Jean,

Hi. There were elements of gambling, shear luck, good judgement, leadership, man management, organisation and determination displayed on this day ... however, the big gamble probably came later tho'...

Dwyer reports that on the 18th (brumaire) Cornet and Baraillon were drafting invites to an extraordinarily early meeting of the Council, adding, “they had the right to summon the Council and to dispose of the Directorial Guard.”
Only 150 or so deputies were selectively invited to attend; the invites being delivered by the Guard between 5am and 6am that morning. The first deputies started to arrive at the chamber of the elders in the Tuileries at around 6am. (citing Cornet, Notice historique de le 18 brumaire, Vandal L’avènement (i), p 301)

Cornet read out the details of a plot (by Jacobins) which he denounced, as did Cornudet, Lebrun and Fargues likewise: whereupon Régnier (deputy for (le?) Meurthe) announced that the Constitution provided a safeguard for just such a state of emergency: the Council could meet in a place not far from Paris, then proposed and got thru' a decree (without debate) that the Council be moved (to the chateau of Saint Cloud) and that Bonaparte be nominated “head of the 17th military division – Paris” and that further meetings of deputies would be suspended until mid day the following day.

Dwyer reports that Sieyès managed to exclude the Directorial Guard from Bonaparte’s command – but Bonaparte rectified this omission “in his own hand ... taking de factor control of the Directorial Guard”.
(citing Lentz, le 18 brumaire ..., p. 285-86, Vandal, p p303-04, Roederer, Oeuvres, (iii), p 297)

A large number of army officers were invited to Bonaparte’s house in rue de la victoire. Shortly afterwards, Bonaparte emerged with the decree (delivered by Cornet and Braillon) and proceeded with around 60 officers (including Lefebvre, who he had persuaded to accompany him) to the Tuileries, via the place de la Révolution, where the Consular Guard awaited him.

Dwyer makes the point that there was no reaction from the faubourgs – it was viewed as a military affair as opposed to a "typically" revolutionary journée - i.e. open to general involvement of the people
Bonaparte entered at around 10am, was greeted by Lemercier the president and, after managing to avoid swearing allegiance to the Constitution, read out his proclamation to safeguard “La Republique”, which he would defend, along with his “companions in arms”, a republique based upon liberty and equality – “we will have it; I swear” to which the troops and the assembly rejoined “we swear”.

Lemercier concluded the meeting by announcing they would meet the next day at Saint Cloud, and the deputies emerged shouting “Vive la Republique” ... “They had, in fact, unwittingly, just condemned it to death.”

Dwyer, Napoleon the Path to Power, pp 483-86

BTW - Sorry for the brief (and, perhaps also, obtuse) post earlier in relation to “le chant du départ”.

Dwyer asserts that police reports confirm the song was sung at the theatres on the evening after Bonaparte’s speech to the council – concluding (respectable) people “feared a return of the Jacobins and wanted Bonaparte to succeed”

Dwyer, Napoleon, p 490
(citing Alphonse Aulard, le lendemain de dix-huit brumaire, in études et leçons sur la révolution française (Paris, 1902? or 1924?) , p 224 and Vandal L’avènement, (Paris, Plon Nourrit, 1907?) (i), p 344)

Best wishes

Anthony