What did Napoleon say about his generals?
My generals were faint-hearted men…. I needed a good officer to command my guard. If I had had Bessières or Lannes at its head I should not have been defeated.”
Who did Napoleon write a letter to?
Napoléon wrote numerous letters to Joséphine, some of which were quite sexually explicit. “A kiss on your heart, and one much lower down, much lower,” he wrote in 1796.
What was Napoleon’s strategy as a general?
Put simply, Napoleon’s strategies consisted of excellent maneuvering, flanking and isolating the enemy. When faced with superior numbers, he would divide the enemy army and defeat each section individually by skilfully deploying his reserves at the right time and place.
What was the motto of Napoleon?
liberté
The First Consul (Napoleon Bonaparte) then established the motto liberté, ordre public (liberty, public order).
Who intercepted Napoleon’s letter?
At twenty-nine I have exhausted everything.” Unfortunately, this letter was captured by the British, who gleefully published it in the London papers. Now all of France knew of Napoleon’s changed feelings for Josephine.
Why was Napoleon a great general?
The role of Napoleon himself should never be forgotten. His military knowledge, his gift for tactics, his charisma, and his quick thinking were crucial to the successes. Even when his approach to warfare became less flexible and his faculties declined, he was still one of the finest commanders in Europe.
What was Napoleon’s favorite tactic?
His favorite strategy was to envelop one of the enemy’s army’s flanks and threaten its rear and communications, forcing it either to retire hurriedly or to turn and fight at a disadvantage. Napoleon’s army’s tactics came from a shotgun marriage of Royal Army with Revolutionary improvisation.
What did Napoleon say about death?
1820. To Napoleon Bonaparte, exile on Saint Helena was a fate worse than death. “To die is nothing,” he once said while living on the lonely island, “but to live defeated and without glory is to die every day.” The former emperor had no one to rule.
What did Napoleon say on his death bed?
On this, all four witnesses agree. Three agree that he said “head” and “army”; two that he said “head of the army” (tête d’armée). According to two witnesses, Napoleon said something about France. Napoleon may have said (in French) “who retreats,” “my son,” and/or “Josephine.”
Who did Napoleon sign his letters to?
Napoleon I. Letter signed to Louis Nicholas Davout. ‘17 aout 1808’ [but 17 April 1808]. 4. Napoleon I. Letter signed to Louis Nicholas Davout. 23 August 1808. 5. Napoleon I. Letter signed to Henri Clarke, duc de Feltre. 5 December 1809. 6. Napoleon I and Louis-Alexandre Berthier.
When did Napoleon change his name to Napol?
In 1804, after crowning himself emperor, Napoleon dropped the Bonaparte part of his name and began to sign letters with variations of Napoleon – Np, Nap, Napol, and rarely Napoleon. Napoleon Bonaparte signed letters bear these variations depending upon the number of letters he was signing at that time.
When was the general correspondence of Napoleon Bonaparte published?
In 2002, the Fondation Napoléon launched its project to publish the General Correspondence of Napoleon Bonaparte. It was jointly initiated by Baron Gourgaud, then president of the Fondation Napoléon, Thierry Lentz, director of the Fondation Napoléon, and the Fondation’s board of directors, and the first volume was published in 2004.
When did Napoleon sign letters to the French consul in Malta?
Letter signed to the French consul at Malta. ‘25 Prairial, an 6’ [i.e. 13 June 1798]. 2. Napoleon I. Letter signed to Louis Nicholas Davout. 4 August 1807. 3. Napoleon I. Letter signed to Louis Nicholas Davout. ‘17 aout 1808’ [but 17 April 1808]. 4. Napoleon I. Letter signed to Louis Nicholas Davout. 23 August 1808. 5.