Napoleon's Marshals: Twenty-Six Military Commanders of the First Empire

by R.P. Dunn-Pattison

The careers of the first men of the First Empire
The rank of Marshal of France was the highest military rank within the armies of the Bourbons in the days before the French Revolution tore down the aristocratic establishment and signalled a period of change where citizens could rise on merit rather than as a right of birth. Revolution turned to Consulate and-under the seemingly invincible and unstoppable influence of Napoleon Bonaparte-to Empire. In 1804 Napoleon reinstated the rank as the highest attainable by his officers, and he knew his ambitious soldiers well for many fought and died driven by the idea that 'every soldier carried a marshal's baton in his knapsack, ' the opportunity to advance in status and wealth for those who might rise to Napoleon's challenge no matter how lowly their origins. Between 1804 and 1815 Napoleon created twenty six Marshals. They were the men upon whom he would depend for victory on the battlefield or whilst conducting campaigns on their own. All cherished their positions and the power, influence and wealth that came with them. All sought to maintain what they had won and this resulted in jealousies and actions often contrary to their masters best interests. They were men who had come from all levels of society, of mixed talents, some brave as lions, others timid and cautious, the clever and the simply methodical, the fiercely loyal and those ready for betrayal at a moment of personal advantage. Some, essentially, had a talent for attracting good luck-an essential trait in the Napoleonic assessment. Here are the origins, victories, defeats and fates of the men who for more than a decade set Europe ablaze in an orgy of fire and blood at the behest of their master, Augereau, Grouchy, Macdonald, Massena, Moncey, Murat, Perignon, Poniatowski, Soult, Victor and sixteen more of Napoleon's men. Available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket for collectors.

Genres: History

332 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 1996

Reviews

[Koeneman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book about all the Marshals of Napoleon. Every Marshal’s got his own little biography, their personal life and military accomplishments or failures. The more well-known get around 20 pages and the lesser known around 10 pages or less which is fair, although sometimes I missed some interesting information for example: The mistress that Massena took with him to Spain which caused some upset in the army, the eye incident of Massena, Soult his project of getting Napoleon his body back to France in 1840, Marmont his vote for the death penalty against Ney, Oudinot his last stand in a wooden house during the Russian Retreat and some other pretty big things.

So many different characters, backgrounds, personalities, desires, ambitions and glamour were leading the troops of the French. One thing they all had in common though was when they were leading the troops they did it in the best interrest of France.

So all in all it is a really good book and definitely worth 4 stars.

[Juancho Vizcaino · Rating 4 out of 5]

“From the advent of the Consulate a blight fell over Jourdan’s career. Napoleon could never forgive him for the obstinacy with which he had opposed him on the 18th Brumaire. True, in 1800 he appointed him Governor of Piedmont, and in 1804 created him Marshal. He could not withhold the baton from the general who had in 1794 driven the enemy from the sacred soil of France, who, more often than any other general, had commanded in chief the armies of the Republic, and who, in spite of numerous defeats, had established a reputation as one of the most brilliant of the generals of republican France. But though he gave him his baton Napoleon thought but little of his military ability, and called him “a poor general”; for in his eyes success, and success alone, was the test of merit, and he could see nothing in a general who, from his capacity for emerging with credit from defeat, was surnamed “The Anvil.” But it was not this which caused Napoleon to snub the gallant marshal: it was his ardent republicanism and well-known Jacobin sentiments which made him so hateful to the emperor. But though Napoleon treated him shamefully, and did all he could to cast him into ill repute, the marshal showed he had a soul above mere personal ambitions, and served France faithfully.

At St. Helena the fallen emperor confessed: “I certainly used that man very ill: he is a true patriot, and that is the answer to many things urged against him.”

[Andrew Cockcroft-Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional! These small biographies chronicling the 26 Marshals of France are deeply insightful. The revolution amassed and assembled, maybe the highest concentration of heroes in european history. Still, none rival the man who endowed them with their titles.

[Sheffielder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very well-written series of biographies, dealing in turn with each of the Marshals appointed by Bonaparte. Each Marshal is covered by a separate chapter, dealing with their background, promotion, character, actions and the circumstances of their death. Interesting stuff. [Read for the Smooth Reading phase of Distributed Proofreaders.]