This etext was produced by David Widger
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, at the end of several of thefiles for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before makingan entire meal of them. D.W.]
By LOUIS ANTOINE FAUVELET DE BOURRIENNE
His Private Secretary
Edited by R. W. Phipps
Colonel, Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS:
CHAPTER IX. to CHAPTER XVIII. 1802-1803
1802.
Proverbial falsehood of bulletins—M. Doublet—Creation of the
Legion of Honour—Opposition to it in the Council and other
authorities of the State—The partisans of an hereditary system—
The question of the Consulship for life.
The historian of these times ought to put no faith in the bulletins,despatches, notes, and proclamations which have emanated from Bonaparte,or passed through his hands. For my part, I believe that the proverb,"As great a liar as a bulletin," has as much truth in it as the axiom,two and two make four.
The bulletins always announced what Bonaparte wished to be believed true;but to form a proper judgment on any fact, counter-bulletins must besought for and consulted. It is well known, too, that Bonaparte attachedgreat importance to the place whence he dated his bulletins; thus, hedated his decrees respecting the theatres and Hamburg beef at Moscow.
The official documents were almost always incorrect. There was falsityin the exaggerated descriptions of his victories, and falsity again inthe suppression or palliation of his reverses and losses. A writer, ifhe took his materials from the bulletins and the official correspondenceof the time, would compose a romance rather than a true history. Of thismany proofs have been given in the present work.
Another thing which always appeared to me very remarkable was, thatBonaparte, notwithstanding his incontestable superiority, studied todepreciate the reputations of his military commanders, and to throw ontheir shoulders faults which he had committed himself. It is notoriousthat complaints and remonstrances, as energetic as they were wellfounded, were frequently addressed to General Bonaparte on the subject ofhis unjust and partial bulletins, which often attributed the success of aday to some one who had very little to do with it, and made no mention ofthe officer who actually had the command. The complaints made by theofficers and soldiers stationed at Damietta compelled General Lanusse,the commander, to remonstrate against the alteration of a bulletin, bywhich an engagement with a body of Arabs was represented as aninsignificant affair, and the loss trifling, though the General hadstated the action to be one of importance, and the loss considerable.The misstatement, in consequence of his spirited and energeticremonstrances, was corrected.
Bonaparte took Malta, as is well known, in forty-eight hours. The empireof the Mediterranean, secured to the English by the battle of Aboukir,and their numerous cruising vessels, gave them the means of starving thegarrison, and of thus forcing General Vaubois, the commandant of Malta,who was cut off from all communication with France, to capitulate.Accordingly on the 4th of September 1800 he yielded up the Gibraltar ofthe Mediterranean, after a noble defence of two years. These factsrequire to be stated in order the better to understand what follows.
On 22d February 1