| |
|
|
Then and Now
With Fred Glueckstein |
|
 |
| |
Marengo: Napoleon's Famous Charger
Legendary Horse Esteemed for Courage and Speed
|
| |
The legend of Marengo, a light-colored Arab stallion, began after the Battle of Aboukir in Egypt in 1799. Thought to be descended from the well-known El Naseri stud, the stallion was
|
|
| |
shipped to France to be trained as a charger, a cavalry horse trained for battle, for Napoleon Bonaparte. |
|
| |
The horse from Egypt met Napoleon's personal preferences. French historian Agathon Jean François Fain (1778 - 1837) wrote: "The horses which the Emperor [Napoleon] usually rode were Arabians; of small size, greyish-white, good tempered, gentle gallopers, and easy amblers." |
|
 |
Napoleon Crossing the St. Bernard Pass painted by Jacques-Louis David
(1748-1825), 1801.
Horse in the painting is
believed to be Marengo
|
|
| |
To prepare the six-year-old stallion from Egypt for the rigors of war, the horse was schooled at the Imperial Stud at St. Cloud. The horse was taught to remain steady as guns were fired close to his head. To accustom the stallion to the unexpected, unsheathed swords and bayonets were crossed before him. Drums and trumpets blared suddenly. Dogs and other animals were driven between his legs. The stallion was taught to walk with an easy gait for the long and tiring marches that was the life of the cavalry. (The life of Napoleon's |
|
chargers was hazardous, as some eighteen horses were killed under him in battle.) |
| |
The horse's legendary exploits began on June 14, 1800 when Napoleon rode his new charger at the Battle of Marengo in Italy. Despite Napoleon being wounded in the leg by cannon and almost losing the battle, the French army drove back Austrian General Michael von Melas's surprise attack near the city of Alessandria in Piedmont. Napoleon's triumph caused the Austrians to evacuate much of Italy. So impressed was Napoleon by his new charger's courage, speed, and stamina, he named the horse Marengo in honor of the French Army's victory.
|
| |
 |
The Battle of Marengo painted
by Baron Louis-Francois Lejeune (1775-1848), 1801.
|
|
| |
Marengo became one of Napoleon's favorites. The stallion, which stood at 14.1 hands, carried him at Austerlitz, Jens, and Wagram, even surviving the disastrous campaign into Russia, where thousands of French soldiers and horses died from famine and cold. During Napoleon's exile on the island of Elba, Marengo was cared for in the imperial stables. Horse and master were reunited when Napoleon returned to France in 1815.
|
| |
Napoleon Bonaparte fought his last battle on June 18, 1815 at Waterloo. Marengo was twenty-two years old. On the eve of the battle, the stallion and two other of Napoleon's chargers, Désirée and Marie, were stabled at la Ferme du Caillou. During the early stages of the battle, Marengo carried Napoleon. According to one report, the courageous horse was wounded in the left hip, his eighth wound as a charger.
|
| |
Later in the battle, Napoleon rode his charger Marie. While being chased by English and Prussian cavalry, Napoleon returned to the stables at La Ferme du Caillou for a fresh horse. Marengo was not saddled. In fear of being captured, Napoleon took the first saddled horse he saw and escaped a broken man. Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo ended his rule.
|
| |
Marengo was captured by the British. |
| |
Lord Petre brought the prized charger to England. Marengo was put on public display in 1823 or 1824 in the Waterloo Rooms in Pall Mall. Later, he was purchased by Gen. J.J. Angerstein of the Grenadier Guards. Gen. Angerstein put him to stud in the hope the stallion's offspring would be champion race horses. As late as 1820, Marengo was offered for stud for a price of ten guineas. None of Marengo's colts were successful on the turf. |
| |
Marengo died at the very old age of thirty-eight in 1831. |
| |
The horse's skeleton was preserved and given to the Royal United Services Institute. Gen. Angerstein had one of Marengo's hooves made into a snuff box, which was presented to the officers of the Brigade of Guards at St. James's Palace. |
| |
In an article in The Washington Post on August 17, 1913, titled "Horses That Made History: Chargers That Famous Generals Have Ridden On The Battlefield," the story of the hoof made into a snuff box was told. The snuff box was passed around daily after dinner at the Queen's Guard in St. James Palace, London. The article reported: "On one side of the lid is the legend: 'Hoof of Marengo, Arab charger of Napoleon, ridden by him at Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Wagram, in the Russian campaign, and at Waterloo.'"
|
| |
Around the silver shoe the legend continued: "Marengo was wounded in the rear hip at Waterloo, when his master was on him in the hollow road in advance of the French position. He had been frequently wounded before in the other battles." |
| |
Today, Marengo's skeleton can be viewed at the National Army Museum in London. |
| |
 |
Photo: Courtesy of the National Army Museum, U.K.
|
|
| |
Although controversy has persisted over the years whether the horse known as Marengo was Arabian or a Barb, white or light grey, there is no doubt that the charger made its mark on history. Marengo will be remembered as one of the world's most renowned horses; a legendary warrior admired for his courage, speed, and endurance.
|
| |
| |
Read comments or post your own comments to this article at the bottom of this page. |
| |
| |
Fred Glueckstein was raised in New York City and attended Queens College of
the City University of New York and New York University. Fred has written
extensively about horses. His work has appeared in The Chronicle of the
Horse, The Backstretch, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, Horses in Art,
Equestrian, Preakness Souvenir Magazine, ARMY, The Cavalry Journal, Finest
Hour, the official journal of the Churchill Centre and Societies, and other
publications. His most recent non-fiction book, titled "Mickey Mantle:
Rookie in Pinstripes," was published by iUniverse in 2008.
|
| |
Fred's other books include "Of Men, Women and Horses" (2006), a collection
of stories, and "The '27 Yankees." Both were published by Xlibris. Fred and
his wife Eileen live in Maryland. They have two children, Brian and Debra. |
| |
| |
Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved. The above article is the property of the Author and may not be duplicated or redistributed in any way without permission. |
| |
| |
 |
| |
Reader comments for this article |
|
Name: Deborah Bailey Time: 2008-07-01 22:07:06
Comment: I enjoyed reading about Napolean's horse, Marengo. The article was well written and informative. Thank you.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
