Napoleon's Marshals

by R.P. Dunn-Pattison

This book is an illustrated version of the original Napoleon's Marshals by R. P. Dunn-Pattison. It was a popular saying in the Napoleonic army that every private soldier carried in his knapsack a Marshal's bâton, and the early history of many of these Marshals bears out this saying. But while the Revolution carried away all the barriers and opened the highest ranks to talent, be it never so humble in its origin, the history of the Marshals proves that heaven-born soldiers are scarce, and that the art of war, save in the case of one out of a million, can only be acquired by years of patient work in a subordinate position. Of the generals of the revolutionary armies only four, Moreau, Mortier, Suchet, and Brune, had no previous military training, and of these four, Moreau and Suchet alone had claim to greatness. The rough unlettered generals of the early years of the war soon proved that they could never rise above the science of the drill-sergeant. Once discipline and organisation were restored there was no room for a general like the gallant Macard, who, when about to charge, used to call out, "Look here, I am going to dress like a beast," and thereon divest himself of everything save his leather breeches and boots, and then, like some great hairy baboon, with strange oaths and yells lead his horsemen against the enemy. A higher type was required than this Macard, who could not understand that because an officer could sketch mountains he could not necessarily measure a man for a pair of boots.

Genres: History

155 pages, Kindle Edition

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.]