Life of Napoleon, vol. 4

CAMPAIGN OP 1812 IN RUSSIA.

Napoleon finally determines to retreat — Attack on Murat — Departure from Moscow — Retreat on Borowsk — Position of the two Armies — Battle of Wiasma — Approach of Winter — Conspiracy of Mallet and Lahorie— Disaster of Krasnoi — Desperate Efforts of Ney — New Diffi- culties of the Retreat — March of Kutusof on Elvira — Projects of the Russians — Battle of the Beresina — Remarks on this Passage — Contin- uation of the Retreat — Napoleon departs for Paris — Motives of this Departure— General Causes of the Failure of this Campaign — Continua- tion of the Retreat under Murat — He resigns the Command to Eugene — Final Refuge of the Army behind the Elbe — Summary of the Cam- paign of 1812 in Spain — The English destroy the Bridge of Almaraz — Capture of Salamanca — Wellington enters Madrid — llis unsuccessful Siege of Badajos — He retires into Portugal — Operations in the East of Spain — Conclusion 13

CAMPAIGN OF 1812 IN RUSSIA.

Napoleon finally determines to retreat — Attack on Murat — Departure from Moscow — Retreat on Borowak — Position of the two Armies — Battle of Wiasma — Approach of Winter — Conspiracy of Mallet and Lahorie — Disaster of Krasnoi — Desperate Efforts of Ney — New Difficulties of the Retreat — March of Kutusof on Elvira — Projects of the Russians — Battle of the Bere- eina — Remarks on this Passage— Continuation of the Retreat — Napoleon departs for Paris — Motives of this Departure— General Causes of the Failure of this Campaign— Continuation of the Retreat under Murat — Ho resigns the Command to Eugene— Final Refuge of the Army behind the Elbe- Summary of the Campaign of 1812 in Spain — The English destroy the Bridge of Almaraz — Capture of Salamanca — Wellington enters Madrid — His unsuccessful Siege of Badajos — He retires into Portugal — Operations in the East of Spain — Conclusion.

INVASION OF RUSSIA.

by treating with my brother, and thus become the arbiters of their own future. Joseph offered to recognize their con- stitution with certain indicated modifications, and they de- cided to send deputies to Madrid to treat on these bases ; and these deputies were actually on their way, when the dis- astrous battle of Salamanca entirely changed the face of affairs.

INVASION O V KU

General Maucuno had orders to cany this post with the advanced guard. This valiant soldier executed his task with audacity, but afterward advanced with too much precipitancy into the plain beyond. Marmont ascended the eminence to ascertain the state of affairs, and just as he saw the enemy, instead of retreating, making preparations to assail with ad- vantage, his arm was broken by the bursting of a shell. It was now necessary to sustain this division, and to attack the second hill opposite the enemy's centre. The battle was thus begun in a disadvantageous situation. The wounded marshal resigned the command to Clausel, but all the expe- rience of this brave general could not remedy an affair so im- properly begun. Maucune was separated from the rest of the line by half a league, and Wellington moved one Spanish and four English divisions and all his cavalry on the point where we were most exposed to his attacks. Imitating the example of Frederick at Rosbach, or rather mine at Auster- litz, he waited till our left was well separated, then ordered Beresford to attack the heights of Arapiles, and directed, by an oblique march, the half of his army on the extreme left. Taken in front and flank this wing was thrown on the centre which evacuated the Arapiles in pretty good order, but was finally involved in the defeat of the left.

TAG!

the Elbe— The j enter Saxon y — Negotiations with Austria— She declares an armod Mediation — Napoleon rejoins his Army — Ue advances on the Saale — Organization of his Army — Levy in Mass in Prussia— Movements of the Allies — Position of their Annies — Napoleon effects his Junction with Eugene — He directs his March on Leipsic — Project of the Allies- Battle of Lutzen — Remarks on this Battle — Pursuit of the Allies on Dresden — Eugouo sent to organize an Army in Italy — New Negotia- tions — Another Mission of Bubna — Napoleon accepts the Proposition of a Congress — Caulaincourt's Proposition to Russia — Napoleon repairs to Bautzen — Fortified Position of tho Allies — Ney's March to turn this Position — Combats of Weissig and KGnigswarth — Ney debouches on Klix — Battle of Bautzen — Remarks on this Battle — Nesselrode's Reply to the Overtures of Caulaincourt — Combats of Reichenbach and Ilaynau — The Allies throw themselves on Schweidnitz — Armistice of Neumark — Combat of Luckau — Treaty with Denmark — Third Mission of Bubna — Negotiations of the Allies at Reichenbach — Metternich at Dresden — His Interview with Napoleon — Envoys to the Congress of Prague — Napoleon meets his Empress at Mayence — Military Projects of the Allies — Negotiations at Prague — Summary of Operations in Spain — Battle of Victoria — Sachet's Operations in the East of Spain 65

SPRING CAMPAIGN OF 1813,

tiHe — Pursuit of the Allies on Dresden — Eugene sent to organize an Army in Italy— New Negotiations — Another Mission of Bubna — Napoleon accepts the Proposition of a Congress — Caulain court's Proposition to Rus- sia — Napoleon repairs to Bautzen — Fortified Position of the Allies^Ney's March to turn this Position — Combats of Weissig »nd Konigswarth — Ney debouches on KJix — Battle of Bautzen — Remarks on this Battle— Nesseh rode's Reply to the Overtures of Crmlain^urt— -Combats of Relchenbach and Hajmau— The Allies throw themselves on Son we id nils— Armistice of Neu- mark — Combat of Luckau — Treaty with Denmark — Third Mission of Dubna — Negotiations of the Allies at Reicheabach — Metteraich at Dresden—*His Interview with Napoleon — Envoys to the Congress of Prague — Napoleon meets his Empress at Mayencc — Military Projects of the Allies — Negotia- tions at Prague — Summary of Operations in Spain — Battle of Victoria — Suchet's Operations in the East of Spain.

SPRING CAMPAIGN UF 1813.

Battle of Bautzen.— On the twenty-first of May, at the

SPRING CAMPAIGN UF 1813.

Combat of Luckau. — At the moment of signing this armistice Marshal Oudinot sustained a slight check at Luckau. I had directed him on that city, after the battle of Bautzen, to attack Bulow's corps which had followed the march of Belluno when he left Wittenberg to join Ney, and * thus threatened our line of operations. Bulow was stronger than we supposed, and the Duke of Reggio did not succeed in his mission, which, however, was rendered useless by the armistice.

SPRING CAMPAIGN UF 1813.

At the moment that Metternich was leaving Dresden, I received the news of Joseph's defeat at Vittoria. This in- creased the embarrassment of my position, and if England had been included in the proposed treaty I might have ac- cepted the conditions offered ; but to close this war with all the difficulties of my maritime .quarrel still on my hands. was too important a step to be hastily taken.

VOL. IV. 8.

Joseph now, for the first time, renounced the defense of Madrid and collected his forces at Burgos. The increasing efforts of the Anglo-Spaniards, the sad effects of our disasters in Russia, and the necessity of seeking the security of the army rather than the preservation of a useless capital, justi- fied this resolution ; but it was now necessary to instantly take the initiative against the enemy, or to retire. Joseph prefered to remain on the defensive. But the new demon- strations of the enemy soon forced him to blow up the fort of Burgos and to retire into the plains of Vittoria.

TOOK THE CONGRESS OF PRAGUE, TO THE RETREAT BEHIND THE RHINE.

Renewal of Hostilities.— Although the overthrow of my brother's throne had no immediate influence on the military operations in Germany, nevertheless, it greatly complicated my affairs. I had always supposed that I could at any time draw fifty thousand men from heyond the Pyrenees to the Elbe ; but the unfortunate defeat of Vittoria not only des- troyed these hopes, but on the contrary caused me alarm for

CAMPAIGN OF 1814.

Negotiations for the Restoration of Ferdinand.— I have been reproached with too much indecision in my course to- ward Spain. It is certain that if I had sent hack Ferdinand immediately after my return from Leipsic, and at the same time had recalled Sachet into Languedoe, I would have had dfopoeable On the Rhone thirty or forty thousand men of the old Lands by the middle of February, instead of leaving them to be invested in the fortifications of Catalonia. The propitious moment for effecting this restoration hud passed ; I have already remarked that I had refused to do it, at the beginning of 1813, on my return from Russia and previous to the battle of Vittoria, on account of the excess of my confidence in my resources, and from the fear of drawing Enrol** upon me by unveiling my weakness. But I ought certainly to have done it as soon as the rupture of the nego- tiations of Prague, the defeat of Joseph, and the defection of Austria, placed the grand question of the empire of the civilized world in the fields of Saxony and the mountains of Bohemia, Suchet might then have withdrawn all his garri- sons which were uselessly compromittcd in the fortifications

AUTUMN CAMPAIGN OF 1813.

Renewal of Hostilities — Immense Efforts of the Coalition — Organization of the Allied forces — Organization of tho French Army — Relative Position of the opposing Forces — Different Combinations of the Theatre of War — Preliminary Movements — Plan of Operations — Napoleon marches against Blucher — Ilia Instructions to Macdonald — Tho Command of tlio Allied Forces — March of the Allies on Dresden — Their singular Disposi- tions for Attack — Napoleon's Project to cut them off at Konigstein — Battle of Dresden — Tho Allies retreat — Operations of Vandammo near Konigstein — His Disaster at Culm — Oudinot defeated at Gros-Beercn — Macdonald's Disaster at the Katzbach — Napoleon marches to his Assis- tance — Ney's defeat at Donnewitz — Remarks on this Battle — Remarks on Napoleon's Plan of Campaign — I lis Demonstrations on Bohemia — Third Attempt against Blucher— New Hans of the Allies — They assume tho Offensive — Napoleon marches against Blucher and Bernadotte — Napoleon's Project of Manoeuvering apiinst Berlin — It is defeated by tho Defection of Bavaria — The Allies concentrato on Leipsic — Singular Pro- ject of Schwartzenberg— First Day of Leipsic — Napoleon proposes an

TOOK THE CONGRESS OF PRAGUE, TO THE RETREAT BEHIND THE RHINE.

Renewal of Hostilities — Immense Efforts of the Coalition — Organization of the Allied forces — Organization of the French Army — Relative Position of the opposing Forces — Different Combinations of the Theatre of War — Prelimin- ary Movements — Plan of Operations — Napoleon marches against Blucher— His Instructions to Macdonald — The Command of the Allied Forces — March of the Allies on Dresden — Their singular Dispositions for Attack — Napoleon's Project to cut them off at Konigstein — Battle of Dresden — The Allies retreat — Operations of Yandamme near Konigstein — His Disaster at Culm — Ou- dinot defeated at Gros-Boorcn — Macdonald's Disaster at the Katzbacb — Napoleon marches to his Assistance — Xey's defeat at Dennewitz — Remarks on this Battle— Remarks on Napoleon's Plan of Campaign — His Demonstra- tions on Bohemia— Third Attempt against Blucher— New Plans of the Allies — They assume the Offensive — Napoleon marches against Blucher and Ber- nadotto— Napoleon's Project of Manoauvering against Berlin — It is defeated by the Defection of Bavaria — The Allies concentrate on Leipsic — Singular Project of Schwartzonberg — First Day of Leipsic — Napoleon proposes an Armistice which is refused — The Allies receive Reinforcements — Second Day of Leipsic — Third Day of Leipsic — Remarks on this Battle — Napoleon retreats on Erfurth — Pursuit of the Allies — Departure of Murat — Threaten- ing March of the Bavarians — Their Defeat at Hanau — The French retire behind the Rhine— Capitulation of Dresden — Operations before Hamburg — Capitulation of Dantzic— Siege and Blockade of the other Fortresses— Oper- ations of Eugene in Italy — Soult's Operations in Spain.

AUTUMN CAMVAIN UF 1813.

Battle of Dresden, August 26th and 27th.— I thought that at the sight of my columns which descended the Elbe and commanded the right of Wittgenstein, the allies would renounce their project of attacking the city. The head of my columns entered the town at two o'clock, and to my great astonishment, at precisely four o'clock, one hundred and twenty thousand men assailed the works. I have since

AUTUMN CAMVAIN UF 1813.

1 Another important moral lesson to bo drawn from these great events is, should ever bo taken not to drive men to despair, since to do this is to endow them with a supernatural strength which may enable them to over- throw the best calculations, and to frustrate the plana of the most consummate skill The allies who, when they abandoned the battle-field of Dresden, re- garded themselves as completely vanquished, and sadly questioned whether, ia attempting to vanquish Napoleon, they had not undertaken an enterprise against destiny itself, suddenly, at the spectacle of the defeat and capture of Vandamme, regarded themselves as being once more in an excel lent posi- 1 that the balance of fortune between themselves and Napo- leon was at least in equilibrium,

IAMPAIGN OF IS 13

This second battle of Leipsic, although the most important of the age in its results, offers but little of interest in its relation to the military art. Three hundred thousand allies, crowded in a semi -circle of three or four leagues, offered no weak point ; however much 1 might manoeuvre, I was cer- tain to find an impenetrable line, equally strong throughout. The battles of Fleurus, Friedland, and Essling are the only

CAMPAIGN OP 1816.

Napoleon at Elba — Division of Parties in France— Course pursued by Louis XVIII. — Different Forms of Government — Defects of the Charter of Louis XVIII. — Errors in its Administration — Napoleon's Reasons for re- turning to France — His Departure from Elba — Ilia Reception in Franco and March on Lyons — The Bourbons prepare for Defense — Decrees of Lyons — Ney declares for the Emperor — Napoleon resumes his Authority as Emperor — Composition of his Ministry — His Position towards Europe — General Coalition against him — Declaration of the Congress of Vienna — Operations of the Duko d'AngoulIrao in the South of France — Troubles in La Vendee — Affairs of Naples — Preparations to repel Aggression upon France — Motives of Napoleon's defensive Attitude — lie refuses to adopt revolutionary Measures — The Champ de Mai — Opening of the Chambers — Their Addresses — Dogmatic Controversies of the Deputies — Napoleon's Reply — Military Preparations of Napoleon — Preparations of tho Allies — Napoleon's general Plan of Campaign — He joins his Army — Plan of Opera- tions — Opening of tho Campaign — Passage of the Sambre, Juno 15th — Measures of the Allies — Decisive Movement prescribed to Ney — Ho delays its Execution — His Delay in marching on Quatre-Bras — Reconnoissanco of tho Position of the Prussians — Dispositions for forcing their Position — Battle of Ligny — Ney repulsed at Quatre-Bras — Position of Affairs on the Morning of tho Seventeenth — Grouchy sjnt in Pursuit of tho Prussians — The Reserves and Left Wing march against tho English — Commencement of tho Battlo of Waterloo— First Appearance of tho Prussians — Napoleon hastens tho Attack on the English— Ney's first Attack on the Centre— Attack of the Left on Hougomont — Xey's second Attack — Bulow debouches on Planehenois — General Charge of tho French Cavalry — Arrival of Blucher and Bulow— Wellington's Dispositions — Defeat of the French Right — Last Efforts and Rout of the French Army — Operations of Grouchy— Manoeuvres of tho Allies The French retreat on Avesnes — Napoleon's Return to Paris — Military Re- sources of France — Conspiracies of Napoleon's Adversaries — Dispositions of the Populace — Napoleon's second Abdication — He retires from France — He is exiled to St. Helena — His Death.

CAMPAIGN OF 18 15,

Battle of Ligny. — I now made my dispositions to attack the Prussians. The corps of Count Lobau, left at first near Charleroi, was ordered to march in all haste to Fleurus. The left of the corps of battle under Vandamme presented

CAMPAIGN OF 1815,

A fatality seemed to have presided over all the operations of my left wing. If it had moved, as I directed, on Quatre- Bras, on the evening of the fifteenth, or the morning of the sixteenth, it could very easily have beaten the isolated divi- sion of Ferponcher, have occupied the position, and detached two divisions on Marbais and Bry, to complete the overthrow of Blucher. But when Ney received the order in the after- noon to march on Bry, the thing wns impossible, for lie had just engaged a superior force at Quatre-Bras. As it was, he had better have remained at Frasnes, for no advantage was gained at Quatre-Bras, and his recall of Count Erlon ren- dered this corps utterly useless, at a time when it might have had an important influence on the fate of Bluchers army. Our victory at Ligny was a glorious one, for, with sixty thousand men, wo had beaten ninety thousand. In two days the enemy had loBt from eighteen to twenty thou- sand killed, wounded, and prisoners, and forty pieces of cannon. My army was full of enthusiasm and confidence,