Chapter II: The French Army 16

The army as affected by Napoleon’s return from
Elba 16

Confidence of the soldiers in Napoleon 17

Lack of confidence in the high officers 17

Napoleon’s choice of Soult to take Berthier’s place 17

Soult’s unfitness for the position of chief-of-staff 18

The five corps-commanders 18

Estimate of the defects of the French general officers
by Napoleon and by Charras 19

Probability of the truth of their views 19

What Napoleon expected from his lieutenants 20

Marshal Ney sent for at the last moment 20

Sudden appointment of Marshal Grouchy to the
command of the right wing 21

Napoleon’s error in not taking Marshal Davout with
him 22

Estimate of Napoleon’s own bodily and mental vigor
at this period 23-24

Portrait of Napoleon by General Foy 23

Estimate of the French Army 24

It was not the best army which Napoleon had ever
led 24

But it was a better army than either that of Wellington
or of Blücher 25

Its strength and composition 25-28

NOTE TO CHAPTER II 29

Napoleon’s health—Gardner—Ségur 29

The Gudin story 30

Napoleon more or less a sufferer; but on the whole
possessed of good health and strength 30, 31