Leipzig 1813

Bertrand--The First & Final Bonapartist

turned around and started marching along the elevated causeway between Leipzig and Lindenau with the hope of relieving Lindenau and securing the French line of communications. Gyulai had started his assault in the mid-morning, and the Austrians, though moving slowly with their various Masse formations, used their numerical superiority to force the French out of Lindenau. Arrighi was able to use the causeway to assist his defense and slow the Austrians down after being pushed out of Lindenau. ( Combat on the causeway would be very difficult--- almost a two dimensional exercise with limited options for both attack and defense...in game terms, a commander would not want to get caught on the causeway). By the time Bertrand arrived, he had to regroup the French position. He decided to use the whole of the IV Corps to retake Lindenau. The desperate battle continued for the rest of the day, and by evening, the French had not only taken back Lindenau, but had also pushed Gyulai back to his original starting position. It was clear that the French, although outnumbered, even when counting Arrighi and Mongeron, had prevailed at Lindenau. Lindenau would be preserved as an escape route a few days later when the French retreated from Leipzig. Gyulai's corps was in tatters, and was no longer an offensive force at Leipzig. However, despite the French tactical victory, Gyulai had won a strategic victory since Napoleon was deprived of the valuable services Bertrand and his IV Corps might have provided in the south. ( Both the various scenarios and their victory conditions consider what might have been if Bertrand had not got caught up in the Austrian ploy to distract reserves from assisting Napoleon.) Bertrand would go on to have a significant role in the remaining chapters of Napoleonic saga. Bertrand and the IV Corps would first successfully lead the French retreat out of Leipzig on October 18--brushing aside Gyulai's corps with ease. Then Bertrand’s IV Corps would be the primary force in the French rearguard as the remnants of La Grande Armee leaves Germany over the next two months---never succumbing to the overwhelming Coalition forces. In late November, Napoleon appointed Bertrand Grand Marshal of the Palace to replace the deceased Duroc. Bertrand not only successfully completed his duties of managing the Emperor's military household during a challenging time, but he also continued to have military commands and administered the French National Guard. He accompanied Napoleon to Elba; served the French Empire during the 100 days; and with his entire family, accompanied Napoleon to St. Helena, where he remained until Napoleon's death. His final act in service of the Emperor, was to bring Napoleon's body back to France in 1841. Bertrand died in 1844 in his home town of Chateauroux. The body of this first and final Bonapartist was later moved to Les Invalides...there he rests with Napoleon for eternity, ready to serve his emperor and serve the French, and to be a reminder of worth of virtue; loyalty and bravery to us all.

Marshal Emterprises

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