This etext was produced by David Widger
by LOUIS ANTOINE FAUVELET DE BOURRIENNE
His Private Secretary
Edited by R. W. Phipps
Colonel, Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS:
CHAPTER I. to CHAPTER VIII., 1800-1803
1800.
Bonaparte's confidence in the army—'Ma belle' France—The convent of Bernadins—Passage of Mont St. Bernard—Arrival at the convent— Refreshments distributed to the soldiers—Mont Albaredo—Artillery dismounted—The fort of Bard—Fortunate temerity—Bonaparte and Melas—The spy—Bonaparte's opinion of M. Necker—Capitulation of Genoa—Intercepted despatch—Lannes at Montebello—Boudet succeeded by Desaix—Coolness of the First Consul to M. Collot—Conversation and recollections—The battle of Marengo—General Kellerman—Supper sent from the Convent del Bosco—Particulars respecting the death of Desaix—The Prince of Lichtenstein—Return to Milan—Savary and Rapp.
It cannot be denied that if, from the 18th Brumaire to the epoch whenBonaparte began the campaign, innumerable improvements had been made inthe internal affairs of France, foreign affairs could not be seen withthe same satisfaction. Italy had been lost, and from the frontiers ofProvence the Austrian camp fires were seen. Bonaparte was not ignorantof the difficulties of his position, and it was even on account of thesevery difficulties that, whatever might be the result of his hardyenterprise, he wished to escape from it as quickly as possible. Hecherished no illusions, and often said all must be staked to gain all.
The army which the First Consul was preparing to attack was numerous,well disciplined, and victorious.
His, with the exception of a very small number of troops, was composed ofconscripts; but these conscripts were commanded by officers whose ardourwas unparalleled. Bonaparte's fortune was now to depend on the winningor losing of a battle. A battle lost would have dispelled all the dreamsof his imagination, and with them would have vanished all his immenseschemes for the future of France. He saw the danger, but was notintimidated by it; and trusting to his accustomed good fortune, and tothe courage and fidelity of his troops, he said, "I have, it is true,many conscripts in my army, but they are Frenchmen. Four years ago did Inot with a feeble army drive before me hordes of Sardinians andAustrians, and scour the face of Italy? We shall do so again. The sunwhich now shines on us is the same that shone at Arcola and Lodi. I relyon Massena. I hope he will hold out in Genoa. But should famine obligehim to surrender, I will retake Genoa in the plains of the Scrivia. Withwhat pleasure shall I then return to my dear France! Ma belle France."
At this moment, when a possible, nay, a probable chance, might for everhave blasted his ambitious hopes, he for the first time spoke of Franceas his. Considering the circumstances in which we then stood, this useof the possessive pronoun "my" describes more forcibly than anything thatcan be said the flashes of divination which crossed Bonaparte's brainwhen he was wrapped up in his chimerical ideas of glory and fortune.
In this favourable disposition of mind the First Consul arrived atMartigny on the 20th of May. Martigny is a convent of Bernardins,situated in a valley where the rays of the sun scarcely ever penetrate.The army was in full march to the