Bernadotte failed to get to Dornburg when he was ordered to do so. And the order stated that if he was with Davout he was to march with him. That part of the order, which superseded the order to Dornburg because the situation had changed, was neglected and ignored by Bernadotte who refused to support Davout, one of the points being that Bernadotte refused to march behind Davout since he commanded I Corps and Davout III Corps.

That is not what the order said. It said "if" he was with Davout, he "could" travel with him on his way to the Dornburg. Napoleon did not conclude what you do, as you quoted him. Bernadotte *should* have been in Dornburg. The situation hadn't changed as far as Davout and Bernadotte were concerned when the order arrived. There was no 'superseding' part of the order and Bernadotte didn't 'refuse' to march behind Davout, which was in any case in the wrong direction from the road to Dornburg. He marched where he was told to march... just very slowly.

What events do you think established that the 'situation had changed'? Neither Davout or Bernadotte acted differently than what the orders prescribed, nor do they report that the orders received were somehow invalid or to be ignored because the situation had 'changed.'

Bill