Napoleon's Generals: Who was the best?

**Lord Oda Nobunaga** · July 17, 2011, 11:53 PM

Who were Napoleon's best generals?
MARSHALS
-Pierre Augereau
-Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (in my opinion the worst)
-Louis Alexandre Berthier (mostly a secretary, a very valuable one)
-Jean Baptiste Bessieres
-Marie Guilliaume Brune
-Louis Nicolas Savout (perhaps the best)
-Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr
-Emmanuel de Grouchy
-Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
-François Christophe Kellermann
-Jean Lannes
-François Joseph Lefebvre
-Jacques MacDonald
-Auguste de Marmont
-André Masséna
-Bon-Adrien de Moncey
-Édouard Adolphe Mortier
-Joachim Murat
-Michel Ney
-Nicolas Oudinot
-Dominique de Pérignon (did not deserve this rank)
-Józef Poniatowski
-Jean Sérurier
-Nicolas Soult
-Louis Suchet
-Claude Victor-Perrin

GENERALS
-Louis Desaix
-Eugène Beauharnais
-Jean Victor Moreau
-Joseph Souham
-Jean Rapp
-Jean Baptiste Kleber
-Francois Étienne de Kellermann
-Édouard Milhaud
-Jerome Bonaparte
-Antoine Lasalle

**Carl von Döbeln** · July 18, 2011, 03:18 AM

-Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (in my opinion the worst)

May I ask why you consider him the worst?

**Stormherald** · July 18, 2011, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by Carl von Döbeln

May I ask why you consider him the worst?

Traitor?

**Skejtu** · July 18, 2011, 05:22 AM

And where is for example general Lasalle- probably the best general of light cavalry in history? From the list of MdE I would choose Poniatowski and Davout. First one because of wars with Russia when he was fighting for independence of PLC, later campaign against Austrians and battle of Raszyn, his great performance during retreat from Moscow(only his corps brought his artillery back from Russia), his loyalty(even when Tzar offered him title viceroy of Poland he decided to stay with Napoleon) and his death during covering a retreat. Second one- as probably everyone- his great abilities, Auerstadt, loyalty.

**Zhangir** · July 18, 2011, 07:48 AM

I like how Bernadotte found himself a nice throne, etc. etc.
But my personal favourite was always Ney.

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · July 18, 2011, 08:10 AM

Bernadotte sure proved opportunistic, but as far as the topic goes, I am not sure.

**Farnan** · July 18, 2011, 08:16 AM

Berthier developed the continental staff system which is still in use by most NATO countries, and NATO headquarters itself. That is one of the most important devolopments in military history.

**Carl von Döbeln** · July 18, 2011, 08:24 AM

Traitor?

Oh yes, but that doesn't make him a bad military command does it? He was by far the most successful one, seing as he found himself quite a nice throne.

**Lord Oda Nobunaga** · July 18, 2011, 12:03 PM

Bernadotte was just pretty crap at his job and he also did not follow orders on more than one occasion. Take Auerstadt as an example, he just sat there hoping Davout would get poned so that he could come in and save the day like an idiot.

**Lord Oda Nobunaga** · July 18, 2011, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Skejtu

And where is for example general Lasalle- probably the best general of light cavalry in history? From the list of MdE I would choose Poniatowski and Davout. First one because of wars with Russia when he was fighting for independence of PLC, later campaign against Austrians and battle of Raszyn, his great performance during retreat from Moscow(only his corps brought his artillery back from Russia), his loyalty(even when Tzar offered him title viceroy of Poland he decided to stay with Napoleon) and his death during covering a retreat. Second one- as probably everyone- his great abilities, Auerstadt, loyalty.

Poniatowski was probably the best along side Davout, had Napoleon at least sent them into Spain then things would be different.