"Napoleon Bonaparte Visiting the Plague-Stricken at Jaffa" Topic

"On March 21, 1799, 29-year-old Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) felt it incumbent to visit his troops who had contracted bubonic plague when they took the fortress at Jaffa, Palestine (modern-day Tel-Aviv, Israel), by storm. His goal was to dispel fear about a disease that had caused panic among his troops.2 René-Nicolas Desgenettes, the chief physician, and his general staff accompanied him. Dr Desgenettes recorded the visit as follows:

The General walked through the hospital and its annex, spoke to almost all the soldiers who were conscious enough to hear him, and, for one hour and a half, with the greatest calm, busied himself with the details of the administration. While in a very small and crowded ward, he helped to lift, or rather to carry, the hideous corpse of a soldier whose torn uniform was soiled by the spontaneous bursting of an enormous abscessed bubo.2(p279)…"

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Armand

Interesting – Napoleon had a well honed political sense (which unfortunately he lost in the big picture context after he became Emperor)

didn't he order to poison those who had to be left behind?

Much better than falling into the hands of the muslims … you know that…

Armand

you better ask why did they have to be left behind? Did they have a choice?

Not many choises to be severe wounded on those days… no matter the place… Spain… Russia… or any other place…
you were done…

Armand

Apparently, Napoleon suggested to Desgenettes, his chief medical officer, to give the worst of the sick who could not travel, 'a strong dose of opium.' Desgenettes disagreed and said it would be best to leave them behind and 'let them take their chance.'

The medical staff gave the worst sick laudanum 'as an analgesic.' This caused them to vomit and some of the luckless thirty recovered and returned safely with the army.

For the sick who could travel with the army Napoleon's order for them was: 'All horses, mules, and camels will be given to the wounded, the sick and plague-stricken who show any signs of life'

Napoleon's concern for the sick and wounded was genuine and he had them cared for even in a retreat whenever possible.

Based on experience, Napoleon and his officers and medical staff knew that Turks routinely abused French prisoners, cutting off their heads as a final act.

Considering what the Turks were like to those they defeated. They were known to cut off the ears and nose, parade or abuse them for a few days then decapitate them. So in this case I agree that the best thing for them was to give them 'the easy way out'

you better ask why did they have to be left behind? Did they have a choice?

Better yet, why don't you tell us?

But that would require good faith.

Soldiers, especially the enlisted men, seldom have a choice once they join the armed forces. They do take an oath of service…

Didn't he go on to abandon the Army thereafter? He sailed back to France avoiding the British Navy all the way. A great what if question. What would the British have done with him if they had captured him? And what would have happen in France if He had not returned??

When Napoleon left for Egypt, he told the Directory that if there was trouble and he was needed, he would return.

In point of fact, the Directory sent two recall orders to Napoleon. One was captured by the British, the other was delivered to Napoleon when he landed in France.

So he was simply extremely lucky that orders – of which he was unaware when he decided to leave the army in Egypt – could be used to excuse or justify his actions afterwards.

'Luck is merely the ability to exploit accidennts'-Napoleon

In that case, yes, as Napoleon could then claim that leaving his army was justified, that he had been following the Directory's orders, rather than a reprehensible act by a commander abandoning his troops.

But can't luck also be pure random chance, such as musket shot whistling close past one's head rather than blowing one's brains out? The survivor of the near miss has hardly 'exploited' the accident of the shot failing to hit him.

In case his runner was so justified, why did he do it in such a secret way, not even his follow up – Kléber did know directly he was dumped in the .. by just getting a letter. He did not follow any order by the Directory, as usual when someone – in this case the Armée d'Orient – beame useless to his career, he dumped them.

Very bad leadership