Napoleonic Literature
The Memoirs of Baron de Marbot - Volume I
Chapter XII

THE autumn of 1800 was drawing to an end. My mother returned to Paris, my young brothers to school, and I received orders to go to Rennes and join the commander-in-chief--Bernadotte. He had been the closest friend of my father, who had rendered him services of all kinds in various circumstances. To evince his gratitude, Bernadotte had written to me that he had kept an aide-de-camp's place vacant for me. I had found his letter at Nice on my return from Genoa, and it had decided me to refuse the offer of Masséna to take me as regular aide-de-camp, with leave at the same time to spend some months with my mother before rejoining the Army of Italy. My father had insisted on my brother's continuing the studies necessary for entry into the Ecole Polytechnique, so that when we lost our father Adolphe was not yet in the army. When, however, he heard the sad news, he was unable to bear the thought that while his younger brother was already an officer who had seen service he was still on the form. He threw up his study for the scientific corps, and preferred to enter the infantry at once, which allowed him to leave the school. A good opportunity offered; the Government had just ordered the creation of a new regiment, which was being raised in the department of the Seine. The nomination of the officers was to be in the hands of General Lefebvre, who, as you will remember, had succeeded my father in the command of the Paris division. Lefebvre eagerly seized the opportunity to be of service to the son of one of his old comrades who had died in the service of his country, so he appointed my brother a sub-lieutenant in the new corps. So far it was all right, but, instead of going to join his company, and without even awaiting my return from Genoa, Adolphe hurried off to Rennes to join Bernadotte, who, without further consideration, gave the post to the brother who arrived first, as if it was a question of a prize for a race. In this way, when I reached Rennes and joined the staff of the Army of the West, I learnt that my brother had received the commission of regular aide-de-camp to the chief, and that I was only a supernumerary, that is, provisional aide-de-camp. I was much disappointed, for if I had expected this I should have accepted Masséna's proposal; but it was now too late. In vain did Bernadotte assure me that he would obtain leave to increase the number of his aides-de-camp. I had no hope of it, and I understood that before long I should have to go elsewhere. I have never approved of two brothers serving together on the same staff or in the same regiment, because they always stand in each other's way. It will be seen that this happened frequently in the course of our career.

Bernadotte's staff was at that time composed of officers who nearly all reached a high rank. Four of them were already colonels, viz.: Gérard, Maison, Willatte, and Maurin, of whom Gérard was undoubtedly the most remarkable. He had plenty of talent and of courage, and a great instinct for war. At the battle of Waterloo he was under the orders of Marshal Grouchy, and gave him admirable advice, which might have assured us the victory. Maison became a marshal, and afterwards Minister of War, under the Bourbons; Willatte was a general of division under the Restoration; Maurin the same. The other aides-de-camp of Bernadotte were Majors Chalopin, killed at Austerlitz, and Mergey, who became major-general; Captain Maurin, brother of the colonel, became major-general, also Sub-Lieutenant Willatte. My brother Adolphe, who became major-general, was the last of the regular aides-de-camp; finally, Maurin, brother of the other two, who became colonel, and I were the supernumeraries. Thus of eleven aides-de-camp attached to the staff of Bernadotte, two reached the rank of marshal, three that of lieutenant-general, four major-general, and one died on the field of battle.

In the winter of 1800 Portugal, supported by England, declared war against Spain, and the French Government resolved to take the side of the latter Power. Consequently troops were sent to Bayonne and Bordeaux, and at Tours were assembled the grenadier companies of numerous regiments quartered about Brittany and Vendee. This select force, 7,000 to 8,000 men strong, was intended to form the reserve of the so-called Army of Portugal, of which Bernadotte was to have the command. He therefore had to move his head-quarters to Tours, whither were sent his horses and his outfit, as also those of the officers attached to his person. The general, however, in order both to receive his last orders from the Consul and to take Madame Bernadotte back, had to go to Paris. As in such cases it is usual during the absence of the general for his staff officers to have leave to go and take farewell of their families, it was decided that all the regular aides-de-camp might go to Paris, and that the supernumeraries should accompany the baggage to Tours in order to look after the domestics and pay them every month, and to arrange with the commissaries for the distribution of forage and the allotment of quarters for this large number of men and horses. This disagreeable duty therefore fell upon Lieutenant Maurin and myself. On horseback and in the depth of winter and in horrible weather, we did the eight long days of march which separate Rennes from Tours; and there we had all sorts of trouble in installing the head-quarters. We were told that it would remain there for a fortnight at most, but we remained there six long months, horribly bored, our comrades the while enjoying themselves in the capital. This was a foretaste of the annoyances which the position of supernumerary aide-de camp caused me. Thus ended the year 1800, during which I had undergone so much pain both of mind and body.


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