Memoirs of Marshal Oudinot, Duc de Reggio, Marshal of Napoleon During the Revolutionary Wars, the Consulate and First Empire 12+

📕 Marshal Oudinot-soldier of the First Empire of FranceNicholas Charles Oudinot, 1st Comte Oudinot, Duc de Reggio and Marshal of Napoleon Bonaparte's France was not born in the unusual style of the great men of the First Empire, but far from the opportunities that might lead to greatness. One of nine children and the son of a brewer, distiller and farmer in Lorraine, Oudinot served as an ordinary soldier during the 1780s eventually resigning with the rank of sergeant after despairing of failing to achieve further promotion. The French Revolution then cast opportunity at his feet as only great social turmoil can and created the chance to rise through merit in ways impossible during the days of the old regime it swept aside. As a lieutenant colonel of volunteers in 1793 his action in the defence of the fort at Bitsch brought him to the notice of influential commanders and he was transferred to the regular army where recognition for his talent in numerous actions, but particularly at Kaiserslautern in 1794, won him promotion to general of brigade. Now Oudinot began to keep company with the great soldiers of France and he proved himself consistently on the battlefield, rising to inspector general of infantry and winning both the sword of honour and the grand cross of the Legion of Honour. By 1809 Oudinot had joined the elite ranks of the Marshals of France. He fought at Schongrabern, decisively at Austerlitz, at Friedland, Wagram, on the Russian Campaign, Lutzen, Bautzen, Leipz...