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Updated: June 25, 2025
"Desaix," said he, "is my sheet anchor." "You have had a long interview with Desaix," said Bourrienne to Napoleon the next morning. "Yes!" he replied; "but I had my reasons. As soon as I return to Paris I shall make him Minister of War. He shall always be my lieutenant. I would make him a prince if I could. He is of the heroic mould of antiquity!"
I suppose I can do no more for you than to secure your retreat." "By no means," Napoleon replied with apparently as much composure as if he had been sitting by his own fireside, "the battle, I trust, is gained. Charge with your column. The disordered troops will rally in your rear." Like a rock, Desaix, with his solid phalanx of ten thousand men, met the on-rolling billow of Austrian victory.
On the 19th of April, 1798, the French fleet left the harbor of Toulon, and sailed toward the East, for, as Bonaparte said, "Only in the Orient are great realms and great deeds in the Orient, where six hundred millions of men live." But these six hundred millions have no army such as the French is, no commander like Bonaparte, no generals like Murat, Junot, Desaix, and, above all, Kleber.
However, the only remark he made on receiving the intelligence, was "Who the devil shall I get to supply Boudet's place?" Bourrienne. I expressed to Bonaparte my surprise at his long interview with Desaix. "Yes," replied he, "he has been a long time with me; but you know what a favourite he is. As soon as I return to Paris I will make him War Minister. I would make him a prince if I could.
Desaix, although deeply grieved, was swept along by the torrent of popular opinion, gave way to it himself, and affixed his signature on the 28th of January to the convention of El Arish. Meanwhile preparations were being made for departure; Sir Sidney Smith had returned to his ship.
The first Austrian column, the one which had marched on Castel-Ceriolo and had not yet been engaged, was about to fall on the right of the French army. If it broke the line the retreat would be flight Desaix would come too late. "Take my last two regiments of grenadiers," said Bonaparte.
"Vast distances." "Resident." The number on the books was far greater, many of whom kept up an intermitting communication with Oxford. "Snobs," and its antithesis, "nobs," arose among the internal fractions of shoemakers perhaps ten years later. "False echoes" yes, false! for the words ascribed to Napoleon, as breathed to the memory of Desaix, never were uttered at all. "Privileged few."
A courier was immediately dispatched to Vienna, to convey this letter to the Emperor. In the evening, Bourrienne hastened to congratulate Napoleon upon his extraordinary victory. "What a glorious day!" said Bourrienne. "Yes!" replied Napoleon, mournfully; "very glorious could I this evening but have embraced Desaix upon the field of battle."
On the very day when Desaix fell on the field of Marengo Kleber was assassinated by a fanatical Mussulman, named Soleiman Haleby, who stabbed him with a dagger, and by that blow decided the fate of Egypt. Thus was France, on the same day, and almost at the same hour, deprived of two of her most distinguished generals.
Napoleon will yet be upon us with his reserve." Just then the anxious eye of the First Consulespied the solid columns of Desaix entering the plain. Desaix, plunging his spurs into his horse, outstripped all the rest, and galloped into the presence of Napoleon. As he cast a glance over the wild confusion and devastation of the field, the exclaimed hurriedly, "I see that the battle is lost.
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