OSPREY· MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES
87
arshals Text by EMIR B KHARI
Colour plates by CHRIS WAR
ER
--------------" MEX-AT-ARMS SERIES EDITOR:
~1.\R1T\
\\I,DROII'
e
e n
"
S
lS
,d IS
arshals
al I ns In
Ie to .(i,
ds
Text by EMIR BUKHARI
at III
nd
Colour plates by CHRIS WAR ER
In
he rt.'Its , ,I
he lOr to itll
nd
OSPREY PUBLI HI:siG LO:siOO:si
"'----
rail anal(e Idsl
3
Publi hed in '979 b\ Publi hill{~ Ltd ~1emb("r (Impany o[th(" George Philip Group
o pre-y 1:.2
q
L.Al1l~
Acre. London \\"C2E
~LP
()p\ II_ht 19i9 O ... pn·~ Puhli,hing- Ltd Reprinted I ,HI IQ83. lCt84. Iq8:') f
Till.') !XMlk 1:-. ('op~ ru;htc.-d under the Berne Convention. All ri~hL'i reseryc.-d, .\part from any fair dealing- for the
purpose of pri\'3tt" stud~. research, criticism or re\"I("\\. as permiurd under the Copyright Act. 1956, no part of lhis publication may be reproduced. slorro in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by ally means, dc-orollie, elfftrical, chemicaJ, mechanical, optical, photocopying-, recording or othen-vise, \..;ithout the prior JX'nnission of the copyright owner. Enquiries hould br- addressl'd to the Publishers.
FilmseL by BAS Printers Limited, OVe-f \Yallop, Hampshire Printrd in Hong Kong The author would like to express his gratitude to the staffs ofthr ~lust"(" de I'Armee, Paris, and the :\ational Ann\' ~lu cum, London; Jean and M. Ie Baron dl' Gerlache de Gom("ry; Caroline Lederer and Chris Brennan. Particular mrntion ..hould be madr of Lucien Rous:-.e1ot's Annitfran(ai.u, which provided the main source material for the illustrations and body copy on marshals' dress, and Brigadier Peter Youm(s '·apolton'J .\fanhaiJ. which yielded the majority ofth(" marshah' biOWaphio.
'\apoleon boasted to the Consfil d"Elal. " 'ot one of my marshals has the makings of a commanderin-chief, and he was doubtless ri~ht sa\'e in the case of his honorary marshals, who had proven •Thf hislory oj Ihf marshalalf oj Frana is Ihf hiIlory of their ability as army leaders durin~ the Re\'Frana herself in its most noble a\ptct.' olutionary "Tars. for that capacity wa~ the last J. Brunon thinll he soullht from his subordinates. '\apoleon's .OUT-aauslam,d 10 obrying. [Ihf marshals jlackfd a spml method of command \\:as such that he expected his ojinillOliu. and. as faT!! as 1809.lh,)" /L'fT( l('fary oj Ihal marshals to obey, not initiate; and he slowly and obtdima u·hilt silmlly cursing their m(JJln-.· deliberately set out to ensure that his senior officers became merely blind agents who executed his ,J-C Quenn"at orders without hesitation, discussion or personal The rank ofMarshal of France was first introdueed opinion. 'Confine yourself strictl) to the orders 1 in 104-7 and ran continuously until the Con\'cntion. shall be sending' you: executc my instructions when. with popular feelinll being sueh that the punctually; e\'eryone must hold themsel\'cs in status inherem in the rank wem against the ~rain of readiness and sta) at their p<.bts: onl~ I. I alone Republicanism, it was abolished on 21 February know what I must do.' 111e Emperor wrote this to 1793. The next len years saw the rise to power of his Chief of Staff, Berthier, on t4 Februan .806, :'\apoleon Bonaparte, who, on '9 May t80,.. the and it neatly sums up his whole perspective towards day following his proclamation of Empire, re- his most senior officers and closest associates. surrected the tide in the guise of ,\fartehal de In such circumstances, it is hardly surprising that I'EmplTf. the marshals' stifled military ambitions found vent That same day, the Emperor elevated eighteen in the accumulation of riches, lands and titles: and ginirau.\ de dil'ision to that rank. among whom were these the Emperor was pleased to lavish on them in four no longer on the active list Kellermann, return for the submission of their wills to his. Lefebvre, Pcri~non and Scrurier\ who were The marshals' attitude towards .:\'apoleon in the dubbed honorary marshals. He later added to that t\-\'ilight years after Russia, becomes comprelist Viclor in 1807 ~ Macdonald. ~larmont and hensible with the appreciation that thcir loyalty Oudinot in 180g; Suchet in 1811; Gou\'ion Saint was only of the most sef\'ile nature. Lefebvre, a Cyr in 1812; PoniatQ\";ski in 1813; and Grouchy to loyal but frank man. spoke for them all "I"n he all intents and purpo:;esl in 1815. summed up his last inter"iew with .:\'apoleon prior to thc abdication: 'I told him it was time for us to ~luch has been made of their personal rivalric>, jealousies, greed and lust for power; but it should be enjoy some rest. Could it be he believe> that "hen recalled that thc>e men wert· largely of humble we ha\'c titles, lTIanors and estates, \ve will go and origin and but rarely of any education, They werc get ourselves killed for him? It's as much his own career soldiers and \'olunteers long before the !tt'lt fault: he took the shirrs off our backs too early!' It is rather unlikely that any of the marshals \\as m mas" of '793: men who had lived life in roullh company and circumstances, and come a long way capable of concci\'in~ and executing an o\'erall in a \'ery short time. They had c\'ery soldier's \'ices campai~n Slrate~ which would dictate the manand virtues; they were Klory-seeking, self- OCU\TeS and tactics of an ann\ at best ad\·antag-e aggrandizing and envious of social status, against the enemy at a given baule. But in the midst
The J1!arsha!s
3
and fought at Saint-Georges, 18 ~larch. Forsook the Emperor in April and, upon
of battle itself they performed as exceptional leaders of men. In the section that
rollow~,
the \\:ar
record of each and e\·ery marshal speaks for itself. These are 'potted' biographies in chronological and alphabetical order; they are of necessity in abbreviated fonn, however. Sadly, they do not permit us lO see. ev. already dubbed 'the brawst of the brave" b\ his soldiers. so stupefy the Emperor with his courag-e thai he exclaimed 'C'cst un Lion!'; or
'Old' ~lassena. the last man to take sanctuary on the island of Lobau, leavin~ behind nOl a sin~le wounded man, aftenhe bloody battle ofEssling; or Davollt slag-ger from his stretcher with a gaping stomach \..:oulld
La
the restoration of the Bourbons, became
1815'
a Chevalier de Saint-Louis, 21 June. Slruck from the roll of ~[arshals by lhe returned Emperor, 10 April. Following the Hundred Day:; campaign he was
appointed to the Council of \l'ar to try ~larshal ..e" but, the Council declaring itself incompetent to judge the case, was retired in disgrace.
lead his troops afrclSh into the
melee at Borodino; or ~lural grabbing lhe colonel \O,:ho ordered the retreat at emeno\'skoye b) the scruff of lhe neck and assertin~ 'Eh! J'y -reste bien moi!'; or Lannes with a scaling ladder before the walls of Ratisbonne, rushing fOr\vard into the breach with his grenadiers....
Biographies AUGEREAU Pierre-Fran~ois-CharlesAugereau, Due de Castiglione, 1757 1816. 1804:
Became a
~larshal
of France and com-
manded the Brest invasion camp.
1805:
Awarded the Grand
Ea~le of the
Legion of
Honour and, 30 August, appointed
commander of lhe VII Corps of Ihe Grallde Ann'e. Fought at Feldkirch. En~aged atJena and Kolozomb. \l'ounded at lhe battle of Eylau. Became lhe Duke of Casti~lione, 19 ~larch.
1809:
1810-
1814:
4
.\ppointed commanderoflhe VII Corps of thr ~"Jnnft d'Espagnt, J June, and received surrender of Gerona, 10 December. 13: Held \-"arious posts in Germany and
commanded the IX Corps at. 'aumber~ and Leipzig. ~1ade Commander-in-Chief of the Arm, of the East orofthe Rhone, 5January,
Pierre-Franl;Ois-Cba.rlu AUG£R.EAU, .757-.8.6. Son of a dottlestic rYaIIt and fruiterer, Augereau was basi<:a1ly an adveDt'Urer who had done rather well for hianHlf. Greedy, "'J-c:ious and an opportunist of the fint onler, be was a spirited .m.an whose main claim. to £a.m.e lay in his slead&stn_s al the battle of Castiglione in 17')6, for which Napoleon ~ve bi.m. full credit (which was something ofa novelty for the Em.pel'Or). He is shown in full ceremonial clreti•. (Engr-. Johnson. Author's Collection)
----~--
BER:\ADOTTE Jean-Baptislc-J ules Bernadotte. Prince dt Ponlecon'o. Kinp; of Sweden, I j63 18.j418o{:
1805:
1806:
Became Go\"ernor of HanO\"er. 14 ~la~.
and a :-Iarshal of France, ,\warded the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour, 2 February. Commanded the I Corpsofthe the Grand, ,Inn;, and fought al l'lm and Austerlitz. Became Prince ofPontecOfYo. 5June, and
Grand DignitaT) of the order of the Couromlt dr Frr of Lombard\. Present at the balll", ofJena-Auerstadt, but fought at Halle, :'\osscntin, Cri\"itz, Lubeck and 180j:
Schwanau. Fought at :-Iohnmgen and wounded at the Ri\"(~r Pas-sarge action and at Spanden. following which he was compelled to gi\"(~ up his command. ~Iade Go\"ernor
1808:
of the Hameatic Cities, l.j July. Occupied Jutland and Funen. and awarded the Order of the Elephant of Denmark.
18og:
Giycn command of the Saxon Army, j :-'Iarch, which became thc IX Corps of the Grand, :lnn;" 8 April. Grossly mishandled his corps at Wagram, and was instantly dismissed. Returned to
Paris, 30July, where he was appointed 10 command the army assembled on the River Escaut ScheIdt to oppose the British IValeheren landing, I> August. Piqued by a proclamaLion which Bel'· nadoue made to his troops, :\apoleon summoned him to \'ienna, where he a~ain dismissed him. Relinquished his
1810:
181:l:
,813:
J-..-BapUllte.Jules BERNAOOTr~ 1763-18+1. Bernadotte wall a finn, re$Olute and very capable fDan wbo i frequently naligned. for declaring war on France in 1813' He bad been adopted by the King of Sweden, Charl_ xm, in 1810, and, ali Crown Prince, took his role seriously, leaving bdUnd hD identity ali a Fn!:ncb general and adopting that ofa future bead of tate. When Napoleon invaded. Swedish Pomerania in 1812., Bernadone concluded an anniBtic:e with the TAr of Russia, wbo ceded him. Norway, and in the foUowing year joined the Sisth Coalition apinst France. Becatne Charles XIV of Sweden in 1818, from wbODl the present royal fanilly ill descended. (Engr. after Kinson. Author's CoUection)
command. 2.j September. 21 .\ugust, elected Crown Prince of Sweden by the Swedish States-General. Adopted by King Charles XIII on 5 :\o\"ember. Followin~ :\apoleon's invasion of wedic.;h Pomerania. the Crown Prince allied himself with the Tsar of Russia.
to cede :\on.....ay to Sweden by the Treat)
ofKiel. qJanuary 181.j. BERTHIER Louis·.\lexandre Berthier. Pn"nu dt .,rochaltl rt l"altn,t:rn, Prrnrt d, rragram, 1753 1815. I
j'lg 18oj:
Brought Sweden into the Sixth Coalition a~ainst France and fought at Gross·
beeren, Dennewitz and Leipzig-. 11"1-
\'aded Holstein and compelled Denmark
1808:
:-linister of\1 ar and Chiefof Staff to :\apolcon and then the Grand, Ann;,. Chief of Staff to the Ann;, d'EJpa.~n, and then became .lfaJor-Gm,ral of the Grand, .-Inn;,.
5
,8og:
Temporary Commander-in-Chief of the .Innt, d·.l/lmza.~n,. ,810 1+: Chief of Staff to the Grand, Annie. FollO\ving abdication, became capita;,zt of the 5"n, Cit. du Gard, du Corps R~I'al" I June. a peer of France, + June, and a commander of Smllt-Louis. :25 September. ,8'5: E coned Louis X\'III to Ghent at beliinnin~ of Hundred Day~. then retired to Bam I>crli' \\ l>ere he died, fallinli from a window in unknown
circums{anc~ on I
June. BESSIERES Jean-Baptiste Be"ii'res, Due d'/slne, '768-,8'3.
1806: , 807:
,808;
,80g:
6
Became a ~larshal of France. Ig :\lay, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour and commander of its 3rd Cohon, 14June, and then Colonrl-Ctntral of the cavalry of the Imperial Guard, 20July . .\warded the Grand Eagle of the Leliion of Honour and became Commander orthe Order of the Couronn, d, Fer of Lombardy , 2 FebruaC). Fought at Austerlitz. Foughl alJena and Biezun. FOUlihl at Eylau and Friedland. Awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of St Henry of Saxony, the Grand Cross of Christ of Portugal and the Golden Ealile of \\'urtlemberg. Became Amba<;sador to \\\irltemberg. ,\ppointed commander of the Corp, d'Obmmlion des Pyrtnies Occidental", 'g ~larch. and fouliht at :\ledina del Rio Seco, q July, and Burgos. followinli which he entered ~Iadrid with Kinli Jo eph. Commanded the II Corps then the Rcserw CaY'alry of the .Innu d'E,pagn" 9 :\'O\·ember. and fouliht at Somo. iecca. :\Iadrid and Guadalajara. Recalled to Paris, 9 ~Iarch. then appointed commander of the Resen'(" Ca\'alr\ of the Grand, .lnnt, and fought at Landshut, :\'eumarkt, Ebeniberg, Esslinli and \\'aliram. Became Duke of Istria, 28 ~"\\, and then replaced Bernadoue as
Louis-AJ~dreHERTHIER., .753-1815' Berthier's genius lay in the pen rather than the s_ord, and his subtle and complu character adapted itself well to the intricacies of fila.ff work. Quick to spot his talents, Bonapane eJDployed him as bU QLie.f of StaB' from the ClUDpaign of Italy in 1796 through to the aunpaign of France in 1814- As Chief of StaJrhe assu.med the 8taggering burden of providing and collating inte1li~ence reports OD countries and armies for tbe Emperor's infprmation, a. weD as devising, writing and transmitting Napoleon'. strategic concept8 in the fonn of orders of lD.areb to eacb oftbe anny's corps. Died in lD.ysterious circum.stancrs just prior to tbe Hundred Days ca.Dlpaign, falling from a window in Bamberg. (Eng. Ca.m.bert. Autbor's CoDectioa)
,810:
.8,,:
1812:
,8'3;
Commander-in-Chief of the .Innh du Yard. Fouliht at Flushinli. .\ppointed commander of the Imperial Guard at Paris, 'gJanuary, ulen GOY'ernor of Strasbourg, Ig :\Iarch. Became General-in-Chief of the Ann;, du '·ord, 15 January, men seryed in Spain and fOUliht at Fuentcs d'Onoro. Returned to Pari~, 20 eptember. .\ppointed commander of the CaY'al" of the Imperial Guard for the duration of the Ru~ian campaign. Appointed commander of the Imperial Guard, 10 .\pril. Killed, , ~laY. by a cannonball at Rippach, near "oeissen_ fels, on the CY'e of the battle of Lutzen.
,8 If: 1815:
Rallied lO the monarchy and made a Chil'alin- di Saint-Louis, I June. Ren>ned to the Emperor upon his return and became Governor of Pro\"ence and commander of the 8th ~1ilitan Di\"ision, in place of ~lassena. I I April. then commander of the Corps d'Obunatioll du J'ar, '7 April. '\Iade a peer of Fram'e, 2 June. Occupied Toulon ulllillhe end of July when, following a roval order for his arrest, he was murdered by a mob of royalists at A\"ignon on his wa, to Paris.
GuillaUIDe-Marie-Anne BRUNE, 1763-1815. A brave and efficient 5Oldier. Brune bad joined the ~ u late u 17&9. forsakinS his ~ a.tiii journalist for the NatioaaJ Guard of Pam, aftu 'Which he enjoyed a rnet~ric rise to Marshal and Governor of the Hanseatic Cities, 1806. Ironically, be was lDurdered by a group ofultra_royalUots at Avignon durinS the Terrev.r Blaru:lu, August 181s. despite the fact that he was one ofthe En:tperor'!ii per.ofta ftoftKra'a generals-di graced froID 1806 to 1814 for sraft.
Jean-Baptiste BESSIERES, 1768-181). An old and close friftld of the En:tperor'5, Bessie-res was a sifted cavalry coounander, a lDed.iocre COrp5 coDUDander, but a !iitrong if' rather CODservative leader of lDeD. As Colcnu.l-GhUral of the Cavalry of the Guard, he is usually depicted 'Wearing the uniform of the Cluusev.r. 4 Cluwal, an option on the regulation D1arShala' garb be 'Would doubtless have WOnt for state occasiona. He rode into the path of a cannonball, 'Which killed him. outright, at Rippach, near Weissenfels, on the eve ofthe battle ofLiit:r:en, I May 1813. (Engr. after Le Bel. Author's CoUection)
BRLJ:\E Guillaume-'\Iarie-.\nne Brune, '763 ,8'5.
,804: ,80y
,806: ,807:
Ambassador to Turkey until, 7 December. Became a '\Ian;hal of France. Im'ested with the Grand Eagle of lhe Legion of Honour. Became GO\'ernor-General of the Hanseatic Cities, 15 December. .\ppointed commander of the Corp, d'Obsm'ation of the Grandt Am,it, 29 April. Follow in~ his seizure of the city of tralsund on '5 J uh, he fell into disfavour with the Emperor for his wording of the convention he had drawn up with the defeated Swedish Army, and was disgraced. 7
1807: 1808: 1809:
1810
1812:
1813:
18'4.:
1815: Louis Nicolas DAVOUT. 1770-1823. One of the E.nperors skilled lieutenants, if DDt: of the OlOS. universally disliked for his severity and rudeness, Davout was a truly great nlilitary leader: meticulous over detail, dlicil9.l, finn of character and as brave alii a lion. As Minister oeWar durin8' the Hundred campaign, be concluded the annistice with the invadins Allied powers on 3 July IBIS> We see him i.a fu.ll dress ri~8 ."nifonn. Note the aiguillenes on hU right shoulder. i~S hi. statuJ as Colorul-GeMr.t of the GrnuuJier• .. Pied of the Guard. (Ensr. Muller. Author's Collection) 01051
Dar.
DAVOUT Louis :\lcholas Davout, Due d'Aum/ild/, Princt d'EekmlJhl, llio 18'3· 180{:
1805:
1806:
Commanded the Camp d, Bragrs. Promoted ~larshal of France, 19 ~lay, and Calon,lC","al of the Imperial Guard. Awarded the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour, 2June. Appointed commander of the 111 Corps of the Crand, Anni, and fought at ~larienzell and Austerlitz. Fought at Jena-Auerstadt and Eylau, where he was severe!\'-, wounded.
8
I
Appointed Governor-General of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, ISJuly. Became Duke ofAuerstadt, .8 March, and commanded the Arm" du Rhin. Commanded the 111 Corps of the Crand, ,Irm" and fought at Eckmuhl and \\'agram. Became Prince of Eckmuhl, 15 August. I: Held various high commands in Germany with headquarters at Hamburg. including commanding the Carps d'Obsrrra/ion d, I' Elb" Commanded I Corps of the Crand, .Inn" during the Russian campaign and fought at Smolensk and Borodino. Led the rearguard of the Crande Ann" from 19 October to 3 :\ovember, and fought at Fedoro\·skoye. Fought at Krasnoe and the Berezina. Defended Dresden, 9 to 19 March, then occupied Hamburg, 30 ~lay, from where he fought at Lauenburg, 18 August. Finally surrendered Hamburg, following the Emperor's abdication) on 27 ~1ay. Retired to Savigny-sur-Orge and played no part in the First Restoration. Became Minister of\Var) 20 March to 8 July, and a peer of the Em pire, • J unc, under the returned Emperor. Defended Paris throughout the Hundred Days campaign, defeating Blucher on 30 June. Finally ceded the city under the Convention of Paris, 3 July, and withdrew his army to the Loire, where, on 14 J ul), he surrendered to the returned Bourbons. Dismissed from ollice on '7 July and exiled to Louviers, '7 December.
GOu\'IO:\- A[:\T-CYR Laurent, Comlt puu Jlarquis dt Gout'ion- 'ami-C)'" 1764 1830 . 1804:
1805:
Became Coloml-Cmiral of Cuirassiers, 6 July, while lira/roan/-gmiral of the Corps d'Obsm'ation du Royaumr d, .\'aplrJ, Commanded the Anni, d'l/ali, during the
Austrian campaign and fought at Castel franco. Awarded the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour, 2 February. 1806: Appointed Commander-in-Chiefofthe lSl Resene Corps Camp d, Bou'o.~n" '5 December. 1808: 'en'ed in Spain, commanding the \'1 Corps, and fought at Rosas. Barcelona and :\Iolins del Rey. 1609: Fought at \'alls, 25 February. then laid siege to Gerona. Abandoned his command before lhe arri\-al of hi successor and was recalled to France in dis~ace. 1812: Appointed commander of the \'11 Ba\arian Corps of the Grand, .Inni" 8 Februan', and fought at Polol>k, '7 August. Assumed command of the I I Corp> of the Grand, Arm" in place of Oudinot, 18 August, and compleled the wounded ~Iarshal's \'ieto!). Became a ~1arshal of France as a consequence. Wounded at the second battle ofPolol>k and resigned his command. J813:
1814: 181 5:
Became military adviser to Prince Eugene. successor to the command of the Grandt .Inn" as from 24 janua!). Assumed command of the XI Corps of the Grand, Ann" in place of Augereau, ,6 Feb-
ruary, but relieved by Macdonald, 10 :\Iarch, owing to bad health. Commanded the XIV Corps of the Grande Anni{ in the defence of Dresden, 25 August, and the French centre at the battle, 26 and 27 August. Led the defence of the city from September to II :\'ovember, when he capitulated and \vas taken prisoner. Returned to France in June and made a peer of the realm, {june. Appointed commander of the army at Orleans, 19 :\Iarch, assembled to bar "apoleon's ad\'ance. Deserted by his troops in favour of the Emperor, he retired to Bourges, 2{ :\Iarch, and took no part in the Hundred Days campai~n sa\"c becoming a member oCthe Council
of Defence at Pari. Became :\Iinister of \Var in place of Da\'out, 8 jul\ to 25 September.
Lau.reat, Cornie and later Martpeis tk GOUVlON SAINT CYR,
J76f- J830- So.mething of an eccca.tric and recluse, Gouvion Sa.iat Cyr was a cautious COU1.m.nd~ whose advanCftnftlt proved low. He was a talented soldier, paintu and .music:i.aa, and a ca1.m and thoughtful co.m.mander. The iUUJit....tion depictli bUn in Jrtu: tunic, the JDaJ"Sbah' equivalent to the ftfrtONt. (Vemet. Author's Collection)
9
mont as Cololltl-GbJiral of the Chassturs a Ch,ral d, la Gard', 31 July. Commanded the II I Corps of rese,,·e cayal", 18 Janua')·, and wounded at BorocIino. Appointed commander of the Bataillon Sacrt during the retreal. Took no pan in the German campaign through ill-health. Became Commander-in-Chief of the caYal') of Ihe Graad, Anu" for the campaign of France and fought at Brienne, La Rothiere. \'auchamps. ~lontmirail, Troyes, Braisne and Craonne. Under the First Restoration, appointed inspector-general of chasseurs and lancers, 19July. Commanded the Anu" du Midi. Became a ;"'larshal of France, 15 April, and a peer of France, 2 June, under the returned Emperor. Appointed commander of the right wing of the .Inu" du '·ord, he fought at Fleurus and Ligny, and then pursued the retreating Prussians. thereb~ mis~ing \\'aterloo. but fi~htin~ at Gembloux and Wa\Te. With the Second Restoration, his name was struck from the list of Marshals, I August, and he went into exile in America.
F.mmanu~ MarqtLls tU GROUCHY. J'766-J847. Couunaoded the Fl"ftlcb invasion force asainst lrdand durins: the Rev· olutionary Wars and later devftoped into one of the finest heavy cavalry leaders of the Empire. Led the Ba,,nllox S.cri during the retreat fro:m Moscow. After Waterloo he fled in ~e to the United States bUI late.r. following the. genen1 a.J:D.ne5ty of J&u, renuued to France.
GRO\JCHY Emmanuel, .\1arquiJ d, Grouchy, 1766 18.17. 1805:
1806:
1807:
1808:
18og:
10
C.ommanded the Ind Diyision of the II Corp:; of the Gralldt Ann;,. 30 August. and fought al \JIm. Commanded the 1nd Di,·ision of Dragoons of Ihe ReserYe Cayal') of the Graude .Inu" and fought at Zehdenick and Prentzlow. Fought at Eylau and Friedland. ,\warded Ihe Grand Cross of the ~Iilita')· Order of Ba,·aria, 29J une, the Grand Eagle ofthe Legion of Honour. t3Juh, and made a commander of the Couronnt dt ftr. C.ommanded the ca,·al')· of the Anu" d'E,pagu, and suppressed the 'DoJ d, .\1q)'O' r,,·olt in ~ladrid. SerYed in Italy, commanding the 1st Dragoon Division under Prince Eugene. Fought at Wagram and succeeded ~lar-
JO\JRDA:-; Jean-Baptiste. Comlt Jourdaa, 1761 1833. 180{:
1805:
1806: 1808:
I Bog:
1811:
Became a ~larshal of the Empire and appointed, 26 Janual). commander of the .Inu" d'llali,. Awarded the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour. Retained command of the .Inu" d'llali, until 6 September. Became Governor of:\'aples and appointed as Chief of Staff to King Joseph. Became Chief of talf to the Anu" d'E<pagu" 17 July, and took up his appointment on 22 August. Replaced Lefeb"re as commander of the IV Corps of the An"" d'Espag", from 10 Januar, to 21 February. Engaged at Talavera and Almonacid, then returned to France in October. Became Go\ernorofMadrid, 8July.
Appointed Chief of Staff to King Joseph, 16 ~larch. Fought at Salamanca and Viuoria, following which he was recalled to France, 12July. Retired, 7 August, Recalled to command the I.}th and 15th ~Iilitary Di\"isions at Rouen. 30 Januan. \\'ith the return ofthe Bourbons, he was made a Ch,l'alier dt Sain/-LouLJ. 2 June, and appointed commander of the 15th :'\lilitary Di"ision, 21 June, li pon the return of the Emperor, he became a peer of the Empire, 2 June, then Governor of Besanc;on and commander of the 6th :'\lilitary Di"i,ion, -I June. ,\fter \\'aterloo, he rallied to the monarchy and pr~ided over the Council of\\'arthat condemned :'\la"hal , 'ey to death.
Jean-Baptiste, Cornie JOURDAN, 17fn-1833' We see the Manhal in full dress riding unifonn of • Conunandu-inChie~ 1804-0'7. Jourda.n fought under Lafayette in the Am.erican War of Independence, and later saw his 01081 distinguished service during the Revolutionary Wan. As a cornrnander. however, he was rather tiInid and belter suited to defensive rather than offenJiive warfare.. Napoleon therefore accorded him. only secondary posl5, but he found favour and ddtinction in later years as Governor of Le. J"v.litU. and Minisler for Foreir Affairs under King Louis-Philippe. (Author's Collection
KELLER:'\IA:\. ' Fran\'ois-Etienne Christophe Kellermann. Due de /'al"'..., I ;35 1820.
1&)6: Fn..D~irEtiftlne Cbmtopbe K.ELl.ERMAN, 1735-1820. Already thirty-four in the year of Napoleon'. b~ KdJcn:nann was the oldes-t of all the m.arsha1s, and fa.mous l~ bdo~ the Empire as the victor of Valmy in 1]92, for which be was honoured during the COUl"lie of the Em.pire with • dukedolD.. Under the Em.pire he was c:harKed with the Orp,niutiOD of all tUpoi. mi/il.ire. on French soil• • 5trictly second-rate appoiounent; but he was later more actively em.ployed, in 181], •• c:ouu:na.nder oribe Corp. tPOb.ervatiOfil d .. Rlti...
18'-1:
Became a :'\la"hal of France, 19 :'\la). Awarded the Grand Ea~le of the Le~ion of Honour. Commander of the III Resene Corp> on the Rhine. Became Duke on'alm), 3June. Appointed commander of th. CorpJ d'ObJmallOn du Rhin, 20 Januan, Appointed King's Commi~,ionerofthe 3rd ~tilitaT\ Dh'ision in ~lay. then became
II
t806:
1807:
t808:
18o~}' Jean LANNES, l'7fi9-IBog. Nickna.m.ed the 'French Ajax', LaDlu~s was an intrepid soldier and excqJtional conunander, though his courage n1ight have ~ot the better orhis cool head frOID tUne to tUne. Under the Consulate he had been Ambassador to Lisbon, during which time he a.m.assed considerable or lOoney by rather dubious mean.s. Mortally wounded at Essling, and buried in Le. INVGlith6. (AlI-thors CoUectioa)
um.
1815:
a peer of the realm and Go\·ernor of the 5th ~rilitary Di\"il;ion at Strasbour~, 4June..\warded the Grand Cro, of~aml Lou;J, 23 August. Became a peer of the Empire, 2 June, but took no part in the Hundred Days campal~n.
Jean Lannes, 180+:
1805:
12
DUf
Fran~ois-Jo>eph
LEFEB\'RE Lefeb\Te, Du(
dr
DanJ;;;g.
175.1 1820.
18oG:
LA:\:\ES dt .\fonltbtllo, t 769 tBog.
Commanded the invasion camp of Amblcteuse when he became a ~la",hal of France. Awarded the Grand Cross ofPortu~al and, 2June, the Grand Eagle ofthe Legion of Honour. Commandcd the \' Corp, of tht., Grande Amite at Vim and Austerlitz.
Became a chnolitT of the Couronnt dt Fir, 25 Februal'\. Fought at Saalfeld, Jena and Puhusk. where he was wounded. Became ill and, in January, relinquished his command of the \' Corps of the Grondr •Inner. Awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of St Henry of Saxony. RecovCT"ed, he was appointed commander of the reserve corps of the Grande .Innet, 5 ~la), and fou~ht at Danzig, Heilsber~ and Friedland. Became Colanrl-Gmirol of the Swig" regiments of the Grand .Inner and a chn'olitT of the Order of Saint Andrew of Russia, '3 September. Became Duke of~10ntebello, I 5J une, then departed for Spain in OClOber. Fought at Tudela, but obliged to give up his command following a bad fall from his horse on 2 December. 20 December. took command of the sie~e of Sarago. ,a, which fell on 21 February the followin~ vear. Recalled to the Grandr .lnnet, he fou~ht at Abensber~, Landshut, Eckmilhl and Ratisbonne. Commanded the I1 Corps of the Grande ..Jnnee at Aspern-Essling, where he \\"3S struck in the knees by a cannonball. Died following amputation of his ri~ht leg at Ebersdorf[ on 3 I ~la).
,808:
Became a ~larshal of France, '9 ~1ay. In''c>ted with the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour, '1. February. Replaced ~lortier as commander of the V Corps ofthe Gmndr .Inner, , I September. Appointed commander ofthe infantl'\ of the Imperial Guard, 5 October, and fought at Jena. Commanded the X C.orp, of the Grandr Ann" at the siege of Danzig, 23January lO 2+ ~1a). Became Duke of Danzig. Commanded the IV Corps of the .Inner d'EJpagnr and fought at Durango, Santander, Guenes and Espinosa.
18og;
Commanded the \' II Corps of the Grand, .lrm;, and fought at Arnhofen and Eckmuhl. Appointed commander of the Ann;, du 7)'rol from ~1ay to October, and took Innsbruck. Commanded the infantry of the Old Guard during the Russian campaign and fought at molensk, Borodino, Krasnoe and the Berezina. Recalled to Paris, I I January, and retired. Resumed active service, commanding the Old Guard, and fought at Champaubcn, ~lontmirail and ~Iontereau, and then retired.
Fran~oi8--J08epb LEFEBVRE,
1755-1820. A tnediocre strategist, but ajust, humane and objective man who wdl-m.erited bis appoinbneDt a. Co/~I-GiKir.l of the InCantry of the Guard. He W_rt1 ceremonial full dress uniform.
~IACDO. 'ALD
j acq ues-Etienne-joseph -Alexandre ~lacdonald, Due de Tartn", 1765 18{0. 1807: I
Jacquu-.Etienne-JOHph-Ale-.adre MACDONALD, l76s1140. Under t.he Con uJale, MacdoD&1d was AnJ.b....dor to CopenhaKeD, 1801"""'03; but, £oUowinfl; hili pu;orm.ance On the W ~ in .Bog, he bec:a.m.e • %O.&TSha1. He was • capable tactician and adDJinilitrator. and admired for his intqrity and loyalty despite ba~ been a.m.ong the &rOup of narsbal. who pressed the abdicatioD OD the E.m.peror and thea nqotiated his exile with the Allies. (F.Dp-. [)donne. Author's Collection)
fidel of
Disgraced since 18o{, recalled >8 Februar\ to sclve the Ann;, d,. '·apl,s.
Bog . C".ommanded a corps under Prince
Eu~ene
and wounded at Pia\C, 8 ~lay. Fought al \ \' a~ram, whereafter he was for~i\·en his actions of 18o{ and. "july, awarded the rank onlanhal of France. lm'e>ted wilh the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour, '4 August, and became Duke of Tarentum, 9 December. 1810 I I : Sen'ed in Catalonia from >{April 18,0 lO 20 Seplember 1811. 18" : Commanded the X Corp, of the Gralld, .Inn;t in Russia and conduCled lhe si('~e of Riga, August to December.
13 -~
-- .... --
lSI.)'
France under the First Restoration, 4June, and then Governor of the :2 I st ~lilital1 Dh'ision at Bourges,:21 June. Esconed lhe fleeing Louis XVII! lO the fromier at the beginning of lhe Hundred Day:), but took no part in the campaign. \\'ith the eeond Restoration, he was appoimed commander of the .Inat, du Lairt, which he disbanded.
~IAR~IO. 'T
.\u~u~tc-Frederic-Louis\'jesse
de
~1armom,
Due
d, Ragult, 1774 IS5'2.
ISO.)'
Aususte-FrMerie--Louis Vietise de MARMONT, l744-.8~. Governor of the Wyrian ProvinCeti, Marmont was a Valli, grasping individual whose pride and greed could not tolerale Napoleon's paternal and patroniDng rule. He w~t over to the Bourbo.n.s in .8.", accompanying Louis xvm to Ghent during the Hundred Days. He remained true to the Bourbo.n.s and later foUowed Charles X into esile after the Revolution of .830. (Eagr. Johnson. Author's CoUectioa)
ISI3:
IS14'
14
\ppoimed commander oflhe Xl Corps of the Grand, Annt', 10 April. and foull;ht at ~lerseburg, LUlzen, BischofSwerda, Baulzen, Katzbach, Leipzil( and Hanau. Led the defence of the Lower Rhine from :"ovember. Oblill;cd lO retreal from Cologne as of january, he fought al ~lormam, Fenesur..\ube, .' o~ent-sur-Seine, Pro\·ins and Saint-Dizier. Became a peer of
Appoillled Colon,l-Giniral of Hu ars and ChaJSfurs, 1 February, and, :2 February, awarded lhe Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour. Appoimed commander of Ihe I I ('.orps of lhe Grandr Anat', 30 AUl(uS!, and foughl at LJlm and Weyer. ,\ssumed command oflhe I Corps oflhe ,lnatrd'ltalir, 23 December. 1806: Became Go\"ernor-General of Dalmatia, 7 july, and raised lhe siege of Ragusa. ISOS: Became Duke of Ragusa, 15 April. ISog: Commanded the Xl Corps of lhe Grand, .Im,t, and fought al Gradschalz, Gospich, Fiume, Graz, \Vagram and Zna'im. Became a .\larshal of France, 12 july, and Governor of lhe lIIyrian Pro\"inc~ in October. ISII: .\ppointed commander of the VI Corps of the .Inat, d, Portugal in place of~larshal :\ey, 9 ,\pril, and eventually became Commander-in-Chiefofthe entire arm) in place of ~lassena, 7 ~Iay. 181:2: Fought at Salamanca, where he was ~a\C" wounded. Compelled to surrender his post as a con equence. Commanded the VI Corps of the Grandr Annif at Lutzen, Bautzen, Leipzig and Hanau. tS14: Foull;ht at Brienne, La Rothiere, Champauben. Vauchamps, ~1onunirail, ~Ieaux, Gue a Tresmes, Liz\", Reims, Laon, Fismes, La Fere-Champenoise, La Fene-Gaucher aod Paris. Sllr-
,815:
rendered his corps to the allies, 5 April. Became a peer of France, 4June, under the First Restoration. Commanded the Household Corps of Louis X\'lll in exile at Ghent, following the return of the Emperor. Struck from the roll of~larshals, 10 April. After the Hundred Days, returned with the King and, 3 Aug-ust, appointed a maJorgrntral of the Gard, Rqral,.
~IASSE:'\A
Andre ~Iassena, Due d, Ril'Oli. Prin" d'Essling, 1758-- 181 7. 180{: 1805:
1806:
,807:
1808:
,Bog: 1810:
Became a ~Iarshal of the Empire, '9 ~1a). Awarded the Grand Eagle of the Le~on of Honour, 2 February. Commanded the .Inlll, d·ltali, at Caldiero, 30 October. On I I December, he was given command of the V III Corps of the Gralld, Am'ft, but on the 28th was reappointed as Commander-in-Chief of the Arm) of :\laples. Took up his command at Bolog-na, 9 January, then invaded the Kingdom of Naples, seizing Capua, 12 February, and elltering Naples on the 14th. Directcd the I Corps of the Arm) of Naples in the siege of Gaeta, 26 February to 19 July. Led the Calabrian expedition as from August. Rejoincd the Grand, Am'l', 12JanUar), and replaced Lannes as commander of the \' Corps on 2{ February. Retired to Rueil for a well-earned rcst, '5Jul). Became Duke of Ri"oli, '9 ~larch. Commanded the [\' Corps of the Gralld, .Im,l, at Landshu" EckmtJhl, Ebersberg, .\spern-Essling- and Wag-ram. Be arne Prince of Essling. 31January, and awarded the Chateau de Thouars Deux-S",.,cs . Appointed commander of the.. Innl, d, Portugal, lea"ing Paris on 29 April and assuming his command at Valladolid on 10 ~lay. Led his arm) at Ciudad Rodrigo, Almeida and Busaco before finall) halting at the impregnable
Andre MASSEN~ 1,s8-18I,. As • general, M.ssena was wily, bold and tenacious, which served hi.In. well in the Peninsula and Austria.n ea.mpaigns. He was also • lecher (~oinS so far •• to take hU mistress, M.m.e Leberton., with hi.tn to Spain disguised as. soldier), a bare-r.ced plunderer, and • shameless tniser. The illUfitraoon show him. in full dress riding uniform., IBos-G7. (Author's Collection)
1811:
,8'5:
lines of Torres \'edras. \\'ithdrew his anny towards 'pain as from 6 ~Iarch and fought at Fuentl'S d'Onoro, 3 to 5 ~Ia\'. Recalled in di g-race. 7 ~la), and replaced by ~Iar mont. Appointed commander of the 8th .\tilitary Di\"ision at Toulon. Became a peer of the Empire, 2 June, and commanded the Paris :'\ational Guard, 12June to 8Jul).
15
:'lO:\CEY B<m.. \drien-Jeannol de :\to!1ce-y. Due de COntlthano, 17.1+ 18+2.
1807.
1808.
Became :'la"hal of the Empire. 19 :'la, (m'ested with the Grand Ea~le of lhe Legion of Honour. Appointed commander of the Corp. of Observation of the Coas", of the Ocean. 16 December. Led his corps to Spain, 9 Januan, and enga~ed successfully al La> Capreras and unsuccessfully at Valencia. Became
Duke ofC'<mel!:liano, 2 July, and
fou~hl
at Almanza and Lcrin, commandin~ the 111 Corps of the .Imltt d'E,pa.~nt; and
Tudela,
followin~ which
he directed the
siege of arago.sa for a time.
IBog q:
18q:
Eo~a~ed in
no milita,,· campai~ns, bUl held senior executive posts in Bel~ium
and France. Appointed '\[a)or-(,m"al of the _alional
Guard of Paris, 8 Janua". which he personally led in the defence of the cilv, notably in the fierce action allhe Barritrf dt C/ickr, 30 :'larch. Became inspectorgeneral orthe gendarmerie under the First Restoration and a peer of the realm,
181y
~
June. :'lade a peer of the Empire, 2 June. Following-the Hundred Days campaig-n. he declined to preside OWl' :'la"hal
Bon-Adrien-Jeannot de MONCEY, 1754-18f2. Moncey enlisted as a volUDteerin the Cluantpape-J"f_temat theaK"e of6ft~ and __ rved alm.ost continuously thereafter. rising steadily through the ranks and achieving the POllt of f.rt.qHcu.."'XhUrll1 ofthexnulGrnwrie by 3 December 1801. He was the cpitoIDY of an honCfi~ deunt and upright collUDander, holding many important posts UDder the Empire. but particularly distinguishing lilinltclf while personally directing the defence of the Barriere de CliChydur:t::e siege ofPariA; in 18'4. He went on to serve the Bourbons, . g the 6ddonce m.ore in 1&231 wben he led the conquest of Catalonia during the Spanish cunpaign, and becoming Governor of Lea l"lUdidea in 1633. (Author's Collection)
:'\ey's court martial and was depri\'ed of his rank and title and impri~ned for three months in the fonress of Ham. 29
of the (mperial Guard, 30 AugusL
AugusL :'IOR rI ER Edouard-.\dolphe-C'.asmir-Joseph :'Ionier, Dur dr '[rhi", 1768 1835. l8o+:
1805:
16
Became Colantl-Gm,ral oflhe Anillery and Marines of Ihe Imperial Guard. Promoted to Marshal of France, 19 May, and made Commandant of the 2nd Cohon of the Legion of Honour, 14June. Awarded the Grand Eagle of the Le~ion of Honour, 2 February, and made a chtl.'aIi" of the Order of Christ of Ponu~aL Appoimed [olollrl-Ginfral of the infantr:
1807:
Commanded a pro\"isional corps of the Gralldt Armtt, 7 :\'O\"cmber to 16 December, and fought at Durrenstein. Commanded the \'11I Corp> of the Grandt
.lrmer and conquered Hesse and Hano\"er, occupied Hamburg and Bremen, fou~ht
1808:
at Anklam and Friedland and laid siege lO Colberg. Became Duke ofTreviso, 2July, and given command of the V Corps of the Armte d'Espagnt, 2 October. Fought al Somosierra, 30 I'\ovember.
18og:
CO"ered Lannes' siege of aragossa, then fou~lll at Arzobispo wilh Smut, 8 Aug:ust, and Ocana, where he was \\ounded.
I
,Blo:
1811:
1812:
1B13:
181.1-:
1815:
Took part in the in\'asion of .\ndalusia. Fouglll at Badajoz and Fuentes de Cantos. Fought al Gebora and Campo ~laI()r. Recalled to France in ~Ia\". where he commanded the Young Guard. Foughl al Borodino and made GO\"Cn1or of ~[oscow. Commanded the rearguard of the Grandt .Jnn;t in the first day~ of the retreat and fou'tlll at Kra·moe and the Berezina, Fou~ht at Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden and Leipzig. Became commander of Ihe Old Guard in December. Foughl in Ihe campaign of France al Lang-res, Bar. ~Iontmirail, Ch.heauThierry. Liz\. :\euilly-SI-Front. Craonne, Laon, La Fere-Champenoise and Ferll'-Gaucher, and defended Paris wilh ~larmont. Became a Chttalitr de Sam/Louis. I June, a peer of France, -fJune, and then Governor of the I {th ~lilitary Division at Lille, 11 June, under tht· restored Bourbons. Escorted the fleeing monarch to the frontier upon the return of the Emperor, rcvcrted to :'\apolcon and given command of the Old Guard. Fell ill at Beaumont and did not take part in the Waterloo campaign. Struck from the roll of peers of the realm bv the returned Bourbons, 24 July, then relie\"Cd of his command of the 16th ~lilitary Di\'ision, 17 December. He was, however, reinstated early in the followin~ veal',
~lCRAT
Joachim, Prince ~lurat, Grand-Due dt Bag t' de C1h s, I\.ingof:\aples. li6i" 1815. 1804:
1805.
Became Co\"ernor of Paris, 15 Januan. then promoted to ~larshal ofthe Empire. Became Grand Admiral and Prince, I February. and awarded the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour on the 2nd. Commander-in-Chief of the Ca\airy of the Grandt Am,;t durin~ the Austerlitz campaign, captured Vienna
Edoua.rd-Adolpbe-CasJnir.,.Josepb MORTIER, .768-IB:l5. An unusual ntanhal, in that he IIlaDaged to contbine both courage aDd a cool head in his exercise of couun.and. A c:al.m aDd methodic:al leader, be was also greatly loved in • penonaJ lH:nH by his fellow 1Dar5haJs for his friendly di.-positioa., and wa ~evou.s1ymourned after his death in .8:J5in the course of aD attnnpted assassination of King Louis-Philippe. The illustration depie:ts hUn in full dres riding unifonn. (Engr. Heinemann Author' CoUectiOD)
1806:
and fought at "·ertigen. Um. Amstetten, Durrenstein and .\usterlitz. Bet'ame a Grand DignitaT\ of the Order of the (ouronnt de Ftr. 10 February, and Grand Duke of Cle\C,-Berg on 15 ~larch. Foughl at Jena, Erfurt, Prentzlcm and entered \\'arsa\.. on 18 ..o\"(:mbel'.
17
Eng-ag-ed al Hoff, Eylau, Heilsberg- and Konil('berl(. 1808 •\ppoillled Lieutenant of the Empire in Spain, 20 February, and entered ~lad rid, 2+ ~larch. Suppressed the' Dos d, .\/a..Jo· insurrcClion, but retired from tht.' P('nin~ula on 15 June on the grounds of poor health. Proclaimed King-of:\aplt-,;, I ..\U~USI. and successfully besieged Capn. Defeatcd in an expedition against ·IClI~. Commanded Ihe Reserw Ca\'al" of the Gralldt .. lnntt during- the Ru. ian ('amp31gn and fou~hl at Krasnoe, O~trowl1O. Smolensk. TaroUlina. Borodino and \\'inko\\Q. 5 December, suddenh app<)Illled Commander-in-Chief of the ('mire Grande Annu. 18 Januan, prom I'll) deleg-ated his la
18
Joachim MURAT, 1767-1815. Although a Martlhal of France. Grand Duke and King. Murat is chiefly renowned for hi. 6ery leadership and courage as a cavalry conunander. and for his ostentatious taste in dress. Certa.inly. he was a better cavalryD1aD than head ofstate. and his undoubted bravery walli but poor reconunendation to a throne. He owed his appointIDents purdy to hilli status as brother-in_law to the EJnperor through his m.a.rriage to Caroline Bonaparte. Napoleon once wrote to him: 'You are a good soldier on the 6dd of brat tIe, but beyond that, you have neither vigour nor character! HiJi atteDlpts to maintain. the throne of Naples by turnins on his benefactor in the later years ava.iJ.ed him nothinf. and be was es.ecuted by firing squad after trying to ape his Emperor's return front £It. by a coup at Pino, Calabria, in 181S(Author's Collection)
:\EY ~Iichel :\e\,
Duc d'Elchingen, Prince d, I• .Ifo,kou·o,
1769 1815.
18u+: 180:;.
Commanded the ill\asion camp of ~lont reui!. Promoted to ~laNhal of France. .\warded the Grand Eagle of the Leg-ion of Honour. Commanded the \'1 Corps of the Grand, Anni, and fought at Elching-en, '+ October. IIl\'aded the Tyrol and "eized Innsbruck, 7 ~ •o\·em ber.
Commanded Ihe VI Corps and fou~ht al Jena, caplured Erfurt and compelled Ihe capitulation of ~fa~debur~. 180] : Fou~llI at Edau, GUllSladl and Friedland. 1808: Became the Duke of Elchin~en, 6 June. .\ppoillled commander of the \'1 Cor!" of the Ann" d'E,pagn" , Au~ust, and captured Bilbao. ,6 September. IBog' FOll~lll at Banos. 12 Au~ust. 1810: Commanded the VI Corps of ~fa, ,['na's .Inll" d, Portugal, I] April, besie~ed and look Ciudad Rodri~o, 6June to IOJul), and Almeida, '+ July to ,8 \u~Usl. Fou~ht at Busaco. then commanded the rearg-uard of .\lassena '5 arm~ as it retrealed from Portu~a1. 181 I . Relievcd from his command for insubordination. '3 ~farch. Commanded the Camp d, Boulo.~Il' from 3' Au~usl. ,8,1: Relieved of his command at Boulo~ne, I February. Appointed commander of the III Corps of Ihe Grand, .Inn", I April, 1806:
and fou~lll at Krasnor, molensk and Borodino. Appointed commander of the rearguard orthe retreating Grandt Armh, 3 ~on'mber, in place of Davolll, and fought at the Berezina, 28 :\'ovembrr. Became Prince orthe .\1osko\va, 25 t..larch. Fought at \\'cissenfels, Lutzen, Bautzel1, Dresden, Dennewitz and Leipzj~.
Michel NEY, 17fig-181So The lDost renowned of Napoleon'. II1artibals, Michel Ney was a soldier of uceptional ability,
particularly in the lDost difficult of cirCUlD51a.DCU, and aptly dubbed "the bravest of the brave' and "the indefatigable', Best known for his courage, Ney was nonetheless. kilful cornm.ander with. thorough knowledge of his profession. He was condemned to death for his part in the Hundred Days campaign and shot dead by firing squad in Pa.ris, under the Seeond Restoration. (Gerard. Engr. Tietze. Author's Collection)
Wounded 18 October and ordered back
June, and foughl al Fleurus, QuatreBras and Waterloo. Followin~ lhe defeat, retired to Ihe Chateau de la
to France on the 23rd. Foug:ht in the campaign of Francr at
Brie-nne, La ROlhiere, Champaubcn,
B<'S<"onie Cantal. where he
.\1ontmirail, Chateau-Thierry, \'auchamp., Craonne. Laon. Rcims, Chalons-sur-~Iarne and ;\rcis-sur·
•\ube.
Followin~
of France, -} June. Appoillled ('.ommander-in-Chiefof the Corp, Royalt d, Caraltri,. Di!ipatched to arrest the returned Emperor, went over 10 his side, 12 ~larch. becominl:{ a peer of the Empire. 2 June. Summoned to the .Inn;, du "ord, II
arres-
ted, 3 Aug-ust. Tried + December and found ~uilty oftrea.son on the 6th. Shot on 7 Decembel'.
the Emperor's abdi-
cation, went O\Oer to the Bourbons, brcominl:{ GO\"ernor of the 6th ~lilitary Di\'ision at Besan~on. :11 ~la\, a Clm:alil" d, Sailll-Loull. I June. and a perl'
\\a"i
oeOI. 'OT .. 'irolas-Charles 1]6<) 1851. 1805:
Oudinot,
Due
d,
Replaced J unOl as commander of the:Reserye of Grenadiers at Arra", 5 Fcb-
ruan. [""<sted with the Grand Ea~le of the Le~on of Honour. 6 ~[arch. \\"ounded at Hollabrunn, 16 °Q\·ember. and obli~ed to resi~n his command.
19
1806:
1808:
1Bog:
1810: 181 I :
1812:
18q'
Commanded the 2nd FOOl Dragoons attached to the Imperial Guard. Foug-ht at Ostfo!enka, then look part in the sit'Q;<." of Danzi~, of which he a.ssumed command. :l-l :\lay. in place ofLefeb\Te. l'ou«ht at Fri.dland. B('Caml' a Count of the Empire. '2 July Foug-ht with the II Corps at Es...ling and \\'a~ram, following- which he was promoted to ~"'rshal of Fraoce 12 Juh. Became Duke 01" Rogl(io. q .\pril. Commandn of the /l Corp:J d'ObunallOll. Commanckd the 1I C.orps of the Grandt Irma in Russia. \\'ounded at Polol: k and obliged to relinquish his command. 18 .-\u«u.1. Resumed command in Octobt·r. but wounded at the Bcrezina. 28 on'mber. and again on the 30th. Fou«ht with th. XII Corps at BaUlzon. Leipzig: and Gro. beeren. Fought al Brienne. \\ here he W~ wounded, La Rothiere, Saint-Dizier and .\rcissur·.\ube commanding: the VIII Corps, where he ",,"as a~ain \\-"Ollllded. 4\ppointed commander of the CorpJ R~}'ale de Grenadiers eI ChaJSellTj de Frana, :10 ~1ay, under the restored Bourbons. Be<:ame a commander of Smnt-Lolll\", 2 June. and a pcer of France, t June. \ppoint.d Go\"crnorofth. 3rd ~lilitary DiYision at ~Ietz. look no part in the Hundred Da\s
Nicolas-Cbarles OUDINOT, 1J67-18t:7. ProlDoted to the rank of m.1U"SbaJ on the field ofW~in place ofMa.rshaJ Lannes, Oudinot was. m.ediOCft strategist but an exceptionally brave and intrepid teader of 1Den. Under the Second RKtoration he becam.e a M4jor-GftUral of the GArd. Royak 1Uld, in lhJ, cornrnanded the I Corpti in the invasion of Spain. Despite a _core of wounds acquired in the course of his cam.pa..igns, he went on to becolDe Governor of La6 JNv,did.6 and died at the late age of eighty. (Engr. Forestier. Author's Collection)
18'4:
<..'ampi.u~n.
PER IG ...... O.· Catherine-Dominique, J/arquis 1754 1818.
1806 1808
18,!
20
1815:
de
P;rl,~non.
B"came a ~[arshal 01" France. 1<) . ~la\. \ \\ arded th. Grand Ea«10 01" th. Le«lon of Honour, :1 Februan. \ppoin"'d Goyornor-G.n.ral ofth. Stalt. of Parma and PIa. encia, 18 Septem bel' B.cam,· Gonrnor of _·apl",. 23 Jul\", ('omm"lI1dinl{ the .Jmlff dt "''aplts undtr Kin« Joachim ~lurat. Became Grand Di«nitarv of th. Order of the 1'\\0 Sicili,,,,. <) Onober. R'·lIred. 27 ~larch.
Follo\\in« ......apoleon's abdication, he wa' reinstated and appointed the King's commissioner extraordinary to the 1St ~lilitary· Division, 31 ~lay to 10 Octob.r. Became a Chel'Q/i" de Saml-LoulS, 1 Jun., and th.n a p.erol"France, 4Junc. -\Ithou«h appoint.d Governor of Toulous., 28 ~larch. he retir.d to ~Iontcch. "'ith his return. the Emperor struck his name from th. roll of ~larshals, 10 April. but. 24J uly, he \\as r.inSlatod by th. r.wrned Louis X\"lI\.
PO '\'\TOWSK I Prince Jo.•f.-\nton Pooiato"ski, 1763 1813. 1807: 1808:
Became commander 01" th. 1st Polish Leg-ion in French sen"ice, :1 January, .-\ppointed ~linister of\\"ar of the Grand DuchY of \\'arsaw \..: ith the rank of Gtll"alunmo.
burg, Chemnitz, Peni,g and Leipzig, 16 to 18 October. Became a ~Iarshal of France, 16 October. Cut off Ii'om the Grand, Ann", tg October. led a last charge and then, despite fouf wounds, auempted to s\·.im the Rin'f Elster, in which he drowned.
SERlJRIER Jean-~Iathieu-Philibert,ComuS,ro"", 1].}2 181g. 18<,{: 1805:
Became Governor of us Inralidts. 23 April, then a ~Iarshal of France, Ig ~la\. Awarded the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour and the Grand Cordon of the Cf)uronllr df Fer.
18<>8. 18og:
Became Count Serurier. Appointed commander of the
1810'
Guard of Paris, 3 September. .\ppointed President of the Court of
~ational
Inquiry into General Decaro's surrendef of the III de Frana, 3 December.
18,+:
Became a peer of France under the First
1815:
Restoration,4June. .\warded a peerage under the returned
Emperor, 2 June. With the Second Restoration, he was retired from his post as Go\"ernor of the bwalides. '27 December.
Catherine--Dornin.ique, Marqwi8 th PERIGNON, 1754-18.8PengnOD was one of the four honorary tna.rShals created in 1804 and, thou&b he held important adnllnistrative polilli durin! the EmPln, his active service took place during the Revolutionary Wan. (Hennequin. Author's Collection)
18og:
1812:
1813:
.\warded the Grand Eagle of the Lej(ion of Honour and the Grand Cordon of the ~Iilitary Order of the Grand Ouch) of Warsaw. Fought at Fallenti, Ig .\pril, and occupied Cracow in July. Commanded the \' Corps Polish of the Crand, Ann", 3 ~Iarch, and fought at Smolensk and Borodino. Wounded at the Bcrezina, 26 ..o\"ember. Commanded the \'111 Corps Polish of the (,rand, .Jmzft', I '1 ~larch. in\"aded
Bohemia and fought at Lobau, Alten-
SOULT :"icolas-Jean de Dieu Soult, Due d, Da/malu, 1769 1851. 1804:
Commander of the Saint-Omer in\·asion
camp. Ig ~Iay, promoted to ~Iarshal of France and C%n,/-ClI'tTa/ of the Imperial Guard. 1805: In\'Csted with the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour, 2 Februan Commanded the I\' ('.orps of the Grand, .Inn« and fought at Austerlitz. ISot> <>7: Fought atJena, Eylau and Heilsberg; received the surrender of
K()ni~berg.
\ \\ arded the Swedish Order of the Seraphims. the Bavarian Order ofSaim
Hubert and the Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece. 1808 Q9: Became Duke of Dalmatia, 2g June
21
to find that it had fallen to Wellington on 6 April. Having united his army with that ofSuchet in Valencia, I September, he took the offensive, re-entered ~1ad rid, 2 ~o\"ember. then pursued \\'ellington's force in its retreat upon
1813:
Ciudad Rodri'lo. Recalled to France, 3 JanuaI'), and appointed commander of the Old Guard,
30 April, then commander of the emire Imperial Guard in place of Bessiercs. , ~Ia\'. Fou'lht at Bautzen, then made Commander-in-Chief of the ,Irmm d'Ejpagnttl drs ~yr;";fj, J ulv 6..\ssomed command at Bayonne,
18q:
12
July. then
underlook the battlcs ofthe Pyrenees, 25 July to I Au'lllSI. Fou'lht al Onhez and Toulouse. With the return of the monarchy, he was relic\"ed of his command, :2:2 April, then appoin-
led commander of the 13th
~lilitaI')
Dh'ision at Rennes, 21 June. Became a ehem/itT d, Sainl-Louij, '4 Seplember, then promoted to ~linister of \Var, 3 Prince Josef Anton PONIATOWSKI, 1763-18130 Nephew of King Stani51u-August'wi. Prince Poniatowski wafi a chivalroUB and courageous man who excelled in the field. Pronloted to marshal on the first day ofthe battle of Leipzig, he tragically drowned three day. late:r in an atte:rnpt to fiwUn the Rive:r Elster to rejoin the GralUh Annie, froID which be bad been cut off. He was dubbed the 'Bayard polcmais', and greatly admired by the Emperor and Davout. (Engr. State:. Author's Collection)
1815:
December. With :\apoleon's return he rallied to Ihe Emperor, becoming a pcer of France, 2 June, then ChierofStaffto the • dll .vord. Following Waterloo, he rallied the Grandt .-Innet at Laon, where he delegated command to Grouchy, 26 June,
1m."
and retircd to Saint-Amans. Struck from
1808. Campaigned with the II Corp, in
Ihe roll of~larshals on '7 December and
the Peninsula: fought at Corunna:
then exiled, I:2January 1816.
ill\ aded POrlu'lal; and en'la'led at LI .\rzobispo. Became Chief of Stalf to Kin'l J<»eph in place of Jourdan. 16 September, and fou'lht at Ocana. 1810: 181
I:
Invaded Andalusia in Janua~ and lOok Se\'ille in February. Laid si~e to Olh"en~a, I I to 22 Janua~,
Ihen Badajoz, which fell I I
SGCHET Louis-Gabriel Suchet, Due d'A/bujtTa, 1770 1826. 1805:
1806:
~Iar<·h.
Declining to reinforce ~la~ena befon~' rorr~ Vedras, he then retired to Anda-
IIL\ia. Defeated at Albuera, 16
1807:
~Ia\,
\\-'hilr auempting- to raise the British
siC'le of Badajoz. !Il\'aded Grenada and fought at \.enta del Bahul, 9 Au'lUSI. 181:,!'
22
Set out on("e ag-ain to relic\"e Badajoz onl~
Divisional Commanderofthe Grandt . I mItt.
Fought al Glm, Hollabrunn, .\usterlitz. Im·csted with the Grand Ea'lle of the Legion of Honour. 8 FebruaI'). Fought at ·aalfeld, Jena and Pultu;k. Fought at Ostrolenka, then gi\·en the 1St Di\'ision of the Y Corps of the Grand,
1808:
1+
Februa~,
to which he \\as ~h·en prm"isional command in Au~ust. Became a rhn'alitr of the CoUrOntlt dt Ftr, commander of the Order of Saint Henr~ .Innft',
of Saxon) and, 19 March, Count of the Empire. .\ppointed dh"isional mander in the Annil d'Espagnt.
18og:
1810:
,\ppoillled commander of the III Corps and then Commander-in-Chief of the .Inn" d',lragoa; fought at Sarago"a, ~laria and Belchite. Fought at Valencia, Lerida, ~lequinenza and Torlosa; laid siege to
1811:
com-
Tarra~ona.
The fall ofTarragona, ,8 June, led to his becoming a ~la",haI of France, 8 Jul), Fought at La Puebla de Benequasil and Sa~unto.
where he v.."as wounded: laid sieg-c to \.alencia.
18I>: 1813:
Following the fall of Valencia, IOJanuan, became Duke of Albufera, '{Januarj. Fought at Castalia and raised the siege of Tarra~ona. Became Governor of Catalonia,
:\o\'ember, then replaced Bessieres as Coloa,I-C'afTal of the ] mperial Guard, 18 :\o\"ember.
1814:
1815'
J5
Fought at ~lolins del Rey and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the South, 22 April. With the First Restoration he became a peer of France, 4J tlnc, and a commander of Samt-LoUls, 24 Septem ber. With the return of the Emperor, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the . Jrmtt des Alpes, 26 April, and invaded Sam), I{ to 30 June. Concluded an armistice with the invading Austrian Army, 12 July. With the Second Res-
Jean-Malhieu-Philiber... Conde SERURlER, .742-1819' A veteran ofthe Seven Yean War, serurier was somewhat out of place under both the Revolutionary and Em.pire regimes. He was another of the honorary m.a.rsba.ls of 1804, and was Governor of u.l"va/Uh. for the duration ofthe Empire. He is illustrated in undress riding uniform.. (Laneuville. Author's CoUectioa)
loralion he was depri\Oed of command
and struck from the list of peers of
lBo7:
France.
\'ICTOR Claude \'ictor-Perrin, dil \'ictor. Due d, B,lIua,. 176{ 18{1. 1805:
Appointed ~linister Plenipotentiary to Denmark. 19 Februarj. and. 6 ~larch. awarded the Grand Eagle of the L~ion Appointed Chief of Staff to ~larshal Lannes. 7 October. fought at Saalfeld and Jena. and signed the capitulation of pandau. 25 October.
at Pultusk. then given command of Dombronki's Polish Di\'ision, 4- Januan. and then the X Corp, of th(' Graad, ,lnair. 5 Januan. Captured b, Prussians. :.wJanuary. but exchan~ed on
of Honour.
1806:
Fou~ht
lBoB:
8 ~larch. Took charge of the ie~e of Graudenz. '3 ~lay, then replaced Bernadolte as commander of the I Corps of the Crand, .Jnnir, 6 June. and fought at Friedland. Awarded a ~la",hal's baton. 13 Jul). and appointed GO\·ernor of Prussia and of Berlin. 9 August. Became Duke of BeUune, 10 eptember. Commanded the I Corps of the .Jnn" d'Espagn, from 7 September, and foul(ht
23
- --
-~--
1813: ,8Ll:
1815:
returned to France and appointed commander ofthe IX Re>en·e Corps ofthe Grandt An.,'t, 3 .\pril. Foul(lll at the Berezina. Fought with the II Corps at Drcsden and Leipzil(. Fought at Saint-Dizier, Brienne, La Rothiere, .\Iomereau and Craonne. where he was \\'ounded. Became GO\'ernor of the 2nd .\lilitary Di\'ision at ~Iezieres, under the First Restoration, Attempted to organize .resistance to the returncd Em peror at Chcilons-sur:\Iarne, 16 :\Iarch, then fled to Ghent to join the King in exile. Struck from the list of:'.la"hals, to April. Returned with Louis X\'II I, 8Juh, made a peer of the realm, 17 August. and a major-grntral of the Royal Guard, 8 September.
[TJlifOnllS flJld Accessories Due to lack of space, \.."e are confined to sketchingonly the broad outlines of the subject of marshals' dress; but the reader will find that many ofthe finer points of detail arc discussed in the captions. Nicola.s-Jean d~ Di~u SOULT, .J'9-.Bs•. Soult was a prudl!Dt and HD.Sibl~ c:omm.nd~r with a ph for O~tiOD and stratqy which shone during the "ules for the Pyrenees in 18.4- According to Napoleon h~ was on~ of th~ forftnost fitrat~tsof Europe, which is de"ta.hl~,but be waJi CU"l:ainly one ot th~ ablelit of th~ m.anbals. H~ ran MasHna a clO5e second in love of 1D0ney, and &lD&Ssed a fortune through bancUome annuities from satellite nates and plund~r. It U. bent Aid that Soult lacked initiativej doubtless this would have endeared hUn to the Emperor, but be was certainly not mort on a.mbition, and managed to become Minister of War to Louis xvm during the First Relitoration, and later MinUter of War and Foreign Affairs to Loui5-Pbilippe. He was th~ lut of the Marshal of.804, dyinS aged e:iB;bty-two, having held his "ton for forty.three years, for foar years of which be bad beftl one of oa.Iy foar M.ric"~KJt in F~cb b.i.litory-an honour bestowed upon hUn in 1B.t7. (Author's Collection)
at Espinosa, Cadiz, Somosicrra and the capture of Madrid. IBog: Fought at Ucles, Medellin, Alcabon and Talavera. 1810 1 I: Took part in the invasion of Andalusia and fought at Chiclana. 1812: Surrendered his command, 9 Februan,
24
Headgear .\laf';hals wore one of two forms of chapeau. The first was that employed in ceremonial dress: it consisted of a black felt cap and brim, the latter turned up at the front only, of the pattern de\ised for Princes of the Empire, ornamented with a loop of gold lace and a brace of white ostrich plumes. The second variety was utilized in all but court dress, and consisted of a gbzfral de diL'ision's bicorn with gold lace about the exterior perimeter of the brim, gold pulls in the angle>, a gold loop about a tricolor cockade, and a panacht of white ostrich plumes and whitc aigrt//t on tOP, The silhouette of this latter headgear altered almost imperceptibly over the years, becoming taller and narrower, the panacht ofostrich plumes eventually being replaced by a feather-stitch of white plumes about the interior perimeter of the brim. and the gold lace of the exterior perimeter orten being neglected altogether.
•
M.arat
CHRIS WAA"'ER
A
Souh (I) with a captain ADC (:I) aad Adjudaat..conunaadant (3) at Cona.nn.. Jaauary 11109-
B
CHRIS WARNER
CH'
2
M... &la (2) with. captaia. of lalbUn.:r. «iocr.ph" {Il and his SOlI aDd ADC, Couat Prosper d'E..lial (3) before the Lia" oC Torr" Vedr... au.tlI..DlD 1810.
CHRIS WA.RNER
c
E
Lann_ (2) with hi. e.cort coDl..lD.allder, aa officer ortbe I.t LiK;bt Hone Lancen oCthe Vutula LeKiOD (I) aad • lieutenant oCtbe I.t lafantry orthe Vdtul.Leci0n (3) berore SaraK;0"., 180g.
o
CHRIS WARNER
Suchct (2) with a trumpeter of the l:JIh Cw..a. .ie.rs (I) and at Sap.ato, 250ctobu .811.
CHRISWAR~ER
m. ADC
(:)}
E
1
Davout with hU Emperor:
Borodino. 6 SepteDlber
F
lal~
CHRIS WAR~ER
•
G
CHRIS WARt<jER
-
- -
.
-- -
-
-
u.
Ney (2) with a Fuai1ie.r of the 95th Line Infantry (.) and a troopu of the Cuiras.iera (3) at Waterloo, •• June ••• s.
I
H
CHRIS WARNER
Tunics: Ctrnnonial drtss 'The uniform of
~[arshaJs
of the Empire will be
deep blue, in silk, velvet or linen, and embroidered
,
along all seams with the same design employed by staff officers, but one third larger: Extract from the Drmt du 29 musidor, an Xll [18 July 1804]' This hea\'ily embellished habit was worn for all formal and state occasions. I t had no turn hacks to the skirt and was wonl without epauleues. Full dms 'The blue habit will be as prescribed by the regulation of I er vendi:miaire, an XII. for the undress uniform of generaux de division, except that the embroidery shall be larger by a third. There \"'ill also be two marshals' batons on each epaulene in place of stars. ... The bunons will be embo ed with a garland ofleaves, halfoak and half laurel, [and] with two crossed marshals' batons tied together with the ribbon of the Legion of Honour.' Extract from the Dtmt du 26 fructidor, an Xll [13 September 1804]. The full dress tunic was basically a replica of that employed in ceremonial dress, save that it was worn with epaulcnes and generally manufactured from hard-wearing linen in place of silk or velvet. Undms This habit was a still cheaper replica of Ihe ceremonial dress tunic, with no pockets, or lace to simulate them, on the skirt; no embroidery on the sleeve or back seams; but with turn backs on the
aaude Victor-Perrin, VICTOR, l,&t-I&fl. Victor only beaune • Dl....hal in 1807, and was a nonchalant, though courageous, fellow whose personality clashed shaTply with Napoleon's. As a consequence of their sour relationship he readily rallied to the Bourbons at the First Restoration., following Louis xvm into ewe in 1815' Under the Second Restoration he was rewarded with the rank of Major-General ofthe Garde Royale and beaune a peer of France. He later fell inlO disfavour and disgrace al'ter the Revolution of l8:Jo. (Lith. Delpech. Author's Collection)
skirt, embellished with marshals' lace and the insignia common to all staff officers.
Berthicr, as Jlajor-Central of the Grandt Annet,
Campaign dms
180 7 '4·
On campaign, marshals wore a comparati\'e!y plain habit, resembling a surtout, with lace on the
Lcfeb\Te. as intennittent Commander-in-Chief of the infantry of the Guard. Tho~e marshals appointed colontls-genLraUX of the
collar and cuffs only. The skirt was stitched with false turn backs, devoid of ornament save for the gold staff ollicers' de-,ice.
Epaulettes
Guard: Da\'ouI of the GTtnadim a Pitd. Sault of the Chassturs a Pitd. Be~,ieres of the cavalry.
The epaulettes were those ofagintral dt dil.'lSlo1l with
~ tortier
of the artillef)' and marines.
batons, embroidered in blue silk, in place of stars, though some marshals e.g. Davout's undress tunic,
Sash
presen'ed in Ihe .lIustt dt I'Armtt
persisted in
The marshals' sashes \·aried from indi\'idual to
retaining stars on theirs, up to the number of five
indi\'idual, and the regulation gold ground-cloth
e.g. Bernadotte . By reason of ollice, some mar-
pattern was replaceable with \\"hite silk \'ariclies
shals wore aiguil1ettes in addition to their epau-
ornamented with three lateral bands of gold, or speckled with gold points, or friezes of stars
iettes in full dress:
.
-
-t -~--
---- -~........,
25
26
embroidered in gold thread. The ta.,.. els were not necrssaril~ embelli..hed with blue silk batons; many were decorated \-.:ith either stars or Imperial ea~I(':-) instead. Baton 'They will car~ a baton 5 decimetr~ 50cm in length. in blue. sewn with gold eagles of +cm in diameter.' Extract from the Dirrtl du 29 mfHidor. all Xli [,8 July ,80+]. The marshals carried their batons from ~larch 1805. They were em'ered in blue velvet and ornamented \'\'ith four rows of ei~lll Imperial eagle:;. The ferrules at each end were '(old and engra\'ed 'Terror btlll. Dteus paw' at the top; and the first and second name of the marshal follo\\ed by'... lWmm; par fEmprrrur \apolfol1. marrchal dt tEmpi". It 29 Floreal .1n XII [19 :\Ia) 180+]' at the bottom. Saddles and Harness In principle, the crimson JchabraqulJ of the manthals were idenucal to those employed b~ the ginn-aul dl dillSum. with the addition of a gold coil fringe lcm deep about the exterior perimeter. Thi regulation was certainly ne\'er uni\'ersall) adhered to, and \'ariations abound: the crimson \'e!vet saddle proper was frequently embellished with the imcr\.. .oven oak and laurel-leaf mouf embroidered in gold about the cantle and side-panels; the pistol holsters. covers and Jchabraqul proper might bear the regulation flat gold laces one 6cm and the other l'5cm in depth. but which lace ed'(ed the exterior was a personal choice despite such recommendations as the 181'1. regulations, which specified that the slimmer lace was to edge the exterior perimeter. Alternatively. the !ichabraqul and holster co\'ers might bear embroide~' of the same pattern as that described on the saddle proper. All leathers employed in the ham= and bridle were black. All metal parLs. including stirrups, were gold and hea\'il) worked with decorative motifs. Louis-Gabriel SUCHET, 1770-18:16. A brilliant and rare com.bination of exceptional administrator and 6dd com.mander, Suchet becam.e a m.arshal in 181t, foUo-ing hi WCCKtiH in Spain. He was vinual.ly the only ID&rShal to retun1 from. the PeniM:ula with any <::red.it to his DalDe. Rallied to Napoleon in the Hundftd Days, he was stnulgdy only accorded a nnal.I HCODdary rile, for which be was duly ostracized from. 50Ciety UDder the Second Ret>toration. He wean full dress riding unifonn. (Engr. Muller. Author'. CoUection)
Full dren unifonn, foot duty. The ('"GAll N,ulornu • pied consisted of the ceremonial dres tume, waistcoat, breeches, ilk stockings and shoes. The beadgear enployed in both this aDd full ce:remoniaJ dress was a black general'. bicorn, embdlished with gold lace: and decorated with ,ricolo" cockade, gold loop and pulls, and a p-.c1t4 of white ostrich plum." with a white ai,f"dte. (Buc:quoy. CourtHy De eerlache de Gomery Collection)
27 -
-
-.
-~,
-
to silence doubt> as to his abilit}, leading a charge of eighty c;quadrons,
10,000
men, straie;ht into the
heart of the bloody baltle. \'isible in the background are the silhouettes of d'Hautpoul's cuirassin-so the onl) ca\'alry to breach the squares of the redoubtable Russian infantry on that day,
A / shows Prince ~turat, Grand Duke of Berg and Cleves, in full dress. ~turat is dressed in one of his
l
f
•
I
7
J
less extra\"a~ant unifonns, basically a white marshal's uniform with the Hungarian breeches and booLS common to light cavalry marshals, It was
seemingly only after he became King of1'\aples, in 1808, that hiscostllmes became proportionally more bizarre as his credibility decreased. He has remo\'ed the aiguillettes from his ri~ht shoulder in order to keep his sword-ann free,
.42 is CapllOlnt :\Ianhes, Olde-de-camp to :\Iar.;hal ~ll1rat.
in campaign dress. The mar;hals aver-
aged about a half-dozen ADCs apiece on campaign. Here we ha\'e illustrated Capi/ame ~tanhes, known to be in
~lurat's sen'ice
at this period along
with the celebrated diarist :\Iarbot . The dolman beneath the captain's pelisse was crimson with buff Cerem.on.ia.l full dress. Drawn from contemporary portraits, this illustration shows Marshals Moncey and Lefebvre in regulation cervnonial drell8 confonning to the decree of 29 me.sido,., aN XII (18 July .8o.f). The habit could be of silk, velvet or linen cloth, and was entbroidered about all exterior edges and seams with a garland of interwoven oak and laurel leaves, representing Strength and Glory. Beneath this was worn a white waistcoat, embroidered in like fashion. The velvet cape is indigo blue, lined in white silk and orna.rnnued in iJnilar lDA.Dller, but with • replica of the insipia of the Grand Eagle of the ~on of Honour in add.ition. (Bucquoy. Courtesy De Gerlacbe de G
collar and eulfs, and gold lace and braid. An alternath·c to the colpack headgear shown here was the carl} paLlern of the 1806 model shako, in crimson with gold upper band, gold raquettes and cords, and ycllow plume and pompon.
Plale B: .\IarJlml Soult al Corunna, /6 /8 January / 809 If not his first, then certainly his greatest early
encounter with the British: :-Iar.;hal oult had eautiousl} stalked their arm}, under Sir John
ThePlafes
~loore. KB,
some 400km in the previous t\\'o weeks. Arrived at Corunna, the '\lar;hal was his usual
prudent self and wasted «\'eral days sensibly
Plalt.l: Prina .\lural a/ Eylau, 8 February /807 Ha\'in~ bungled badly and repeatedly, and bren publicly rebuked for his conduct in the Austcrlitz
reconnoitring the port, while the British sweated om the arrival of their fleet and salvation. Sault
campaign, we here sec Murat at the zenith orhis extremely erratic military career. From being
city but, impressed by the resistance met by the first of his divisions to engage, he called off the action
:\apolcon's 'harlequin brother-in-law', he had, through his actions in the Pru ian campai~n orthe
and calmly watched the e\'aeuation of the 'BEF' from Spanish soil. It would seem he was temporizing: why risk a baltIc-and he greatly admired
pre\"jous year, re-established at least the possibility that he "..'as a conscientious and efficient commander of the Reserve Ca\'alry. :\ow he was about
28
finally launched his siege and bombardment of the
~loof(~"s
handline; of the retreat
when the same
ends could be achieved without bloodshed?
8 I illustrates Marshal Soult, .\lajor-Girliral of the Armitd'Espagnt, in ptlilt Itnut and cape. The undr",s habil was similar, but morc simple than the full· dress tunic in that it lacked the heavily embroidered pockets on the skirt and was de\'oid of lace on the sleeve and back seams. The :\Iarshal's cape is of the same pancm as those employed b~ gentrau_\ dt dil'ision, but differed in that the embroidel) of oak and laurel lea\'es about the collar and shon shoulder-cape was larger by one-third.
82 shO\\> a Capitaint aidt-dt-camp to :\larshal oult in undre:.s uniform, 1808-
probably seconded from a light cavall) re~iment 2nd H u ars? and wears the habit dt ptti/! Imu! in place of the more conventional dolman and pdisse. l'\Olc the armband on his left arm: these bras.!iOrds
were emblems of the wearers' Slams of ADC and were mlmature replicas of their respective superior's waist sash. Thus, the ADC to a marshal \\.:ore a white and gold brassard, while the ADCs to a general de division and a general de brigade wore
armbands of red and gold, and sky-blue and gold, respectively.
83 is an Adjulallt-Commandanl in full dress, 1809. Ori~inally founded in 1790, the corps of AdjulalllsGbztraux was later renamed Adjutants-CommandantJ by General Bonaparte in July 1800. These senior staff officers were individually assigned to each division of the Grandt Armit as Chief of Staff, and
Full dress unifonn, mounted duty,
entrusted to direct and organize the day's rate of march, billets, camp layout, and nourishment ofall regiments within the division. Officers ofthe rank of colonel \.. . ere frequently appointed assistant chief; of staff to entire army corps, charged with the onerous task of performing the administrativc
details behind the movement> of thousands of men and horses.
he was robbed of his expected prize
when the British reached the sanctuary oftheir lines of fortifications, of which he had been cntirel) i~norant. As tenacious as he \.. . as cunning, )'lassena carcfulh reconnoitred the positions lor Aaw : riding with his staff from vantage point to vanta~e
II
:\fasscna had successfully led the .frmit dt Portugal Ihrou~h such actions as Ciudad Rodri~o and ,\lmeida, and despite Busaco, obliged Wellington's army continually to shonen its supply lines b\
..
resu.J.ations. The
duty, save that the stockings and shoes were obviously exchanged for French-pattern riding boot . We can He, however, that according to the official edict the.r,..Kd co"don u.spendiDS the Legion of Honour medal over the right boulder was removed to reveal the b.ud';~,. porl~-.r"'iw, a white leather erossbelt and frog iato which the marshals' cefflDonial sabre wu inserted. Note a.lso the use ofindigo blue breecb_ ia t::~e of white or buff'. (Bucquoy. Court_y De Gerlacbe de ery Collection)
retreatin~. But
Platt C: .\larshal .\lassina bifort tht Lints of Toms J~tdras, 1810
l&o.f
xr-d -ifonn~ .. c~ was little dif[eralt from that of foot
point with his superb telescope (pilfered from Coimbra Uni,·crsity, a typical ~lassena louch ,
probing the fortress for a loophole.
29 -
--
( / illustraH.~ a (apitamt of the b,gtfll(Un-Gro.t:raph,s in campai~n dre-s. 1810. The blghlieurJ-Geographes were cn'ated on 30 January 180<J as a nt'\\ topo~raphical branch of the regular Eng-incC'rs. The establishment consisted of four {olond~; four dlfJ\ d',J(adron: twenty-four (apitawt's dr /(,( (.'lanr; t\\ c:nt~ -lour (apitawn d, 2mlf Clauf; and six pupil/,J of the rank ofsouJ-lifutmant and under. The ma, s of manpowcr for the ranks was to be drawn from the pupils of the Ecole Po(r1eclmique. Their principal concermi were with sur\'e~ work and the prod union of map. of entire theatres of operations: a') such. thl'\ were staff offirers basically, forming a pool of
Full dress wUfonn, IDOunted duty,aet:ua.l wUfonn.1n contrast to the previous 1D0nochrotne plate this illustration depicts the hahituallDode of full dreu uniform. Note the differences: the ptnuadu of ostrich feathers ba.s been discarded froID the hieum and replaced by a white feathe.....titch liJ:Liog; the p-.d cordon of the Legion of Honour is still worn, and the OrnaDl~talnbre exchanged for a lDore businesslike personal modd; in place of the cerelDonial lutbit, a second habit, with buttons and loops for the epaulettes, i. employed; finally, the ulDilwr white or buff breoecbH replace the indigo pattern of the 18o.t regu1ation.s. (Buc:quoy. Courtesy De Gerlache de Gotnuy CoUec:tioa)
manpower from which the ,·arious corps or dh·isions dre\\ their respecti\·e chief of staff's requirement for his personal general staff. is ~lan;hal ~la~,ena, Commander-in-Chief of the .1nnee d, Portugal, in campaig-n dress, 1810 t t. ~lassena obstinately prowled outside the fortress lor se\'eral months. hopin~ for fresh de\·elopments. He questioned hie;, Portuguese staffofficers a~ to their
(,2 Regulation cape and greatcoat. Both the manteau troi6..qNllrt and the redi",fote were of similar pattern and colour to those of the ,fhUraMJt de division, i.e. plain indigo blue with em.broidered garlands ofintutWined oak and laurd leaves in sold about the collar an~ for the redi"fote, the cuft'"s. {Bucquoy. Courtesy De Gerlache de GolDery Collection)
30
Marshal Ney in two well-recorded v-tcoats. On the left we hUn during the Russian retreat in 1812, after YVOD'. 'MlIr.1ua1 Ney nut.ittUrX t~ rear,ru.rd of flu Gr_d Anny'. On the risbt we He the Marshal after Mciuomer' 'CarnIMip of F"aru:e, 11'4" (Bucquoy. Court"y De ~rlacbf' de Gomer')' Collectioa) Hoe
31
raised his sie~e in ~[arch 1811. He wears the marshals' equi,"alent LO the surtout, the !rac: an inexpensi\"e and comfortable campaign tunic. The turn backs ,.,."ould be identical to those depicted on ~larshal Suchel in Plate E. C3 is Count Prospcr d'Essling, aidt-dt-camp to Marshal Massena, 18og-1 O. Prosper was rvlassena's son as well as his ADC, a role in which he was first recorded the previous year, at the age of sixteen. Plait D: .\larshal Lannu al Iht sitgt
of Saragossa.
DrrnnbtT 180B-FtbruaT)' 1809 One of the first cities to become a centre of resistance to the French overlords after the 'Dos dt .\/0]0' revolt was Saragossa, ancient capital of Aragon. It endured two bloody sieges before finally falling to Marshals Lannes and Monier in FebruaT). ~lore lhan a third ofthe cily had been razed, and those structures that still stood all bore the scars of lhe extended French bombardment.>. Lannes was horrified at the extent afforce he was required to use in quellin~ the fierce resistance offered by' the ci,"ilian population of the city, and wrote: 'I have made a count of [Spanish] persons who died in Saragossa from 21 December to 21 February, the day of our entry into the city 54,000 people have died: it is inconceivable it is impossible that Saragossa should ever recover; this city is a horror to behold.' Lannes to Benhier, t9 l\larch tSog Marshal Soult in full eire. . wW'orm. of Coknul-GilUr.l of the CluaUeMr•• ~ d~ l. C."de, .8o.t-14- In thft.-dual capacity •• both m.arshal and coUnuu-,fi:rUr-..x., eert:aU:. m.arsbaJs bad the option ofeither unifonn. As cornnuu:t~r ofthe Chasstlu's, Souh was one of these and the above illustration is after de Rudder'. fa..mous pon:rai~ which DOW bang. in the Palace of Versailles. The uniform. u baDcally that of an officer of chasseN."s, with the ornanlenU; of m.anihal.' rank, including the aiguillettes of a colone/-,firUral of the Guard. The IDOS. unusual feature of the whole is the gold embroidery on hi.s white breeches. which, moufb confonning to the garland
DlOtll of • Dlan;.hal'. lace, .. uceptional on an infantry con:unander. (Van Hue:n. Courtesy De Gerlacbe de GoJDery Collection)
knO\"..led'te ofthe constructions: they had none, but pointed out that the Engli~h must ha\'c been \'CI") busy indeed to construct such formidable fortifications. '\\'ithoul doubt,' he replied, 'but it was not \\'ellinglOn that made the mountains.' His patience exhausted, his army near-starving, he
32
D I is an officer of lhe Itt Chtt'au-Ugirs Lall
effecti,'es before lhe city was brought to heel.
D2 shows Marshal Lannes in foot undress uniform, tSolJ-.<>g. The ptlilt Itnut apitd consisted of the habil dt ptlilt Imut, a cheaper and less embellished lunic
than those employed in full or ceremonial dress, and regular sash and breeches, but with silk stockin~ and shoes in place of riding boots. Similarly, the curved sabre affected when mounted would be exchanged for a straight-bladed ;pe" suspended from a frogged waistbclt. D3 illustrates a lieutenant of fusiliers of the /" R;g,mml d'bifallimt of the Ligioll d, la J'islul" in campaign dress of 1808-<>g. The \'istula Legion comprised four regiments of infantry in addition to the re~imenl of lancers. The regiments wCfe structured on the French model and consisted of companies of grmadim, ralligrurs andfUJilim. The regiments were identified by the colour of their facings: I st Regiment: Blue collar, yellow lapels 2nd Regiment: Yellow collar, yellow lapels 3rd Regiment: Yellow collar, blue lapels ,gh Regiment: Blue collar, blue lapels In the same wa) as French regiments, where the facing' was the ground colour of the uniform, it was piped in the distinctive colour, and yice \"ersa. Plair E: .\larshal Such,1 al Sagullio. 25 Oclob" /8// Despite ~1arshal l\1assena's auempt to beat the Anglo-Portuguese army decisively prior to the impasse of the lines of Torres Vedras see Plate C., and his counter-attack which led to defeat at Fuentes d'Onoro, sl\1ay 181 I, it would be wrong to assume that the war in the Peninsula \..'as goingbadly for France. Portugal might remain inviolate, but in eastern Spain a French general of considerable talent was going from strength to strength: having pacified Catalonia the battles of Rosas, 1808, and Figueras, 181 I and Aragon the battles of Lerida, 1810, and Tortosa and Tarra~ona, lSI I ,GiniraL dt DIL'tsion Suchet was rewarded with a marshal's baton on 5 Jul) 1811. Short" thereafter, while investing the tOwn of Sag-unto, the marshal was caught unawares by the Spanish General Blake, who, with an anny 30,000 strong, sought to en\'elop his single corps. "'ere it not for the impulsi\'e action of Capilaint de Gonne\·ille of the 13etnt CuzrassuTs which played a decisive role in the French victory, the day might well have been lost and uehet driven from the field. As it was. however, uchet's success against Blake at Sagunto led directly to the fall of Valencia laterthat year,
•
'iV"I Ma"hal Soult, Duke of DaJ.m.atia and Coloru/-G~Mr#1Iof the CIu....ew,.... lAUd lh La GII,.ih• • &o,-.*, Here we He Soult in. l:Dore everyday full dres . Note that the cufr. ofhis Sloves have heal em.bellished with 1IlarShals' lace and, in this WtaDce. we CIUl dUcern that the se&DlS of his tunic sleeves aTe .1.-0 ItO em.broidered, in like lDaDDer to hisp-d NJOIifonru 1nJlrShaJ's Ju.bit. {Buoquoy. Courtesy De Gerlacbe de Gol:Dery Collectioa}
£1 is a trumpeter ofthe 13tmt Riglmml dtCu;raJSitrs, 1811. The 13l.h Cuirassiers shared Suchet's triumphs of ~laria, Castellon de la Plana, Lerida, Tortoa, Cldecona and Tarragona, with the ¥"I' R;gimenl d, HUJJardJ and the 2.JL111t R;grmenl d,
33
jrae tunic, a plain surtout·style habit,
habituall~
worn by mar;;hals in the field. :\ote the turnback de\'ices, common to all staffofficers. His wound \\ as far from f,nal, and he recosTred to blockade and besiege \'alencia, which dul) fell to him on 10 Januar: 1812.
£3 is a capitalfle, aide-de-camp to ~1arshal Suchet, in campaign dress, 1811 12. Sabre drawn, the ADC calls for the surgeon or medical orderlies while standing guard os'er the ~Iarshal. He is dad in the light cavalry-style uniform common to his rank: note his fashionable cylindrical shako later dubbed the 1812 model and a l'allnnandt-pauern sabre. He wears sarona/-style o\"eralls common to troops sef"\'in~ in the Peninsula, where the climate demanded a loose-filling- and hard-wearing trouser.
Ma.r5bal Davout, Duk~ of Auustidt, CoiOft.el-Cht.ird of th~ Gr-.dier6 iii PUd th hi. c.rth. IBo.f-I+ Uulik~ Soult, Davout wears th~ basic unifonn ofaxrePUJdi_ -ith plain gold lace about all facings sav~ colla.r and cufl's, OD which th~ JDarSbal' lace d ut::i1iud. Not~ also th~ unusual way in which b~ wears IWi ...h, beneath th~ IuIbi,. (Feist. Courtesy De Gerlacb~ d~ GoDll!ry CoUection)
Dra,~OILL
At Sagunto, the +th Hussars and the first squadron of the 13th Cuirassiers were routed when General Caro's 1,500 Spanish cas'al" fell upon them; the Spaniard's pursuit of the shallered French ca\'alry, however, was such a scrimma~(" that a single squadron of the cuirassiers was suO'iciem not onl) to stem their ad\'ance but, with General Caro wounded and made prisoner, also to ren'rse the situation entirely, and, a\'e the dav. . shows ~larshal Suchet in campaign dress, 1811. In the midst of the action SUChCl was struck in the right shoulder by a musketball. He is dressed in the
£2
34
Plait F: ,Harshal Darolll 011 lhi n't oj S"rodi"o. 7 Stpltmbtr /8/2 Our illustration depict:i the interior of the Emperor's field-tent; in the background, we can discern . 'apoleon's camp-bed, table, l.\Critozrt, lamp, folding-table and personal filing portfolio, all reproduced after the actual items he employed in the historic Russian campaign of 1812. Althou~h Caulincourl recalled from Russia in June 1811 had warned the Emperor of the difficulties of the climate, of the obstinacy of the Rmsians and of their intention to lure him into the \'ast interior b\ a defensi\'e strategy, ..apoleon was contemptuous of both the Tsar and the Ru ian people: 'Bah! A battle will dispose of the fine resolutions of your friend Alexander [the Tsar] and his fortifications of sand. He is false and feeble.' He therefore obstinately stuck to his plan for the morrow, to pin the Tsar's army down by direct ft'ontal assault, while Davout vainly sought to impress upon him that the Semeno\'Sko)'e redoubts. \...-hich he and ~ey \--.. ere supposed to seize, were more formidable obstacles than the Emperor seemed to understand. Da\'out'S ese for economy could see nothing but a bloodbath, with precious liule return, in this strategy; and instead he ur~ed an outflanking mo\'ement of the Russian left which would Cut them off from their capital and oblige them to quit their prepared positions. The victor of Austerlitz, howevCT, would not risk this opportunity for a decish'c battle and
insisted upon fi,~hting the Tsar's army on their O\vn g-round, feimin'{ at their centre before seizin~ the key positions on their left, thereby exposin~ the Great Redoubt and Borodino itself.
FI ~how~ ~farshal Da\'oUl in a marshal's ~reatcoat. The :'-larshal .hrugs in helplessness before the Emperor's stubborn determination to ~amble everything on a dccisi\'e cn£{a~ement. F2 illustratt:s the Emperor :\apoleon in his familiar ~Te) ~rtat coat. The end result was all that the meticulou~ and farsighted Da\'out feared. The French casualties \\ere tO,ooo dead, >0,000 badl) wounded, includin!( thc' :'-Iarshal himself, 47 generals and 37 eolonek The gain was :l,OOQ metres of de,,'astated counlry~ide. The Russians, albeit with enormous casualti~, retired on their capital and still presented a unified army.
Plait G: .\larshal Berlhier 01 Imperial HQ, /8/2 /3 The Imperial Headquarters Qyarlirr-Gtneral Impenal comprised both the Emperor's ,\}Qljon Household and the Q.uarlier-Gtatral Army Headquarters proper. As Chief of Staff and .Ha)orGeneral ofthe Grande ..Jnnet', Berthier was in charge of the Q.uarlier-General, which consisted of the Elal.\Ia)or General Staff) and the department of the /Iltmdallt-General Commisariat , GJ shows ~larshal Benhier in campai~n dress, 1812 13. \\'e see the ~larshal in a typical campaign situation, his headquarters a com· mandeered peasant's dwelling, the floor littered "ith the rou!(h drafts ofa score ofdifferelll orders of the da~ to the man~ corps of the Grande . Jmlfe. ,\t this period staff work was in il:s infancy. but th(' even-da\ log-istic problems were enormous, Berthier's responsibilili<.":) la) not only in cOIl\'eyin£{ the Emperor's orders to each and e\'e~' unit of the army. but also in unearthin~. collating- and supplying e\'ery scrap of intelligence information concernin£{ the enemy's army and count~. Hara"'..ed and o\"en\-orked, it is understandable that he should write, 'I am bein!( killed b) hard work. A mere soldier is happier than L' He wears the plain frac tunic, ornamented with the plaque du .t:rand+aigle of the Le!(ion of Honour and the aiguillettes of
GeKirll1 de DivisiOft Grouchy, Colorul-GhUrlll de. Ch....eur. Ii Chevlll de lD. Gllrde. 180g-14. He wears a plaiD dark green It.abit of light cavalry pattern, scarlet Hungarian breeches and dark green Hungarian boots, all ricbly em.broidered with the lace of a "merlll fk divisiON-one--third stnaller t.ban the marshals' pattern. but of identical detiign. Still some sis years away from his baton, be wears the three clWitered, silver, five-pointed star1i of his rank 00 the tassels of lid ash and epauJettefi and integrated within the bastion loops of his brffCheti. His cloak is plain dark green, of the ",",,,tftll" troi~ ~.rt variety, and his scim.itar's light cavalry-sryle swordbeh IS crim.soo with s:old ornaDlentation. (FciJit. Courtefly De Gerla.che de Gomery Colle<:tioa)
.l/alor-Gillaal of the Grand, ,Irm,,; behind him we can see hi~ plain rrdingotr hurriedh draped over the back of his chair. G2 is an aide-de-camp in campaig-n dres..'1, 1813. Remrded Irom life in the Fre\ber!( :'-IS, this ADC \\ears the f(~ulation dress, comprisin~ a plain h l1H!.:,-style tunic and o\'eralls in place of breeches and calf-Ien!(th riding boots.. 'Ole the cut of the leather ('uf[') on his overalls, reminiscent of the contour of tht· Hungarian boob he would adopt in more fonnal circumstances.
35
f
)
Bii
PriDce Poniatowaki, t80g-l:J- A. a J..i&ht cava1rynlaa forem.ost and • atanhal sccoocJ.. this duhins: Pole naturally wore his native lip. cavalry unifonn, con.-i.-riDJ of ky-blue c%ap.k-, dark blue IcOllrki with crim.&OD collar, and crimson trousers, the whole emMlliJibed with lace of Polish la.ncer omeen' pattern. The Prince was only a tna...hal for three days and 80 never wore the standard stafFofficer unifonn orlhe tnanhals. Although he entered French service in .&0" we caD date this portrait from IBog, the year in which he received the Grand £a«leofthe LePOD ofHonour• to which the.rrfUld cord"" (1iUb) anil the pltlqtU de ~-4li&U On his breast att6t. (ecm. leD1porary eDIT. Author's Collection)
o (A) The pbupu de VtuUl..1&U of the Lqion of HODOur. Although it frequently gives the impression of~ all metal, in fact only the central device .. so constructed; the anns oCthe cross and the rays between thent are embroidery in silver thread. (B)(i) The m ....hals' baton was soan long, wrapped roUDd in indigo vdvec, embroidered. with four rows of ~bt Im.perial easJ" in gold, and had solid sold females; these were ~ved with ITn-ror /Hm. lkCU6 ]HIci¥ a. top, and the particular m.arsbaI'. first and second DaJDH followed by '0 •• "omrne pcrl'EmPft'_r Napouo... rru.r"Ju.lthPEmpir~,1e.9 Florea/ ..... X/Pat bouODl. (BMii) Detail of the batoD'Slm.perial eagle motif. The diameter ote-ch eagle was to measure .fan. (B)(iii) Oraa..m.entatioDofthe tops of the ferrules. (C) Hilt ofthe ceremonial sword .warded rnartihals--e:ornmaaders-in-ehief, 1812 reguJations. (D) OrnaJnent and buckle detail of senior staJr offi.«n' waistbelL Marshals' paUeru would comprise white leather belt with Sold embroidery and • Sold buckle. (E) Detail of ~.&eI OD m.arshals' sash. The two bato~ were stitched in dark blue and the ribboD in ffd.. (Author's collection)
37
(A) UDCl.nss tunic mowint;: lace disposition. (B) CeremoDial tunic. (C) Ullifonn buttoD detail. (0) Epaulette detail. Apin, the batons and ribbon are coloured indigo and red reo5pecti:vely. (E) Turnback device or all staft' oBicers; Ql&raha..ls nnployed them. solely on the UDdres. luamt and the /"'tu:. (Author's CoUection)
38
G] is an Adjutant-Commandant in campalg'n dress, 180g 15. These important staff officers were appointed to e\"cry di\Oision of the Grandt Armit to supen"ise and direct the day's march, billeting and feedin!'; of the men and horses. They were also employed as assistant chiefs of staff to whole army corps. This individual wears a sober surtout tunic in place of the full dress habll illustrated in Plate B. Plair H: .l1arshal.\"ry al It'a/trloa, 18 JUllr 1815 Marshal ;'Iiey has been mercilessl) castigated for his performanee at both Quatre-Bras and Waterloo, yet it is doubtful whether he truly desen"es the abuse so \'enomously poured on him in popular literature. "apoleon was a shrewd jud!';e of the capacities and limitations of the men who served him, and it is squarely upon his shoulders that any blame must rest where a commander pro\"ed unequal to the circumstances that confront him . . we ha\'e seen, :\apolcon did not cultivate men of initiative as subordinates, but instead sought agents to execute his own purpose without question. .\mon~ these were some exceptional leaders of men, of whom :\ey must rank foremost, whose ability lay in commanding, cajoling, instruetin~, persuading, coercing or otherwise moving" men to achie\"( the desired objectivc. ~larshal "ej sought throughout the campaigns to be a leader bv example, and he was true to that end in Bel~ium: he was a great field officer, not a staff planner. He did what was expected of him as such, no more, no less. \\'e see him here towards sunset at \\'atcrloo, h"'in!,; led the flower of the French c"'alry to destruction on the British squares: ha\"ing led the
Detail of ntarahat.' entbroide.ry design, taken from a phOlo-graph of an e.sistiag pnne.ot. (Aulhor'. CoUcctio.a.)
ofAeeing troops into some fonn ofcohesion with his entrcaty to the 95th Infantry: 'Come: I will show you how a ~1arshal of France dies!'
a fusilier of the 95m" Rigllllm/ d'/lljalllm, dr Ligll', in the typical campaign dress of t8t4 t5. Despite the popular predcliction for unearthing the most colourful ofthe period's uniforms, the infantry ofmost armies more closely resembled this fellow: a sack of potatoes with a gun. Such was the rush to a'Semble the Anna du ""ord that even the most illustrious of regiments were obliged to take the field ill-equipped and haphazardly dressed. The mass of infantry comprised youngsters and old men; the flowerofthe male population had already been expended in the course of the Revolutionaf) and ~apoleonic wars. HIlS
H2 shows f\1arshal :"Je} in undress unifonn. The ann} was beaten physically and, more importantly, psycholo!';ically, through "apoleon's blatant attempt to dissemble the approaching Prussians as Grouchy's corps arriving in reinforcement. They had been betrayed. [n his left hand we can discern the sabre the ~Iarshal broke in frustration o\'er a British cannon-barrel after unsuccessfully attempting to breach the bayonet-wall with ca\"alry. H] is a trooper of the Itr RtgimtnJ dt Cuzrassitrs, in
the sen'ice dress of 1815. The 1st Cuirassiers are known to ha\'e participated in the Belgian campaign without cuirasses. Doubtless dismounted in the course of the repeated charges at the British infantry, this veteran coolly reloads his An lXpattern cavalry musketoon.
39 ~ ~ _ o
__
SOURCES Cmndt. Bucquoy Ed. , LIS Cnifomlts du '" Emptrt Dr Hourlouille Ed.I, Soldal.J it uniformts du ItT Emplrt H. Bouchot, L' Epoptt du (oslumt mililazrtfranfaist Col. H. C. B. Rogers, Sapo/,ons A",!, L. Rousselot, L'Arrnitfrarlfaist
J c.
Notes sur les planches en coulcur
Farbtafeln
A \lural;ll f. ~ I port. un de . . uml'Onnet p«1f"nun.Lx. un" \0 .n ... ,hI. dt' U 1m ~1f"Tllt'm.u",d'un mMCchal. iI\ \,1M culotte hong1utsc' tl d bonn, ilia mU1Kft de': b. ca\-alnV I~_ II a i1\f'<; 1111 IOn aick.1e C''''plla.n.. 'bnh.... _Ia pd_ il pont un doI.m.;o.n \nmril 11,1 wi M au,," nuncbrntt Jaunn, It lout Ital"nrw. d'oc
A 'lun.1 bn L\ au, 8. F".. bruar 1807. Er l~ nil(' l'nlli'rm, die .. ml~ ubC'Ttril'br-n n>rkumnsl ab IDfttt bri ibm drr faJi "'ar- dit \ol"'Chriftlm_~ l:o:ldmanchaJbunifonn, nur aUli ",n.rnt St(.!rr It:nnilrhl. mIl U~nl Rrithc:wn gnd Sudtl na(h \n drr k-ichlbt,,,.-ca"nITten Ka\a.lle-rit- 'tbITn ihm ltd'll M'1n .\,Ipnant, Capilainc: \Ianbis,drrunl..... lC'lnnn prl_nn.." hoehn'lm dolman mil 11"d~tw-n I\.~ und ,"'rmtlau&Chlatttn unci GoKlITC"llC' ullft1
8 ~,uh a La (conJKIIt. du 16 au 18 J:tIl, 1(T ,80g. ""' m prbll" Innx:, avec: CJlpt Son~ Il2 unu.plt;u_tklaca\.umth,,", ~nlludlcmaudu2nnt Huaards pont It braaard 'l'Khquam 1IOfIl(l'a(k d';Ud.. dt marrchal. 8J ('SI un .\djUlbm.(..omnuodanl m I{I'llnde lC'nuC' ill ~I d'un dC'S ,1fKiC'n IUprriC'U.... alre.tn a dlaqur dl\ Ision oomlTl(' chrf d'rtal-ma~w, e \l~na aUlI l.ll{nn dC' Tonn Vrdru pmdMlI rhi\('r dr 1810 a 1811 I". marC'<"hal C2 ponC' un limple- fn.r commr trnurdr campl.~C' In IT\C'tI V'n! idmtiqut'l a CTUIl do: Suchrt ill\.ll.lrC'S .i la plMl'M- E. CI ('$1 un capita.i1W' dr Jn~niC'U".(;~aphC'l.unr branchC' dC'S in~6liC'Uncrm m 1809 pour _Urt'T IeO("I"\'iu tupocraphiqut rl carlOll:raphiqur. C] nl Ir fils rt ~nnmt raidt' d. \Ia.ena, Ir Compl(, Pn.prr d·l...-rJinll; D l..;lnllC'S au _C'ltr dC' Sar..ll...."C', I)('ndanll'hi~t'rde 1808 a 1809. J...annC'S OIl nt t'n IXlilC' ItnUC' a plrd. DI ('lit un nffidrr du Io:r Chrvllull L6!;en uncirn dr la Uftlon do: la \' I tulr, la ti,rmall(>n qui avail l'.umi Ir no)'au de II. forcr dt Iltllr: C'1I1' rompTmail qU:UTr r~lmt'nlS d"inl:lnlrrie en plus des landen, O;J C'lII un Iieulenant d'unr nlrTlp;\lllllC' du frntrr du Irr RtJ:imellt d'lnfanlrnr cit' la U¢on.
E SU(:hC'll"mbtbIC'Jloio;i.~aKonle,IC':l5(Klobrt 1811 IlpoTlC'IC'fmc IJO:SI,lid r par un ..>IIntur cit' trUlllllot'\It dt 'I"n fiddt Iltmt CuirassiC'~, portant la l('nuC' I) IX dt la It:UtITO: d'l::.slllllfllt, EI, prnclant qu'un capil,une dr I'infanlrrie li'Rtrr, W>n aidC', fail \·C'ni . . elM infirmiC'n F Da\llUI lor dl.pulr a\('(" ."n Emprrrur la \rille dt la l».t..illC' de Bnrodilln. Ie- 7 w-pttmbrt 181l 11 porlt la capolC' r":lrmt'nt;urt d'un man-chal rt '\apolt-.m pont M>lI manltau /l:.... bl('n c"nnu I..C'I drlalls du m"hilirr de II. trnl(' de l'Emprrrur .Q11 authrnuqun. fknhiC'T Ir..\aillant darn Ullt mailon pa\sannC' riquwti"nn~ pt"lldant la dl' tl1ll a 1813. II porl(' Ie- fn.f, C'II" lIIl{UillrllM d'un maJ<,r-/l:enrral dr la Gn.ndr .\rmrt:" rrdinlfl>lr aa~omnnrnl estlU$pmdl,K' au dlr I la roupo: inllTnwantrdo:s manrnrundr profcction m eUll'dlT.-.n COU\-T..-tout. G3 est un .\,ljlKl.ant-Commandant. portanl un 'lUrtoUI nllt:uis<' d.. trnuC' dr cam~nIT H ~ de pT<"\C':IUr II. df"mUlr del Fn.lll;ht la vnlk de II. balaillr df \\alC'ri.." I.. 18Jwn 1815 IIntm ptlitr It1\UCC1IlC'1W
cam~
,C'\
......
40
CUl~
Quenne\"at, Atlas dt ia Grandt Ann;! • l..ts ITOIS soldols dt ~ Vapolton R. Rudorlf, War 10 Ih, D,alh P. Young, "apo/,on's ,l1arshaiJ \\'indrow ~1ason, Concut Dictionary oj .\lili/ary B,ograpk~ H. Lachouque, Th, AnaromJ '!fG/Dry
S!'uh bel (".(,runnll. It. 18januar IBog. Er ~ petilt Inlll(' mill"mhan~ Srin aidr . 1h nn HauptmMln dCT IcichtbC'",dntten K..a\alkrio: \itllnchl U H_nh~ Irllltt ~ Armband M'inell FeldmaTkhailadJutanlrnranIl:M_" Jltllt tinm \djulanl.('~mmandanl im ParadtanlUIl; dar dC't .. ar nn..r do:r dil'lltIa!t('Tt'n Sla'-,ffiurTC' dlO: :w IC'do:T Di\'i"n alt Grnrralatabkh..f Hll!:"""'l" orn .. urdC'n .
II
C 'I na H.r do:n fkfMu/tUnll';lllnla~n lU TCITTCS Vcdras, Winter 1810 II I),...r ~rldmarvhall C2 lral!;t d..n nnfachen ffa(; all Fddanzu/l: dit: Au&c:hla/l:<' /l:lrichr n drntn H>n Suchet in .\bb. E, CI siellt 6n('"11 Hauptmann drr InlCrnirun-G("OI{Taphcs dar_ Dirwr im jahre lBog It:~nclelr Abz",C'ill: dff Pi"nio:ro: .. urdr fur \"trm(Wun~_ unci kanOf{tllphiKho: DiC'nll.. rnchalrrn sllTllt \1UtC'1Ihn un
C,
D LannN bri dC'T 8cla~ .. runll; von Sara~, Winler 180S--9 LannC'S OIl tra/l:1 dall JK'titr IlTnUr a pird. DI Itllt einen Offizier dtr IC'r Ch~aull-ltJlC'n L,lnC'irn dt la I--"lt;ion cit 1,1 \·i.slulr dar_ DiC'SC' FOrmatIOn bildel.. d ..n I\... m d..r Iklall;trullJ;C,kraftr und bMtand aU! vier InfalllC'riC'r'1{imrm..n lOWohl all drll L,lllun 0, Iltllt t'in('n !A'uln..m C'il\('r FU)IIiC'rkompaJ;Cnic dC'S IC'T R~illlrnt d'lnfam..riC' cI('r J..t1(i"n dar,
E Surhel fallt \tno.unde! bci Sa/tUnlo, ~5- Oltobrr 1811 l:;r !rolSj;t dtn In.('. For "'ird \ on tinrm ·I-rompo:ttr K'intr !l:elrtu('n 13tmC' CuiraMlrn /l:C'holfC'll. drT dtn hploc:hC'n F"rldanzu!l' dM Kri~('S in Spani..n traR;t. EI, dt..... til drr a.idt, ('"in Hauplmann dC'r Io:i,-hlbc.. alrnrtrn Kavallerir SanitatJauldal('"n h('"rbcirufl_ F l)a\\>UI clukutllTrl mil ...-innn l\.a.U<-r am \'orabcnd BorodiOOl. d('n 7. SrpllTmbf"r 181l Er Iralll d('n \(>C'khrifumaail\rn Winltrmanld rines Fo:ldma('l("haliJ, unci , ..poIo:on t~ K'1IlC'n ...ohlbckannlen /l:n.uen \tamd. Dit ElIlteLh..iltn des I\.aiso:n Zdt und qutllC'nmasaill: nachR;nchild..n. Brnhl..r bri dlTr \rbril In tlnrm bcKhlaR;nahmlrn BauC'tTlhauJ \'lahrtnd dn \on 181l 13. F.r tra(l d..n frat und dit ail{Uillellts eintt major. It:ITW"raltdrr Gr1nd1T \rm«: Kin cinrachcrredinJl:Olr han~ alllC"intT StuhUthno: Co2 Idh rinrn aidC'-de-camp m \onchrift:IIJl;. .I.R;tm nach ....uJ;CC'nuuf(C'nabbl!dunll:m l.rII FrnbrTJl: ~IS_ Il;"ChikierlC1Tl Feldanzu~ dar bf'merkC'lll\oC'fl it der IntC'rcaanlo: Sdmm dct Lo:kn:C'ntarkung Kiner en,IrCn Bcinkleidrr C,strllt C'Ulc'n \dlUt..m-('anmandanl dar. drT C'incn cinfachm sunoul ah t-o:klanZUIl:
G
F"('ld.lu~n
'
.....
H '\r\ \ ..nudlldile fn.n. . . .M fllKhlam Watrrloo ....bcnd.den 18.junJ 1815. ouu..tl.olhMl. F.r I~ Ir'mo: IntC'TlInsun.i{onn. unci halt in dn Hand dm "\.IblTl., d..n ..... in
