[Quick set-up: One of Napoleon’s commanders was defeated at the hands of an enemy general during the Italian campaigns. The fighting took place over five days of skirmishes in the villages of Cembra and Calliano. Over 40% of Napoleon’s force in the area had been killed, wounded or missing.]
Napoleon then harangued Vaubois’ men: ‘Soldiers of the 39th and 85th Infantry, you are no longer fit to belong to the French Army. You have shown neither discipline nor courage; you have allowed the enemy to dislodge you from a position where a handful of brave men could have stopped an army. The chief-of-staff will cause to be inscribed upon your flags: “These men are no longer of the Army of Italy”.’
With this acute sense for what would energize and what demoralize a unit, Napoleon correctly gauged that this public shaming would ensure that both demi-brigades would fight harder and with more determination over the next few days than ever before.
Source:
Roberts, Andrew. "Victory." Napoleon: A Life. New York: Penguin, 2014. 120. Print.
Original Source Listed:
Paris, Napoleon’s Legion p. 15.
Further Reading:
No comments, yet...