Note 16 — Front matter
John Pine Coffin translation
Note by a French officer.—The first column had no longer the means of resuming the offensive. The reserve, composed of 20 Battalions of grenadiers, had reached the heights in rear of the divisions St. Hilaire and Vandamme. (The Emperor, with the cavalry belonging to the guards, was already descending from the chapel of St. Anthony.) The rear of the column was exposed to Marshal Davoust and General Legrand. Marshal Bernadotte, alone, had 18 Battalions, not one half of which had burnt priming, and the remainder had been but little engaged.
The French would have gained the victory with 25,000 men less than they had, which is a subject of reflection for military men, and sufficiently shows the influence which the being well commanded has over the operations, of war.