Marshal Soult. Bonaparte's iron hand
Nicola Jean de Dieu Soult was one of those Bonaparte marshals who possessed an unconditional talent for leadership. Some scholars speak of five of Napoleon's most distinguished and versatile companions-in-arms, including Davout, Lannes, Suchet, Massena, and Soult.
However, to the level of a truly outstanding commander, Soult, who was called the "iron hand" and "master of maneuvers" in the army, still fell short. The opinions of Bonaparte and Wellington on this matter are known. According to the testimony of Dr. O'Meara, already on the island of St. Helena, Napoleon named Soult
"An excellent minister of war and a very good organizer."
However, Bonaparte continued as follows:
"When it came to the execution of the operational plans developed by him, then he is no longer so good."
In turn, Wellington wrote:
"Soult knew how to lead and position troops on the battlefield, but he had little idea of how to use them in battle."
Troop attacks prepared by Soult were usually devastating. Hadley, for example, calls his attacks "the worst you can imagine." But at the same time, Soult was often lost if the first blow did not bring the expected success, and did not make the necessary efforts to regroup the units entrusted to him.
On the other hand, experts note that after an unsuccessful battle, Soult did not fall into depression, but began planning a new operation from scratch - as if what had happened did not concern him, and he had just arrived at the army, intending to correct other people's mistakes.
Portrait of Soult by an unknown artist
Researchers note that, being, of course, a brave man, Soult usually did not climb into the thick of it, trying to captivate ordinary soldiers like Lann, Murat or Ney, but tried to control the course of the battle from the command post. That is, he behaved exactly like a commander.
A serious shortcoming of Soult, Napoleon considered his tendency to theft and embezzlement.
I must say that many other Napoleonic marshals were not without sin (to put it mildly). One Massena, who in Rome managed to rob even Prince Camillo Borghese - the future husband of Pauline Bonaparte, and, according to Stendhal, "stole instinctively, like a magpie", which was worth it. In the matter of embezzlement and “collecting indemnities”, it seems impossible to surpass Massena. Nevertheless, already in exile, the emperor once said:
"I should have ... shot Soult, the biggest robber."
The emperor also noted Soult's excessive ambition. It got to the point that some of his subordinates began to suspect the marshal of wanting to become king of Portugal, which they reported to the emperor. Napoleon expressed his displeasure and in a letter sent to Soult advised him to "stop playing the donkey."
It is also said that Bonaparte later said:
"He (Soult) needed to have his head cut off or not pay any attention to him at all, and I chose this last option."
And also that, thinking about Soult, “only Austerlitz remembers” (in this battle, the marshal really was at his best and played a huge role in the defeat of the coalition army). Nevertheless, ill-wishers have since called Soult "King Nicola" with derision.
How serious were Soult's monarchical claims?
Historians are divided on this issue. Some believe that the marshal was slandered by ill-wishers. Others believe that Soult really slightly overestimated his strengths and capabilities, but stopped in time, realizing that he could receive another title only from the emperor.
Warlord's youth
So, Nicola Jean de Dieu Soult was born on March 29, 1769 (the same age as Lannes and Ney) in the south of France in the city of Saint-Aman, which now bears his name (Saint-Aman-Soult).
House where Soult was born
His father was a notary, and therefore the family could afford the boy's education in one of the private schools. After the death of his father, the financial situation of the family deteriorated significantly, and the 16-year-old boy was forced to enlist in one of the royal infantry regiments.
After 6 years, he rose to the rank of sergeant, but he could not get an officer rank, not being a nobleman, and therefore, having served his term, he retired. The money accumulated during the service allowed the future marshal to acquire a small bakery.
The revolution gave the chance to change the fate of Soult, like many others.
Serving in the Republican Army
The beginning of Soult's military career in the army of revolutionary France is typical. Many famous generals and marshals of those years passed a similar path.
Initially - a volunteer battalion, in which a former sergeant of the royal army in 1791 was elected lieutenant, and soon received the rank of captain. He attracted the attention of his superiors in the battle of Kaiserslautern, distinguished himself during the assault on the defensive positions of Weissentur and during the siege of Fort Louis.
In 1794, in the army of General Jourdan during the Battle of Fleurus, we see Soult as colonel and chief of staff of the division, François Lefebvre (future marshal). Soult's composure and sober calculation greatly contributed to the successful operations of this division. As a result of the battle, he received the rank of brigadier general. During this campaign, Soult also took part in the battles of Altenkirchen, Lahn, Friedberg, repulsed the attacks of superior enemy forces in the battle of Gerborn (under his command then there were three infantry battalions and six cavalry squadrons). Then he defeated one of the Austrian troops at the Reith Eig.
Soult's family life
In 1796, Soult married a German woman, Louise Berg - and for the rest of his life was under the influence of this woman, who, as they say, turned the stern general and marshal as she wanted. Napoleon on Saint Helena stated:
"It is almost unbelievable that this man, so great everywhere in character, should be servile in his own home."
R. Lefebvre. Portrait of Soult Louise's wife with children
Marshal's adjutant, Alfred de Saint-Chaman, also recalled the strong character of Madame Soult, saying that every time he met her, he felt like a "guilty boy."
After the defeat of the French at Vitoria in 1813, Napoleon decided to send Soult to Spain to rectify the situation. His wife, the emperor, had to promise significant monetary compensation: under different conditions, she did not agree to let her husband go to the Pyrenees war for the second time.
Three children were born in this marriage. At present, the marshal's lineage has been cut short in the male line, but continues along the female line: the descendants of the marshal now bear the surname Reil-Soult.
Soult and Massena
In 1799, Soult ended up in General Massena's Swiss army. The French troops were at first in a desperate situation. Massena's army was defeated in battles with superior enemy forces at Feldkirch and Zurich. Now the 26-thousandth French army was opposed by the Austrian troops of Archduke Karl and General Hotse (up to 45 thousand people), as well as the Russian corps of Rimsky-Korsakov (about 25 thousand soldiers and officers). The victorious army of A. Suvorov was to come from Italy. But the archduke, obeying the order of the emperor, withdrew his troops from Switzerland - three days before the start of the movement of the army of Suvorov, who later, having learned about this decision of Franz II, declared that he “either lost his mind, or he had no mind at all ".
Massena did not wait for the formation of the enemy's armies. In the battle of September 25-26, he attacked the troops of Rimsky-Korsakov, and Soult defeated the Austrians (General Hotze died in that battle). Suvorov had to urgently revise his plan of action and fight to escape from the alpine trap.
But how should we evaluate the results of the actions of Suvorov and Massena during the transition of the Russian army through the Alps?
Of course, Massena's troops were not defeated, but in the most difficult conditions Suvorov did exactly what he was going to do: he did not allow the complete destruction or capture of his army (in which, by the way, was Tsarevich Konstantin Pavlovich).
Joel Tyler Hadley wrote:
“There is nothing like this in modern storieslike the passage of Suvorov through Glarus, surrounded by a superior enemy. Suvorov ... led his army through Pragel up to his chest in the snow, fighting the enemy at every step. "
That is why Suvorov's Alpine campaign made such an impression on his contemporaries: the Russian army, indeed, did the almost impossible.
André Massena, who had a numerical advantage and controlled the mountain passes, on the contrary, did not fulfill the task assigned to him. He could neither destroy the army of Suvorov, nor force it to surrender. So Massena personally lost to Suvorov.
But, having defeated the troops of Rimsky-Korsakov and Hotse, he did not allow Suvorov's army to join them and the invasion of enemy troops into French territory. And therefore his actions in Switzerland are recognized as quite successful.
In November 1799, General Bonaparte, who had returned from Egypt, staged a coup d'état and became First Consul. Soult at this time was in the army of Massena. Later, introducing him to Bonaparte, Massena said:
"Few are equal to him in judgment and courage."
A new war was not long in coming. The beginning of the 1800 campaign was unfortunate for the French. The Austrians managed to separate Massena's army: the commander with part of the troops was locked up in Genoa, General Suchet retreated to the Var River.
Soult then ended up with Massena in Genoa. During one of the sorties, he was wounded in the knee and taken prisoner. However, soon after the battle of Marengo (June 14, 1800), an exchange of prisoners of war took place and Soult returned to his homeland.
On the way to the marshal rank
Napoleon appreciated both Soult's loyalty and his ability.
After the disgrace of the overly independent Lann, who was removed from his post as commander of all parts of the Consular Guard, Soult became the commander of the Guards Light Infantry. And after the coronation of Napoleon, Soult became one of the first marshals of the empire.
Louis-Henri de Rudder. Portrait of Marshal Soult
At the Bois de Boulogne, where troops were being assembled for the proposed invasion of England, Soult was given command of the IV Corps of the Grand Army. His requirements for training and discipline were so high that some officers began to complain about him to the emperor. Soult said to Bonaparte:
“Those who cannot bear what I do myself, let them stay at home. The rest will be able to conquer the world. "
Marshal Soult, engraved by L.F. Sharona based on the original by Aubrey
As you know, the British then managed to get rid of the threat of invasion by organizing a new, already the third anti-French coalition. And it was not the British who had to fight the corps of the Bois camp, but the Russians and the subjects of the Austrian emperor.
The climax of that campaign was the famous Battle of Austerlitz, where Davout and Soult became the main heroes from the French side. The troops of the right flank of Marshal Davout carried away and forged in battle three of the six columns of the coalition army. Soult's corps dealt a crushing blow to the allied forces descending from the Prazen Heights, and then took this key position.
Austerlitz: Marshal Soult's finest hour
According to the plan drawn up by F. Weyrother, the Russian-Austrian troops were then divided into six columns. The first three (commanded by F. F. Buxgewden) were to strike at the right flank of the French army, which was headed by Marshal Davout.
At the same time, it was decided to bypass the French as well - thus the Allies stretched the front in this direction as much as 12 versts. The fourth column occupied
the Pratsen Heights dominating the area. The Austrian units that entered it were commanded by Kolovrat, the Russians - by Miloradovich. The commander-in-chief of the allied army, MI Kutuzov, was also here.
The left flank of the French army, against which the Fifth and Sixth Columns were directed, did not attach much importance. Meanwhile, Bonaparte himself considered the blow to him the most dangerous for himself, since it was here that there was the only road (towards Brunne) along which his army could retreat in case of defeat.
With the beginning of the battle, the troops of the French right flank began to slowly retreat, dragging three columns of allies with them. Finally, the Fourth Column began to descend from the Prazen Heights.
"You shouldn't interfere with an opponent who makes a mistake",
- Bonaparte commented on this movement with pleasure.
And then there was Soult's "trademark" terrible blow. General of the Russian service Alexander Lanzheron (French emigrant, buried in Odessa) wrote that the Fourth Column of the Allies "was crushed and scattered in less than half an hour."
Napoleon, watching this beating, called Soult "the most excellent tactician in Europe."
The three columns of Buxgewden continued their senseless movement, moving away from other parts. And only the brigade of the young General Nikolai Kamensky, the hero of the Swiss campaign of Suvorov, still retained some connection between the dying Fourth Column and parts of Buxgewden. Soon this brigade was surrounded, but with heavy losses it nevertheless reached the main army.
The fifth and sixth columns of the coalition army at this time attacked the corps of Lann and Bernadotte, supported by Murat's cavalry.
The Russian-Austrian army was dismembered and lost control. At 11 o'clock the order was given for a general retreat, but Buxgewden began to withdraw his troops only at about one o'clock in the afternoon. French troops at this time were already operating in the rear of the Second and Third Columns. They managed to destroy the bridge over the Litava River - as a result, the Third Column was almost completely destroyed. The First and Second Columns suffered heavy losses, retreating through the gorges between the lakes.
A. Lanzheron bitterly recalled:
“I had already witnessed the lost battles, but I could not even imagine such a defeat ... the soldiers threw their guns and did not obey anymore, neither the officers nor the generals. The latter shouted at them, but it was completely useless, and ran just like those. "
The Russian-Austrian army lost 15 thousand people killed and wounded, another 20 thousand soldiers and officers were taken prisoner (among them - 8 generals). The French also captured 45 banners and 180 guns. The French army lost about 9 thousand people.
But it was not only a matter of human and material losses.
Before the Battle of Austerlitz for almost 100 years (after the Prut catastrophe of Peter I in 1711), the Russian army did not lose a single general battle. And therefore, the defeat at Austerlitz made a terrible impression on Russian society.
The Sardinian envoy to Russia Joseph de Maistre testifies:
“Here (in St. Petersburg) the effect of the Battle of Austerlitz on public opinion is like magic. All the generals are asking for resignation, and it seems as if defeat in one battle paralyzed the whole empire. "
Soult was justly proud of his contribution to the victory at Austerlitz and was later disappointed when Napoleon gave him the title of Duke of Dalmatia rather than of Austerlitz. However, the emperor did not want to share with anyone the glory of the victor at Austerlitz.
In the next article we will continue the story about Marshal Soult.
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