[106] See Béchaud, p. 410.
[107] These modest figures of Foy’s report to Souham are much exaggerated in most French narratives of the affair.
[108] There is a full account of this business in Foy’s dispatch to Souham of the next morning, in which occur all the facts given by Guingret in his own little book. That officer’s narrative must be taken as fully correct.
[109] All this from Burgoyne, i. p. 244. Napier does not mention the earthworks, which were batteries for six guns each.
[110] There he wrote his dispatch, concerning the late combats, to Clarke. Napier never mentions Caffarelli’s departure—a curious omission.
[111] p. 437.
[112] See vol. v. pp. 538-9.
[113] Deprez, travelling with great speed, reached Paris and interviewed Clarke on September 21. The Minister, who was no friend of Soult’s, told him that neither he himself nor the King could dare to depose the Marshal without the Emperor’s permission. Deprez then posted on to Moscow, and overtook the Emperor there on October 18. Napoleon in his reply practically ignored the quarrel, contented himself with administering a general scolding to all parties, and directed them to ‘unite, and diminish as far as possible the evils that a bad system had caused.’ But who had inaugurated the system? He himself!
[114] Joseph to Clarke, September 7.
[115] See Soult to Joseph of October 11, and other days.