maintain his post at Rocroy; you have no longer _any
means_ of saving the country, but by negotiations." M.
Carnot and General Flahaut immediately refuted this
imprudent negation. General Drouot completely refuted
the marshal in the following sitting.... "I have heard
with regret," said he, "what had been said to diminish
the glory of our armies, exaggerate our disasters, or
depreciate our resources. I will say what I think, what
I fear, and what I hope. On my frankness you may depend.
My attachment to the Emperor cannot be doubted: but
before all things, and above all things, I love my
country." The general then gave a true and authenticated
account of the battles of Ligny and Mont St. Jean; and,
after having justified the Emperor from the faults,
indirectly attempted to be imputed to him, continued:
"Such are the particulars of this fatal day. It ought to
have crowned the glory of the French army, destroyed all
the vain hopes of the enemy, and perhaps soon given a
peace to France.... But heaven decided otherwise....
Though our losses are considerable, still our situation
is not desperate: the resources yet left us are great,
if we will employ them with energy ... such a
catastrophe should not discourage a nation great and
noble like ours.... After the battle of Cannae, the Roman
senate voted thanks to their vanquished general, because
he had not despaired of the safety of the republic; and
laboured incessantly, to furnish him with the means of
repairing the disasters of which he had been the
cause.... On an occasion less critical, would the
representatives of the nation suffer themselves to be
depressed? Or would they forget the dangers of their
country, and waste their hours in ill-timed debates,
instead of having recourse to a remedy, that should
ensure the safety of France?"]

Marshal Soult had relinquished his command.

Marshal Massena, worn out by victories, had no longer the bodily
strength, that circumstances required.

Marshal Macdonald, deaf