Marengo

by T E Crowdy

  It appears a rider had gone ahead to alert the First Consul about the arrival of the Austrian emissaries. The musicians of the Consular Guard were assembled and the Guard drawn up in parade. At first Bonaparte appeared very eager to hear what General Skal had to say, but when he realized the Austrians had not come to capitulate, only to request a forty-eight-hour truce, his mood changed. Adopting a dictatorial air, he stated he would not enter into any armistice unless it did not lead to full negotiations on the fate of Italy. The French army was preparing to attack, he said, and he would not allow pointless negotiations to delay this attack. Bonaparte went to one side and in his own hand wrote out the main points of a convention, which he handed over to Berthier, quietly instructing him to go to Alessandria and talk to Melas directly. Having received Bonaparte’s outline proposal, Berthier assembled a large group of generals and aides, then rode up to the Austrian forward posts and announced Melas wanted to see him. Having seen Skal riding out in the other direction earlier in the day, the outpost commander assumed the invitation was genuine and waved the Frenchmen through.

  Melas, meanwhile, remained in his quarters. In the afternoon there was a great commotion outside, with the sound of many horses entering through the building’s gateway. Radetzky looked out of the window to investigate the cause of the disturbance and was stunned to see a large party of French horsemen. He raced off to Melas’ room and was just informing him there were French cavalry at the gates, when the door to the room burst open and in walked, without any ceremony, the French commander-in-chief and his party. To poor Melas it was like he had fallen into some sort of dream, a fantasy. How had the commander of the French army passed through his forward posts and simply opened the door to his quarters without his knowledge? As Melas sat dumbstruck, the French generals noisily praised him; he, the brave Austrian who in his wisdom had performed heroically and had through no fault of his own ended up in so sad a predicament. They told him he was assured a place in history, alongside Bonaparte; two men who brought the war to an end. Melas the hero! Melas the peacemaker!

  Neipperg was livid at the sight of the officers accompanying Berthier and the other generals:

  ‘A swarm of French adjutant-generals and aides-de-camp, all covered with gold and silver, with the imprint of French arrogance on the physiognomy which never detracts from success. This gilded scum filled all the apartments in the town house where our commander-in-chief lived, and seemed already to dictate the law before the treaty had even concluded.’12

  Stutterheim listened to the exuberant French officers boasting of their successes. Stutterheim realized nothing more could be expected of old Melas now, although he did think it might be beneficial if somebody brought up a company of infantry to arrest these unexpected guests. Radetzky alone appeared to restore some kind of order to the situation. He walked into the room and drew Melas to one side as if receiving an order from him. After a few moments he turned and declared to the assembled officers that His Excellency, General Melas, wished to speak alone to the commander of the French army, therefore would everybody else please go to the room next-door where refreshments would be provided?

  Outside the building there was a growing interest in the arrival of the French entourage. In front of the guardhouse in the main square of the city quite a crowd of officers and even a few generals could be seen demanding the arrest of the Frenchmen. The word ‘treason’ was spoken, for no one knew what was being negotiated in the room between the two army commanders. Only with difficulty was a bloodbath in the city prevented and tempers calmed by a degree. As for the negotiations, there was only going to be one outcome. When Radetzky had cleared the room so Melas and Berthier could talk alone, Kaim had whispered to Neipperg in German: ‘I’ll pack up my baggage to send it to the Minico.’

  Neipperg was furious that Melas had been left alone with Berthier:

  ‘This is the instant when the excess of my patriotism, my enthusiastic love for the army in which I have the honour to serve, does not allow me to pass over in silence the indefinable conduct of Count D.B. [de Best], then quartermaster general; of Colonel Count R. [Radetzky], adjutant-general, and generally of all the officers composing the suite of the commander-in-chief, Baron Melas. These gentlemen retired to the different apartments, leaving this respectable old man, with his morale as trembling as his physique, prey to the astuteness and arrogance of the French negotiator. In such a decisive moment, when everybody should have sacrificed themselves for the good of the state and the army, everyone went his own way, and asserted the egotistical and noble principle of not interfering in anything, not having to answer for anything, having always the charming proverb in the mouth: I wash my hands.’13

  While Berthier had been travelling to Alesssandria, Bonaparte had continued his interview with Skal. The First Consul told Skal he wanted Genoa and Savona handed over to him, and for the Austrians to evacuate all of Piedmont and its fortresses. He concluded his position with the words:

  ‘Sir, bear my final determination to your general, and return quickly: it is irrevocable. Know, that I am as well acquainted with your position as you are yourselves, I did not begin to make war yesterday. You are shut up in Alessandria; you are encumbered with sick and wounded; you want provisions and medicines. I occupy the country in your rear. You have lost in killed and wounded the flower of your army. I might insist upon more, and my position authorizes it; but I moderate my demands through respect for the grey hairs of your general, whom I esteem.’

  Skal received his intense monologue with a growing sense of resignation. Bonaparte’s terms were written down and handed over to him. As he was conducted out of the room, Skal turned to Bourrienne and said: ‘These terms are very severe, particularly the giving up Genoa, which surrendered to us only a fortnight ago, after so long a siege.’14

  After this interview was concluded, Skal and Torres returned to Alessandria with Dupont, the French chief of staff. Crossard had noticed the party of Frenchmen riding by. Crossard had long been curious about the identity of the French chief of staff, having studied at the old college of Laval-Magnac with a young man with a similar name. Now having seen the man in question up close, he realized Dupont was his onetime classmate. Crossard followed Dupont to Melas’ apartments and followed them in. After Radetzky had called everyone into the other room for refreshment, Crossard made a happy reunion with his old friend.

  ‘I knew from MacDonald that you were here,’ Dupont said.

  ‘Where were you yesterday?’

  ‘To our left.’

  ‘And I myself was to our right.’

  ‘So we could have killed one another?’

  ‘What rank do you have?’

  ‘I am a lieutenant.’

  ‘What? Are you not sorry for such a slender existence? What fortune you would have made among us! Come, come back. The first consul endeavours to get rid of everything the revolution has created. MacDonald and I will take care of your progress.’15

  Crossard remained silent on the offer – probably a genuine one – being uneasy about a return to the country that had been so unstable and violent. He had once pledged his service to a king and he would continue to support the Allies of that same ill-fortuned family. Noting Crossard’s silence, Dupont changed the subject and introduced General Boudet to him.

  ‘Do you remember our old comrade Boudet?’ Crossard looked at him but he had aged much since they had last met. ‘It was he that gave you the final blow,’ Dupont continued.

  ‘Yes,’ Boudet replied with a modest pride. ‘It was my division that finished the affair.’

  Elsewhere that day, Rauch had found his way back to camp and emersed himself in water to quench his thirst before taking a little food. Before he could even think about resting, his battalion was ordered to Riverone, four hours’ march away, to watch the road from Sale; he gathered up the remains of his company and broke camp. When he at last arrived at the place, Rauch walked into the nearest manor house, found himself a bed and collapsed fully c
lothed. In the evening, Rauch was woken and informed that his hosts had prepared a dinner. Still half asleep, Rauch was led out into the peaceful garden, where he found a table set for four beneath a pergola. Without even knowing the name of his generous hosts, Rauch ate and made small talk in the shade of the canopy of plants and flowers around him. It all seemed so strange, so unreal; Rauch believed himself to be in an enchanted place. Apart from the sound of softly spoken voices, there was an empty quality about the place. Where were the bugles, the drums, the shouts and gunfire? Where was all the slaughter he had witnessed just a matter of hours ago? The poor captain simply could not understand it all; but he ate, drank and smiled politely all the same.

  Inside Alessandria, General Soult remained in his sick bed, having spent a satisfied night contemplating the reversal of fortunes he had followed the previous day. As confirmation of the seriousness of the Austrian defeat, an officer came into his quarters and informed him that he was to be transported over the Tanaro River into the citadel to the west of the city. Soult was naturally concerned about being moved. His wound had been serious, and had been ‘menaced’ by gangrene at one point. He feared his wound might be aggravated by any attempt to move him. The Austrian replied that he could only remain in his quarters if Soult gave his parole. This would mean Soult would be unable to serve against the Austrians for the remainder of the war if he was released. It was a weighty decision, so Soult conferred with his physician. Dr Cothernet advised him to give his parole rather than risk further injury.16 With hindsight, he should have tried to stall his captors a few hours, as hostilities were drawn to a close.

  While Melas and Berthier negotiated, de Best called a meeting of the staff officers to discuss what they should do if the negotiations failed. Stutterheim recommended they attack the French a second time. They still had 5,000 cavalry and a large amount of artillery and ammunition. The infantry should assault the French at Marengo, supported by the fire of 100 cannons, while the cavalry crossed the Bormida half an hour upstream. It should then fall, via Spinetta, on to the rear and flank of the French army. In case of a reverse, the infantry would fight its way down to Genoa while the cavalry made a dash for Mantua via Parma. Volkmann reiterated his earlier idea of escaping northwards over the Po, which had been endorsed by Hadik, but Zach had rejected before the battle. This time de Best and Biking supported him, and a plan was drawn up in accordance. While the army crossed the Po at Casale, Oberst Frimont would lead a cavalry force 1,500 strong to Valenza. He would cross the Po and cover the army’s right flank as it headed for Milan.

  Meanwhile, the negotiations went into the night. At the conclusion there was a dinner for the thirty French officers, with Melas and Neipperg alone representing the imperial army. Neipperg complained how the French each boasted about their part in the battle, and he was forced to maintain his composure while inside his blood was boiling. One of these beribboned, boastful young men was Maurice Dupin, who later wrote to his mother about the evening, writing, somewhat disrespectfully, they had gone to dinner with ‘Papa Melas’ and dictated peace terms to him. One can see why Neipperg was so angry. When the supper was concluded, Berthier was impatient to return to Torre Garofoli and present Bonaparte with the treaty. It was favourable to the French, but at the same time it also achieved Melas’s objective of escaping the net which the First Consul had thrown around the imperial army. The truth is, the moment the Army of the Reserve was allowed to break out of the mountains and commence its march on Milan, the imperial army was done for. Holding the army at Turin and waiting for the French to arrive was a grave strategic error on the part of Zach. However, at least Melas would be able to lead a substantial army with its guns and baggage back to protect the Austrian frontier. It was the best that could be hoped for in the circumstances.

  Neipperg was given the dubious honour of escorting Berthier back to Torre Garofoli to have the document presented to Bonaparte for political confirmation. The one-eyed veteran had been educated in France, was well spoken in that language, firm and confident. His scars attested to his bravery in action, something they hoped would impress Bonaparte. Neipperg was instructed to bring the completed treaty back for Melas to sign, and Stutterheim instructed him to seek clarification on the line of demarcation of the Po near Ferrara. He was also given a secret instruction not to show himself under any pretext to General Zach, in case he should meet him at the French headquarters.

  Neipperg says it was 1.00 am when they departed Alessandria. Their pathway across the battlefield was illuminated by dragoons carrying torches. Riding alone with the French commander-in-chief, Neipperg struck up a conversation with him, asking him about various events. His record of this conversation is an interesting one. At a strategic level, Berthier claimed their objective was the relief of Genoa, and Bonaparte had been taken by surprise when it capitulated. Conversely, Berthier expressed surprise that the Austrians had tried to invade the Riviera, as they must have known about the Reserve Army at Dijon. The subsequent crossing of the Alps was, Berthier ‘modestly’ claimed, a feat which had exceeded Hannibal. Berthier was also surprised that the Austrians attacked on 14 June. He referenced the ‘ruined and dilapidated’ state of Elsnitz’s corps as a factor in not expecting battle. He also admitted the French had been beaten, and he never expected such a ‘rapid success’ in the evening battle, attributing this to Bonaparte’s ‘lucky star’. On Melas and Zach, Berthier told him:

  ‘He would never have believed Melas was so old, that the preceding campaign did him infinite honour, but that he believed that at his age, in spite of all his talents, his activity and even his passion for glory must have infinitely lost its energy. He also told me about General Zach, believing him to be very learned and capable of very profound military calculations, but he seemed to doubt his talents for execution and believed he had little knowledge in handling soldiers and the art of serving the troops.’

  At daybreak they arrived at Torre Garofoli. Bonaparte’s suite was on foot; the Consular Guard bivouacked in front of the farmhouse, while the courtyard was full of cavalry and staff officers sitting around fires. To continue Neipperg’s narrative:

  ‘As one can imagine, we were expected like the Messiah. The triumphant air, which radiated on the face of General Berthier, when he got out of the carriage, gave sufficient information to all those around us that the mission was fulfilled beyond all expectation. He went immediately to the First Consul’s apartment, and I was conducted to General Murat, who received me very affably. After a few moments the First Consul summoned me, and told me a thousand flattering things about the brilliant manner in which we had fought on the 14th, and declared that he owed all his success to the superiority and bravery of his cavalry.’17

  Without wasting time on pleasantries, Neipperg went onto specifics, raising the issue of Ferrare. Although Neipperg does not include this in his memoirs, Crossard reports the one-eyed officer as saying the following to Bonaparte: ‘Do not think that you have annihilated us; you will see us, if you like, reappearing perhaps stronger than when we began the battle. We have lead, powder, bayonets and cannon; break everything off; attack us and you will do us a service.’18

  According to Neipperg, Bonaparte seemed disinterested in a triviality like Ferrare, and just asked if Melas would confirm what his intentions were and he would acquiesce. The reason for this is that the terms of the agreement were so generous to the French, there was little point quibbling on them. Genoa would be handed over to the French, along with all the fortresses in Piedmont. The imperial army would evacuate the country and retreat westwards behind the Minico. This would undo most of the major Austrian gains of the preceding year.

  While a breakfast was prepared, Neipperg went out for a moment onto a balcony overlooking the courtyard. There he saw Zach, and despite his instructions not to approach him, he called out to him in German, telling him why he was there in headquarters. A French officer then intervened and forbade Neipperg from discussing the matter further. For all of his faults, Zach
was part of Thugut’s pro-war party, and it is clear Neipperg found the whole idea of an armistice and treaty completely dishonourable. It was as if Neipperg wanted Zach to intervene somehow and prevent the army from being dishonoured.

  After eating his meal, Neipperg was presented to the First Consul again, and given two originals of the treaty for Melas to sign. Bonaparte said to him: ‘You will hand them over to Baron Melas, assuring him of my esteem, desiring nothing more ardently than to find an opportunity of being able to prove it to him.’

  Neipperg took the documents and then asked if they would allow Zach to return to headquarters, on his word of honour, to settle his private affairs. Bonaparte agreed, saying Zach must catch up with him in Milan, his next destination. Zach was released and followed Neipperg back across the battlefield to Alessandria. Neipperg did not admit his hand in Zach’s temporary release, but he felt it might help put the army in a better state of affairs if he was present.

  One can imagine the reaction in Melas’ headquarters when Zach walked into the room behind Neipperg. They were astounded. It was as if a ghost had appeared. Feeling totally humiliated, Zach returned to the room where he kept his papers. He took a chair, sat at the table and began to work. Being Zach’s replacement, de Best also went to the room; but rather than confer with Zach, he placed another table on the far side of the room, took up a book and began to read. Crossard then entered the room and approached Zach, wanting to tell him there was still some spirit in the army, and many were angry at the decision not to fight on. ‘My friend,’ Zach replied, ‘I cannot listen to anything; I am a prisoner.’ Crossard looked at de Best and when he received no response, quit to escape the awful atmosphere of the room. This poison between Zach and the other senior officers had proved utterly fatal to the Austrian cause.