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Argument of the Chapter
Marshal Jean Baptiste Bessieres
Early years. Service in Royal Guards. Participation in events of August 10, 1792 in Paris. Service in East Pyrenees army. Promotion of career. Bessieres as an assistant of peoples commissar Bochamp.
Transfer to the Italian army of Bonaparte. The battle at Roveretto. Napoleon creates his own bodyguard service under command of Bessieres. Bravery during the battle at Rivoli. Participation in Egyptian campaign. Bessieres as lover of sentimental dime novels. Siege of Saint-Jean-dAcre.
Active support of Bonaparte during the days of Brumair coup. The post of deputy commander of Consular Guards. Structure Consular Guards. Bessieres as the commander of Consular Guards.
Participation of guards under command of Bessieres in the battle at Marengo. Impolicy of Napoleon with general Kellermann. The post of division general. Comparative characteristics of two greatest cavalry commanders - Bessieres and Murat. Intrigues before handing over the marshals baton. Bessieres as a general-colonel of Imperial Guards cavalry. Structure of Imperial Guards. General characteristics of operations of Bessieres Guards.
Backup reserve troops during Austrian campaign of 1805. Crushing defeat of Russian cavalry guards during the battle of Austerlitz. Prussian Campaign of 1806. Napoleons opinion about military leadership skills of marshal Bessieres. Bodyguards of the Emperor. Triumphant entering to Berlin. Marshal Bessieres as the commander of reserve cavalry corps. Operation plan of Napoleon for Winter campaign of 1806-1807. The battle at Biezun. General retreat of the Russians. The battle at Preysisch-Eylau. Resealing defense line of crushed battle-front. New tactical approaches to use of cavalry. Sharp conflict with marshal Lannes. Marshal Bessieres as ambassador in Wurttemberg.
Military campaign in Spain. Triple operation task of marshal Bessieres Corps. Seizure of Catalonia. Entry to Valladolid. Struggle with Spanish partisans. Spanish army of general Cuesta concentrates at Benavente. Advance of Spanish armies under command of Cuesta and Black at Valladolid. Operation mistakes of general Savary. Effective victory at Rio-del-Seco. Roundabout maneuvers against Spanish army of Black. Bessieres sat Joseph on the Spanish throne!. Participation in Bayonna events. The battle at Somosierra. Secondary seizure of Madrid. Victory at Guadalachara. Marshal Bessieres as military governor of Northern Spanish provinces.
Return on the post of the Guard Cavalry Reserve commander. Title of the Duke of Istria. Austrian Campaign of 1809. Miscarry at Ebensberg. Fatal mistake made by marshal Bessieres cavalry reconnaissance troops before the battle at Aspern-Essling. Sluggishness of general Nansouty. Corrrect blame in inactivity, expressed to marshal Bessieres from the side of marshal Lannes. Conflict of old friends. New ungifted cavalry attack. Retreat to Lobau island. Wagram. Crushing attack at Austrian center in the first day of the battle. Wonderful salvation from the death. Marshal Bessieres as the commander of the Northern army. Recovering from the received wounds.
Marshal Bessieres as the governor-general of Holland. The Emperors Guard for the first time became independent military unit in the framework of Grand Army. Marshal Bessieres as the governor of Old Castallia and Leon. Conflict with marshal Massena. The battle at Fuentes dOnoro. The guilt of marshal Bessieres in unfinished defeat of the British troops. The Russian Campaign of 1812. The battle at Valutina Mount. The battle at Borodino. Marshal Bessieres as opponent of sending the Emperors Guard to the battle. Entry to Moscow. Moscow in fire. Marshal Bessieres as the only one general, who was coming out for immediate retreat. The Guard saves Napoleon from being captured by Russians. Attempts of talks with Russians.
Campaign of 1813. Death in the battle at Rieppach gorge. Slemn funeral. Analysis of military leadership career of marshal Bessieres.
Maps of the Chapter Marshal Jean Baptiste Bessieres
1. Vicinities of Marengo.
2. Battle at Marengo (A.M.).
3. Battle at Marengo (P.M.).
4. Situation at Austerlitz (December, 1, 1805, 6:00 P.M.).
5. Battle at Austerlitz (the final French attack).
6. Battle at Medina Rio-del-Seco.
7. The French retreat from Moscow.
Illustrations of the Chapter Marshal Jean Baptiste Bessieres
1. Grenadier of Swiss Guard (painted by Bellange).
2. Carporal of Swiss Guard (painted by Bellange).
3. Portrait of general Bessieres.
4. Portrait of general Joubert.
5. Guide, 1798 (painted by Bellange).
6. Portrait of general Murat.
7. Portrait of general Kellermann.
8. Uniforms of Imperial Guard:
horse chasseur;
mameluke;
horse grenadier;
drummer.
9. Portrait of marshal Bessieres.
10. Portrait of Grand Prince Constantine Pavlowich.
11. Portrait of general Dahlamann.
12. Uniforms of Imperial Guard Cavalry:
dragoon;
Lithuanian Tatar;
velite;
gunner of horse artillery.
13. Portrait of general Walther.
14. Portrait of general Lasalle.
15. The French Guard chevoleger (painted by Bellange).
16. Spanish Award for Medina.
17. Marshal Bessieres at a battle.
18. Portrait of general Nansouty.
19. Portrait of general Durosnel.
20. Portrait of general Liechtenstein.
21. Portrait of general Saint-Sulpice.
22. The Arms of Duke of Istria.
23. Bessieres, Duke of Istria.
24. Portrait of general Dorsenne.
The structure of military-historical monograph
Military campaigns of Napoleons marshals
Preface.
Introduction.
Chapter 1 marshal Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte Corvo (1763-1844).
Chapter 2 marshal Louis Alexander Berthier, Prince of Neuchatel, Prince of Walange, Prince of Wagram (1753 1815).
Chapter 3 marshal Jean Baptiste Bessieres, Duke of Istria (1768-1813).
Chapter 4 marshal Guillaume-Marie-Anne Brune (1763-1815).
Chapter 5 marshal Victor Claude Victor-Perrin, Duke of Belluno (1764 1841).
Chapter 6 marshal Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, marquess (1764-1830).
Chapter 7 Emmanuel Robert de Grouchy, marquess (1766-1847).
Chapter 8 marshal Louis Nicolas Davout, Duke of Auerstaedt, Prince of Eckmuhl (1770-1823).
Chapter 9 marshal Jean Baptiste Jourdan, count (1762-1833).
Chapter 10 marshal Francois Etienne Christophe Kellermann, Duke de Valmy (1735-1820).
Chapter 11 marshal Jean Lannes, Duke of Montebello (1769-1809).
Chapter 12 marshal Francois Joseph Lefebvre, Duke of Danzig (1755-1820).
Chapter 13 marshal Jacques-Etienne-Joseph-Alexander Macdonald, Duke of Tarente (1765-1840).
Chapter 14 marshal Auguste Frederic Louis de Viesse Marmont, Duke of Ragusa (1774-1852).
Chapter 15 marshal Andre Massena, Duke of Rivoli, Prince of Essling (1758-1817).
Chapter 16 marshal Bon Adrien Jeannot Moncey, Duke of Conegliano (1754-1842).
Chapter 17 marshal Adolphe Edouard Casimir Joseph Mortier, Duke of Treviso (1768-1835).
Chapter 18 marshal Joachim Murat, King of Naples (1767-1815).
Chapter 19 marshal Michel Ney, Duke of Elchingen, Prince of Moskwa (1769-1815).
Chapter 20 marshal Pierre Francois Charles Augerau, Duke of Castiglione (1757-1816)
Chapter 21 marshal Dominique-Catherine Perignon, marquis de Grenade (1754-1818).
Chapter 22 marshal Joseph Antoine Ponyatovsky, prince of Poland (1763-1813).
Chapter 23 marshal Jean-Mathieu Philiber Serurier (1742-1819).
Chapter 24 marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, Duke af Dalmatia (1769-1851).
Chapter 25 marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet, Duke of Albufera (1770-1826).
Chapter 26 marshal Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, Duke of Reggio (1767-1847).
Conclusions.
Literature.
