Not a good time for a lecture, Napoleon!

[**The following occurred during the Battle of Marengo, 14 June, 1800.**] >He [**Napoleon**] had now completely used up his reserves, had barely 6,000 infantry across a 5-mile front, with 1,000 cavalry and only 6 usable guns, and his army was exhausted, desperately thirsty, low on ammunition and one-third *hors de combat*, but he behaved as if victory was certain. >He even managed to be light-hearted; noticing that the horse [Marbot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Marcellin_Marbot.jpg) was riding was slightly wounded in the leg, he ‘took me by the ear and said, laughing, “You expect me to lend you my horses for you to treat them in this way?” _____________________ **Source:** Roberts, Andrew. "Marengo." *Napoleon: A Life*. New York: Penguin, 2014. 265-66. Print. **Original Source(s) Listed:** Petit, *Marengo* p. 46. ed. Summerville, *Exploits of Baron de Marbot* p. 50. _____________________ **Further Reading:** [Napoleone di Buonaparte / Napoléon Bonaparte / Napoleon I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon) [Jean Baptiste Antoine Marcellin Marbot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Baptiste_Antoine_Marcellin_de_Marbot) [Battle of Marengo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Marengo)