The Grand Army set off in pursuit of the enemy later the same morning. Murat’s cavalry led the way, followed by the columns of Ney and Soult. The shattered men of Davout’s and Lannes’s corps were permitted a day’s recuperation before they had to march swiftly to catch up with an advance column that had set off round the flank of the retreating Prussians in order to cut them off from Berlin.The only men fresh enough to lead the flanking force were those of Bernadotte’s corps and Napoleon reluctantly handed him the responsibility for the task. So it was over a week later before Napoleon finally caught up with the advance column and rode into Bernadotte’s headquarters. He swiftly dispensed with any formal greetings and offers of hospitality and demanded an interview with Bernadotte alone. As soon as the other officers had cleared out of the marshal’s office and closed the doors behind them, Napoleon took off his mud-stained cloak and tossed it one of the ornate couches that Bernadotte took with him on campaign, eased himself into the marshal’s chair and for a moment stared hard at his subordinate.
Bernadotte stood stiffly, hands clasped behind his back, head slightly aloof and gleaming boots shoulder width apart. He was clean shaven and his uniform was spotless. It was dark outside and the room was lit by the candles burning in several gilded candelabras. Despite the heat of the fire in the grate and the comforting hue of the candlelight there was no warmth between the two men. Bernadotte returned the Emperor’s hostile gaze unflinchingly.
‘I assume this is about your request for an explanation of my actions at the recent battle, sire.’
‘No,’ Napoleon replied flatly. ‘I seek an explanation of your
Bernadotte smiled faintly.‘I am of the same rank as Davout. I am not obliged to obey his instructions.’
‘Yet I specifically directed you to take orders from him.’
‘A direction is not an order, sire. In any case, I was already obeying your orders in advancing towards Dornburg.’
‘That was written the previous day,’ Napoleon snapped back. ‘And it was superseded by the order to obey Davout.’
‘The order did not reach me until after I had set out for Dornburg.’
‘You dissemble, Marshal. Only your advance elements had begun to march.The rest of your corps had not even left their encampment.’
Bernadotte frowned irritably. ‘I judged that it would be best to continue with my existing orders rather than cause any delay in my corps’s movement by rerouting the line of advance towards Davout. It was a professional judgement, sire. If you wish to hold me accountable for anything, then let it be for making an unfortunate decision for the right reasons.’
Napoleon stabbed a finger towards him. ‘There was nothing professional about your judgement.You disobeyed an order.You endangered Davout and his entire corps and the snail’s pace of your advance towards Dornburg makes even the Prussians look quick-witted by comparison.’>
Bernadotte shrugged dismissively. ‘There were certain difficulties along the route.’
‘That is a lie. I have had an officer retrace the route and he can find no explanation for the tardiness of your advance.’
‘The officer was not there on the day, sire. What could he know of the difficulties faced by my men? The roads were narrow and we were obliged to halt frequently to drive off enemy scouts.’
‘Good God, man! If the army stopped to fight every scout it encountered we would never advance far beyond the borders of France.’ Napoleon slapped a hand down on the table. ‘Your excuses are feeble, Marshal Bernadotte.You are guilty of a gross dereliction of duty and I can tell you that there is a widespread feeling in the army that you must be called to account, and punished severely.’ Napoleon reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a document and placed it in front of him. ‘Do you know what this is? An order for your court-martial. I have already signed it.’
Bernadotte stared at the document and for the first time his arrogant composure slipped and Napoleon saw a flash of anxiety in his expression.
‘You mean to court-martial me?’
‘The army is expecting it,’ Napoleon replied coldly. ‘You deserve no less. I dare say that any trial before your peers would find you guilty.The other marshals would support such a verdict, and order that you be shot.’
Bernadotte bit his lip. ‘You would countenance that?’
‘If that was the verdict of the court, what else could I do? I will not side with you against the will of the Grand Army.’
Bernadotte took a half-step towards the table and gestured in the direction of the signed order.‘Sire, this is absurd. I am no traitor. I would never betray the interests of France. I am your loyal servant, and I am married to the sister of your brother Joseph’s wife.’
It was a desperate gambit, and Napoleon could not help feeling contempt at such a naked appeal to place family concerns before national interest. He stared back at the miserable Bernadotte and let him suffer through a prolonged silence before he spoke again.
‘I have made my decision, Bernadotte. You have brought disgrace upon yourself, and upon your men, who little merit it. There is no question that you deserve to stand trial.’
Bernadotte clasped his hands together. ‘Sire, I know I made an error of judgement, but I do not deserve this. I swear to you, on my life, that I will never let you down again. I swear it by all that I hold dear!’
Napoleon’s lips curled in contempt for a moment, then he reached for the order and held it in his hands. He stared at the document for a moment before he spoke again. ‘I know full well that if I issue this it is the same as giving the order for you to be shot.’
Napoleon stood up and walked slowly towards the fire. He ripped the order in two and tossed the pieces into the blaze. He watched as flames flared along the edges of the paper and a moment later there was nothing left of the document but charred flakes and ash.Then he turned back to Bernadotte and noted the amazed expression on the other man’s face.
‘You have made your great mistake in life, Bernadotte. Every man is entitled to one such error. There will be
