This is from Soult’s memoirs about the peninsular war. After describing the occupation of Andalusia, he comments on the next French attempt to conquer Portugal.
While the three army corps that had conquered Andalusia were employed in guarding it, the great military operations shifted to another theatre. The Emperor had recognised, by two attempts, that in order to conquer Portugal and force the English army into its last entrenchments, other means were needed than those he had employed up to that time.
Now, Soult obviously does not want to stress the point too much but this is surprisingly humble coming from Soult, considering that the “means employed up to that time” had very much included his person, and that one of the two failed attempts alluded to had been his own.
But no more of that – now it’s time for the big guns! And who would that be?
This time he neglected nothing to ensure the success of this great enterprise. Marshal Masséna was put in charge of it; his glory, ranking second only to that of the Emperor himself, designated him for such a mission. His keen eye […]
[…] would probably have noticed British forces crossing the Duero under his nose? Unlike a certain marshal Soult?
[…] and the vigour of his command were to give the impulse to a numerous and beautiful army, chosen with care. The authority of his name guaranteed obedience to his orders, a condition of success that too often had been lacking in Spain!
To which Ney probably commented, with regards to obeying Masséna: Hold my beer!
But I am somewhat astonished about Soult’s praise for Masséna here. I had had the impression that the two of them were not on the friendliest of terms ever since the siege of Genoa. But by the time Soult wrote this, Masséna was of course already dead. As a matter of fact, he had died while Soult was in exile. Maybe Soult regretted he had never had the chance to reconcile with him. Or their estrangement had never been that serious in the first place.
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