"The bravest of the brave." Marshal Ney: from Valmy to Berezina
Monument to her on rue de Rivoli (facade of the Louvre)
You have probably noticed that Bonaparte and his marshals in our country are traditionally treated with respect and even some sympathy. And this despite the fact that Russia fought a lot and quite seriously both with the French Republic and the empire of Napoleon I. The battles of these wars were very large-scale and were accompanied by heavy losses on both sides.
The situation is simply unique and difficult to explain. After all, the same Swedish king Charles XII, for example, did not occupy Moscow and only reached Poltava. And Frederick the Great never wanted to fight Russia at all: on his part, military operations against the Russian army during the Seven Years War were purely defensive in nature.
Researchers still cannot understand what goals Elizabeth pursued in that war, what she generally needed from Prussia? From a state with which Russia did not even have common borders then? And why did she have to send tens of thousands of Russian men to die away from home in a foreign war?
Karl XII and Frederick II, great commanders, courageous people and, of course, outstanding, did not become "noble enemies" in Russian society. The attitude towards them in our country has always been hostile and ironic.
Whether it is a passionary general, and then - the emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte and his rootless marshals! Probably, it is not even a matter of numerous victories, but precisely of the incredible and fantastic fate and careers of these people that excite the imagination.
There were no cowards among Napoleon's marshals, but Murat, Lannes and Ney were especially distinguished by their courage. Murat has already been described in two small articles (Joachim Murat. Hero who became a traitor и Two "Gasconades" by Joachim Murat). We'll talk about Lanna next time.
In the meantime, let's talk about Michel Ney (Michel Ney, his surname should be pronounced as "Not", but we will call this marshal according to our tradition).
Michel Ney's military career begins
The hero of our story was born on January 10, 1769 in the city of Saarlouis. By the way, after 7 months in the city of Ajaccio, on the island of Corsica (which only in 1768 became French), Napoleon Bonaparte was born.
Michel Ney, like Napoleon Bonaparte, was a “dubious” Frenchman: his “small homeland” is now part of the territory of the present German federal state of Saarland, and the boy's native language was German. And even his name in the first years of his life was not Michel, but Michel. Ney then used his good knowledge of the German language for reconnaissance of the area during the wars on the territory of Germany. The last time he went on such reconnaissance, disguised as a peasant, went in 1799 - already being a brigadier general. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
The father of our hero, Pierre Ney, served in the army of Frederick the Great during the Seven Years War and retired as a sergeant. Having married, he started a cooper's workshop, had some income, which allowed him to send his son Michel to a Catholic college. After graduation, the young man was accepted as a scribe at the local notary office. He then worked in a foundry, where he became something of a shift foreman and rationer. And also, according to the memoirs of his contemporaries, he played the flute well. However, a peaceful life was not in character for him, and therefore in 1788 Michel Ney entered the army service in one of the hussar regiments (still royal), which was located in Metz.
Because of his hair color, in the army he received the nickname Le Rougeaud - "red-haired" (sometimes he was also called "red fox" and "red lion", and sometimes "red-faced"). At a later time, the poetic and pathetic nickname "flaming marshal" is also used. But, of course, he is much better known as "le Brave des Braves" ("the bravest of the brave"). And, I must say, it was named so well deservedly.
Ney has risked his life many times in numerous battles. In the latter, near Waterloo, 5 horses were completely killed under it. And so it seems incredible that he could live to the age of 46 without becoming disabled and crippled. Apparently, there is a grain of truth in the well-known proverb, which says that the one "who is destined to be hanged will not drown" (in Ney's case, he will not be shot).
At first, nothing boded this young man of a brilliant career as a commander. Only on January 1, 1791 (two years after the start of service) he received the rank of brigadier-furrier, and in February 1792 he was promoted to sergeant-major. But the revolution gave many a chance for a rapid rise. Michel Ney also took advantage of it.
Already on April 1, 1792, he became a senior sergeant, on June 14 of the same year - ajudan (warrant officer). In the old royal army, this rank was the pinnacle of the military career of people of non-nobility. And in the new, republican army, Ney on October 29, 1792 becomes an officer - receives the rank of junior lieutenant. And already on November 5 - a lieutenant.
A. Brune. Michelle Ney in a hussar uniform
The nobleman Bonaparte in the royal army had to wait about five and a half years for promotion from junior lieutenant to lieutenant. That is, Ney's career growth was rapid, but it must be borne in mind that Jean Schramm at this age (23 years old) was already a general, and Bonaparte received the general's rank at 24 years old.
In the Rhine army, Ney then met Kleber, Bernadotte, Soult, Lefebvre and Mortier.
The first battle in which Ney took part was the battle of Valmy, where Lafayette commanded the French. Later, who participated in many battles and was wounded near Mainz, Ney began to rapidly catch up with his peer, the Corsican Bonaparte.
He received the rank of captain on April 12, 1794, the rank of major - on July 31 of the same year, and on October 15 he was promoted to colonel. The next promotion followed on August 1, 1796: Ney became brigadier general of the cavalry, while Bonaparte was promoted to divisional general in March of the same year.
But then she was unlucky: on April 17, 1797, he was captured during the battle with the Austrians at Neuwied. The Republican troops were then commanded by General Gauche, and this battle ended in victory for the French. But Michel Ney, pursuing a retreating enemy, stumbled upon the reserve units of the Austrians. The balance of forces was depressing: 500 French hussars against 6 thousand enemy soldiers.
A little later, the main parts of the French army arrived, and up to 4 thousand Austrians were taken prisoner. But Ney was also taken prisoner, whom Gauche ordered to exchange "on parole": this general will not fight until the French provide the Austrians with a captive general of their army. A month later, Ney received a letter from the Austrians with official permission to fight against them again.
In March 1799, Ney is subordinate to Masséna, who was then operating in Switzerland. On May 27, he was sent to the village of Winterthur (near Zurich), where, in a battle with the Austrian army of General Hotze, he was seriously wounded in the thigh and hand. At the same time, on the recommendation of Massena, Ney received the rank of divisional general.
In 1800, Ney, already in the army of General Moreau, takes part in the Battle of Hohenlinden, which was much more important for the war of the Second Coalition than the famous battle of Marengo given by Napoleon. The large-scale battle of Hohenlinden, which became the pinnacle of General Moreau's military career, took place on December 3, and the French historian E. Daudet wrote that "Hohenlinden's snow is worthy of the sun of Austerlitz." It was this defeat that put Austria on the brink of a military catastrophe and forced it to enter into peace negotiations, which ended with the signing of the Luneville Peace Treaty.
Please note: Ney is already a general, but he has never met Bonaparte yet.
He is a man from a different army, competing with the Italian. This army has different traditions and heroes. This, for example, Louis-Lazare Gauche - the only rival of Bonaparte, ahead of the Corsican even in Josephine's bed. Jean Victor Moreau, who won a victory at Hohenlinden equal to that of Bonaparte at Austerlitz - but earlier.
However, Gauche will suddenly die at the age of 30, Moreau will be forced to leave for America. Generals and officers of the armies of the North look jealously at Bonaparte, who became First Consul, fearing that he will everywhere and everywhere promote the "Italians" he knows - Massena, Lannes, Murat, Augereau and others.
But Bonaparte is already in a hurry to establish relations with these harsh and extremely capable people. And Ney will write about the first meeting with him:
"The reception given by General Bonaparte exceeded all my expectations."
Meeting with Bonaparte
Michel Ney met Napoleon in May 1801, when Bonaparte was already First Consul. To win over a promising general, Napoleon then presented him with a saber of one of the Egyptian pashas, captured during the Battle of Abukir. And Josephine married Her to her daughter's friend - Aglaya-Louise Ogier.
F. Gerard. Portrait of Aglaya-Louise Ogier
The wedding took place 5 August 1802 year.
Thereafter, Ney was appointed Inspector General of the Cavalry, and then negotiated peace in Switzerland. He did this, I must say, in a very peculiar way: at first he ordered to send troops to Zurich - and he was not mistaken: the Swiss became much more accommodating. And in the Helvetic Republic, Ney met Antoine-Henri de Jominey, who will work for him as chief of staff for 10 years. And then, in 1813, he transferred to the Russian service and became the founder of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Empire.
Charles Claire. Portrait of Antoine-Henri Jomini
This is the same Zhomini who “confused” the young Russian hussars, about which Denis Davydov bitterly lamented in his poems:
"Jomini, yes Jomini,
but not a word about vodka. "
but not a word about vodka. "
Returning from Switzerland, Ney was sent to the Bois de Boulogne, where he received command of the VI Army Corps.
Parade at the camp in Boulogne on August 15, 1804.
Marshal of France
On May 18, 1804, Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor of the French.
The next day, he introduced a new rank in his army - marshal. There were marshals in France before, but now this title has acquired a new meaning. Napoleon himself said that his marshals should have two hypostases: generals - on the battlefield and noble people - at social events in Paris. To emphasize the importance and nobility of his rootless marshals, the emperor began to call them "cousins." Michel Ney was among the first such cousin generals.
Charles Meigner. Portrait of Marshal Ney, 1804
Since then, the names of Bonaparte and Ney are very often found on the same pages of textbooks.
At the same time, contemporaries recalled that Ney unconditionally carried out only the orders of the emperor. In all other cases, he usually acted as he saw fit, which is why he had a lot of conflicts with other marshals.
In 1805, Ney became famous for the battle with the army of the Austrian General Mack retreating to Ulm. In order to prevent the almost surrounded Austrians from escaping, at Elchingen, his soldiers, under enemy fire, managed to put the flooring on the destroyed bridge over the Danube and get over to the other side. Ney himself then led the attack of two infantry regiments, which drove the Austrians out of this village and Elchingen Abbey.
In the battle of Austerlitz, Nei did not take part, since he was sent to Innsbruck. Here he found the republican banners captured by the Austrians, which he then solemnly returned to Paris.
On October 14, 1806, Ney's cavalrymen near Jena broke into the battle formations of the Prussians (but they almost got surrounded - units of Soult and Lannes arrived in time), and then, pursuing the retreating, took Erfurt and Magdeburg on the move. It is curious that in Berlin Napoleon considered it his duty to bow to the ashes of Frederick the Great, saying in passing:
"If he was alive, gentlemen, we would not be here."
(Here's how!)
And Ney did not hesitate to visit the elderly Prussian Marshal Wichard von Mellendorff, in whose troops his father served during the Seven Years' War.
Charles Cook. Michel Ney, Marshal of France, commander of the VI Corps at Jena
In the battle of Preussisch-Eylau, Ney's corps practically did not take part - he approached when the battle was already over. But, seeing fresh French units, the Russians chose to retreat. After a three-month lull, Bennigsen, having 50 thousand soldiers, tried to surround Ney's 20-thousand corps, which was standing at Guttstadt. But this marshal even then showed himself to be a real master of rearguard battles and successfully retreated to the main forces of the French army.
In the battle of Friedland, the blow of Ney's units actually decided the outcome of this battle. According to one version, it was here that Ney received his famous nickname - "The Bravest of the Brave" (according to another - that is how they began to call him after breaking out of the encirclement during the retreat from Moscow).
A. Averyanov "Marshal Ney in the Battle of Friedland"
Finally, in 1808, Ney received the title of Duke of Elchingen and was sent to the Iberian Peninsula.
Nothing good came of this, because in Spain he quarreled with Marshal Soult (it almost came to a duel), and in Portugal - with Massena (here Ney was supported by General Junot). He distinguished himself only by commanding the rearguard during the retreat from Portugal. So, for example, in the battle of Redinya, Ney's 6-strong detachment successfully held back Wellington's 25-strong army for 150 hours. At the same time, Ney lost only 1 people, and Wellington lost about 800.
As a result, the French army left, leaving not a single prisoner and not a single gun to the enemy.
Ney's relationship with Massena had completely deteriorated by that time, and in 1811 he was recalled to Paris.
1812 year
During the campaign against Russia, Ney received command of the III Corps of the Great Army. Its units were the first to reach Smolensk, and here Ney almost died: a bullet hit the high collar of his uniform embroidered with gold and got stuck in it.
Then Ney pursued the rearguard of the Russian army, and in the battle at Valutina Gora (August 19, 1812) replaced the deceased commander of one of the divisions, General Guden. Then the Russian general Tuchkov 3rd was taken prisoner, through whom Napoleon made the first attempt to enter into negotiations with Alexander I.
The battle of Borodino and rearguard battles during the retreat from Moscow were the most glorified for Ney at that time.
Napoleon's plan for the Battle of Borodino was as follows. On the left flank of the Grand Army, troops under the command of Eugene de Beauharnais inflicted distracting blows. Ney and Davout at that time had to take possession of the Semyonov flushes and turn to the left in order to press the Russian units that were standing around the headquarters of Kutuzov, as well as the reserve units, to the Koloche River and, ideally, throw them into it. Poniatowski's corps was ordered to go around the flushes on the right.
It was during one of the French attacks on the Semyonovskie flashes that Bagration would shout bravo when he saw Ney walking in front of his soldiers - and would soon be mortally wounded. Davout will also be shell-shocked and will not be able to continue the battle: Ney alone will lead the attacks on the center of the Russian positions.
The capture of Kurgan Heights was the greatest success of the French in the Battle of Borodino. There was no more strength for further advancement, and at about 17:00 Davout, Ney and Murat asked Napoleon to send the Old Guard into battle. The Emperor hesitated, but Marshal Bessières said the famous phrase:
"Sire, remember that you are seven thousand leagues from your capital."
Marshal Ney, whose red hair that day turned black with smoke and soot, upon learning of Napoleon's refusal, for the first time in his life condemned the emperor's decision.
In a fit of rage, he is said to have shouted:
“S`il a desapris de faire, son affaire, qu`il aille se f ... f ... a Tuilleri; nous ferons mieux sans lui "
("If he has forgotten how to do his business, then let him go with ... to the Tuileries, we can do without him").
("If he has forgotten how to do his business, then let him go with ... to the Tuileries, we can do without him").
During the retreat from Moscow, Ney's III corps was in the rearguard.
Near the village of Krasnoe, he was surrounded by Russian troops. MI Miloradovich, who commanded them, sent an envoy to her with a proposal to surrender. Like, I would never dare to turn to such a famous warrior with such a proposal, but your position is hopeless. Weapon You and the officers will be saved, we will treat each one in accordance with rank and title.
Ney answered his messenger:
“Have you ever heard of French marshals surrendering ?! Marshals don't give up! Negotiations are not being conducted under fire. "
And so that Miloradovich would not find out how bad everything was with him, he ordered ... to arrest the ambassador of the Russian general. And then - two more (you can immediately see the "civilized European", isn't it). He let them go after 26 days - already in Kovno. And then, taking a soldier's gun in his hands, Ney led the remnants of the corps to a breakthrough.
Eyewitnesses relay his order to the troops:
“Move through the forest! No roads? Move forward without roads! Go to the Dnieper and cross the Dnieper! Is the river completely frozen yet? Freeze! March!"
The total number of soldiers and officers of his corps at that time was about 6 thousand people. About one and a half thousand crossed to the other side of the Dnieper.
A. Yvon. Soldiers of Marshal Ney during the retreat from Russia
Ney and his soldiers in the retreating Grand Army were all considered dead. And therefore the news that they managed to escape from the encirclement delighted everyone (even Ney's enemies).
Callencourt recalled:
“No battle won has ever produced such a sensation. The joy was universal; everyone was as if drunk; everyone fussed and ran, informing each other of Ney's return; news passed on to everyone they met. This was a national event; the officers considered themselves obliged to inform even their grooms about him. "
Napoleon and Ney, emerging from the encirclement
Rejoicing for Ney, Napoleon again assigned him to command the rearguard, the role of which was already performed by a consolidated corps, made up of more or less combat-ready units of different formations.
The state of Kutuzov's army was not much better than the French, but from the north, Wittgenstein's army, which had previously defended St. Petersburg, and from the south - the Moldavian army of Admiral Chichagov, which was supposed to take positions on the banks of the Berezina and not allow the remnants of the Great Army to cross this river. ...
These plans, by the way, caused irritation and displeasure in Kutuzov, since the commander-in-chief suspected that Chichagov wanted to take away the glory of the victor of Napoleon from him. The great army, in turn, could be supported by the relatively fresh corps of Oudinot and Victor.
When the Great Army was crossing the Berezina, it was the soldiers of Ney and Oudinot who took the blow of the troops of Admiral Chichagov - at the Sudenoks. Moreover, since Oudinot was wounded, the leadership of this battle was carried out mainly by Ney. And Wittgenstein's onslaught was repelled by Victor's corps.
It was here that the Russians managed to occupy the commanding heights and place artillery pieces on them. Their shelling of the crossing and the crowd gathered on the shore caused panic and a terrible crush, which was repeatedly described by eyewitnesses and captured in many paintings, as well as in the catch phrase “C'est la Berezina”.
This apocalyptic picture finally demoralized Napoleon's army.
Yanuariy Sukhodolsky. "Ferry of Napoleon's troops across the Berezina"
After Berezina, Ney had about 600 subordinates, who were later called "a detachment of ghosts." With this pitiful detachment, Ney defended Vilno from Seslavin's partisans, but was forced to leave the city after the approach of Chichagov's vanguard units.
Paul de Segur wrote about Ney's path to Kovno:
“The great army was still breathing in Marshal Her ... She entered Kovno alone with his adjutants, because everyone around him retreated and fell. For the fourth time he was left alone before the enemy and, still unshakable, is looking for a fifth rearguard. "
On December 14, 1812, Ney and several dozen people accompanying him crossed the frozen ice of the Neman and left Russia forever.
In the next article we will continue our story about Michelle Ney.
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