On the 17th Brumaire (November 9th, 1799), Napoleon intimated to the
officers of the army, that he would review their regiments the next
morning at seven o’clock; he at the same time reminded all the generals
who had been with him in Egypt, that he would be glad to see them at an
early hour.
On November 10th, the Council of the Ancients assembled at six o’clock
in the morning; when it was proposed to remove their sitting to St.
Cloud that Napoleon might be invested with the command of the 17th
military division. The motion was passed as a decree, though not without
a strong opposition.
An hour after, Napoleon, surrounded by a great number of generals and
officers, of every grade, attended at the bar of the assembly to return
thanks for the confidence they had shown in him; and then returned to
the Tuileries to review the troops.
As soon as it was reported throughout the capital that Napoleon was at
the Tuileries, and that the chief power was now vested in him. The
people ran thither in crowds. A proclamation was addressed to the
people, and another to the soldiers.
[Illustration: THE REVIEW BY THE FIRST CONSUL.]