Just some brief excerpts from Macdonald’s “Souvenirs”.
From the introduction: An explication why the aging marshal even took to the plume:
In May 1825, Marshal Macdonald, in his sixties and widowed for the third time, was in the depths of grief. From his previous unions he had had only daughters; the last one, formed only four years before and suddenly broken up, left him a son, an heir to his name. It was for him, for this child in the cradle that, far from Paris, far from the banal consolations and courtly condolences, the marshal undertook, not to amuse himself, but to occupy the isolation of his grief by noting the milestones of his long and glorious career. [...]
And here’s a scene that takes place soon after Macdonald has joined the army of Italy and – as he tells the story – factually has taken over command in organising the defense against another Austrian attack.
The bridge of Vicenza was easy to defend with few means; I indicated them to the viceroy, inviting him to order them to the battalion commander who was posted on this point. He called him, explained them to him rather briefly, and I noticed that this senior officer had not understood the first word of them, while replying, however, that he was going to carry out the provisions prescribed. It was easy to see from the embarrassment and the countenance of the commander of this important post; I communicated it to the prince, who thought I was joking.
"Call him back," I said, "and ask him to repeat the order you gave him."
The poor battalion commander stammered and shamefacedly confessed that he had not understood it.
"Why didn't you make me repeat it?" said the prince.
"I was wrong," replied the other; "I beg your Highness' pardon."
It was explained to him again, and we withdrew.
"Well," I said to the prince, "that is how misunderstandings often arise; you left in comfort, well convinced that such an essential order would be carried out. You did not notice that this officer, who was undoubtedly very brave, lacked intelligence; for, if heaven had only endowed him with it, he would, for the safety of his post, his men and the army, have had these small means of defence carried out on his own initiative, which are so obvious. Misunderstandings and misinterpretations are often fatal, especially in the army; so I have always found it very good to have my verbal orders repeated." I advised him this method, which he followed with success thereafter.
That’s one of the anecdotes where I thought that maybe Macdonald was not so much writing down actual events but putting together little lessons like this for his baby son. So basically, in teaching Eugène here, he was trying to teach Macdonald junior.
There’s also a very typical scene when Napoleon visits the army of Italy before Wagram. Eugène had talked with his stepfather about Macdonalds exploits during the campaign, Napoleon had seemed delighted to hear it, and Eugène had already told Macdonald that the emperor planned some special honours for him. But apparently, on the day itself, Napoleon had already changed his opinion:
He spoke to no one, confining himself to waving his hand; in spite of all that the viceroy had told me, especially that I should be pleased with the first interview, I was no more favoured than the others. I do not know where Prince Eugène was at the time, but when he heard that the Emperor had passed, he came up to me and said: "Well, I hope you were satisfied, and no doubt he confirmed what I wrote to you on his behalf." - "He did not say a word to me." - "What!" - "No, not a word; only a nod, as if to say: I know you, nice mask." The poor prince was very upset by this, fearing, quite wrongly no doubt, that I might suppose that he had only been an unofficial but clumsy interpreter, and solemnly gave me his word of honour, which I had no need of, so convinced was I of his loyal and friendly frankness, that he had only written to me the Emperor's own words. […]
This sounds so much like Eugène that I will believe it. Of course everything changed when, after the battle, Napoleon finally did talk to Macdonald:
[…] Unable to walk, I remained on my straw, when I heard someone ask for me; it was an officer, M. Anatole de Montesquiou or his brother who has since been killed in Spain. He had come to seek me on behalf of the Emperor; on my observation that I was on foot and could not walk, he offered me his horse which I accepted. I saw the Emperor surrounded by my troops whom he complimented; he came to me and embraced me cordially, saying: "Let us be friends from now on." - Yes," I replied, "in life and in death"; and I kept my word, not until then, but until after the abdication. He added: "You have conducted yourself valiantly and rendered me the greatest services in this entire campaign; it is on the battlefield of your glory, where I owe you a large part of yesterday, that I am making you Marshal of France," he pronounced this word instead of that of empire - "you deserved it long ago." - "Sire," I replied, "since you are satisfied with us, may the rewards be shared and spread throughout my army corps, beginning with Generals Lamarque, Broussier, etc., who have assisted me so well." - "All that you will want, he said to me, I have nothing to refuse you." Thereupon he left very moved; I was also moved. […]
