Memoirs of a French Napoleonic Officer

Jean-Baptiste Barres, Chasseur of the Imperial Guard

Jean-Baptiste Barres, Maurice Barrès

• Publisher: Frontline Books
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781473882935
• eBook ISBN: 9781473882959
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military Biographies
• Index: History

A personal account by a soldier serving in Napoleon's army who was also a witness to his coronation as emperor and other historic events.
These lively memoirs date from the time of Jean-Baptiste Barrès's entry into the Chasseurs Velites (skirmishers, or light infantry) of Napoleon's Imperial Guard in 1804. Always modest in recounting his own exploits, Barrès was not only at the cannon's mouth, but also a participant at such spectacular events as the Coronation of the Emperor Napoleon in Paris and Rome, the torch light procession on the eve of Austerlitz, the meeting of the two emperors at Tilsit, and the magnificent military display in the Champ de Mars.
His duties involved mounting guard at Malmaison and the palace of Saint-Cloud and also allowed him many fascinating glimpses of the emperor at reviews, presenting awards and receiving trophies. This is a superb record of a serving soldier, making light of danger, sharing with the reader the fatigues and privations that attended so much campaigning in appalling weather and hostile country, and rejoicing as much in the outcome of a successful foraging expedition as his promotions and appointment as Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur.

MEMOIRS OF A NAPOLEONIC OFFICER

(JEAN-BAPTISTE BARRÈS)

THE EMPIRE

A CONSULAR decree of the 21st March, 1804 (30th Ventôse of the year XII), created a corps of Skirmishers (vélites) to form part of the Consular Guard and to be attached to the Chasseurs and Grenadiers à Pied of that crack regiment. Two battalions, each of 800 men, were to be formed, one at Écouen, under the name of chasseurs vélites, and one at Fontainebleau, under that of grenadiers vélites. In order to gain admission thereto it was necessary to be possessed of some education, to belong to a respectable family, to be at least 5 ft. 2 in. in height, at least twenty years of age, and to pay 200 francs mess-money. The prospects of promotion were not especially attractive, but those acquainted with the mind of the then Government, the warlike propensities of the head of the State, and the First Consul’s desire to rally round him men of all opinions, and to make sure of the attachment of all the influential families, believed that under this new name, borrowed from the ancient Romans, he was designing to set up a forcing-house for officers.

In the early part of April my elder brother, secretary-general of the Prefecture of the Department of Haute-Loire, who died, in 1837, vicar-general of the see of Bordeaux, approached the family and proposed to my father that I should be entered in this privileged corps, of which he had great hopes for the future. The idea of, seeing Paris, of learning something of France and perhaps foreign countries, made me at once accept the proposal put before me, without very solemnly considering the serious responsibilities I was about to incur. However, on maturer reflection I was readily able to confirm my spontaneous decision, in spite of all my parents’ efforts to dissuade me from entering on a career so arduous and so dangerous.

MY ADMISSION TO THE SKIRMISHERS OF THE GUARD.

On the 18th May (28th Floréal), the day on which Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, was proclaimed and saluted as Emperor of the French, the Minister for War, Alexandre Berthier, signed the papers of enrolment in the Skirmishers of the twenty-five young men of the department who had applied for admission.

On the 20th June I repaired to Le Puy to receive my lettre de service and present myself for inspection. My departure was fixed for the 25th. I left Le Puy the day before in order to see my worthy parents and I remained with them until the 27th. The last moments were painful to my excellent and beloved mother. My father, less demonstrative and more reasonable, displayed more firmness or placidity, lest I should too keenly regret my departure. The tears in all eyes, the sadness depicted on all the faces that surrounded me, moved me profoundly and took away all my courage. Having paid my debt to nature, I set off at a gallop to hide my tears.

A few hours later I was at Issoire, where I joined my travelling companions, my future comrades in barracks. I at once placed myself at the orders of the first superior given me by my new career. This was a lieutenant of the 21st Regiment of Light Infantry, a Corsican by birth, one of the veterans of the Egyptian expedition, highly original, and although possessed of little education, an excellent fellow. His name was Paravagna. It was no light affair to take to Paris twenty-five young fellows, all pretty independent, having as yet not the least sense of the duties imposed on us by our position as recruits, or of subordination. He was seconded by a sergeant to whom no one paid any attention.

On the 27th of June we came to Issoire. On the 28th, at Clermont, we were taken to the house of the sub-inspector of reviews, in order to be presented to him. He counted us from his window, to our great displeasure, and thereby drew from us some exceedingly sarcastic remarks.

On the 30th we made a halt at Riom, the 1st of July at Saint-Pourçain and the 2nd at Moulins. Before reaching this town we were overwhelmed by a frightful storm, Which alarmed us by the mass of water it hurled against us, quite ruining our modest baggage. We did not leave Moulins until the 4th, to sleep at Saint-Pierre-le-Moutiers.

The rather high expenses of these short daily marches impelled us to hire carriages to take us more quickly to Paris. The lieutenant for a long while opposed this; he threatened to have us arrested by the gendarmerie if we took the liberty of starting without his permission. We laughed at him and his threats. However, after long discussion the matter was arranged, we paying for him and the sergeant. The latter lost by the arrangement the munition bread, which was surrendered to him, and M. Paravagna some of the good dinners to which he was treated. Concessions having been made on either side, we got into our carriages, that is, into pataches, four in each, and set forth, very well satisfied, although jolted about, wetted to the skin and feeling as though every bone in our bodies were broken in these barbarous vehicles, which are suspended on springs. We passed successively through Pougues, Charité-sur-Loire, Prouilly, Cosne, Briare and Montargis.

On the 6th July we came in the evening to Nemours, and there we slept. This was very necessary, for our bodies were bruised all over. During this journey of forty leagues by post-chaise I had an accident which might well have called a halt to my military career at the outset. Having climbed a hill on foot, I tried to get into the patache without stopping it. Misled by a hanging curtain between the crupper of the horse and the front of the vehicle, I rested my hand on it and fell between the two, tumbling heavily on the road. By good fortune none of my limbs came in the track of the wheels. I escaped with a few bruises and the pleasantries of my comrades.

On the 7th July, at Nemours, we took our places on good stage coaches, and set out early in the morning. At Fontainebleau a brief halt gave us time to see the château and to watch the Grenadier Skirmishers, who had already arrived, at their drill. These were the delights awaiting us, toward which we were posting almost at a gallop.

ARRIVAL IN PARIS.

On the 7th July, 1804, at four o’clock in the afternoon, we entered Paris by the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Victor, where we alighted. Once on the pavement, we each took a portmanteau and made our way to the Rue Grenelle-Saint-Honoré, where we had been told to go to a hotel. The arrival of twenty-five sturdy young fellows, fatigued by their walk through Paris with their packs on their backs and hunger in their stomachs, and consequently in a very bad temper, terrified the landlord, who declined the honour of entertaining so many young budding heroes. Hard put to it to discover a house large enough to lodge us all, for the lieutenant would not allow us to separate, we were conducted to several different addresses. Finally we found shelter in the Hôtel du Lyon, Rue Batave, near the Tuileries.

And so I was in Paris, of which I had dreamed for so many years! It would be impossible to describe the pleasure I felt when I entered the capital of France, that great and superb city, the home of the fine arts, good manners and good taste: all that I saw in those first moments struck me with admiration and astonishment. During the few days that I remained there I found it hard to define my feelings and fully to realize the impressions made upon me by the sight of so many monuments, so many masterpieces, and the immense activity that absorbed me. I was often in a sort of stupor, as though dazed.

This sort of sleep-walking came to an end only when I found myself able to define and compare, when my senses had grown accustomed to appreciate so many marvels. How delightful my sensations were! One would have to emerge, as I did, from an ugly little town, for the first time deserting the paternal roof, having as yet seen nothing truly fine and beautiful, in order to understand all my delight, all my happiness.

8th July (19 Messidor).—Our lieutenant, very eager to be rid of us and to complete his troublesome commission, led us very early in the morning to the Military College, to enter us in the Imperial Guard. Having had our descriptions recorded and heights taken we were distributed among the two corps of Skirmishers, each according to his stature; thirteen were admitted to the Grenadiers and seven, of whom I was one, to the Chasseurs. We then separated with keen regret, all the more painful as during the journey an intimacy had been established which nothing had impaired. As for the lieutenant, he could not help displaying a satisfaction which was not flattering to us.

We were given leave to return to Paris and there do as we liked, without being compelled to attend roll-call, until the afternoon of the following day.

On our return to the École Militaire we went by way of the Tuileries in the hope of seeing the Emperor, who was to review the Guard in the court of the château and in the Place Carrousel. I was fairly well placed for the sight of this fine spectacle, and was able at ease to consider this mighty man, who had overcome anarchy, having vanquished the enemies of France, and replaced by order the deplorable and bloody doings of the Revolution.

I found myself for the first time lodged in a barracks. I found nothing very attractive in this new life; but as I had known for a long time that as a soldier I should have to surrender a great part of my liberty and of the comfort of family life, I did not trouble myself about it overmuch.

I was given my uniform as the day went on, and equipped with the underclothing and the footwear that I should require. I was given a blue uniform coat, the lining and piping being scarlet, buttoned across the breast with buttons bearing the Consular fasces (those with the eagle were not yet struck) with the legend: Garde Consulaire; a pair of breeches and a waistcoat of white tricot, rather thick and warm; a three-cornered hat with yellow cording; epaulettes of green woollen cloth and red tabs; musket, cartridge-pouch, sabre, etc. We were instructed to let our hair grow in order to make a pigtail and to sell such of our belongings as had not been taken from us. Finally, we were allowed, as a favour, to go to the play, if we so desired, until the time of our departure for Écouen.

I remained in Paris until the 12th July inclusive. During these five days, having a fair amount of liberty, I visited all the monuments and sights of the city.

13th July.—Leaving Paris in the detachment, knapsack on back, musket on shoulder, for the garrison appointed for the Chasseur Skirmishers, where the battalion was being organized, I was placed in the 4th company, commanded by Captain Larrousse. The name of the battalion commander was Desnoyers. There were five companies in the battalion, each at that time numbering thirty-six men, but increased in strength daily by the arrival of Skirmishers coming from all parts of France. My number on the roll of the corps was 234.

Our pay was 23 sous 1 centime per diem. Nine sous we gave to the mess, 4 went to the fund to provide underclothing and shoes, and the other 10 were given us every ten days (every decade) as pocket-money. The fare was good and the pay enough to provide all absolute necessaries, but deductions were often made which were not always very scrupulously accounted for, and of which we dared not complain, for the sergeant-majors were all-powerful in the companies.

The magnificent château of Écouen, which, after Auster-litz, was to become a school for the daughters of members of the Legion of Honour, had been made ready as the quarters of our battalion of Skirmishers.

Two days after we arrived there, that is, on Monday, the 15th July, I was greatly surprised to see, in the buttonholes of the officers and some of the non-commissioned officers, a handsome decoration suspended by a red ribbon of watered silk. I learned that this order was that of the Legion of Honour, of which the first distribution had been made the previous day by the Emperor Napoleon in person, in the Temple of Mars, at the Invalides.

17th July.—The Emperor passed through Écouen; he was going to Boulogne, to give crosses to the troops encamped on the French coast, who formed the army intended to descend upon England. We lined the hedge along the height before descending into the town. The Emperor did not stop to inspect us, which wounded our self-respect as conscripts.

The months of July, August, September and October were passed in drilling, cleaning our arms and kits and going on full-dress parades, and learning how to perform our duties under all sorts of circumstances. Before the end of September we were perfect in our drill and already seemed like old soldiers. The battalion at this daté already exceeded 700 in strength, and more recruits were arriving daily. But I was at this stage attacked by an ophthalmia which caused me much pain and ill-health, and in Vendémiaire I had to spend a month in the Gros-Caillou hospital to re-establish my health.

15th August.—On this the Emperor’s birthday I was in Paris with several comrades, without leave. We started on foot, at eleven o’clock, after roll-call and the morning parade; having reached Saint-Denis, we took a carriage which conveyed us to the gate of that name. What with following the boulevard until we came to the site of the fête, taking part in a few games, paying one or two calls, dining at the Palais-Royal, taking coffee in company with ladies, returning to Écouen, travelling back twenty-five miles in the same fashion and arriving in time for the evening roll-call, ten hours were devoted to this fantastic escapade. A few were punished, others fell sick; I was neither one nor the other, thanks to my health and the good-will of the sergeant of the week, who delayed a little in handing in the roll-call, hoping that I should return before the time of grace had expired.

On Sundays, after parade, we explored our surroundings, which are very interesting, and very lively, in the summer, or we went to the patron saints’ days at Montmorency, Villiers-le-Bel, Sarcelles, Gonesse, Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen, etc. These fêtes, which were thronged with people and very gay, pleased me greatly and refreshed me after the fatigue of the week.

The time passed quickly, as it was fully employed; I thought little of my native countryside or the home of my childhood, because I had found myself in this situation of my own free will and without constraint. However, one Sunday, early in the morning, strolling, rather dolefully, alone with my thoughts, along the loveliest paths through the woods, I heard suddenly somewhat excited voices at a distance of a few paces. I turned in that direction, and before I could reach the spot from which the voices came I was aroused from my abstraction by the sound of a shot, followed by another. I ran forward, greatly excited, saw one of our officers covered with blood and beside him the assistant surgeon of the battalion, M. Maugras, and an officer who was holding him up, while two others were hurrying on horseback in the direction of Paris. It was plain to me that I was the witness of a duel à mort. Such, I heard, were the conditions of the duel. This painful incident made a great impression on mc.

One evening—it was the 11th November—while we were celebrating the fête of St. Martin, which is the fête of the infantry soldiers, a new recruit to the Skirmishers entered the banqueting-hall, knapsack on back, carrying the order of incorporation in the company in his hand. To hasten up to him, help him to rid himself of his military impedimenta and find him a place at table was the affair of a moment. As he was sitting beside me and as I learned that he was from Auvergne, I asked the sergeant-major, who had been invited to the mess, to give him to me as my bed-fellow, mine being in hospital. This request was granted, to my great satisfaction. This choice was all the more agreeable to me in that the young man was perfectly well-bred, and my compatriot, and in every respect his distinction of manner was displayed. (This young man, whose name was Tournilhac, and who came from the neighbourhood of Thiers, was a captain in the Russian campaign, in which he had two fingers frostbitten, which did not prevent him, when, on the heights of Kovno, the treasure of the Grande Armée was abandoned, from taking great handfuls of gold from the staved-in casks and rejoining the remnants of his regiment. He then came to the help of all his comrades by generously giving them all the money they needed to cross Prussia and reach the banks of the Oder. He would not take service again under the Restoration.)

27th November.—We were warned several days beforehand that we should be on duty at the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon and that we must hold ourselves ready to set out. For this great ceremony we had to receive our dress uniforms with the eagle buttons, our enormous bearskin bonnets, which covered our small beardless faces, and other articles of uniform which had not yet been given us.

Quartered at the École Militaire, we Skirmishers were distributed among the messes of the old Chasseurs, as though rationed out, with orders to find room in beds which already had two occupants, who could very well have dispensed with this importunate augmentation. We had to resign ourselves to sleeping three in a bed, and to live in rooms where we could not move about, so crowded were they. This seemed to promise us a pleasant time!

THE CORONATION OF THE EMPEROR.

2nd December (15 Frimaire, year XIII).—Hardly had the day dawned when we were drawn up on the Pont-Neuf, waiting to receive orders as to the place we were to occupy. The company lined the roadway in the Rue Notre-Dame. As we should be compelled to stand still on the frozen ground in the bitter cold, under a cloudy sky, this meant a day of fatigue and privation. However, when the constituted authorities began to arrive, when the Legislative Corps, the Tribunate, the Senate, the Council of State, the Court of Cassation, the Court of Exchequer, etc., began to pass in procession, w...

Table of contents

• Cover
• The Napoleonic Library
• Title
• Copyright
• CONTENTS
• MY GRANDFATHER (PREFACE BY MAURICE BARRÈS)
• THE ABBÉ PIERRE-MAURICE BARRÉS
• THE EMPIRE
• THE FIRST RESTORATION
• THE HUNDRED DAYS