Albrecht Adam, artist: "...As for the Emperor's and his staff's great activity, I keep finding my eye returns to a striking individual wearing a light-blue coat trimmed all over with gold braid, red trousers edged with gold, a strange hat lavishly decked with plumes. I couldn't make him out. What struck me most was that he'd so much business near the Emperor, who, like the whole of his suite, was on foot. In the end I asked an officer who was standing beside me: "Maybe you can solve an enigma. How come the Emperor has so much to do with that DRUM-MAJOR?" Surprised, the officer looked at me and said: "What do you mean?" I explained. "My God!" he exclaimed,"but that's MURAT, the King of Naples!"
Leuitnant von Muraldt, the 4th Bavarian Chevaulegers: "General Preyssing sends me to the town's military governor to request billets for our wounded troopers. The governor, a French general of brigade, receives me politely in a ground-floor room where a tall man in buttoned-up greatcoat was sitting writing in one corner. At that moment a French general appears on horseback in the open doorway, accompanied by two AdCs and an orderly officer. Not even bothering to dismount, he begins cursing and swearing and complaining that his lodgings aren't worthy of a lieutenant-general attached to General Headquarters. "I demand you instantly find me something else!" Polite as ever, the commandant points out that, what with the town little houses' lodgings being needed for the Emperor and all the headquarters staff, there's very little choice. The man doesn't accept this sensible reply, but starts insulting the governor, who standing there in the doorway. Suddenly the tall man gets up from his writing-table, pushes the governor aside, and in voice of thunder roars up at the raging general: "If you aren't satisfied, you can f-- off! Do you think we've nothing better to do than listen to your f--ing complaints?" The man on horseback only had to set eyes on the tall man to whip off his hat, bend his back in an equestrian bow, and stammer out an apology. But the tall man just tells him to leave his billet for my wounded men and go to the devil and returns to his writing-table. I have watched this scene open-mouthed, then ask another officer who the tall man is. It's Caulaincourt." (Yes, the brilliant Napoleon's captain, courtier, diplomat and writer but a soldier first of all)
