As soon as Burgos was secured, the French columns moved west and east to clear the flanks of the Army of Spain. Then news of a battle fought at Tudela reached headquarters. Marshal Lannes had broken a Spanish army, though much of the enemy force escaped intact due to Ney’s failure to cut off their retreat.

Napoleon was furious, and immediately sent an order for Ney to report to him at headquarters. Two days later Ney arrived, soaked through, spattered with mud and exhausted after a hard ride from Tudela. He was ushered into the imperial presence immediately and stood to attention under the glowering eyes of the Emperor as rain beat against the windows of the office.

‘You have let me down, Ney,’ Napoleon began.‘What is wrong with my commanders that they should fail me so? First Victor underestimates his enemy and leaves his corps strung out and vulnerable to counter-attack. I ask you, how could a man of his experience underestimate the worst army in Europe? Then Lefebvre sends his men in piecemeal attacks against entrenched troops. And now you do not arrive in time at Tudela and the enemy escapes. Tell me, Ney, what is your excuse this time?’

‘This time?’ Ney replied with evident ill-temper. ‘And when have I let your majesty down in the past?’

‘The past does not matter.’ Napoleon dismissed the comment with a curt wave. ‘You failed to move your army quickly enough. Because of you most of the enemy escaped.’

‘Sire, you asked the impossible. When your orders reached me I was required to lead my corps one hundred and twenty miles in three days. Over mountains. It was impossible. No soldiers in the entire army could have done that.’

‘It might have been possible had you not rested your men for two days at Soria.’

‘It was barely a day, sire. Half the men were straggling. I had to let them catch up or I would not have reached Lannes with enough men to serve any purpose.’

‘Rubbish! Davout managed an equally hard march before the Battle of Rivoli.’

‘Sire, that was half the distance, over better roads,’ Ney protested.

‘You dissemble, Marshal Ney, and you know it.’ Napoleon thrust a finger at him. ‘Admit it, you failed to do your duty.’

‘No, sire. I did my duty.’ Ney’s expression hardened.‘What I failed to do was the impossible. If you had considered the matter more closely before you sent me my orders you would surely have seen that.’

Napoleon breathed in sharply. ‘How dare you speak to me in such a manner!’