Soult’s Report about Army Strength

Home/Soult’s Report about Army Strength

June 4 - Soult’s Report about Army Strength

Rapport à l’Empereur.

Paris, le 4 Juin ——— 1815.

Sire,

The various status reports that I have the honor to put before the eyes of Your Majesty will present, on the 10th of this month, for the armies which I suppose must act along the same line of operation, the following results:

Infantery Cavalry Artillery et Engineering
Men Horses Men Horses
Armée du Nord… 65,060. 16,761. 18,421. 6,334. 5,673. For the Imperial Guard the calculation is approximative.
Armée de la Moselle. 12,807. 1,586. 1,744. 1,732. 1,551.
Garde Impériale 15,000. 4,000. 4,000. 2,500. 1,500.
By arm …. 92,867. 22,347. 24,165. 10,566. 8,742.
Overall total 125,780 men and 32,990 horses

Na. The artillery park, in personnel and horses, and the administrations of the army, also in personnel and horses, are not included in this status.

The artillery material is not reported on this status either, but, tomorrow, I will have the honor to put before the eyes of Your Majesty the statement of batteries that will affirmatively be on the line on the 14th of this month. It is still uncertain if those destined for the Imperial Guard will be completely supplied by this time.

But I must point out to Your Majesty that, following the new organization that the Cavalry has just received, a battery of mounted artillery, which was employed in one of the dissolved divisions is becoming available: I have ordered that this battery should join the reserve artillery of the Armée de la Moselle, and that it should follow the movements until new indications from your Majesty.

I have the honor to pray Your Majesty to deign to let me know if the artillery park of the Armée du Nord, which is in La Frère, must go to the front, the 13th and 14th of this month, at the same time that the troops approach the Sambre.

I also have the honor to pray Your Majesty to give me His orders on the general Direction of the Parks, which are in Paris, under the command of Lieutenant General Neigre.

Marshal of the Empire, Major-General.

duc de dalmatie

 

Observations

The adjacent summary gives for results:

Infantry                                         92,867 men

Cavalry                                          22,347

Artillery & Engineering              10,566

Total                                              125,780 men

If the intention of the Emperor is to push to the Sambre from two directions, and as a consequence to form two large Columns, they could be composed as follows:

  • 1st Column
    • Armée du Nord (without 3rd Corps) &Imperial Guard                    92,825 men of which 19,748 Cavalry
  • 2nd Column
    •  3rd Corps    & Armée de la Moselle                                                      32,955 men of which 2,599 Cavalry
  • Total equals       129,780 men of which 22,347 Cavalry

From: Volume 3, Archives Nationals, Gourvernement des Cent-Jours, AF IV 1938, June 4, Soult to Napoleon