There has since grown up the legend of "the great Napoleon at the siege of Toulon," though the part which he really played was essentially that of a technical expert. He found in command General Carteaux, formerly an artist, who was too ignorant even to understand that to take Toulon he must capture the position which commanded the roadstead. Things were no better under his successor, Doppet, and until the arrival of General Dugom mier, a soldier of greater experience, who, together with Gasparin, the people's commissary, recognized the knowledge and good sense of the young artillery officer.
On the fall of Toulon in Dec. 1793, Napoleon was promoted general of brigade, and in Feb. i 794 he was given the command of the artillery of the army of Italy. These were still subordinate positions, offering little opportunity for prominence. He spent the next few months—the period of the Terror—in inspecting forti fications and was even for a time "suspect" for having recon structed an old fort at Marseilles, a town which had also risen against the Convention. He had rejoined the army of Italy, when fresh disaster seemed imminent. After the 9th Thermidor, his relations with the Jacobins became compromising. Accused of having disclosed certain plans to the younger Robespierre, he was arrested, but, in default of evidence, was released on Carnot's instructions. Nevertheless his position at this juncture was ex tremely precarious. Under the nerveless leadership of Scherer, he had no opportunity of distinguishing himself in the Italian cam paign except at Saorgio and on the Roja. He was marking time, in fact. Like a true soldier he detested the campaign in la Vendee, and he refused the command of an infantry brigade which was to be sent against the Western royalists. Aubry, the minister of war, removed him from the active list in consequence.
Reverses.—He now experienced real poverty, and had to sell his books and his watch. He thought of taking service with the sultan to re-organize the Turkish army. Madame Tallien, wife of the member of the Convention, whom he met at this time, in terested herself in him and made his peace with the authorities. When Kellermann lost the lines of the Apennines it was remem bered that Bonaparte knew Italy, he was taken into consultation, and joined the topographical service of the army.
At this time, in the autumn of 1795, Hoche, Marceau and Jou bert were already famous; Bonaparte was still unknown. It looked
almost as if fortune were definitely against him. The only thing which he had brought back from his campaigns was the itch and, probably, the malaria, which made him very ill. He was obliged to shave his head, which was later on to bring him the nickname of "le petit tondu." Small in stature, thin, yellow-faced, badly dressed, his person was unimposing and no one would have seen in him the future emperor of the French.
Italy.—His first reward was the hand of Josephine, a beauti ful Creole, widow of the viscount do Beauharnais, who had been guillotined during the Terror. Josephine, whose morals were none too strict, was living at this time mainly by her wits. The general was six years younger than she, but he seemed to be on the threshold of a brilliant career, and the marriage freed her from poverty. He had, in fact, as his second reward been ap pointed commander in chief of the Army of Italy. Like Josephine, the government of the Republic was at the end of its financial resources. At this moment, indeed, there was difficulty enough in feeding the troops; it was hoped they would live on the conquered territory. At the beginning of March 1796 Bonaparte married Josephine. At the end of the month he arrived at his head quarters at Nice.