Old Glory | 09 Sep 2019 6:50 a.m. PST |
Who is your favorite of Napoleons Marshals? For some reason mine has always been Jean Lannes. His bravery with out rashness is well documented as well as being given the highest respect from "the Man" himself -- even allowing Lannes to honestly and boldly speak his mind face to face. Regards Russ Dunaway |
Eagle76 | 09 Sep 2019 6:53 a.m. PST |
I always have had a liking for Davout. Don't know why, never met him. |
Sho Boki | 09 Sep 2019 6:57 a.m. PST |
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Frederick | 09 Sep 2019 7:02 a.m. PST |
Louis Nicholas Davout – the Iron Marshal; tough but very, very fair, took care of his men; preferred to spend time with his family rather than hob-nobbing with high society. His III Corps was an excellent unit and he never lost a battle – his men may have called him "The Iron Marshal" but France's enemies called him "The Beast" |
Old Glory | 09 Sep 2019 7:07 a.m. PST |
My 2nd choice Frederick and challenges Lannes as my 1st !!!! |
Brechtel198 | 09 Sep 2019 7:10 a.m. PST |
Berthier-Napoleon's one indispensable marshal. He was the premier chief of staff of the period. |
Attalus I | 09 Sep 2019 7:20 a.m. PST |
Davout, Duke of Auerstadt. |
Altefritz | 09 Sep 2019 7:20 a.m. PST |
Davout. Together with Soult the only one that was fully-suited for an independent command. |
mad monkey 1 | 09 Sep 2019 7:26 a.m. PST |
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Saber6 | 09 Sep 2019 7:38 a.m. PST |
Davout. He earned his titles |
Artilleryman | 09 Sep 2019 7:52 a.m. PST |
Yup, Davout gets my vote for all the positive reasons stated. And he stayed loyal to his Emperor to the bitter end. |
Brechtel198 | 09 Sep 2019 8:22 a.m. PST |
Davout. Together with Soult the only one that was fully-suited for an independent command. To that I would add Lannes, Suchet, St Cyr, and Massena. 'The rest were human projectiles who required the Emperor's aim and impulse.' |
Stosstruppen | 09 Sep 2019 9:05 a.m. PST |
I always have choices that go against the norm. St Cyr would be my favorite. LaSalle would have been a good one. I always like Eugene, but he was no Marshal… |
rustymusket | 09 Sep 2019 9:15 a.m. PST |
Davout. I feel he could have been quite foe for Napoleon, had he gone that way. |
15th Hussar | 09 Sep 2019 9:33 a.m. PST |
St Cyr here too, as a very close 2nd to Davout! He knew what he was about on both the field of battle and the approach to! |
Steamingdave2 | 09 Sep 2019 9:49 a.m. PST |
Definitely Davout. Well organised, disciplined and cool glasses! |
Old Glory | 09 Sep 2019 9:57 a.m. PST |
Interesting that, perhaps the two most famous Marshals --- Ney and Murat -- are not even getting a mention ???? |
von Winterfeldt | 09 Sep 2019 10:05 a.m. PST |
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David Brown | 09 Sep 2019 10:35 a.m. PST |
Davout was a fine marshal until 1812, during which he put in a rather average innings, given his previous standards. He was never really tested in the crucible of the 1813 -14 campaigns, when he preferred to sit it out and await Napoleon's downfall. DB |
138SquadronRAF | 09 Sep 2019 10:35 a.m. PST |
Depends at what level. Form a purely military stand point: St. Cyr, mostly based on his work wth the Army of the Rhine in the Revolutionary Wars. Runners up: Davout Berthier Lanne Marmont, Yes I know not much love because of the 1814 thing, but when he stopped fighting the the hand had written "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN" on the wall. My reasons for liking him was his sensible artillery reforms (never properly implemented because of the financial failures of the French state) and his willingness to work with other Marshals in Spain. He actually was a team player. At a personal level, and the one I would most like to meet: St Cyr. An introvert who was notoriously difficult at a personal level. Well since I'm the same way, I know how to deal with introverts. |
138SquadronRAF | 09 Sep 2019 10:38 a.m. PST |
…fully-suited for an independent command. ….and Massena. Tell me Kevin, how did that work out in Spain? |
Marcel1809 | 09 Sep 2019 10:39 a.m. PST |
Lannes Davout Ney (for his bravery) |
DisasterWargamer | 09 Sep 2019 10:42 a.m. PST |
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JMcCarroll | 09 Sep 2019 10:57 a.m. PST |
Lannes = Corp. Davout = Army Ney = Division |
surdu2005 | 09 Sep 2019 11:09 a.m. PST |
Devout and Bertier, for different reasons. |
BillyNM | 09 Sep 2019 11:09 a.m. PST |
It's Massena for me but with Marmont close behind. |
Lord Hill | 09 Sep 2019 11:12 a.m. PST |
Poniatowski (was he a full Marshall?) – great name, great uniform, and drowning in a river is a memorable way to go. |
Gunfreak | 09 Sep 2019 11:15 a.m. PST |
Hate to be so cliched, but Davout. |
Sebaar | 09 Sep 2019 12:01 p.m. PST |
Poniatowski shown in 1792 and 1809 campaigns that he was fully-suited for an independent command but also good organizer. In 1812 and 1813 he did a lot better job than some marchals. |
Brechtel198 | 09 Sep 2019 12:02 p.m. PST |
I always like Eugene, but he was no Marshal… Eugene was a French general officer, but he was also Napoleon's viceroy in the Kingdom of Italy. He would outrank a marshal in the field. He is also the most underrated generals of the period. |
Brechtel198 | 09 Sep 2019 12:05 p.m. PST |
He was never really tested in the crucible of the 1813 -14 campaigns, when he preferred to sit it out and await Napoleon's downfall. Davout was assigned to the defense of Hamburg which he held against all odds. He did not 'sit it out and await Napoleon's downfall. |
USAFpilot | 09 Sep 2019 12:43 p.m. PST |
All of them were very brave; most of them loyal. I'd pick: Berthier Lannes Davout |
138SquadronRAF | 09 Sep 2019 12:43 p.m. PST |
Poniatowski (was he a full Marshall?) Yes, for a Day, made one on 18th October. Drowned the next day.
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Ed Mohrmann | 09 Sep 2019 12:43 p.m. PST |
Lannes would be my first choice had he survived beyond 1809. So Davout. |
Old Glory | 09 Sep 2019 12:47 p.m. PST |
Why do so many people think LaSalle would have become a Marshall had he lived ? Just because he was dashing and it's cool to like him? |
Gunfreak | 09 Sep 2019 1:28 p.m. PST |
Wouldn't LaSalle just be a new Murat, did the army really have room for two dashing cavalry Marahals? |
John Tyson | 09 Sep 2019 1:51 p.m. PST |
Marshal Soult. A most able, yet congenial officer. He could be relied upon for overall independent command. Had just about the right amount of caution and audacity. Devout is without a doubt the most able Marshal, but I sure wouldn't want to be on his staff. He was hard on his folks. I've worked for men liked him. Basically, an @$$Hole, and it's not necessary. It's a personality thing; not an ability thing. God bless, John T. |
Eumelus | 09 Sep 2019 2:01 p.m. PST |
I'd also class Suchet as"fully-suited for independent command", as he successfully performed as a civil administrator as well as military commander of Aragon. He also showed honor and loyalty by declaring for the Emperor in the Hundred Days. |
Brechtel198 | 09 Sep 2019 2:07 p.m. PST |
Wouldn't LaSalle just be a new Murat, did the army really have room for two dashing cavalry Marahals? There were better light cavalrymen than either Murat or Lasalle. In 1809 Bessieres was a much better commander of the Cavalry Reserve than Murat, and he had the added advantage that he actually took good care of both horses and men. Montbrun, Pajol, and Grouchy were also better cavalry commanders than Lasalle, although Lasalle gets more press than the others. And the list does go on with Jacquinot, Pire, Marulas and still others. Interestingly, Montbrun, Pire, and Jacquinot, as well as Marulaz, all served under Davout's command at one time or another, Davout being one of the two marshals who began as cavalrymen. |
ConnaughtRanger | 09 Sep 2019 2:09 p.m. PST |
Andre Massena – can't imagine the dependable but dull Davout invading Portugal in the company of Henriette (actually Maria Anne Eugenie) Renique? |
Whirlwind | 09 Sep 2019 2:29 p.m. PST |
Grouchy. As well as a very creditable overall career, saving the reputation of the French Army by beating the Prussians in the last big battle of the war after Napoleon was so soundly thrashed and his army was reduced to a howling rout has to stand high in the annals. |
Brechtel198 | 09 Sep 2019 4:30 p.m. PST |
Davout was hard on his subordinates. His troops were always the best-trained and best-equipped in the Grande Armee. He stood up for his officers if they had obeyed his orders and he remembered and rewarded competence. Whether or not he was nice or friendly does not matter at all. His troops called him 'The Just.' He permitted no looting. Both von Brandt and Coignet have excellent stories to tell about him, as does Marbot. |
dBerczerk | 09 Sep 2019 4:46 p.m. PST |
I always enjoyed the humor in the "bonus" figure included in one of the Old Glory 15mm Marshalls Packs, circa 1993: Marshall Dillon. |
Vintage Wargaming | 09 Sep 2019 4:54 p.m. PST |
MacDonald. I'm a MacDonald. And no-one else has chosen him. And he was a better swimmer than Poniatowski. |
Old Glory | 09 Sep 2019 5:00 p.m. PST |
dBerczerk, Forgot all about that !! Done by me just for a little fun. Actually had a few people get upset as they felt they were paying for him, when in reality he was thrown in for free!! |
BTCTerrainman | 09 Sep 2019 6:29 p.m. PST |
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Kevin in Albuquerque | 09 Sep 2019 6:47 p.m. PST |
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Dukewilliam | 09 Sep 2019 7:07 p.m. PST |
Better swimmer than Poniatowski, haha. And a Grouchy revisionist! Very cool. |
Lascaris | 09 Sep 2019 8:27 p.m. PST |
If St. Hilaire had survived Aspern and received his baton I would choose him. However, given history I'll go with Suchet followed by Davout. |
Fredloan | 09 Sep 2019 8:43 p.m. PST |
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