The Memoirs of General Baron De Marbot   By: Jean-Baptiste-Antoine-Marcelin Marbot (1782-1854)

Translated by Oliver.C.Colt

Volume 1.

Table of contents

Chap. 1. Origins of my family. My father joins the bodyguard. The de Certain family. Life at Larivière. Episode in infancy.

Chap. 2. Outbreak of revolution. My father's attitude. He rejoins the army. I go to Mlle. Mongalvi. My life as a boarder.

Chap. 3. My father is posted to Toulouse. He takes me with him. The convoy of aristocrats. Life at Toulouse. I am taken to Sorèze.

Chap. 4. Life at Sorèze. Early hardships. Visit of representative of the people.

Chap. 5. I join my family in Paris. My father is given command of the 17th division in Paris. He refuses to join with Sieyès and hands the command to Lefebvre.

Chap. 6. My father is posted to Italy. How my career is begun. I become a Hussar.

Chap. 7. My father leaves. Meeting with Bonaparte at Lyon. An adventure on the Rhône. The cost of a Republican banquet. I am presented to my commanding officer.

Chap. 8. Arrival at Nice. My mentor Pertelay. I become a true Hussar. I join the "clique". My first duel. We rustle some cattle. The "Clique".

Chap. 9. How I get immediate promotion. The capture of 17 enemy Hussars.

Chap. 10. Campaign in Piedmont. General Macard. Capture of enemy cannons. I am promoted to Sous lieutenant. I become aide de camp to my father.

Chap. 11. Retreat of the right wing of the army to Genoa. My father wounded. The siege. My friend Trepano. Death of my father. Famine and fighting.

Chap. 12. Episodes in the siege. Fate of Austrian captives.

Chap. 13. Napoleon crosses the St. Bernard. Masséna yields. Marengo. I return to my family. My extreme prostration.

Chap. 14. I am temporary aide de camp to Bernadotte. We go to Tours.

Chap. 15. At Brest and Rennes. I am posted to the 23rd Chasseurs, in Portugal. Journey from Nantes to Salamanca. We form the right wing of the Spanish army. Return to France.

Chap. 16. On the road from Bayonne to Toulouse. The inspection.

Chap. 17. The events at Rennes. My brother Adolphe is involved and is sent to prison. Death of my brother Théodore.

Chap. 18. The school at Versailles. My mother's brothers.

Chap. 19. Preparations for invasion of Britain. I become aide de camp to Augereau.

Chap. 20. Augereau.

Chap. 21. From Bayonne to Brest. 1804. Pichegru. Death of Duc d'Enghien. Bonaparte becomes emperor.

Chap. 22. 1805. Institution of Legion of Honour. Camp at Boulogne. I am made lieutenant. Death of my brother Félix. Russia and Austria declare war.

Chap. 23. The army heads for the Rhine. Mission to Masséna. Jellachich surrenders. The Hungarian Colonel.

Chap. 24. The march to Vienna. The battle at Dirnstein. Lannes and Murat bluff their way across the Danube.

Chap. 25. Hollabrünn. I bring the flags captured at Breganz to the Emperor. The danger of a white lie.

Chap. 26. The Prussian Ambassador. Austerlitz. I save a Russian sergeant.

Chap. 27. Meeting of the Emperors. Return to my unit. Darmstadt and Frankfurt.

Chap. 28. Mission to Prussia. Situation in Prussia.

Chap. 29. State of Prussian army. Wurtzberg. Saalefeld and death of Prince Louis. Augereau and his former companions.

Chap. 30. Jena. The Curé. Auerstadt. The behaviour of Bernadotte. The entry into Berlin.

Chap. 31. Demoralisation of Prussians. Origin of the house of Rothschild. With Duroc to the King of Prussia. Graudentz. The army at the Vistula.

Chap. 32. Crossing of the Ukra. Various encounters. Cantonments on the banks of the Vistula.

Chap. 33. 1807. Made Captain. Eylau. Destruction of Augereau's corps.

Chap. 34. My part in the battle of Eylau. My mare Lisette. I escape death by a miracle. Return to Warsaw and Paris.

Chap. 35. Missions for the Emperor. I join Marshal Lannes. Hostilities resumed June 11th.

Chap. 36. Battle of Friedland. I escape from dangers. Treaty of Tilsitt.

Chap. 37. Mission to Dresden. An unwitting smuggler. An incident at Mainz. Paris and La Houssaye.