These few words show that Bonaparte sufficiently appreciated the services of Kellerman.  However, when that officer approached the table at which were seated the First Consul and a number of his generals, Bonaparte merely said, “You made a pretty good charge.”  By way of counter-balancing this cool compliment he turned towards Bessieres, who commanded the horse grenadiers of the Guard, and said, “Bessieres, the Guard has covered itself with glory.”  Yet the fact is, that the Guard took no part in the charge of Kellerman, who could assemble only 500 heavy cavalry; and with this handful of brave men he cut in two the Austrian column, which had overwhelmed Desaix’s division, and had made 6000 prisoners.  The Guard did not charge at Marengo until nightfall.

Next day it was reported that Kellerman, in his first feeling of dissatisfaction at the dry congratulation he had received, said to the First Consul, “I have just placed the crown on your head!” I did not hear this, and I cannot vouch for the truth of its having been said.  I could only have ascertained that fart through Bonaparte, and of course I could not, with propriety, remind him of a thing which must have been very offensive to him.  However, whether true or not, the observation was circulated about, verbally and in writing, and Bonaparte knew it.  Hence the small degree of favour shown to Kellerman, who was not made a general of division on the field of battle as a reward for his charge at Marengo.

—­[If Savary’s story be correct, and he was then aide de camp to Desaix, and Bourrienne acknowledges his account to be the best, the inspiration of the charge did not come from the young Kellerman.  Savary says that Desaix sent him to tell Napoleon that he could not delay his attack, and that he must be supported by some cavalry.

Savary was then sent by Napoleon to a spot where he was told he would find Kellerman, to order him to charge in support of Desaix.  Desaix and Kellerman were so placed as to be out of sight of each other (Savary, tome i. pp. 279-279).  Thiers (tome i, p. 445) follows Savary.

It may here be mentioned that Savary, in his account of the battle, expressly states that he carried the order from Bonaparte to Kellerman to make this charge.  He also makes the following observations on the subject:—­

After the fall of the Imperial Government some pretended friends of General Kellerman have presumed to claim for him the merit of originating the charge of cavalry.  That general, whose share of glory is sufficiently brilliant to gratify his most sanguine wishes, can have no knowledge of so presumptuous a pretension.  I the more readily acquit him from the circumstance that, as we were conversing one day respecting that battle, I called to his mind my having brought, to him the First Consul’s orders, and he appeared not to have forgotten that fact.  I am far from suspecting his friends of the design of