The new Secretary of War awoke no less lively anger than the Prince de
Polignac. He was a general of great merit, bold to temerity, brave to
heroism, and a tactician of the first order. But his career had felt
the vicissitudes of politics, and like so many of his
contemporaries,--more, perhaps, than any of them,--he had played the
most contradictory parts. Equally intrepid in the army of Conde, in the
Vendean army, and in the Grand Army of Napoleon, he had won as much
distinction under the white flag as under the tricolor. The Emperor,
who was an expert in military talent, having recognized in him a
superior military man, had rewarded his services brilliantly. But it is
difficult to escape from the memories of one's childhood and first
youth.
General Count de Bourmont, born September 2, 1773, at the Chateau of
Bourmont (Maine-et-Loire), amid the "Chouans," had shared their
religious and monarchical passions. Officer of the French Guards at
sixteen, and dismissed by the Revolution, he followed his father at the
beginning of the Emigration, lost him at Turin, then went to join the
Count d'Artois at Coblenz. He took part in the campaign of 1792, until
the disbandment of the Prince's army, served as a simple cavalryman in
the army of Conde, then threw himself into La Vendee in the month of
October, 1794. He was second in command of the troops of Scepeaux. The
Vendean insurrection of 1799 recognized him as one of its chiefs.
Victor at Louverne, he seized Mans the 15th of October, and was the
last to lay down his arms.
Bourmont had a passion for the life of the camp. When the royal troops
had laid down their arms, he was ready to fight in the ranks of the
imperial troops rather than not to fight at all. He distinguished
himself in the Russian campaign, contributed to the victory of Lutzen,
made a heroic defence at Nugent during the campaign in France, and was
named general of division by the Emperor.
During the Hundred Days, General de Bourmont, guilty as was Marshal
Ney, abandoned the cause of Napoleon as the Marshal had that of Louis
XVIII. But there were attenuating circumstances for their conduct. One
could not resist the prestige of the Emperor, nor the other that of the
King. What aggravated the situation of General de Bourmont was that,
after having sought a command from Napoleon, as Marshal Ney had from
Louis XVIII., he deserted three days before the battle of Waterloo. The
royalist, the soldier of the army of Conde, the "Chouan" had suddenly
reappeared under the General of the Empire. His King had summoned him,
and impelled by a false sentiment of conscience, he had responded to
the appeal of his King. But he was wrongly suspected of having
delivered to the English and Prussians the plans of Napoleon.