“Masséna’s portrait by Pelet”
In his memoirs, Pelet describes Masséna's personality as follows. However, he remains completely silent regarding 'Madame X', whom many historical narrators have recorded up to now. Furthermore, he maintains silence on Masséna's well-known penchant for looting.
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“Everyone irritated him (Masséna) and he complained about everything. The Prince (Masséna) had great finesse and understanding of men; he did not always take into account their good qualities nor judge them favorably. His attitude was the result of knowing too well the world and affairs. Much politeness and moderation were required to hide it, but he did not always do this.”
“Then there would be nothing of which the army was not capable, as there was no one who could excite it more than Masséna. No one possessed the instinct of a great general as he did.”
“He possessed it more than he realized himself—his warrior bearing, his head which resembled those of antiquity, and his quick and flashing eye. It was thought that after he received a gunshot in the eye his sight would be impaired. It appeared that only one eye had suffered much from the exterior alteration. Moreover, his sight was just as good as Thad ever known.*) With his bold look, his pleasing wit, his military Language, this bellicose genius in the midst of fire had everything to intame our soldiers, and his character, like his talent, was eminently French.”
In my occasionally humble opinion, Pelet omitted Madame X, as well as any other female partnel not Madame Massena, and any recounting of looting/pillaging/removal of valuables becausw those topics were not his to share. Pelet wasn't interested in presenting Massena as anything but a soldier, including some character flaws. He definitely didn't care about what would soon become the National Inquirer/Daily Mail versions. This was something we heard directly from Victor Massena in Paris; he was after all the curator of most of Pelet's papers and other possessions.
