He decidedly resolved to support the majority of the Directory, and to oppose the royalist faction; the latter, which was beginning to be important, would have been listened to had it offered power to him.  About the end of July he sent his ‘aide de camp’ La Vallette to Paris.  La Vallette was a man of good sense and education, pleasing manners, pliant temper, and moderate opinions.  He was decidedly devoted to Bonaparte.  With his instructions he received a private cipher to enable him to correspond with the General-in-Chief.

Augereau went, after La Vallette, on the 27th of July.  Bonaparte officially wrote to the Directory that Augereau “had solicited leave to go to Paris on his own private business.”

But the truth is, Augereau was sent expressly to second the revolution which was preparing against the Clichy party and the minority of the Directory.

Bonaparte made choice of Augereau because he knew his staunch republican principles, his boldness, and his deficiency in political talent.  He thought him well calculated to aid a commotion, which his own presence with the army of Italy prevented him from directing in person; and besides, Augereau was not an ambitious rival who might turn events to his own advantage.  Napoleon said, at St. Helena, that he sent the addresses of the army of Italy by Augereau because he was a decided supporter of the opinions of the day.  That was the true reason for choosing him.

Bernadotte was subsequently despatched on the same errand.  Bonaparte’s pretence for sending him was, that he wished to transmit to the Directory four flags, which, out of the twenty-one taken at the battle of Rivoli, had been left, by mistake, at Peschiera.  Bernadotte, however, did not take any great part in the affair.  He was always prudent.

The crisis of the 18th Fructidor, which retarded for three years the extinction of the pentarchy, presents one of the most remarkable events of its short existence.  It will be seen how the Directors extricated themselves from this difficulty.  I subjoin the correspondence relating to this remarkable episode of our Revolution, cancelling only such portions of it as are irrelevant to the subject.  It exhibits several variations from the accounts given by Napoleon at St. Helena to his noble companions in misfortune.

Augereau thus expressed himself on the 18th Fructidor (4th September 1797):—­

   At length, General, my mission is accomplished, and the promises of
   the army of Italy are fulfilled.  The fear of being anticipated has
   caused measures to be hurried.