Exceptional care, Napoleon laid down, was to be taken by regimental commanders that no harm should befall the Eagle. In the event of accident happening to it, a special report was to be made direct to the Emperor. Should it unfortunately happen that the Eagle was lost in battle, the regiment concerned would have to prove to the Emperor’s satisfaction that there had been no default. No new Eagle would be granted in place of one lost until the regiment in question had atoned for the slur on its character by either achieving “éclatante” distinction in the field, by some exceptionally brilliant feat of arms, or by presenting the Emperor with an enemy’s standard “taken by its own valour.”

The silken tricolor flag, as has been said, was in the eyes of Napoleon of subordinate account. It was to be considered merely as a set-off to the Eagle, as merely “l’ornement de l’Aigle.” The Eagle, and the Eagle only, must be the object of the soldier’s devotion. Napoleon paid little regard to the flag, beyond as being of use for displaying the record of a regiment’s war career. He would have liked indeed, as it would seem, to substitute another flag altogether, and went so far as to have designs for a green regimental flag submitted to him.[2] Prudence, however, forbade its introduction, and directions were issued that the general pattern of tricolor standard in use under the Consulate should be retained, with minor alterations of detail in the design rendered necessary in consequence of the new constitution of the State.

THE LEGEND ON THE FLAG

The regimental flags would consist of a white diamond-shaped centre, with the corners of the flag alternately red and blue; according to the pattern authorised two years previously by Napoleon as First Consul. Thus the national colours would continue to be represented. For the Infantry, in the centre of each flag would be, on one side, the words “Empire Français,” with the legend, inscribed in letters of gold, “L’Empereur des Français au —e Régiment d’Infanterie de Ligne,” which would take the place of the Republican inscription hitherto borne there; the number of each corps being inscribed in the blank space and in a laurel chaplet embroidered at each corner of the flag. For Cavalry the inscription ran: “L’Empereur des Français au —e Cuirassiers,” or “au —e Chasseurs”; and so on for other corps, Artillery, Dragoons, and Hussars.

On the reverse, for corps of all arms, with the exception of the Guard, was emblazoned the motto “Valeur et Discipline,” and beneath it the number of the battalion or squadron in each regiment.

Below the numbers was added any Inscription of Honour which had been granted to the corps, such as, in the case of one regiment, “Le 15e est couvert de la Gloire”; in the case of another, “Le Terrible 57e qui rien n’arrête”; with others, “Le Bon et Brave 28e”; “Le 75e arrive et bât l’Ennemi”; “J’étais tranquille, le brave 32e était là”; “Il n’est pas possible d’être plus brave que le 63e”; “Brave 18e, je vous connais. L’Ennemi ne tiendra pas devant vous”; and so on. These were mostly quotations from “mentions in despatches” made by Napoleon in regard to regiments in his famous “Army of Italy,” authorised by him, at first of his own initiative, and later as First Consul, to be recorded as Inscriptions of Honour on the regimental colours. The flags of other corps bore names of victories of note in which the regiments had taken part; as, for instance, “Rivoli,” “Lodi,” “Marengo.”[3]

PROPOSED FOR CORONATION DAY

Napoleon overlooked nothing that might add to the prestige of his Eagles. Not only would he himself personally present its Eagle to each regiment, but, further, there would be at the outset a general presentation of Eagles in Paris to the whole Army, which would be made a State event of significance, and form an integral part of the ceremony of his Coronation. On that Napoleon had insisted, in reply to a technical legal objection raised at one of the meetings of the Council of State. It was not to be a Parisian popular show. He was ready, indeed, he said, to transfer the ceremony to Boulogne. “Je rassemblerais deux cent mille hommes au camp. Là j’aurais une population couverte des blessures dont je serais sûr!” He gave directions that the Presentation of the Eagles should take place on the Field of Mars in front of the Military School, on the same day as the Coronation, and should follow immediately after the religious service and his actual crowning and consecration by the Pope in Notre Dame.[4]

CHAPTER II
THE DAY OF THE PRESENTATION ON THE FIELD OF MARS

THE DAY FINALLY FIXED