Volume 8 of Marshal Marmont's memoirs drops us right into the final, frantic days of the Napoleonic Empire in 1814. The Allies are at the gates of Paris. Napoleon is racing to intercept them, but Marmont is left in command of the city's defenses with a patchwork force. The government is in panic, the people are terrified. Marmont lays out, in minute-by-minute detail, the crushing pressure: the pleas from city officials to avoid a bloody siege, the confusing and delayed orders from Napoleon, and the relentless advance of enemy armies.

The Story

This volume is essentially a courtroom drama, with Marmont acting as his own lawyer. The plot is his defense. He chronicles the failed defense at the Battle of Paris, his subsequent withdrawal, and the fateful decision to enter into negotiations with the Allies. He presents letters, orders, and timestamps to build his case. The central 'action' isn't a battle; it's the tense negotiation in a room where he agrees to pull his corps out of the fight, a move that effectively ended any chance for Napoleon to hold onto power. The story ends with the Emperor's abdication and the beginning of Marmont's lifelong infamy as the 'Duke of Ragusa'—a name that became slang for 'traitor' in the French army.

Why You Should Read It

You should read this because it’s history without the polish. Marmont is angry, proud, and wounded. You feel his frustration with a collapsing command structure and his bitterness toward colleagues who he felt abandoned him. It’s not a balanced account—it’s fiercely one-sided—and that’s what makes it so compelling. You’re getting a masterclass in how a smart, ambitious man rationalizes the most controversial act of his life. It forces you to move past simple labels and wrestle with the messy reality of impossible choices made in the fog of war and politics.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs who are tired of the same old Napoleon stories told from the winning or losing side. This is the view from the side that got the blame. It's also great for anyone who loves complex, unreliable narrators. Be warned: this isn't an easy, heroic adventure. It's a dense, detailed, and often defensive military-political post-mortem. But if you want to understand the human fracture lines that shattered an empire, there's nothing else like it. Read it not for truth, but for a powerful, personal truth.