards by doing nothing.”p.144 (ah Rostof is learning how generals die in bed) Andrei asks if he means him, no he didn’t know him or wants to know him, just making a remark. Andrei says he’s ready to have a settlement, but the time and place is unpropitious but don’t forget he knows his name and where to find him. While they will all take part in a far more serious duel. His advice as the elder is to not let the matter go farther and he leaves. After Andrei is gone Rostof thinks of a response and heads off, should he challenge the aide or follow his advice and drop it, he would enjoy seeing him at the end of his pistol but also have him as a friend. (so you want him as a frienemy) 

38 

The next day Boris dressed in his best uniform anxious to take the advantage of Andrei’s good will a secure position. Rostof’s father sends him ten thousand at a time but he, who only has brains, must secure opportunities. If it weren't for duty Andrei wouldn't bother with him, spoke to a general, Boris understood his position and waited but believed his letter of recommendation took precedence over the old general. Boris presents his letter from Prince Kuragin and he wants to ask a favor but he still has to wait. (so how’s social climbing going to work out for Boris) 

Andrei has them go to the Prince Dolgorukof he has an errand anyway and will see if he has a place for him on staff. By helping he would come close to a charmed circle and an attractive source of success. In Olmutz there was council of war between Kutuzof and Schwartzenberg to battle Napoleon, when the two entered to find Prince Dolgorukof. The battle looked in their favor, they had more allies, and the armies were eager for action and General Weirother knew the geography of the strategic point and Napoleon was making preparations to meet them. 

Dolgorukof returned from that council full of excitement, eager for victory and in French voiced his frustration to Andrei and how they’ll have an advantageous position. Andrei says the letter he sent to the emperor was nothing but buying time, Napoleon is right in their hands. Andrei jokes how Bilibin is clever to give Napoleon the title Usurper (I can’t see that word without hearing Octopimp’s Haru) and Enemy of the Human Race and his more serious title, Head of the French Government. But it won't please Napoleon, a refined and shrewd diplomat and recounted the handkerchief story of him expecting Markof to pick it up only for him to drop his and leave Napoleon’s on the ground. Andrei then tells his purpose to suggest a position for Boris, a nuisance, but he’ll see about it. The next day the armies were in motion and Boris didn’t see Andrei or Dologrukof as he was in the Izmailovsky regiment. 

39 

Denisof’s squadron with Rostof was in Bagration’s division marched to the battle, their squadron was in the reserves, so Rostof spent the day bored and anxious. By the time he heard musketry the battle was ending in victory with the capture of a French squadron, Rostof brought a captured horse. There were calls of the Emperor Alexander and he saw horsemen with white plumes on their hats and all took their places waiting. Rostof was happy to catch sight of the sovereign and heard the voice of Alexander. Before Emperor Alexander reached the hussars his aides gave him a report and the mere capture of a squadron was represented as brilliant victory and all were convinced the French were in retreat. (they’re not stereotyped as being that much of a coward yet) 

The Pavlograd hussars were ordered to advance in Wischau, there were a few causalities and the Emperor helped carry an injured man to the stretcher before riding away. “What is so terrible as war! What a terrible thing!”p.151 That night Denisof was promoted to major, he and Rostof gave toasts to the sovereign's health; he’d gladly die for him. Rostof wasn’t the only one, most of the Russian army were in love to the Tsar and the Russian army on the joys that proceeded to the Battle of Austerlitz. “In the field, no woom for love affairs, when one’s so much in love with the Tsar!”p.152 (Denisof has this lisp that makes his Rs sound like Ws I just keep hearing ELmer Fudd)  

40 

On the 29th a French officer came with a truce flag demanding an interview with the Russian Emperor for Napoleon, it was refused but if they wanted peace talk to Dolgorukof. Dolgorukof returned and spoke to the Emperor alone, that afternoon there were excited conversations and messages. Andrei asked Dolgorukof and asked what Napoleon is like, Dolgorukok says he seems afraid of general engagement his hour is at hand and acted affronted because he was addressed with no title. Andrei was eager to find out the attack plans and after his own, it doesn’t matter all contingencies are foreseen, if he’s posted at Brunn. Andrei asks Kutuzof what he thinks, he thinks the battle will be lost and told Count Tolstoy (not a self-insert he was a grand marshal of the Russian court in 1805 and a member of the Tsar's suite in 1812) to tell the sovereign who dismissed it. 

Rostof was starting to doze when a shout startled him, growing to thousands of voices in the direction of the enemy the French army was coming over the hills flashing in points of fire. (oh shit should have listened to that peace negotiation) The shouts grew louder, and fire grew through the camp. Napoleon’s general order was read as French soldiers followed with lighted straw and calls of long live the Emperor. Their position is paramount and will expose the Russian’s flank. He will direct their battalions, if the battle becomes doubtful, he will expose himself in the front. The honor of the nation is at stake, don’t break ranks to carry away the wounded, let each men be filled with hatred to conquer the mercenaries of England, this victory will bring the campaign to an end and they will retire to the winter quarters and have fresh troops. “And then the peace I shall conclude will be memorable for my people, for you, and for me.”p.155 (wow Napoleon was quite confident) 

NEXT

[northernstrangergames]

Le Petit Caporal

Off-key singing and rumbling cartwheels accompany le Petit Caporal’s passage through the countryside. Nicknamed ‘the little corporal’ after the affectionate nickname given to Napoleon by his troops, a huge 42-pound coastal artillery gun is being transported to a nearby muster point for the invasion of England. 

The massive gun has been incorporated into the army’s siege train, used to reduce any fortifications that block the French advance inland. 3D6 artillerymen accompany the wagon transporting the gun, under the command of an officer riding a glossy black mare. The soldiers are armed with carbines and carry short sabres (stats as cutlass.)

Two local peasants have been drafted to drive the wagon, urging the lumbering oxen onward with flicks of the reins and a cracking whip. The marching artillerymen sing the Chanson de l’Oignon (‘the onion song’), a popular marching song among the veterans of Napoleon’s Austrian campaign.

I've been working on some random encounters for Shot & Splinters, and this is definitely one of my favourites. One of the best things about writing a historical game is discovering new and unexpected things about the past.

The delightful melody of the Onion Song conjours up a picture of blue-jacketed infantrymen marching through the countryside, singing to keep in step. They're smiling, joking, being human. I think sometimes we forget about the human stories. The Napoleonic Wars are more than Napoleon and Austerlitz. Wellington and Talavera.

I hope my games help you uncover the humanity hidden within the past.

[awallofswords]

As an addition to my posts on sword grips, here is a size comparison between the heavy and light cavalry trooper swords of the French and British Napoleonic armies.

From top to bottom:

French Model An XIII Sabre of the line, - used by Dragoons and Cuirassiers

Originally this blade would have been issued with a hatchet point making it slightly longer. However, by 1814 field modifying them into spear points became common and in 1816 this became an official modification, getting retroactively applied to swords in service.

Total Length: 1120mm

Blade Length: 960mm

Sword Weight: 1300 grams

British 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry Sword

Based on the Austrian model 1769 the British sword was originally issued with a hatchet tip. However, like their French opponents, field modification into a spear point became common practice to make the sword more effective in the thrust. 

Total Length: 1020mm

Blade Length: 890mm

Sword Weight: 1020 grams

French model An XI, - used by ‘Hunters on horse’, Hussars, Lancers, and Mounted Artillery

Introduced in year eleven (1802) of the Revolutionary calendar the AN XI came about as a rationalisation of the different models of light cavalry sabres in service to meet the supply demands of near constant warfare the new French state found itself in.

Total Length: 1010mm

Blade Length: 870mm

Sword Weight: 1190 grams

British 1796 Pattern Light Cavalry Sabre, - used by Light Dragoons and Mounted Artillery

Designed by John Gaspard le Merchant with cooperation from Henry Osborn in response to complaints of British cavalry troopers on the poor performance of their 1788 pattern sabres. Based loosely on Eastern European sabres the 1796 LC proved to be a hard hitting sword and immensely popular.

Total Length: 945mm

Blade Length: 820mm

Sword Weight: 880 grams

[northernmariette]

Part 4: Army life for the Napoleonic infantryman morphing into...

... the battle of Ulm. 

This is my fourth and last translated post drawn from an article in the September 2019 issue of Historia magazine, This the same magazine from which I posted eight biographical sketches of Marshals recently. I was inspired to do this by @history-and-arts‘s recent participation in a re-enactment of the battle of Waterloo.

The article is specific to the battle of Ulm, but parts of it described aspects of army life applicable throughout the Napoleonic era.  

For the two years preceding this battle, Napoleon had been involved in preparing an invasion of Britain, and had stationed seven army corps along the northern coasts of France and the Flemish coast, Bernadotte holding the easternmost position in Holland, and Augereau the westernmost at Brest. This final post will concern the seven army corps marching to Ulm, and some information regarding the battle itself.

One bit of preliminary information: when historians refer to Boulogne, they don’t mean just the city of Boulogne itself, but the entire seven army corps along the coast facing England. The distance between these corps’ encampments and Boulogne itself, where Napoleon had his headquarters, could be hundreds of kilometres.

The Magnificent Seven (no, not the movie)

Each corps, commanded by a marshal and comprising the different branches of the army - namely the infantry, the cavalry, artillery, and engineers -, followed a separate route in order to speed up movement and facilitate provisioning of supplies. The marches were organized by divisions, each spaced one day apart. Despite these precautions, the marching columns spread over long distances.

From Boulogne to Ulm

August 1805: Napoleon was planning to land in England when Austria's declaration of war caught him by surprise. A third coalition, including Russia, had arisen against him. Without delay, he had to turn his army around and rush to Germany. In order to prevent his enemies from joining forces and outnumbering him, he had to crush the Austrians. The Grande Armee departed from Boulogne on 29 August 1805 and moved in what Napoleon called "seven torrents", covering almost 40 km per day and reaching the Rhine on 25 September. Less than a fortnight later, on 7 October, it crossed the Danube. As a result of the speed of its progress, Napoleon's army trapped the Austrians inside the stronghold of Ulm and forced them to capitulate on 17 October. 

This last part of the article is accompanied by a map showing the position of the army corps on September 25, as well as their individual paths to Ulm. In a rough north-north-east line, starting from the south and going north, we have Murat, Lannes, Ney, Soult, Davout, Marmont, and Bernadotte. The seventh “magnificent”, Augereau, is missing. Murat’s path is shown as an assemblage of curlicued arrows, as he was ordered by Napoleon to feign an attack so as to distract the Austrians. To the north, Marmont and Bernadotte seem to have crossed paths at some point, Marmont’s corps taking the northernmost position.

My copy of David G. Chandler’s The Illustrated Napoleon has a similar map on page 44. It includes some differences and additional information. Murat’s movements are shown with similar curlicues, but Marmont’s and Bernadotte’s armies apparently merged in Wurzburg, about 80 miles from Ulm. Augereau’s corps is at least 100 miles away, not surprising since it had the longest distance to travel. Wrede and Deroi are shown fighting with the French at the head of Bavarian troops. I know that Deroi died in batttle, but I’m not sure if it happened at Ulm. Be it as it may, there is a painting showing Deroi being carried off a field of battle. 

[josefavomjaaga]

Hi, i have seen in one of your posts that once Napoleon intended to take Eugene's family hostage. Why was that? Their relationship is always potrayed as good so why would be plan to threaten his stepson. I always had a feeling that napoleon's relationship with his stepkids are not as amazing as potrayed

(Now look at me. Barely three weeks have passed, and I'm already getting back to you... I'm sorry. I suck.)

I've written a bit about this before, so with your permission, I will mostly summarize and link to older posts for the details.

For context: This happened in late February 1814, with allied forces invading both France (where Napoleon was) and Italy (that Eugène obstinately had refused to leave). But it goes back to autumn 1813, when German newspapers openly started to speculate about Napoleon's two "Italians" - Murat in Naples and Eugène in Milan - both abandonning Napoleon and joining the Allies.

To some degree, spreading such rumours surely was a deliberate political move, an attempt to sow distrust among the enemy. (And it worked. Hortense already wrote about offers being made to Eugène weeks before he actually received them...) But to some degree, they were based on facts. Murat really was negotiating with the Austrians and would come to an agreement with them. And after the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, Eugène's father in law King Max of Bavaria had spoken very much in favour of his son-in-law and tried to score a few points for him with the Allies. Resulting in the offer made to Eugène in November 1813 ("leave Napoleon, get a crown!") that Eugène, however, refused.

But the distrust in the French camp seems to have been very real. In some aspects, Eugène may have looked like the most likely candidate to leave Napoleon's side:

Napoleon had dumped Josephine.

Napoleon had broken his promise to make Eugène the heir to the Kingdom of Italy.

Eugène had been very irritated about the way Napoleon critisized his actions in Germany in spring 1813.

Eugène was related to one of the monarchs in the Allied camp, even best buddies with his father-in-law, and likely to be received well among the Allies, probably better than Murat.

So when Eugène did not immediately follow Napoleon's order to evacuate Italy (no matter his reasons), Napoleon already felt the need to bring out the heavy emotional artillery: Both Josephine and Hortense were told to write to Eugène and to tell him to obey to this order (an order that neither of the two ladies had any knowledge of, by the way). This in turn wounded Eugène deeply; he felt that, while he was doing everything in his power to help Napoleon, and refusing very real advantages offered to him for the sake of loyalty, he met with nothing but distrust and ingratitude.

So, Napoleon in Paris thought: "The boy is up to something down there in Milan, he's going his own ways, I cannot control him as I would love to." And Eugène in Milan thought: "The Emperor is ungrateful, and no matter what I do and how often I prove my loyalty to him, he will never believe me, let alone thank me for anything I do."

Let's add that Auguste, Eugène's beloved wife, was pregnant again. And briefly after the letters Josephine and Hortense had written to him, that he clearly saw as a sign of Napoleon's distrust, Eugène received the following missive from his Imperial stepfather:

Napoleon to Eugène. Château de Surville close to Montereau. February 19, 1814 My son, the vice queen must immediately go to Paris for her delivery; my intention being that under no circumstances she should remain in a country occupied by the enemy: therefore, make her leave immediately. [...]

Frankly, when I read that order in the course of Eugène's correspondence, right after the incidents explained above, my first understanding was precisely like theirs: that Napoleon wanted to get a hold of Auguste and the children, in order to assure Eugène's obedience.

If that really was Napoleon's intention? I do not know. Quite possibly not. He was always telling women to come to Paris in order to have their babies. Josephine and Hortense had already asked if Auguste would leave endangered Italy and come to Paris. But such an explicit and abrupt order, in that tense situation, did indeed look like a threat. Plus, Eugène and Auguste may have had a bit of a bad conscience, too, as Eugène had contacted the Austrians and asked them to guarantee the personal security of his family in case something happened to him - and that was something he apparently had not told Napoleon about. Napoleon most likely had learned of it anyway.

Anyway, this resulted in an exasperated Auguste writing a letter to Napoleon, in which she finally allowed herself to let loose all her grievances against him, on behalf of herself and on behalf of her husband. I have quoted it in full in the course of this post. Here are some highlights:

Auguste to Napoleon. Milan, February 27, 1814. Sire, Eugène has just communicated to me the order given to him by Your Majesty: it surprised me greatly, for I did not expect that after all the proofs of attachment Eugène never ceases to give you, you would also demand of him to risk the health and even the life of his wife and children, the only asset and consolation he has in this world. If he does not speak on this occasion, it is for me to do so.

("If he doesn't speak up on this occasion" - insert a slightly annoyed "as usual" 😁.)

Without doubt I know his and my duties towards Your Majesty. We have demonstrated this to you often enough, and we have never failed to do so; our conduct is known to all; we do not resort to intrigue, and we have no other guides than honour and virtue. It is a sad fact that our reward has been nothing but sorrow and mortification [...] What have I done to deserve such a harsh order of departure? When I got married, I never thought that things would come to this. [...]

Remember all the bullshit you promised me in Munich in 1806? Well, I do!

In spite of this I will obey your orders, I will leave Milan if the enemies should come here; but my duty, my heart, makes it a law not to leave my husband, and, since you demand that I risk my health, I want at least to have the consolation of ending my days in the arms of the one who possesses all my tenderness and who makes all my happiness. Whatever his fate will be, I will share it, and it will always be worthy of envy, since we will be able to say to each other that we have deserved a happier one, and that we will have a conscience without reproach. [...]

Napoleon's reaction to this missive (and a similar from Eugène) seems genuinely confused (see the link above) - "What's up with you two? What have I done this time? All I said was: Come to Paris!" - so maybe he really never had the intention Auguste and Eugène read in this order.

But who knows. If there was ever a human who qualified as a "political animal", it was Napoleon.

I hope this is still of interest to you after all the time it took me to come up with this answer, and thank you once more for your interest in "the boy".

[bantarleton]

If you did an Oscars ceremony for 18th century armies what categories you would have eg. Best light infantry and who would win the awards for each category? 

Quite a fun question actually.

Artillery: Without doing the British or Austrian artillery dirty, it's a showdown between France and Prussia for this one (like most of the awards really). The French started pretty strong, but Frederick the Great made vital breakthroughs especially in the use of light and horse artillery. But the Gribeauval system introduced around the time of the American Revolution laid the foundations for Napoleon to excel, so overall France wins this one.

Cavalry: Honestly I'm not hugely proficient on who had the best cavalry over the course of the century (besides the fact it definitely wasn't Britain). France, Prussia or Austria could all take this.

Infantry: Again, it's between France and Prussia. The latter during the Seven Years War gives them a big advantage, but the effectiveness of French infantry during the French Revolution/start of the Napoleonic era claws it back. I think Prussia just takes this one, based mainly on the fact that French reforms adopted lots of the Prussian system after 1763. If the timeline ran to 1815 France would win it. Special mention to Britain though, their win/loss ratio in toe-to-toe line engagements is impressive.

Grenadiers: Really I can't choose here as every nation's grenadiers were pretty badass.

Light Infantry: In terms of light infantry as part of the standing army, I think Britain takes this. They were developed very effectively in the Seven Years War, and they did practically all the hardest fighting during the American Revolution. France comes a pretty close second with Napoleon's great use of skirmisher spam, they really weaponised the light infantry "cloud," but does it really count if you don't have any rifles at all?

Generals and General Staff: This again comes down to France vs Prussia, with France's development of a staff corps from the 1770s onwards winning it for them.

Auxiliaries: The Russians get cossacks, the Austrians Grenzers, the British and French Native Americans. France wins out due to basically running the whole of the North American side of the Seven Years War based on Native allies, offsetting the huge population disparity there and drawing the war out much longer than it potentially should have lasted. Britain coming in second place with the use of Native allies during the Revolution, it wasn't war-winning but it helped the Crown effort a lot more than is popularly realised.

Best Overall Army: A clash between France and Prussia. France coming down a bit off 17th c. domination, a slightly patchy record in the first half of the century but still consistently the most formidable European military. Prussia knocks it out of the park in the Seven Years War, France recovers during the American Revolution and goes on to maintain the title of most powerful European army via the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.

Results:

France: 4

Prussia: 1

Britain: 1

[count-lero]

While I was searching for some fan-art with Metternich in my collection not so long ago, I suddenly came across these two sketches I’ve not shared on Tumblr before. Even though now I’m aware of some huge mistakes in their appearances (primarily Schwarzenberg’s one: since then I’ve seen a bunch of planchettes depicting Austrian soldiers and officers at the different stages of Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars which made me rethink a lot - especially his hair style), love the general meaning behind it all so far. ❤️

One day I’ll probably make an adequate redraw… However, that doesn’t stop me from posting the “original”!

Besides, they still look pretty cool and cinematic. 🎥✨

The concept itself came to me, when I was exploring Metternich and Schwarzenberg’s lives once again in search for a “common ground” - major milestones in the Napoleonic wars period which brought them closer, until they’ve started working hand in hand in practical terms. The most important one is, for sure, the war of the Fifth Coalition culminating in the battles of Wagram and Znaim.

Won’t go into details on this one: there’re many people out there who are much more familiar with the Austrian campaign of 1809 and it’s origins. I’m still a noob who has a lot - A LOT - to learn about (three volumes of Gill’s “Thunder on the Danube”… *looking respectfully with almost holly fear* 👁👁). However, the circumstance which interests me the most is that the events of the day brought back to the shores of the Danube two Austrian ambassadors - a military man and a professional diplomat. The military man discussed the matters of the Danube principalities and the Ottoman Empire with the Russian court in Saint-Petersburg: they had been waging war against Turks since 1806; and the diplomat… well, let’s say that after his mission the brilliant city of Paris took a special place in his heart~

Briefly speaking, Metternich’s struggles on his journey back, which started in May, were phenomenal since he had to travel during the war time in a state of a living “bargaining chip”, meanwhile Schwarzenberg almost missed Wagram itself because of the long detour he had to take on his way back to the Austrian empire. Still in the first days of July they were both present before emperor Franz (as well as Gentz’s inquisitive gaze and feather) - after that one of them went straight to the front line.

What came next, history says for itself. A series of defeats (Znaim being the fatal blow, since Wagram wasn’t that disastrous at all - it was a worthy showdown, even the French acknowledge this in their memoires), humiliating peace of Schönbrunn and the disgrace that finally overtook the country’s war party (since emperor Franz had never been a big fan of it all). Now the time had come for the pacification of Napoleon. It was also the time for the recently appointed chancellor and Austrian ambassador in Paris to shine. ✨

Despite all odds, it was certainly a new beginning - extraordinary one for Metternich, incredibly difficult and tedious one for Schwarzenberg. Nevertheless, it was for the greater good - for the sake of the Habsburg’s Empire. And I sincerely believe that this thought lifted the spirits of such men of service even in the darkest hours (until it’s too much for them to handle as it was in Schwarzenberg’s case). 🇦🇹

P.S.

These pair drawings actually made me think for the first time about how much “fun” it was for the Austrians with their predominantly white uniforms (by the way, the three-coloured combo - white, red and gold - is one of my favourites now, thank you, my dear obsession 🤍❤️💛) to participate in a serious combat, when the heavy artillery fire was unleashed from the both sides. Like, man, at what state were the coats of the soldiers and officers afterwards, I can’t even imagine… ☠️

Also, Schwarzenberg’s face says it all for him.

“Why am I, a professional military man who dreams about guns, glory and making my job right, that cursed to miss all the triumph aka Aspern and Essling and now have to witness one more epic failure as it was with Ulm and Austerlitz”.

At the meantime Metternich is just vibing. Mischievously, as always. 😌

[histoireettralala]

Ulm

As the Allies advanced, Napoleon raced to the critical point, exploiting the superior mobility of his corps, which had billets and supplies arranged by local authorities waiting for them. The smooth and rapid movement of such a large army was unprecedented: the French troops averaged some twenty miles per day. The Grande Armée reached the Rhine river by late September, and after crossing at various locations between September 26 and October 2, it advanced toward the Danube. This speedy advance once again revealed a key feature of Napoleon's character: his willingness to accept long-term political risks for immediate strategic and operational advantages. To threaten the enemy position, Napoleon pushed his I and II Corps through the Prussian territory of Ansbach, flagrantly violating its neutrality. This was a politically perilous decision, but in Napoleon's mind it was justified by military need. It took the Austrians by surprise, as they had received assurances that Prussia would oppose any such move, and so they were convinced of the security of their rear. Napoleon's gamble paid off, but it caused considerable outrage in Prussia and led to calls for war.

Napoleon needed to act quickly, and act quickly he did. With his spies reporting that Mack had concentrated his forces around Ulm, he issued a new set of orders designed to cut the Austrians off from the Russians and destroy them piecemeal. By early October Napoleon's forces were advancing in six great columns in a wide arc around to the north and then east of Mack's position. An important element in Napoleon's plan was his use of intelligence to deceive his enemy, with French agents Charles (Karl) Louis Schulmeister and Edouard Fetny well placed inside Austrian headquarters to supply misinformation to the Austrian command while transmitting crucial Austrian military plans to Napoleon.

By September 30 Mack had realized that he was in danger of being encircled, and he tried to break out of the trap and open a line of retreat toward Vienna. In the first two weeks of October the Austrians suffered a series of major defeats: at Wertingen (October 8), Marshals Joachim Murat and Jean Lannes mauled the Austrian forces under Franz Auffenberg; at Haslach (October 11), some 4,000 French troops commanded by General Pierre Dupont managed to withstand an assault by 25,000 Austrians; at Elchingen (October 14), Marshal Michel Ney routed the Austrians and prevented them from escaping north of the Danube while most of Napoleon's forces were south of the river. By then, the French had two corps in the vicinity of Munich, eighty miles east of Mack, severing his line of communication and closing off his more southerly routes of escape. Napoleon's swift advance and victories demoralized the Austrian army. With the Russians still over a hundred miles away, Mack surrendered his forces, consisting of some 23,500 men and sixty-five pieces of artillery, at Ulm on October 19-20.

The victory at Ulm was a remarkable success. In less than two months Napoleon had marched some 200,000 men from the Atlantic coast into Bavaria and achieved his major objective of annihilating the enemy without even needing to fight a major battle. It was this success, achieved at the operational level rather than the tactical, that led his men to joke that Napoleon had found a new way to make war: with their legs rather than their arms.

Alexander Mikaberidze- The Napoleonic Wars, A Global History

[wandereraway]

Torre Massimiliana

Venice, Italy

This sturdy, circular stronghold served as one of the forts that protected the Venetian Lagoon.

THE CITY OF VENICE HAS always been naturally protected from external attacks due to its position in the middle of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries, almost no effort was made to fortify the area surrounding the city.

During the 14th-century, the first stronghold was constructed in the lagoon. The defensive system around Venice was expanded during the wars against the Ottoman Empire in the 16th-century. One fort was constructed on the tip of Sant’Erasmo Island, overlooking the main waterway connecting the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian Lagoon. It was demolished during the Napoleonic Wars in Italy. The French rebuilt the military complex between 1811 and 1814, but they didn’t use this fort as the reign of Napoleon came to an end.

The Austrian Empire, at the time in control of Northeastern Italy, resumed the expansion of the fortification in the 1840s, giving it its current appearance. The circular fortification is surrounded by a moat, and the upper floor contains so many openings for artillery that cannons had to be packed together to fit. This new fortification was deemed inefficient but remained in use until World War II. After the war, the fortification was abandoned and used as a storage site by local farmers. During the 1990s, it was restored by the Municipality of Venice and stands in excellent condition today.

(via Atlas Obscura)