It is notorious: the Imperial soldier had built a solid reputation of gallantry all over Europe. This is a point that we should investigate further in our future issues. On occasion, the Emperor was no less gallant than his soldiers. One day in a castle in Saxony, a grenadier of Oudinot's Corps presented arms to the Countess von Kielmansegge, a friend of Napoleon, and she told him that he should not do that since she was not an offficer.

He answered: "It is in the honor of beauty when I present arms for you my lady!" In many cases even the simple remembrance of feminine companionship was sufficient to boost the morale of many.

Success with the ladies was not the exclusivity of Berthier's ADCs. 1 Among the army's dignitaries, many also had the reputation of being great womanizers. Berthier was not one of them since his thoughts were constantly with 1a Viscontie 2 nor was Bessieres who was fully devoted to his ballerina. With Murat it was a different story. His reputation was solidly established and Napoleon commented, "How many chances Murat took in order to establish his headquarters in a castle where ladies were present! He had to have one every day!

The King of Naples' soldiers were well aware of the situation. Every evening in Russia, his vanguard engaged in combat with the enemy as directly ordered by their commander with the sole objective of securing a comfortable house for his convenience. 3

To avoid such extremes, Napoleon tolerated when a general had a catin 4 with him. Massena was one of the many to take advantage of the Emperor's "understanding" and was always accompanied by a pretty adventuress, the wife it was said, of a dragoon major called Leberton. It was not a passing love affair. Dressed like a man, the pretty lady was always astride her horse next to the Marshal. The latter acted like a youngster with his mistress and the column had to stop if the lady had to satisfy a nature call. In that case, Massena, always playing the part of the jealous husband, served as a sentry to prevent any so indiscreet as to come close to his conquest. At the theater, one could see them in their box arguing and then making up like two young lovers. 5 And yet, the Marshal was no longer a spring chicken. In 1810, he was 54 and already looked like an old man, thinner and bent with age. His sole eye 6 had lost its sharpness and only his voice had kept its original vivacity. But his mistress was always there 7 and made him her slave.

To prove her control over him she did not hesitate to submit him to all sorts of caprices. One day during the Campaign of Portugal, she stopped the forward movement of the troops in order to get the wig she had forgotten at the previous stop. The service squadron had to perform that noble mission. 8

Some others had catins much less inhibiting. Bourmont the future traitor of Waterloo, was bragging at Glogau about the delicate intentions of his hostess, a lady of middle age, who set him up with some charming young ladies. Some others, equally bons vivants 9, could accommodate themselves with any woman, pretty or not regardless of quality.

Russian Soldiers' Favorite: A Recipe for Borscht

Footnotes

1 See EE&L 12, "Pauline, her cold feet, Berthierss ADCs and other adventures.
2 See EE&L 4, "Berthier, his mistress la Viscontie and his wife Elizabeth.
3 These evening combats were called la guerre du chateau i.e. the "war of the castles".
4 A catin in French means a "doll" and more or less translates in less elegant terms as a trollop.
5 In his memoirs, Griois (I,333), mentions that during the Campaign of Italy in 1806, the Calabrian insurgents could have captured the Marshal in bed with the major's wife because of the lack of vigilance of the French sentries.
6 He had lost an eye in a hunting accident.
7 Massena's soldiers called her sa poule.
8 The relationship between Ney and Massena worsened because of the presence of Massena's mistress. Girod de l'Ain, 100 d'Hautpoul, 53.
9 A bon vivant is a person enjoying the good life.