‘The emperors friend; Marshal Jean Lannes’ By; Margret Scott-criswan
When dying Lannes said to Napoleon:
It is not to concern you of my wife and children that I talk to you thus. In dying for you, I do not need to commend them to you, your glory makes it your duty to protect them, and in addressing you these final criticisms I do not fear that I shall change your disposition towards them. You have just committed a grave error, one which has deprived you of your best friend, but it will not change you. Your insatiable ambition will finish you. You sacrifice, without need, without attention, without regret, the men who serve you best. Your ingratitude pushes away those very people who admire you; those that are left around you are nothing but fawners. I see not one friend who would dare to tell you the truth. You will be betrayed, you will be abandonned. Hasten to bring this war to an end: it is the wish of your generals, and it is the wish of your people. You will never be more powerful, but you can certainly be more loved! Forgive a dying man these truths, for he cherishes you so…
Upon his death Napoleon said:
“The Marshal died this morning of wounds that he received on the field of honor. My pain equals yours. I lose the most distinguished General of my armies, my companion in arms for sixteen years, him whom I considered my best friend.”
“What a loss for me, and what a loss for France”
Never heard a more true statement.
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A great book.
It is a great book with excellent research behind it.
Lannes biggest flaw in the Marshal competition was ironically his bravery. He got himself killed, and relatively early on...
Yup. I agree, but his bravery made him who is was
His skill as a troop leader and commander, along with his bravery, made Lannes who he was. And he steadily improved throughout his career and he studied his profession to improve himself. Desaix called him 'the bravest of the brave' and after he died Napoleon said of him: 'He was a swordsman when I found him, and a paladin when I lost him.'
Lannes biggest flaw was his temper, which he learned to control. 'He developed such self-control that he was able to look at a quivering sentry who had narrowly missed him with an accidental shot and remark that he was certain the man was sorry.'-John Elting, Swords Around a Throne, 136.
Lannes was the ideal advance guard commander, knew how to make terrain fight for him as in his excellent delaying action at Friedland in June 1807 before the main army showed up, and showed a skill at siege warfare when he took Saragossa in Spain.
This book is one of the best, if not the best, biographies of one of Napoleon's marshals.
I agree, I have books on Ney, Murat, and Davout which I haven’t read yet. So far Lannes is the best