France Napoleon's Marshals

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General of Division

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Ambassador Portugal

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Untranslated

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Voucher for six long coats for ? Duoray, Julien ? Etienne and Georges, footman and coachmen for his lordship.

8 December 1807

(Signed)

LANNES

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Lannes had just taken Saragossa in Spain and was on his way to join Napoleon in the war against Austria. The fragment is dated April 10, 1809 while he was passing through Paris.

When he reached Paris on 9 April, Lannes found his orders waiting. He did not know that Napoleon had debated whether to leave him in Spain and assign the 2nd Corps to Bernadotte so that he may do something useful, for once. As much as he hated Spain, it may have been better for him and the future of the Peninsula had the emperor's coin toss landed in favor of Bernadotte going against the Hapsburgs. Lannes would have almost no time to spend with his family at Maisons, but he delayed his departure as long as he reasonably could. He visited the Empress Josephine the evening before he left, because Napoleon had already been gone for two weeks. It was a formal visit, required by court and military protocol, but it was an odd one. The soldier who Josephine had known since 1797, who once told Napoleon he should have married a much younger woman, was so unusually subdued that she asked what was wrong. He seemed reluctant to answer, but she persisted. "Ive got a really bad feeling [about this campaign], and I don't want to leave my family." Discussing him after he had gone, the empress and her attendant, Mademoiselle Marie-Jeanne Avrillion, decided Lannes was a victim of presentiment. Mlle Avrillion later wrote that "in spite of his incomparable bravery, his audacity that vanquished all dangers, his usually calm challenging of death, Lannes's attitude about this campaign was markedly different from all the others in which he had willingly participated. Whether from presentiment or from some other reason, he obviously did not want to go." Another acquaintance met him in Paris before he left and wished him a speedy return. "I don't know if I'll come back," Lannes told him,"but if I do I'll just have to leave for somewhere else. It's the emperor's destiny to make war and it's mine to follow him until the end. We'll both die, whether it's now or later. I just wish we could be boys again."

THE EMPEROR'S FRIEND

by Margaret Scott Chrisawn

Lannes would be mortally wounded at the battle of Aspern-Essling on May 21, 1809. Napoleon cried....

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Not his handwriting. Maybe an Aide or Wife or ...............

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Francois Joseph Lefebvre(1755-1820)

Duke of Danzig

He would die of old age in Paris

A truly brave man whose only thought was to fight better. He had no fear of death. He possessed the sacred fire.

Napoleon

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Headquarters Limeil

3 April 1798

Lefebvre, General of Division to General of Brigade Oudinot.

I?m surprised that General Dessaix and General Lecourbe have not corresponded. He is from 17 or 18 my aides de camp at Coutances and I follow two or three days and I am flattered that every thing will be arranged.

(signed)

LEFEBVRE

note: This is a document by Lefebvre at Limeil(Paris) while with the army of England(Angleterre). The document is dated the 3rd of April 1798 just a month and a half before Bonaparte set sail for Egypt. The letter mentions General Dessaix and General Lecourbe and the location of Coutances, which I think was a staging point for the invasion of England

Edited February 20, 2009 by Bear

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Jacques Eitienne Joseph Alexandre Macdonald(1765-1840)

Duke of Tarante

He would die of old age.

He was a reliable man, good to command between 15,000 and 20,000 men. Brave, but slaow and lazy. Macdonald and others like him were good when they knew where they were and under my orders; further away, it was a different matter. He was good and brave, but unlucky.

Napoleon

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Legion of Honor

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Auguste Frederic Louis Viesse de Marmont(1774-1852)

Duke of Raguse

He would die of old age in Venice.

The ungrateful fellow - he will be much unhappier than I(1814). Many others were much worse than he, who did not have much sense of shame that he felt. Vanity was his undoing an excess to folly.

Napoleon

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Untranslated September 2, 1815

Edited August 27, 2008 by Bear

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Andre Massena(1758-1817)

Duke of Rivoli

He would die in Paris.

He was once a very superior man who, by a very special dispensation, possessed that greatly desired coolness in the heat of an action; he came alive when surrounded by danger. Massena, who was endowed with rare courage and such remarkable tenacity, also had a talent that increased the greater the danger, when defeated, he was always ready to begin again as if he was in fact the victor.

Napoleon

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Massena General en Chief

Milan

Order:

In execution of article 39 of the contract passed on the 19th of this month with Citizens Guyot de La Pomeraie and Co. by the Commissioner Orderly in Chief and approved by the General in Chief of the supply of food, bread and sundry supplies. The Commissioner in Chief will have 300,000 francs paid to Citizens Guyot de La Pomeraie and Co. as an advance installment on the advances referred to in article 39 of said contract. The sum will be taken from the credit of 1,500,000 francs, and replaced in that credit along with the payment of the funds coming from the Lingurian Government. The order will be transmitted to the General Paymaster and Orderly in Chief, who will execute it, each for what concerns him.

Signed

MASSENA

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Bon Adrien Jeannot de Moncey(1754-1842)

Duke of Conegliano

He would die of old age in Paris.

He was an honest man.

Napoleon

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General Inspector of the Imperial Guard

Paris, 18 June 1813

Monsieur the Duke

In compliance with the provisions contained in this letter your Excellency made me the honour of writing me about the named Jacques Francois Dehoux, who has come back, after a short absence, to the Regiment Chasseurs a Chevel of the Imperial Guard. I have given orders to the Capitaine of Gendermerie de la Doyle, to have the preceedings that could be instituted against him stopped. I have the honour of offering your Excellency the expression of my high regard.

(Signed)

Marshal Duke of Conegliano

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Edouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier(1768-1835)

Duke of Trevise

He would be murdered by Fieschi's.

The three best generals were Davout, Soult and Bessieres. Mortier was the most feeble.

Napoleon

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I have just been given, Messieurs, the letter you have adressed me to-day, withholding complaints against the Aide-de-Camp of Monsieur le G?n?ral (Foucher?) : I have at once informed the G?n?ral of it, and I have ordered him to punish that officer, and to advise him to act more circumspectly in the future.

I have the honour, Messieurs, of saluting you.

Mortier

Edited August 26, 2008 by Bear

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Joachim Murat(1767-1815)

King of Naples

He would be executed by firing squad.

I cannot conceive how so brave a man could be so unreliable. He was only brave when confronted by the enemy, and then perhaps the bravest man in the world, but if he was placed in council he was a poltroon with no judgment and was quite inacapable of making a decision. Murat's character, however, was nobler than Ney's, for he was generous and frank.

Napoleon

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Joachim Murat 1804

Edited April 7, 2009 by Bear

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Michel Ney(1769-1815)

Duke of Elchingen

Prince of Moskowa

He would be shot by a firing squad.

Ney only got what he deserved. I regret him as a man very precious on the battlefield, but he was too immoral, too stupid to be able to succeed. He was good for a command of 10,000 men, but beyond that he was out of his depth.

Napoleon

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Paris, December 31, 1807

Great Chancellor of the L?gion d'Honneur

I have the honour of adressing you the services record of Mr. Poirot, aide-de-camp lieutenant of g?n?ral de brigade Brun ;

This officier having always distinguished himself, especially at the battle of Friedland, I pray you to insert him in the first work as having rights to getting the decoration.

Receive, Monsieur le Grand Chancelier and dear colleague, the assurance of my high consideration.

Le Mar?chal

Ney

Edited August 26, 2008 by Bear

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Nicolas Charles Oudinot(1767-1842)

Duke of Reggio

He would die of old age.

He was a brave man, but none too bright. He let himself be dominated by his young wife and good family. I should have made either Marmont or Oudinot marshals. We needed to win a war.

Napoleon

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This is a document by Oudinot to the Minister of War(Carnot) and dated 1800.

Edited March 3, 2009 by Bear

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Dominique Catherine Perignon(1754-1818)

He died of old age in Paris.

No comment from Napoleon.