The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-21
NY


the rush into the Garden Of Deiezaar at
Acre and there received the neck wound
that caused him ever after to carry his
head to one side His horse stumbling
while crossing a Spanish mountain, he
was thrown and badly injured. But "a
surgeon wrapped and sewed him in the
still bleeding skin of a sheep and he
was charging in battle five days after
ward.
He had the French peasants passion
for money and came back rich from a
mission to Portugal where, 1t is related,
the Prince Regent gave him three hand
fuls of diamonds one for the marshal,
one for his wife and one for his boy. As
a duke he continued to live in the VIII
lage where he had been mechanics
apprentice and to enjoy his old friends.
He installed as postmaster che soldier
who rescued him from the Turks at
Acre and gave house to another who
had once lent him $3.50.
Three Peasant Dukes
A touch of the same happy sort was
contributed by Augureau when he re-
turned from the early Italian campaign
to present to the directory 60 standards
of captured colors. Appointing his
brother on his staff and summonng his
father and mother from their fruit stall,
he placed them on either side of him
at the imposing ceremonial.
This Duke OF Castigione was bold in
war, but simpleton in peace, and had
an itching palm. Napoleon dsked
him always, and often mad to remind
himself, "let us not forget that Au-
gureau saved us at Castiglfone." lie
blamed the marshars increasing short
comings on prosperity, His courage,
his early virtues the Emperor said.
raised him high above the crowd. but
honors, dignites and wealth dragged
ha nx into ha t,l~
There was at least one among the
peasant marshals who lacked the thrift
of his class. For Lefebre who was
only sergeant at 80, remained an hon
est, simple man, careless of titles and
money, and the monument to this Duke
of Dantzic. which the visitor to the
cemetery of Pere la Chaise may see.
vas erected by his wife-"Mme Sans
Gene"-from the proceeds of the sale of
her jewelry.
Marshal Bessieres Duke of lstria, died
even poorer than he was born, for he
died in debt This Gascon who stamped
into Paris with Murat to become a pri-
vate in the Guard of Louis XIV, saw
Els first battle in the courtyard of the
Tuileries where he was destined TO be
the commander of the Guard of Napo-
leon. The closest to the Emperor, after
Berthier, Bessieres had. therefore, no
chance to develop. but his gentleness and
bravery merited Napoleons tribute: "He
lived like Bayard he died like Tu-
renne."
The Bravest of the Brave
Some of the marshals were horn great
some achieved greatness and-Marmont
and Victor were at Tulonl That seems
to be their clearest title to their batons
and to their dukedoms.
Ney was by far the mbst celebrated
and entertaining character among the
marshals, although Napoleon said be
never was any more than hussear Yet
he made this hussar the Duke of Elch-
ingen and, not content with leaving him
a mere duke. he created him Prince
of the Moskowa. While he was not
much of a commander he was many
regiments in himself, notably in stub
born, hot rear guard fighting. Even Ma
poleon could not any more than the
gentle readers of history resent the
charm of this simple honest. unspoiled
soldiers joyous dash amid the hazards
of battle, 'the bravest of the brave
as the Emperor acknowledged MIN to be.
Unread. half iliterate. Ney never
troubled his head about the science and
art of war. But 1t has been said that
knowledge consists in having a clerk
who knows where to find It, And Ney
CHANGED upon a clerk or chief of staff in
a Swiss banker. who was a storehouse of
n iltary wisdom IT remained for this
banker, Jomini, in reading the reports of
Napoleon's Italian campaign to discover
its underlying principle, the secret OF the
Napoleonic strategy Writing a book
on his discovery Ney found n publisher
for him and introduced him to Napoleon
at Austerlitz.
Jomini proudly presented copy of
his book to the Emperor. who. on
reading 1t, hardly knew whether to
congratulate the author on his start
ling perspecacity or have him shot and
his book suppressed. Finding. however.
that tho wizard had also penetrated
the secret of Frederick the Greats art.
he was glad to consult him in the
Prussian campaign.
Jomini himself said that the more
men his friend Ney had the worse off
he was. because he did not know what
to do with them. No more did the hero