THE GENERALS Read online

  ‘Pity.’

  ‘Where is Paul Barras?’

  ‘Barras?’The sergeant turned and pointed towards the old royal quarters in the centre of the Tuileries. ‘In there, with the other officers, sir.’

  ‘Fine. Come on, Junot.’

  Keeping low, they hurried across the courtyard and up the steps to the main entrance. Behind them the exchange of musket fire kept going a moment longer and then eased off into the odd desultory shot. Inside the palace a young orderly escorted them up the grand staircase to the first floor suite that Barras had chosen for his headquarters. The door was open and the two officers strode in. It was a large chamber, decorated with gilt and fine wallpaper. Little of the original furnishings had survived the mob’s assault on the royal palace a few years earlier and Barras sat at a plain desk. Around him stood or sat several officers, only one of whom Napoleon recognised, and his heart sank.

  ‘That’s General Carteaux,’ Junot whispered.

  Napoleon nodded. The last time they had met, Carteaux had been commanding the army laying siege to Toulon - until the Committee of Public Safety had relieved him of the post for his complete incompetence. Napoleon turned his gaze towards Barras as the latter stood to greet the new arrivals.

  ‘And who may you two be?’

  Once Napoleon had introduced himself and Junot Barras nodded. ‘Any combat experience?’

  ‘Yes, sir. We served with the army that took Toulon. I commanded the artillery.’

  Barras raised his eyebrows. ‘Ah! I remember. So you are that artillery officer. Robespierre could not have praised you more highly. Still, given the way things turned out I’m not so sure how much stock I should place in his judgement.’

  The other officers laughed.There was a harsh nervous edge to the sound that made Napoleon’s spirits sink. If this was a sign of how far morale had fallen then the odds against their beating the royalists had lengthened. Barras sat back down.

  ‘Well then, Brigadier, I expect you want me to tell you about our little predicament?’

  Napoleon nodded.

  ‘From the latest reports it seems that General Danican has gone over to the royalists. My agents tell me that at first light tomorrow over twenty thousand militia men and royalist sympathisers are going to march on the Tuileries. They intend to massacre every soldier and member of the government that they find here.’

  Chapter 5

  ‘How many men do you have under your command?’ Napoleon asked.

  ‘Five thousand,’ Barras replied. ‘Although a thousand of those are volunteers and have no weapons and another five hundred are reservists. They don’t have weapons either.’

  ‘So, three and a half thousand muskets against twenty thousand.’ Napoleon shook his head. ‘Not good odds. Not unless we can restore the balance some other way.What about cannon? How many pieces do you have?’

  ‘None.’ Barras shrugged. ‘This is the seat of government, not a bloody arsenal.’

  ‘Then we’ll have to find some guns and bring them here.’ Napoleon turned to Junot and snapped an order. ‘There are cannon at the artillery park at Neuilly. Find some men - two companies should do - and bring back ten light pieces. We only need them to fire grapeshot.’

  ‘It’s too late for that,’ Barras cut in. ‘A royalist column is already on its way there.’

  ‘Then we must beat them to it!’ Napoleon’s eyes flashed angrily. ‘Unless you want to surrender the palace to them right now, citizen.’

  ‘Of course not!’ Barras drew himself up and placed a hand on his chest. ‘I have dedicated my life to defending the republic.’

  Napoleon drew a deep breath before he continued. ‘We are not in the debating chamber now, citizen. We need actions not words. Better still, we need those guns.’

  Carteaux jabbed a finger at him and sneered. ‘And just how do you think we can get them? We’re not at Toulon now, boy.You can’t just pull the guns out of thin air. We’ve already done all we can.’

  ‘So we sit on our arses and wait for them to come for us, eh?’ Napoleon mocked him.

  Carteaux jumped up from his chair and strode towards Napoleon, towering over him. He spoke through clenched teeth. ‘Your Jacobin masters are not here to protect you now. I put up with your insolence far too long before. Now it’s time we settled this.’

  ‘Gentlemen!’ Barras shouted.‘That’s enough.We have enough enemies out there without making more in here. Sit down, Carteaux.’

  The old general glared at Napoleon for a moment before he returned to his chair. There was a tense silence while tempers cooled a little and Napoleon realised that not one of the other officers had spoken since he had entered the office. Clearly the fight had already been knocked out of them. Someone needed to take charge of the palace’s defences. They needed a plan if they were to stand any chance of beating General Danican and his rebels.

  His thoughts were interrupted by the harsh clatter of heavy boots and he turned towards the sound as a cavalry officer swaggered into the office. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, long curly hair and bearded cheeks. Approaching the table he glanced round.

  ‘Who is in command here?’

  ‘I am,’ Barras replied.

  ‘No, I mean who is really in command?’

  Napoleon took a step forward and cleared his voice. ‘Citizen Barras has been charged by the assembly to defend the palace. But I have assumed command.’ He turned to the other officers. ‘Unless there are any objections?’

  There was no reply, not even from Carteaux who stared fixedly at his long boots. Napleon nodded. ‘Very well then. And who might you be?’

  ‘Major Joachim Murat, of the hussars. I came as soon as I got word that the royalist scum were up to no good. I have brought two squadrons of my men with me.’

  Napoleon’s eyes lit up. ‘Cavalry! Your men are ready to ride?’

  ‘Well, yes.’ Major Murat was taken aback. ‘But we’ve only just got here.’

  ‘There’s no time to discuss this, Major.You must do exactly as I say. Do you know the artillery park at Neuilly?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Good. Take your men and ride there immediately.You must stop for nothing. Cut down anyone who gets in your way. Citizen Barras will write an order while you are gone to cover that. When you get there find me some guns - four-pounders - and plenty of powder and ammunition, particularly case shot. Then bring it straight back here. Have you got that?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Then go at once, Murat. The fate of France rests on your shoulders today. Remember that.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ With a scrape of his boots Murat stood to attention and saluted Napoleon. Then he turned and strode from the room.

  ‘Murat!’

  ‘Sir?’

  ‘Run, don’t walk.’

  Napoleon turned back to Barras. ‘Citizen, if you would permit me, I would like to walk round the defences and see to the best disposition of our men.’

  ‘Of course.’ Barras nodded. ‘Whatever you think best.’

  ‘Once that’s done, these officers will be assigned to the key points we are defending.They will need to hold them at all costs.’ Napoleon turned to address them all. ‘It is as I said to Major Murat.The fate of France is in our hands. Our hands, gentlemen. We must not fail. And we must not let our men think there is any doubt in our minds that we will beat the royalists. Do you understand me? Our men will look to us in the coming hours. Do not fail them. Show no fear and accept no dissent. Is that clear?’

  The other officers nodded their agreement and Napoleon clapped his hands. ‘Good. That’s settled. Come, Junot. We have work to do.’

  As they strode out of the room, Junot leaned towards his friend and muttered, ‘Did you see their faces? You made them look like scared rabbits. Now they’re eating out of your hand.’

  Napoleon shrugged.‘They just needed someone to give them an order. Now I just hope they’ll do their duty.’

  The two of them made a thorough inspection
of the defences of the Tuileries and Napoleon gave orders for the boarding up of the lowest windows and doors and the barricading of all but a few of the smaller entrances. Nearly all of the men looked nervous and he could understand their fear at the overwhelming odds they faced. But he did his best to inspire them, telling them again and again of the significance of the next few days, and that when it was over they would have stories to tell their grandchildren and make them proud to be the bearers of an honoured family name. He also saw to it that the stores of powder and musket balls in the magazine were distributed to each strong-point, together with food and water to last each several days. Every time he glanced out into the streets surrounding the palace, Napoleon could see more and more of the royalists around the Tuileries as they prepared for the coming attack. But, other than the cautious figures moving behind cover, the streets were empty and silent.

  Napoleon returned to Barras’ office at noon and quickly assigned the officers to their positions. Even those senior to him in rank readily nodded their assent and hurried off to their posts. As the last of them left, Napoleon turned to Barras and saw that behind the earlier bluster of a politician the man was anxious, fearful even, and seemed resigned to defeat.

  ‘Don’t worry, citizen. We’re in a strong position and the men are prepared to fight. When Danican makes his move in the morning he’ll get far more than he bargained for. If we can cut down his men quickly enough, then they’ll break and run for it.’

  ‘And if they don’t?’

  ‘Then we will just have to defend the palace room by room.’

  ‘I see.’ Barras gave him a searching look.‘And are you prepared to die for the republic, Brigadier Bonaparte?’

  ‘I am,’ he replied firmly, then smiled. ‘In any case, it makes no difference if I am willing to die for the republic or not. Our lives are in the hands of fate now. But I have to admit, I am intrigued to know what the outcome will be, once this fight is settled.’

  ‘Intrigued?’ Barras laughed. ‘Good God, man! You’re a cool one. And if we’re both still alive at the end of it, then I will make sure that the nation knows your name.’

  As the afternoon wore on, the royalists began to be more bold. Individual men crept closer to the Tuileries through the gardens, or climbed to the upper floors of neighbouring buildings, and took pot shots at any faces they saw at the palace windows.When the sun started to sink towards the distant rooflines Napoleon was squinting out across the gardens as Junot muttered, ‘Doesn’t look as if Murat managed to reach the guns. Danican’s men must have got there first.’

  ‘You’d better pray that they didn’t. Otherwise they’ll pound the Tuileries into rubble. In any case, you’re being unfair to Murat.’

  ‘Really, sir? I thought he looked like a typical cavalryman. Spoiling for a fight. All mouth and no mind.’

  ‘Right now, perhaps that makes Murat the best man for the job. He’s—’

  Napoleon was interrupted by the crackle of gunfire from the far end of the Tuileries gardens. Through the trees lining the central avenue he glimpsed figures running to each side. Moments later a handful of mounted men charged down the avenue, brandishing the silvery curves of their sabres. Behind them came the guns, each limbered up and drawn by teams of horses. At the rear came the main body of Murat’s cavalry. They halted halfway down the avenue to discharge their pistols and carbines as the braver souls amongst the royalists rose up to take a shot.

  Napoleon turned to Junot. ‘There, I was right about him. Come on!’

  In the safety of the courtyard Murat had dismounted and was waiting by one of the guns he had snatched from under the noses of the rebels. As Napoleon and Junot approached he slapped the breech of the cannon with his leather gauntlets.

  ‘Here are the cannon you requested.’

  Napoleon laughed and grasped Murat’s hand. ‘Well done! Now we have them!’

  ‘Was there any trouble?’ Junot asked.

  ‘Trouble? Oh, nothing much.’ Murat shrugged indifferently. ‘The other side almost beat us to it. There must have been three companies of militia. But they scattered at the first sign of a blade.’

  Napoleon’s gaze fell to the bloody gash on Murat’s thigh, and he noticed that several of the other riders were injured as well. Clearly, there had been more to it than Murat had implied, but Napoleon had been in the army long enough to know that the best of the cavalry were inclined to such studied understatement. He turned to inspect the guns. Eight of them, all light pieces as he had ordered.

  ‘Major, have your men position two of the guns on the terrace to cover the gardens and have the others taken to the courtyard at the front of the palace. I’ll site each one personally.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Before Murat turned away, Napoleon grasped his shoulder. ‘That was a fine piece of work, Major.When this is over, you can be sure that everyone will know of Joachim Murat’s role in the defeat of the traitors.’

  ‘Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.’ Murat could not contain a boyish smile. Then he saluted and turned to stride off and carry out his orders.

  Night had fallen as the last of the cannon was eased into position behind the barricades at the main gateway leading out on to the Carrousel. The sky was thick with clouds and the air was cold and clammy, and as the first chill flecks of rain began to fall Napoleon gave orders for the powder kegs to be covered with waxed canvas. It was vital that the guns have dry powder ready for the next morning. Without artillery support the thinly spread government forces would not stand a chance.

  Light glowed round the edges of the shutters of the royal suite where Barras had settled in for the night with his closest political associates, but Napoleon did not begrudge the man his creature comforts. It was better that Barras kept away from the men protecting the palace, in case he felt tempted to give any orders. A grenadier had found Napoleon a sword and another man lent Napoleon his greatcoat. At midnight, as the drizzle turned into steady, freezing rain, Napoleon settled with his back to the wheel of a gun carriage and pulled the thick woollen folds of the garment tightly about his shoulders. He willed himself not to sleep, in case the royalists attempted an attack under cover of the foul weather. But there was no sound other than the steady hiss as rain struck the cobbles in a shimmering film of tiny explosions.

  The rain continued through the night and into the dawn as the men on watch duty stared into the gloom, tense and alert for any sign of attack. As the thin milky light spread across the Carrousel and revealed a handful of the royalists still sheltering behind their wagons, Napoleon roused Junot, who had fallen asleep an hour or so earlier, and told him to pass the word along the line to stand to. Sodden, shivering forms of men rose up stiffly behind the barricades and reached for their muskets. Their ears strained to pick up any sound of the approach of the royalist assault columns. But the streets were still as dawn gave way to dull daylight hemmed in beneath a thick blanket of dark rain clouds.

  Junot returned from his errand and crouched down beside Napoleon.

  ‘There’s little sign of any movement around the palace, sir. Seems that Barras’s information wasn’t accurate.’

  ‘Maybe not.’ Napoleon scratched his chin and glanced up at the sky as the rain cleared away. For a moment a single shaft of light angled across the Carrousel from a fleeting gap in the clouds, and then it was gone. He smiled. ‘Perhaps the rain has doused their spirits a little. After all, most of them are just part of the mob. Even the militia have little field experience. On a day like this, it’ll be as much as they can bear to stick their noses outside the door.’

  The morning wore on, and the defenders waited for the royalist attack with increasing impatience.Then, just before noon, the sound of drums drifted across the Carrousel.The men around Napoleon raised their muskets and levelled the muzzles on the barricades as they waited for the first of the rebels to appear.The beating of the drums gradually increased in volume and now they could hear the sounds of cheering, rising and falling in waves. Before the no
ise was loud enough to drown out his orders Napoleon rose up and cupped his hands to his mouth.

  ‘No man will fire until the order is given! If blood is to be shed today, then let it be the fault of the royalists!’

  There was a puff from behind the nearest wagon in the Carrousel and Napoleon ducked as a ball whined past his head.

  ‘Well.’ Junot grinned. ‘That’s the culpability issue settled. We can start killing the bastards as soon as we like.’

  ‘Only when I give the order!’ Napoleon snapped irritably, and was at once angry with himself for letting his nervous exhaustion reveal itself. He turned and called down the line. ‘Gun crews! Stand to! Load with canister!’

  The canvas covers were whipped back immediately as the gunners opened ammunition cases and took out the charges. As soon as they had been rammed home the packs of lead balls secured in tin containers were thrust down the muzzles up against the charge and the crews stood by their weapons.