The day was approaching when all was to be lost or won.  The First Consul made all his arrangements, and sent off the different corps to occupy the points he had marked out.  I have already mentioned that Murat’s task was the occupation of Piacenza.  As soon as he was in possession of that town he intercepted a courier of General Melas.  The despatch, which was addressed to the Aulic Council of Vienna, was delivered to us on the night of the 8th of June.  It announced the capitulation of Genoa, which took place on the 4th, after the long and memorable defence which reflected so much honour on Massena.  Melas in his despatch spoke of what he called our pretended army of reserve with inconceivable contempt, and alluded to the presence of Bonaparte in Italy as a mere fabrication.  He declared he was still in Paris.  It was past three in the morning when Murat’s courier arrived.  I immediately translated the despatch, which was in German.  About four o’clock I entered the chamber of the First Consul, whom I was obliged to shake by the arm in order to wake him.  He had desired me; as I have already mentioned, never to respect his repose an the arrival of bad news; but on the receipt of good news to let him sleep.  I read to him the despatch, and so much was he confounded by this unexpected event that his first exclamation was, “Bah! you do not understand German.”  But hardly had he uttered these words when he arose, and by eight o’clock in the morning orders were despatched for repairing the possible consequences of this disaster, and countermanding the march of the troops on the Scrivia.  He himself proceeded the same day to Stradella.

I have seen it mentioned in some accounts that the First Consul in person gained the battle of Montebello.  This is a mistake.  He did not leave Milan until the 9th of June, and that very day Lannes was engaged with the enemy.  The conflict was so terrible that Lannes, a few days after, describing it in my presence to M. Collot, used these remarkable words, which I well remember:  “Bones were cracking in my division like a shower of hail falling on a skylight.”

By a singular chance Desaix, who was to contribute to the victory and stop the rout of Marengo, arrived from Egypt at Toulon, on the very day on which we departed from Paris.  He was enabled to leave Egypt in consequence of the capitulation of El-Arish, which happened on the 4th of January 1800.  He wrote me a letter, dated 16th Floreal, year VIII. (6th of May 1800), announcing his arrival.  This letter I did not receive until we reached Martigny.  I showed it to the First Consul.  “Ah!” exclaimed he, “Desaix in Paris!” and he immediately despatched an order for him to repair to the headquarters of the army of Italy wherever they might be.  Desaix arrived at Stradella on the morning of the 11th of June.  The First Consul received him with the warmest cordiality, as a man for whom he had a high esteem, and whose talents and character afforded the fairest promise of what might one day