Napoleon, a History of the Art of War, vol. 2

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Marengo. The Defeat

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Marengo. The Victory

ARRIVAL OF DESAIX. 57

After Montebello, as above said, Ott had fallen back be- hind the Scrivia, and on June 10 Melas’ head of column reached Alessandria. Bonaparte now drew Murat and Boudet up a trifle closer to the bulk of the army, but Loison was left at Placentia and Cremona, so that his six thousand men were not able to join in the battle of Marengo. Early on the 11th Desaix arrived at the Stradella headquarters, — he had, as we have seen, been ordered back from Egypt, — and, coming to hand at an auspicious moment, was received with open arms and put in command of Monnier’s and Boudet’s divisions. The French now concentrated between Voghera and Casteg- gio, whence next day the several divisions advanced so that Lannes reached Castelnuovo, Murat the vicinity of Tortona, and Desaix Pontecurone. Victor was pushed out as left wing . in the same direction. On June 18, at 5 a. M., a letter to Lannes ordered him to attack anything which he found in front of him. Victor was moving on San Giuliano, and Desaix remained in reserve at Pontecurone. At the same time Melas had concentrated near Alessandria, and Ott also withdrew behind the Bormida, leaving a rearguard at Marengo.

VICTOR’S ADVANCE STOPPED. 59

Battle of Marengo. The Defeat.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Hohenlinden .

ARCHDUKE JOHN.

Battle of Hohenlinden.

THE MARCH ENLIVENED. 101

You have surpassed yourself this campaign ;’ January 2 Message to the Legislative Corps: ‘The victory of Hohenlinden has resounded throughout Europe. It will be counted in history in the number of the finest days that have illustrated French valor.’’ For each of these latter state- ments was made with the definite purpose of conserving the cooperation of Moreau _and his following.

BEYOND KRAY’S POWER, 105

Archduke John, a young and inexperienced soldier, was worse than Kray. Moreau had returned to Paris for a while, and it has been claimed by his adherents that General Desolles, his chief of staff, had drawn up a plan to which Moreau gave his assent, of luring the Austrian army from the Inn forward to the Isar woods and marshes, where a victory might be easily won, as it actually was at Hohenlinden. This, however, is pure fiction. The victory of Hohenlinden was a happy accident. In this battle, the results of which were greater, excepting Rivoli, than those of any other during the French Revolution, everything went in Moreau’s favor. If the Austrian central column had not marched so fast, or had Riesch happened to march a little faster, Richepanse could not have reached Kollowrath’s flank, nor started with his paltry force the demoralization which destroyed the Austrian army.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

(Collection of Princess Mathilde) Battle of Austerlitz, late December 1 . Wrede : : ; Lichtenstein. From an old print Miloradovich. From an old print . Voltigeur of the Guard Drummer of Grenadiers .

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Austerlitz, Mee hee 2

ABLE LIEUTENANTS. 139

commanded the army corps in the Ulm-Austerlitz campaign. Murat, Grand Duke of Berg, Napoleon’s brother-in-law, held in a way the highest rank. He had courage, activity and

DESIRE TO SPREAD A QUARREL. 225

the French, whom nature has not placed _ We —— where they can be their enemies.” Officer of Engineers. The march on Vienna, determined by Napoleon when he was on the Inn, has been called an extrava- gant piece of strategy, because the Prussian army was about to threaten the upper Danube. It would have been such for most commanders. But Napoleon had calculated the proba- ble Prussian marches and delays, political and military, with curious accuracy, and the success of the Austerlitz campaign justified his reckoning. To remain on the Inn, moreover, meant to afford Archduke Charles time to come in from Italy

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Jena and Auerstiidt. Late October 13 .

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battles of Jena and Auerstidt, Ostober Tie Battle of Auerstidt .

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Jena ;

GAUL AND TEUTON. 1806.

IncLuDING with France the other imperial territories, Napoleon had a population of between fifty and sixty mil- lions from which to draw troops; and using as he did his imperial power to the utmost, he put this population to good use, despite the fact that the French people had for some time felt satiated with glory, and that all classes demanded a period of repose. It was from the early Revolutionary laws that the emperor still drew his authority to raise by conscription every Frenchman between twenty and twenty-five years old, or, ‘“‘ in case the country were in danger,” every man able to bear arms. In 1806 he had anticipated the raising of troops by a year, and during the Jena campaign there were eighty thousand men in the depots in France being disciplined for future use, in addition to the Grand Army of practically two hundred thousand men.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Eylau. Evening of yet 7 Sacken ; ; , : Battle of Eylau. February 8, A. M. Hautpoul ‘ : : : Battle of Eylau. February 8, p. m.

SERPACLLLEN

Battle of Eylau.

MARSHALING OF THE INFANTRY. 4TT

The field of Eylau is well accentuated, with a few woods here and there ; and between the hills run brooks which form

KL.SAUSCARTEN

Battle of Eylau. February 8, A. m.

THE FRIEDLAND CAMPAIGN, WITH A DETAILED

A HISTORY OF THE ART OF WAR, FROM THE BE- GINNING OF THE CONSULATE TO THE END OF THE FRIEDLAND CAMPAIGN, WITH A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Battle of Friedland

KONIGSBERS

Battle of Friedland.

NO QUARTER GIVEN OR ASKED. 5385

The battle of Friedland had been a series of Russian er- rors. Bennigsen should have attacked Lannes at once while he outnumbered him. He should have pivoted on his left and thrown out his right to Heinrichsdorf, which, if he could hold it, would at least secure his retreat to Wehlau along the left bank. No good soldier can fight in the bottom of a bag such as this was. And yet Bennigsen lacked neither enter- prise nor ability. He was a plucky, old-fashioned soldier, here dominated by a greater man.