CHAPTER THREENapoleon left the Ecole Royale Militaire, Paris, on z8 October 1785.
Before heading south to join the La Fere regiment at Valence he went to
see his patron, Bishop Marbeuf, whose luxurious quarters were at the
Abbey Palace in St-Germain-des-Pres. Marbeuf gave him letters of
introduction to a cleric of equivalent standing in Valence, Monsignor
Tardivon. Although Napoleon was finished with Catholicism, he was still
prepared to milk it for worldly advantage.
Two days later he departed southward on the Lyons stage. His route
took him through Fontainebleau, Sens, Autun and Chalon-sur-Saone
where, on 1 November he took the water coach down the Saone to Lyons.
He completed his journey by post-boat and arrived in Valence on 3
November. Splendidly arrayed in the uniform of the La Fere regiment
blue breeches, blue waistcoat, royal blue coat with red facings, pockets
braided in red and epaulettes with gold and silver fringes - he was
assigned to the bombardier company of Captain Masson d' Autevrive.
The garrison at La Fere had seven artillery regiments (in turn divided
into gunners, bombardiers and sappers) plus fifteen companies of
workmen and miners. The La Fere regiment had the reputation of being
a crack unit; it rose early, worked hard, and drilled as perfectly as an elite
infantry regiment.
Second Lieutenant Bonaparte was the Number Four man in one of
four bombardier companies. Each regiment contained twenty companies,
fourteen of gunners, four of bombardiers and two sappers. Each company
of about seventy men was commanded by a captain with three lieutenants
under him. In the French system, five companies made up a brigade
(commanded by a major), two brigades a battalion and two battalions a
regiment. Napoleon underwent ten weeks of basic training, drilling first
as a private, then as a corporal and finally as a sergeant. He afterwards
paid tribute to this method of learning from the grass-roots up and
attributed to it his famous 'common touch'.
On 10 January 1786 he completed his probation as an officer. His
duties were scarcely onerous: mounting guard, looking after the men,