The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05

After passing along the ranks. accompanied by
tho Colonel, and, after speaking to all tho sol
diers who had distinguished themselves, he
had the officers called around him by beat OF
drum, and II n Chef dc Battalion had been killed
no inquired In a loud voice who was the brnvest
Captain. Thereupon, in the heat Of enthusiasm
for the victory. just gained and for the great
man before them, the replies werc sincere and
just. II. for any reason, the brave Captain was
untitled to become a Chef de Battalion, the EN-
porcr advanced him q grade In the Legion OF
Honor. and. returning to his question, asked:
After So and SO, who is the bravestf' Stend.
bal snys that at such moments he has seen sol
disrs weeping out OF devotion to the great man.
We are told, however, by this eyewitness,
that the spirit Of the army varied. Republican,
grim. heroic at Marengo. It became aftorward
h.ore and more monarohical and self-seeklng.
In proportion as the uniforms became en-.
broidered and loaded with crosses, the hearts
which they covered grew less generous; ell the
Generals who fought from enthusiasm were
sent to n distance. or left to languish In retire.
ment. The intriguing fellows prospered, and
their dclinquencies the Emperor seemed afraid
to punish. For example, q Colonel who used to
drop. or let himself be thrown, into a ditch
every time his regiment went under fire was
made a BrigAdier.G eneral or detailed upon
'ohho sOTNlVo. SCenunal ASSURES US tnat bO bell'
seeking and corrupt was the army In the Rus.
sian campaign, that 1t was almost on the point
of forcing its commander to bargain with it.
Moreover. the stupidities of the Major-Gencral
Berthier) and tho insolence Of the Imperial
Guard. for which all privileges were reserved,
and which. for a long time, had taken no part In
the fighting, forming, as 1t did. the reserve OF
the army, alienated from Napoleon many hearts.
In personal bravery, indeed, no dlminution was
observable; 1t was impossible for q soldier,
sprung from q vain. glorious people, not to face
death n thousand times in order to be reputed
the bravest man in his company. But the sol.
der, having lost the habit Of subordination,
lacked prudence and wasted his physical re.
sources, without which courage Is OF small &C.
count. Stendhal says that a friend Of his, a
Colonel, told him. while they were on their way
to Russia, that during the three previous years
he had seen $4,000 men pass through his regi.
ment. This assertion recalls Napoleon's ia.
nous. and we may add odious, declaration that
his annual income was 100000 men. Every
year there was less technical instruction, less
discipline, less patience, less eXaCtitudei In ODE
dience on the part of the soldiery. Some Mar
shals. no doubt, like Davout and Suchet. still
kept up their army corps; the greater part en-.
couraged the general disorder. According to
Stendhal, tho troops even lost the power OF
closing up their ranks and OF forming a solid
square; hence, he says, the advantages which
Cossacks, who were simply iU-armed peasants,
were destined to gain over the bravest army in
The universe. II have SEEM he tells us, twenty.
two CoSsacks, the oldest of whom was not 20, nor
had served two years under the colors. throw
into disorder and put to flight a convoy Of 500
French soldiers. among whom were five Gen.
erals; this. too, In the campaign of Saxony in
1913. They would have ACCOMPLISHED nothing
against the republican army of Marengo; but,
as such an army no longer exists. the sovereign
who is master of The Cossacks is master Of the
world"