Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-23
NAPOLEON, A. Seen
by His Associates
THE LITTLE CORPORAL" AND HIS SOLDIERS
Copyright, 1904. by q. l.. Kiimer.l

powerfully contributed 10 augment the
enthusiasm Of his troops. He would
say to one Of his aids-decamp: 'Ascer.
tain from the colonel CT such regi.
ment whether he has in his corps a
man who has served in the campaigns
/ of Italy or the campaigns Of Egypt
Ascertain his name. where he was born
the particulars of his family and what
he has done. Learn his number in the
ranks and TO what company he be.
longs and furnish me the information
ION the day of the review Bonaparte
Mt single glance could perceive the
man who had been described TO him
He would 60 up to him as IL he recog.
nizcd him. address him by his name
and say: ooh. so you are here! You
are brave fellow. saw you ut Abou.
klr. How is your old father? What!
Have you not got the cross? Stay:
will give it you Then the delighted
soldiers would say to each other: You
see, the emperor knows us all. He
knows our families. He knows where
we have served What stimulus
was this to soldiers whom he succeeded
in pcrsuading that they would all some
time or other become marshals Of the
empire.'
Appeals to baser motives than thirst
for glory were resortcd TO. as proved
by Napoleon's own words:
Soldiers, you are naked and badly
fed. The government owes you much
and can give you nothing. Your pa
ticnce and courage amid these trials
are admirable, but they gain for you
no glory, no reputation. | will lead
you to the most fertile plains in the
world. Rich provinces, large towns,
will be in your power. You will there
find honor, wealth and glory. Soldiers
of the army of Italy, are you failing in
courage and constancy:"
Recalling in after years those days of
his novitiate he said:
Il set out for Italy with i'll trained
soldiers. who were, however, full of
zeal and daring In the midst of the
troops had wagons placed and escort
cd on the march as though they were
empty These called the treasure
chests Of the army. / put it in the or
der Of the day that shoes should be
distributed to the recruits. No one
would wear them. ! promised my SOL
diers that fortune and glory should
await us behind the Alps. | kept my
word. and ever since then the army
would follow me to the end Of the
world
But woe TO the individual soldiers
who took their chieftain's promises of
fortune seriously. Mcneval tells how
he had some of his best fighters shot
for their excuses and adds:
Il cannot refrain in connection with
this act of severe justice to rcbut the
accusation brought against Napoleon Ct
having tolerated disorder in his armies
by kind OF tacit understanding te-
tween himself and his soldiers. who. re-
sembling in this the undisciplned hordes
Of the middle ages, were said to serve
their chief only because of his tolerance
Of their excuses. His orders Of the day
enjoined the greatest respect for prop
erty and scathcd those who tolerated
disorder
A paragraph in one of Napoleon
general orders on discipline reads:
Generals of division are authorized
TO shoot at once any officers or soldiers
who by their example excite others to
pillage and thereby destroy discipline,
spread disorder in the army and COM
promise It's safety and its glory"
The same order provides summary
punishment for various breaches of
military discipline showing that Ma
poleon's popularity was not Que to toll
Grafton. Abnormal in every sense al
most. Napoleon still had that touch of
human nature which wins the hearts
of men. An aid-de-camp once lost some
dispatches intended for the emperor
Put him under arrest for few days."
he wrote to the general in authority
"An aid de-camp may lose his breeches
On Il journey. but not his sword or pa
pors.'
One day on review the emperor lost
control of his horse, and his famous
time Worn hat fell ut the feet of n
lieutenant of some ordinary command
Picking up the hat. tho young subal
tern stepped from his place and handed
it TO Napoleon. Thanks, captain
said the emperor I'm what regiment
S.re:" asked the lucky junior, with
alacrity.
A second glance convinced Napoleon
that the confusion Of the moment had
led to mistake in the officers rank
and he met the fellows assumption il,
taking the words literally by equal
, prOmptness.
"Ah, that Is SO, monsieur. In the
. Guard"
A commission in the Guard. the en-
peror's favoritc corps. was prize tina,
men risked death to win.
Nj
YApOYEON took hftnseff serious