pelissier's dominant letter. 289 he whose strong will had some five days before chap. achieved the capture of the Sousdal Counter-guard ' should be taking an ascendant over one whose relation towards the exploit of the 1st of May was that of a general who had only consented to the enterprise under violent pressure, and had after- wards even apologised to his Government at home for a victory implying deviation from the tasks of an ' army in waiting.' * Then again, the frank, manful, wise boldness contrast, which marked Pelissier's treatment of the Em- peror's instructions contrasted superbly with the subservient attitude of the Commander-in-Chief towards his mischievous sovereign ; and on the whole one may say that from after the adminis- tration of this powerful letter on the 5th of May, Effect of General Canrobert was an almost annulled, and Pelissier a conquering man. III. Before the middle of May, the Emperor's letter Expositions of the 27th of April had reached both the French peror-s plan and the English Headquarters ; as had also a new, the com- ii- -n • • • niandera. though in most respects similar Exposition of his campaigning Plan.Q At the instance of Louis Napoleon, our Government had been framing a set of instructions for Lord Eaglan on the sub- ject of the Emperor's Plan, but these did not reach him in time for the Council of the 14th of May, to which we shall presently come. They,
- See ante, p. 212.
VOL. VIII. T
