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Phipps +Colonel, Late Royal Artillery + +1891 + + + +CONTENTS: +CHAPTER I. to CHAPTER X. 1805-1807 + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +1805. + + Abolition of the Republican calendar--Warlike preparations in + Austria--Plan for re-organizing the National Guard--Napoleon in + Strasburg--General Mack--Proclamation--Captain Bernard's + reconnoitering mission--The Emperor's pretended anger and real + satisfaction--Information respecting Ragusa communicated by Bernard + --Rapid and deserved promotion--General Bernard's + retirement to the United States of America. + +I had been three months at Hamburg when I learned that the Emperor had at +last resolved to abolish the only remaining memorial of the Republic, +namely, the revolutionary calendar. That calendar was indeed an absurd +innovation, for the new denominations of the months were not applicable +in all places, even in France; the corn of Provence did not wait to be +opened by the sun of the month of Messidor. On the 9th of September a +'Senates-consulte' decreed that on the 1st of January following the +months and days should resume their own names. I read with much interest +Laplace's report to the Senate, and must confess I was very glad to see +the Gregorian calendar again acknowledged by law, as it had already been +acknowledged in fact. Frenchmen in foreign countries experienced +particular inconvenience from the adoption of a system different from all +the rest of the world. + +A few days after the revival of the old calendar the Emperor departed for +the army. When at Hamburg it may well be supposed that I was anxious to +obtain news, and I received plenty from the interior of Germany and from +some friends in Paris. This correspondence enables me to present to my +readers a comprehensive and accurate picture of the state of public +affairs up to the time when Napoleon took the field. I have already +mentioned how artfully he always made it appear that he was anxious for +peace, and that he was always the party attacked; his, conduct previous +to the first conquest of Vienna affords a striking example of this +artifice. It was pretty evident that the transformation of the Cisalpine +Republic into the kingdom of Italy, and the union of Genoa to France were +infractions of treaties; yet the Emperor, nevertheless, pretended that +all the infractions were committed by Austria. The truth is, that +Austria was raising levies as secretly as possible, and collecting her +troops on the frontiers of Bavaria. An Austrian corps even penetrated +into some provinces of the Electorate; all this afforded Napoleon a +pretest for going to the aid of his allies. + +In the memorable sitting preceding his departure the Emperor presented a +project of a 'Senatus-consulte' relative to the re-organisation of the +National Guard. The Minister for Foreign Affairs read an explanation of +the reciprocal conduct of France and Austria since the peace of +Luneville, in which the offences of France were concealed with wonderful +skill. Before the sitting broke up the Emperor addressed the members, +stating that he was about to leave the capital to place himself at the +head of the army to afford prompt succour to his allies, and defend the +dearest interests of his people. He boasted of his wish to preserve +peace, which Austria and Russia, as he alleged, had, through the +influence of England, been induced to disturb. + +This address produced a very powerful impression in Hamburg. For my +part, I recognised in it Napoleon's usual boasting strain; but on this +occasion events seemed bent on justifying it. The Emperor may certainly +have performed more scientific campaigns than that of Austerlitz, but +never any more glorious in results. Everything seemed to partake of the +marvellous, and I have often thought of the secret joy which Bonaparte +must have felt on seeing himself at last an the point of commencing a +great war in Germany, for which he had so often expressed an ardent +desire. He proceeded first to Strasburg, whither Josephine accompanied +him. + +All the reports that I received agreed with the statements of my private +correspondence in describing the incredible enthusiasm which prevailed in +the army on learning that it was to march into Germany. For the first +time Napoleon had recourse to an expeditious mode of transport, and +20,000 carriages conveyed his army, as if by enchantment, from the shores +of the Channel to the banks of the Rhine. The idea of an active campaign +fired the ambition of the junior part of the army. All dreamed of glory, +and of speedy promotion, and all hoped to distinguish themselves before +the eyes of a chief who was idolised by his troops. Thus during his +short stay at Strasburg the Emperor might with reason prophesy the +success which crowned his efforts under the walls of Vienna. + +Rapp, who accompanied him, informed me that on leaving Strasburg he +observed, in the presence of several persons, "It will be said that I +made Mack's plan of campaign for him. The Caudine Forks are at Ulm." + + --[This allusion to the Caudine Forks was always in Napoleon's mouth + when he saw an enemy's army concentrated on a point, and foresaw its + defeat--Bourrienne.]-- + +Experience proved that Bonaparte was not deceived; but I ought on this +occasion to contradict a calumnious report circulated at that time, and +since maliciously repeated. It has been said that there existed an +understanding between Mack and Bonaparte, and that the general was bought +over to deliver up the gates of Ulm. I have received positive proof that +this assertion is a scandalous falsehood; and the only thing that could +give it weight was Napoleon's intercession after the campaign that Mack +might not be put on his trial. In this intercession Napoleon was +actuated only by humanity. + +On taking the field Napoleon placed himself at the head of the Bavarians, +with whom be opposed the enemy's army before the arrival of his own +troops. As soon as they were assembled he published the following +proclamation, which still further excited the ardour of the troops. + + SOLDIERS--The war of the third coalition is commenced. The Austrian + army has passed the Inn, violated treaties, attacked and driven our + ally from his capital. You yourselves have been obliged to hasten, + by forced marches, to the defence of our frontiers. But you have + now passed the Rhine; and we will not stop till we have secured the + independence of the Germanic body, succoured our allies, and humbled + the pride of our unjust assailants. We will not again make peace + without a sufficient guarantee! Our generosity shall not again + wrong our policy. Soldiers, your Emperor is among you! You are but + the advanced guard of the great people. If it be necessary they + will all rise at my call to confound and dissolve this new league, + which has been created by the malice and the gold of England. + But, soldiers, we shall have forced marches to make, fatigues and + privations of every kind to endure. Still, whatever obstacles may + be opposed to us, we will conquer them; and we will never rest until + we have planted our eagles on the territory of our enemies! + +In the confidential notes of his diplomatic agents, in his speeches, and +in his proclamations, Napoleon always described himself as the attacked +party, and perhaps his very earnestness in so doing sufficed to reveal +the truth to all those who had learned to read his thoughts differently +from what his words expressed them. + +At the commencement of the campaign of Austerlitz a circumstance occurred +from which is to be dated the fortune of a very meritorious man. While +the Emperor was at Strasburg he asked General Marescot, the commander-in- +chief of the engineers, whether he could recommend from his corps a +brave, prudent, and intelligent young officer, capable of being entrusted +with an important reconnoitering mission. The officer selected by +General Marescot was a captain in the engineers, named Bernard, who had +been educated in the Polytechnic School. He set off on his mission, +advanced almost to Vienna, and returned to the headquarters of the +Emperor at the capitulation of Ulm. + +Bonaparte interrogated him himself, and was well satisfied with his +replies; but, not content with answering verbally the questions put by +Napoleon, Captain Bernard had drawn up a report of what he observed, and +the different routes which might be taken. Among other things he +observed that it would be a great advantage to direct the whole army upon +Vienna, without regard to the fortified places; for that, once master of +the capital of Austria, the Emperor might dictate laws to all the +Austrian monarchy. "I was present," said Rapp to me, "at this young +officer's interview with the Emperor. After reading the report, would +you believe that the Emperor flew into a furious passion? 'How!' cried +he, 'you are very bold, very presumptuous! A young officer to take the +liberty of tracing out a plan of campaign for me! Begone, and await my +orders.'" + +This, and some other circumstances which I shall have to add respecting +Captain Bernard, completely reveal Napoleon's character. Rapp told me +that as soon as the young officer had left the Emperor all at once +changed his tone. "That," said he, "is a clever young man; he has taken +a proper view of things. I shall not expose him to the chance of being +shot. Perhaps I shall sometime want his services. Tell Berthier to +despatch an order for his departure for Elyria." + +This order was despatched, and Captain Bernard, who, like his comrades, +was ardently looking forward to the approaching campaign, regarded as a +punishment what was, on the Emperor's part, a precaution to preserve a +young man whose merit he appreciated. At the close of the campaign, when +the Emperor promoted those officers who had distinguished themselves, +Bernard, who was thought to be in disgrace, was not included in +Berthier's list among the captains of engineers whom he recommended to +the rank of chef de bataillon; but Napoleon himself inscribed Bernard's +name before all the rest. However, the Emperor forgot him for some time; +and it was only an accidental circumstance that brought him to his +recollection. I never had any personal acquaintance with Bernard, but I +learned from Rapp, how he afterwards became his colleague as aide de camp +to the Emperor; a circumstance which I shall now relate, though it refers +to a later period. + +Before the Emperor left Paris for the campaign of 1812 he wished to gain +precise information respecting Ragusa and Elyria. He sent for Marmont, +but was not satisfied with his answers. He then interrogated several +other generals, but the result of his inquiries always was, "This is all +very well; but it is not what I want. I do not know Ragusa." He then +sent for General Dejean, who had succeeded M. de Marescot as first +inspector of the Engineers. + +"Have you any one among your officers," he asked, "who is well acquainted +with Ragusa? "Dejean, after a little reflection, replied, "Sire, there +is a chef de bataillon who has been a long time forgotten, but who knows +Elyria perfectly."--"What's his name?"--"Bernard."--"Ah! stop . . . +Bernard! I remember that name. Where is he?"--"At Antwerp, Sire, +employed on the fortifications."--"Let a telegraphic despatch be +immediately, transmitted,--[by semaphore arms.]--desiring him to mount +his horse and come with all speed to Paris." + +The promptitude with which the Emperor's orders were always executed is +well known. A few days after Captain Bernard was in the Emperor's +cabinet in Paris. Napoleon received him very graciously. The first +thing he said was, "Talk to me about Ragusa." This was a favourite mode +of interrogation with him in similar cases, and I have heard him say that +it was a sure way of drawing out all that a man had observed in any +country that he had visited. Be that as it may, he was perfectly +satisfied with M. Bernard's information respecting Elyria; and when the +chef de bataillon had finished speaking Napoleon said, "Colonel Bernard, +I am now acquainted with Ragusa." The Emperor afterwards conversed +familiarly with him, entered into details respecting the system of +fortification adopted at Antwerp, referred to the plan of the works, +criticised it, and showed how he would, if he besieged the town, render +the means of defence unavailing. The new Colonel explained so well how +he would defend the town against the Emperor's attack that Bonaparte was +delighted, and immediately bestowed upon, the young officer a mark of +distinction which, as far as I know, he never granted but upon that +single occasion. The Emperor was going to preside at the Council of +State, and desired Colonel Bernard to accompany him, and many times +during the sittings be asked him for his opinion upon the points which +were under discussion. On leaving the Council Napoleon said, "Bernard, +you are in future my aide de camp." After the campaign he was made +General of Brigade, soon after General of Division, and now he is +acknowledged to be one of the ablest engineer officers in existence. +Clarke's silly conduct deprived France of this distinguished man, who +refused the brilliant offers of several sovereigns of Europe for the sake +of retiring to the United States of America, where he commands the +Engineers, and has constructed fortifications on the coast of the +Floridas which are considered by engineers to be masterpieces of military +art. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +1805. + + Rapidity of Napoleon's victories--Murat at Wertingen--Conquest of + Ney's duchy--The French army before Ulm--The Prince of Liechtenstein + at the Imperial headquarters--His interview with Napoleon described + by Rapp--Capitulation of Ulm signed by Berthier and Mack--Napoleon + before and after a victory--His address to the captive generals-- + The Emperor's proclamation--Ten thousand prisoners taken by Murat-- + Battle of Caldiero in Italy--Letter from Duroc--Attempts to retard + the Emperor's progress--Fruitless mission of M. de Giulay--The first + French eagles taken by the Russians--Bold adventure of Lannes and + Murat--The French enter Vienna--Savary's mission to the Emperor + Alexander. + +To convey an idea of the brilliant campaign of 1805 from an abstract of +the reports and letters I received at Hamburg I should, like the almanac- +makers, be obliged to note down a victory for every day. Was not the +rapidity of the Emperor's first operations a thing hitherto +unprecedented? He departed from Paris on the 24th of September, and +hostilities commenced on the 2d of October. On the 6th and 7th the +French passed the Danube, and turned the enemy's army. On the 8th Murat, +at the battle of Wertingen, on the Danube, took 2000 Austrian prisoners, +amongst whom, besides other general officers, was Count Auffemberg. +Next day the Austrians fell back upon Gunsburg, retreating before our +victorious legions, who, pursuing their triumphal course, entered +Augsburg on the 10th, and Munich on the 12th. When I received my +despatches I could have fancied I was reading a fabulous narrative. Two +days after the French entered Munich--that is to say, on the 14th--an +Austrian corps of 6000 men surrendered to Marshal Soult at Memingen, +whilst Ney conquered, sword in hand, his future Duchy of Elchingen. +Finally, on the 17th of October, came the famous capitulation of General +Mack at Ulm,' and on the same day hostilities commenced in Italy between +the French and Austrians, the former commanded by Massena and the latter +by Prince Charles. + + --[Prince Maurice Liechtenstein was sent by General Mack as a flag + of truce to the Imperial headquarters before Ulm. He was, according + to custom, led blindfold on horseback. Rapp, who was present, + together with several of Napoleon's aides de camp, afterwards spoke + to me of the Prince's interview with the Emperor. I think he told + me that Berthier was present likewise. "Picture to yourself," said + Rapp, "the astonishment, or rather confusion, of the poor Prince + when the bandage was removed from his eyes. He knew nothing of what + had been going on, and did not even suspect that the Emperor had yet + joined the army. When he understood that he was in the presence of + Napoleon he could not suppress an exclamation of surprise, which did + not escape the Emperor, and he ingenuously acknowledged that General + Mack had no idea he was before the walls of Ulm." Prince + Liechtenstein proposed to capitulate on condition that the garrison + of Ulm should be allowed to return into Austria. This proposal, in + the situation in which the garrison stood, Rapp said, made the + Emperor smile. "How can you expect," said Napoleon, "that I can + accede to such a proposition? What shall I gain by it? Eight days. + In eight days you will be in my power without any condition. Do you + suppose I am not acquainted with everything? . . You expect the + Russians? . . . At the nearest they are in Bohemia. Were I to + allow you to march out, what security can I have that you will not + join them, and afterwards fight against me? Your generals have + deceived me often enough, and I will no longer be duped. At Marengo + I was weak enough to allow the troops of Melas to march out of + Alessandria. He promised to treat for peace. What happened? Two + months after Moreau had to fight with the garrison of Alessandria. + Besides, this war is not an ordinary war. After the conduct of your + Government I am not bound to keep any terms with it. I have no + faith in its promises. You have attacked me. If I should agree to + what you ask, Mack would pledge his word, I know. But, even relying + on his good faith, would be he able to keep his promise? As far as + regards himself--yes; but as regards his army--no. If the Archduke + Ferdinand were still with you I could rely upon his word, because he + would be responsible for the conditions, and he would not disgrace + himself; but I know he has quitted Ulm and passed the Danube. I + know how to reach him, however." + + Rapp said it was impossible to imagine the embarrassment of Prince + Liechtenstein whilst the Emperor was speaking. He, however, + somewhat regained his self-possession, and observed that, unless the + conditions which he proposed were granted the army would not + capitulate. "If that be the case," said Napoleon. "you may as well + go back to Mack, for I will never grant such conditions. Are you + jesting with me? Stay; here is the capitulation of Memingen--show + it to your General--let him surrender on the same conditions--I will + consent to no others. Your officers may return to Austria, but the + soldiers must be prisoners. Tell him to be speedy, for I have no + time to lose. The more he delays the worse he will render his own + condition and yours. To-morrow I shall have here the corps to which + Memingen capitulated, and then we shall see what is to be done. + Make Mack clearly understand that he has no alternative but to + conform to my will." + + The imperious tones which Napoleon employed towards his enemies + almost always succeeded, and it produced the accustomed effect upon + Mack. On the same day that Prince Liechtenstein had been at our + headquarters Mack wrote to the Emperor, stating that he would not + have treated with any other on such terms; but that he yielded to + the ascendency of Napoleon's fortune; and on the following day + Berthier was sent into Ulm, from whence he returned with the + capitulation signed. Thus Napoleon was not mistaken respecting the + Caudine Forks of the Austrian army. The garrison of Ulm marched out + with what are called the honours of war, and were led prisoners into + France.--Bourrienne.]-- + +Napoleon, who was so violently irritated by any obstacle which opposed +him, and who treated with so much hauteur everybody who ventured to +resist his inflexible will, was no longer the same man when, as a +conqueror, he received the vanquished generals at Ulm. He condoled with +them on their misfortune; and this, I can affirm, was not the result of a +feeling of pride concealed beneath a feigned generosity. Although he +profited by their defeat he pitied them sincerely. How frequently has he +observed to me, "How much to be pitied is a general on the day after a +lost battle." He had himself experienced this misfortune when he was +obliged to raise the siege of St. Jean d'Acre. At that moment he would, +I believe, have strangled Djezzar; but if Djezzar had surrendered, he +would have treated him with the same attention which he showed to Mack +and the other generals of the garrison of Ulm. These generals were +seventeen in number, and among them was Prince Liechtenstein. There were +also General Klenau (Baron de Giulay), who had acquired considerable +military reputation in the preceding wars, and General Fresnel, who stood +in a more critical situation than his companions in misfortune, for he +was a Frenchman, and an emigrant. + +Rapp told me that it was really painful to see these generals. They +bowed respectfully to the Emperor, having Mack at their head. They +preserved a mournful silence, and Napoleon was the first to speak, which +he did in the following terms: "Gentlemen, I feel sorry that such brave +men as you are should be the victims of the follies of a Cabinet which +cherishes insane projects, and which does not hesitate to commit the +dignity of the Austrian nation by trafficking with the services of its +generals. Your names are known to me--they are honourably known wherever +you have fought. Examine the conduct of those who have committed you. +What could be more iniquitous than to attack me without a declaration of +war? Is it not criminal to bring foreign invasion upon a country? Is it +not betraying Europe to introduce Asiatic barbarities into her disputes? +If good policy had been followed the Aulic Council, instead of attacking +me, would have sought my alliance in order to drive back the Russians to +the north. The alliance which your Cabinet has formed will appear +monstrous in history. It is the alliance of dogs, shepherds, and wolves +against sheep--such a scheme could never have been planned in the mind of +a statesman. It is fortunate for you that I have not been defeated in +the unjust struggle to which I have been provoked; if I had, the Cabinet +of Vienna would have soon perceived its error, for which, perhaps, it +will yet one day pay dearly." + +What a change fifteen days of success, crowned by the capture of Ulm, had +made in affairs! At Hamburg I knew through my agents to what a degree of +folly the hopes of Napoleon's enemies had risen before he began the +campaign. The security of the Cabinet of Vienna was really inexplicable; +not only did they not dream of the series of victories which made +Napoleon master of all the Austrian monarchy, but the assistants of Drake +and all the intriguers of that sort treated France already as a conquered +country, and disposed of some of our provinces. In the excess of their +folly, to only give one instance, they promised the town of Lyons to the +King of Sardinia, to recompense him for the temporary occupation of +Piedmont. + + --[In the treaties and declarations (see Martens and Thiers, tome v. + p. 355) there is rather a tendency to sell the skin of the bear + before killing him.]-- + +While Napoleon flattered his prisoners at the expense of their Government +he wished to express satisfaction at the conduct of his own army, and +with this view he published a remarkable proclamation, which in some +measure presented an abstract of all that had taken place since the +opening of the campaign. + +This proclamation was as follows:-- + + SOLDIERS OF THE GRAND ARMY--In a fortnight we have finished an + entire campaign. What we proposed to do has been done. We have + driven the Austrian troops from Bavaria, and restored our ally to + the sovereignty of his dominions. + + That army, which, with equal presumption and imprudence, marched + upon our frontiers, is annihilated. + + But what does this signify to England? She has gained her object. + We are no longer at Boulogne, and her subsidy will be neither more + nor less. + + Of a hundred thousand men who composed that army, sixty thousand are + prisoners. They will replace our conscripts in the labours of + agriculture. + + Two hundred pieces of cannon, the whole park of artillery, ninety + flags, and all their generals are in our power. Fifteen thousand + men only have escaped. + + Soldiers! I announced to you the result of a great battle; but, + thanks to the ill-devised schemes of the enemy, I was enabled to + secure the wished-for result without incurring any danger, and, what + is unexampled in the history of nations, that result has been gained + at the sacrifice of scarcely fifteen hundred men killed and wounded. + + Soldiers! this success is due to your unlimited confidence in your + Emperor, to your patience in enduring fatigues and privations of + every kind, and to your singular courage and intrepidity. + + But we will not stop here. You are impatient to commence another + campaign! + + The Russian army, which English gold has brought from the + extremities of the universe, shall experience the same fate as that + which we have just defeated. + + In the conflict in which we are about to engage the honour of the + French infantry is especially concerned. We shall now see another + decision of the question which has already been determined in + Switzerland and Holland; namely, whether the French infantry is the + first or the second in Europe. + + Among the Russians there are no generals in contending against whom + I can acquire any glory. All I wish is to obtain the victory with + the least possible bloodshed. My soldiers are, my children. + + +This proclamation always appeared to me a masterpiece of military +eloquence. While he lavished praises on his troops, he excited their +emulation by hinting that the Russians were capable of disputing with +them the first rank among the infantry of Europe, and he concluded his +address by calling them his children. + +The second campaign, to which Napoleon alleged they so eagerly looked +forward, speedily ensued, and hostilities were carried on with a degree +of vigour which fired the enthusiasm of the army. Heaven knows what +accounts were circulated of the Russians, who, as Bonaparte solemnly +stated in his proclamation, had come from the extremity of the world. +They were represented as half-naked savages, pillaging, destroying and +burning wherever they went. It was even asserted that they were +cannibals, and had been seen to eat children. In short, at that period +was introduced the denomination of northern barbarians which has since +been so generally applied to the Russians. Two days after the +capitulation of Ulm Murat obtained the capitulation of Trochtelfingen +from General Yarneck, and made 10,000 prisoners, so that, without +counting killed and wounded, the Austrian army had sustained a diminution +of 50,000 men after a campaign of twenty days. On the 27th of October +the French army crossed the Inn, and thus penetrated into the Austrian +territory. Salzburg and Brannan were immediately taken. The army of +Italy, under the command of Massena, was also obtaining great advantages. +On the 30th of October, that is to say, the very day on which the Grand +Army took the above-mentioned fortresses, the army of Italy, having +crossed the Adige, fought a sanguinary battle at Caldiero, and took 5000 +Austrian prisoners. + +In the extraordinary campaign, which has been distinguished by the name +of "the Campaign of Austerlitz," the exploits of our troops succeeded +each other with the rapidity of thought. I confess I was equally +astonished and delighted when I received a note from Duroc, sent by an +extraordinary courier, and commencing laconically with the words, "We are +in Vienna; the Emperor is well." + +Duroc's letter was dated the 13th November, and the words, "We are in +Vienna," seemed to me the result of a dream. The capital of Austria, +which from time immemorial had not been occupied by foreigners--the city +which Sobieski had saved from Ottoman violence, had become the prey of +the Imperial eagle of France, which, after a lapse of three centuries, +avenged the humiliations formerly imposed upon Francis I. by the 'Aquila +Grifagna' of Charles V. Duroc had left the Emperor before the camp of +Boulogne was raised; his mission to Berlin being terminated, he rejoined +the Emperor at Lintz. + + --[As soon as Bonaparte became Emperor he constituted himself the + avenger of all the insults given to the sovereigns, whom he styled + his predecessors. All that related to the honour of France was + sacred to him. Thus he removed the column of Rosbach from the + Prussian territory.--Bourrienne.]-- + +Before I noticed the singular mission of M. Haugwitz to the Emperor +Napoleon, and the result of that mission, which circumstances rendered +diametrically the reverse of its object, I will relate what came to my +knowledge respecting some other negotiations on the part of Austria, the +evident intent of which was to retard Napoleon's progress, and thereby to +dupe him. M. de Giulay, one of the generals included in the capitulation +of Ulm, had returned home to acquaint his sovereign with the disastrous +event. He did not conceal, either from the Emperor Francis or the +Cabinet of Vienna, the destruction of the Austrian army, and the +impossibility of arresting the rapid advance of the French. M. de Giulay +was sent with a flag of truce to the headquarters of Napoleon, to assure +him of the pacific intentions of the Emperor of Austria, and to solicit +an armistice. The snare was too clumsy not to be immediately discovered +by so crafty a man as Napoleon. + + --[Metternich (tome ii. p. 346, compare French edition, tome ii. + p. 287) says, "Let us hold always the sword in one hand and the + olive branch in the other; always ready to negotiate, but only + negotiating while advancing." Here is Napoleons system.]-- + +He had always pretended a love for peace, though be was overjoyed at the +idea of continuing a war so successfully commenced, and he directed +General Giulay to assure the Emperor of Austria that he was not less +anxious for peace than he, and that he was ready to treat for it, but +without suspending the course of his operations. Bonaparte, indeed, +could not, without a degree of imprudence of which he was incapable, +consent to an armistice; for M. de Giulay, though entrusted with powers +from Austria, had received none from Russia. Russia, therefore, might +disavow the armistice and arrive in time to defend Vienna, the occupation +of which was so important to the French army. The Russians, indeed, were +advancing to oppose us, and the corps of our army, commanded by Mortier +on the left bank of the Danube, experienced in the first engagement a +check at Dirnstein, which not a little vexed the Emperor. This was the +first reverse of fortune we had sustained throughout the campaign. It +was trivial, to be sure, but the capture by the Russians of three French +eagles, the first that had fallen into the hands of the enemy, was very +mortifying to Napoleon, and caused him to prolong for some days his staff +at St. Folten, where he then was. + +The rapid occupation of Vienna was due to the successful temerity of +Lannes and Murat, two men alike distinguished for courage and daring +spirit. A bold artifice of these generals prevented the destruction of +the Thabor bridge at Vienna, without which our army would have +experienced considerable difficulty in penetrating into the Austrian +capital. This act of courage and presence of mind, which had so great an +influence on the events of the campaign, was described to me by Lannes, +who told the story with an air of gaiety, unaccompanied by any self- +complacency, and seemed rather pleased with the trick played upon the +Austrians than proud of the brilliant action which had been performed. +Bold enterprises were so natural to Lannes that he was frequently the +only person who saw nothing extraordinary in his own exploits. Alas! +what men were sacrificed to Napoleon's ambition! + +The following is the story of the Bridge of Thabor as I heard it from +Lannes:-- + + --[I was one day walking with Murat, on the right bank of the + Danube, and we observed on the left bank, which was occupied by the + Austrians, some works going on, the evident object of which was to + blow up the bridge on the approach of our troops. The fools had the + impudence to make these preparations under our very noses; but we + gave them a good lesson. Having arranged our plan, we returned to + give orders, and I entrusted the command of my column of grenadiers + to an officer on whose courage and intelligence I could rely. I + then returned to the bridge, accompanied by Murat and two or three + other officers. We advanced, unconcernedly, and entered into + conversation with the commander of a post in the middle of the + bridge. We spoke to him about an armistice which was to be speedily + concluded: While conversing with the Austrian officers we contrived + to make them turn their eyes towards the left bank, and then, + agreeably to the orders we had given, my column of grenadiers + advanced on the bridge. The Austrian cannoneers, on the left bank, + seeing their officers in the midst of us, did not dare to fire, and + my column advanced at a quick step. Murat and I, at the head of it, + gained the left bank. All the combustibles prepared for blowing up + the bridge were thrown into the river, and my men took possession of + the batteries erected for the defence of the bridge head. The poor + devils of Austrian officers were perfectly astounded when I told + them they were my prisoners.]-- + +Such, as well as I can recollect, was the account given by Lannes, who +laughed immoderately in describing the consternation of the Austrian +officers when they discovered the trick that had been played upon them. +When Lannes performed this exploit he had little idea of the, important +consequences which would attend, it. He had not only secured to the +remainder of the French army a sure and easy entrance to Vienna, but, +without being aware of it, he created an insurmountable impediment to the +junction of the Russian army with the Austrian corps, commanded by Prince +Charles, who, being pressed by Massena, hastily advanced into the heart +of the Hereditary States, where he fully expected a great battle would +take place. + +As soon as the corps of Murat and Lannes had taken possession of Vienna +the Emperor ordered all the divisions of the army to march upon that +capital. + + --[The story to told in much the same way in Theirs (tome vi, p. + 260), Rupp (p. 57), and Savory (tome ii. p. 162), but as Erreurs + (tome i. p. 814) points out, Bourrienne makes an odd mistake in + believing the Thabor Bridge gave the French access to Vienna. The + capital is on the right bank, and was already in their power. The + possession of the bridge enabled them to pass over to the left bank, + and to advance towards Austerlitz before the Archduke Charles, + coming from Italy, could make his junction with the allied army. + See plan 48 of Thiers' Atlas, or 58 of Alison's. The immediate + result of the success of this rather doubtful artifice would have + been the destruction of the corps of Kutusoff; but Murat in his turn + was deceived by Bagration into belief in an armistice. In fact, + both sides at this time fell into curious errors.]-- + +Napoleon established his headquarters at Schoenbrunn, where he planned +his operations for compelling the corps of Prince Charles to retire to +Hungary, and also for advancing his own forces to meet the Russians. +Murat and Lannes always commanded the advanced guard during the forced +marches ordered by Napoleon, which were executed in a way truly +miraculous. + +To keep up the appearance of wishing to conclude peace as soon as +reasonable propositions should be made to him, Napoleon sent for his +Minister for foreign Affairs, who speedily arrived at Vienna, and General +Savary was sent on a mission to the Emperor Alexander. The details of +this mission I have learned only from the account of it given by the Duc +de Rovigo in his apologetic Memoirs. In spite of the Duke's eagerness to +induce a belief in Napoleon's pacific disposition, the very facts on +which he supports his argument lead to the contrary conclusion. Napoleon +wished to dictate his conditions before the issue of a battle the success +of which might appear doubtful to the young Emperor of Russia, and these +conditions were such as he might impose when victory should be declared +in favour of our eagles. It must be clear to every reflecting person +that by always proposing what he knew could not be honourably acceded to, +he kept up the appearance of being a pacificator, while at the same time +he ensured to himself the pleasure of carrying on the war. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +1805. + + My functions at Hamburg--The King of Sweden at Stralsund-- + My bulletin describing the situation of the Russian armies--Duroc's + recall from Berlin--General Dumouriez--Recruiting of the English in + Hanover--The daughter of M. de Marbeof and Napoleon--Treachery of + the King of Naples--The Sun of Austerlitz--Prince Dolgiorouki + Rapp's account of the battle of Austerlitz--Gerard's picture-- + Eugene's marriage. + +I must now relate how, in conformity with my instructions, I was employed +in Hamburg in aiding the success of the French army. I had sent an agent +to observe the Russian troops, which were advancing by forced marches to +the banks of the Elbe. This agent transmitted to me from Gadbusch an +account of the routes taken by the different columns. It was then +supposed that they would march upon Holland by the way of Bremen and +Oldenburg. On the receipt of thus intelligence the Electorate of Hanover +was evacuated by the French, and General Barbou, who had commanded there +concentrated his forces in Hamelin. + +On the 2d of November 1805 the King of Sweden arrived at Stralsund. I +immediately intimated to our Government that this circumstance would +probably give a new turn to the operations of the combined army, for +hitherto the uncertainty of its movements and the successive counter- +orders afforded no possibility of ascertaining any determined plan. The +intention seemed to be, that all the Swedo-Russian troops should cross +the Elbe at the same point; viz., Lauenburg, six miles from Hamburg. + +There was not on the 5th of November a single Russian on the southern +bank of the Elbe. + +The first column of the grand Russian army passed through Warsaw on the +1st of November, and on the 2d the Grand-Duke Constantine was expected +with the Guards. This column, which amounted to 6000 men, was the first +that passed through Prussian Poland. + +At this time we momentarily expected to see the Hanoverian army landed on +the banks of the Weser or the Elbe, augmented by some thousands of +English. Their design apparently was either to attack Holland, or to +attempt some operation on the rear of our Grand Army. + +The French Government was very anxious to receive accurate accounts of +the march of the Swedo-Russian troops through Hanover, and of the Russian +army through Poland. My agents at Warsaw and Stralsund, who were +exceedingly active and intelligent, enabled me to send off a bulletin +describing the state of Hanover, the movements of the Russians and +Swedes, together with information of the arrival of English troops in the +Elbe, and a statement of the force of the combined army in Hanover, which +consisted of 15,000 Russians, 8000 Swedes, and 12,000 English; making in +all 35,000 men. + +It was probably on account of this bulletin that Napoleon expressed to +Duroc his satisfaction with my services. The Emperor on recalling Duroc +from Berlin did not manifest the least apprehension respecting Prussia. +Duroc wrote to me the following letter on the occasion of his recall: + + MY DEAR BOURRIENNE--The Emperor having thought my services necessary + to the army has recalled me. I yesterday had a farewell audience of + the King and Queen, who treated me very graciously. His Majesty + presented me with his portrait set in diamonds. The Emperor + Alexander will probably depart to morrow, and the Archduke Anthony + vary speedily. We cannot but hope that their presence here will + facilitate a good understanding. + (Signed) DUROC. + +Whenever foreign armies were opposing France the hopes of the emigrants +revived. They falsely imagined that the powers coalesced against +Napoleon were labouring in their cause; and many of them entered the +Russian and Austrian armies. Of this number was General Dumouriez. +I received information that he had landed at Stade on the 21st of +November; but whither he intended to proceed was not known. A man named +St. Martin, whose wife lived with Dumouriez, and who had accompanied the +general from England to Stade, came to Hamburg, where he observed great +precautions for concealment, and bought two carriages, which were +immediately forwarded to Stade. St, Martin himself immediately proceeded +to the latter place. I was blamed for not having arrested this man; but +he had a commission attesting that he was in the English service, and, as +I have before mentioned; a foreign commission was a safeguard; and the +only one which could not be violated in Hamburg. + +In December 1805 the English recruiting in Hanover was kept up without +interruption, and attended with extraordinary success. Sometimes a +hundred men were raised in a day. The misery prevailing in Germany, +which had been ravaged by the war, the hatred against the French, and the +high bounty that was offered enabled the English to procure as many men +as they wished. + +The King of Sweden, meditating on the stir he should make in Hanover, +took with him a camp printing-press to publish the bulletins of the grand +Swedish army.--The first of these bulletins announced to Europe that his +Swedish Majesty was about to leave Stralsund; and that his army would +take up its position partly between Nelsen and Haarburg, and partly +between Domitz and the frontiers of Hamburg. + +Among the anecdotes of Napoleon connected with this campaign I find in my +notes the following, which was related to me by Rapp. Some days before +his entrance into Vienna Napoleon, who was riding on horseback along the +road, dressed in his usual uniform of the chasseurs of the Guard, met an +open carriage, in which were seated a lady and a priest. The lady was in +tears, and Napoleon could not refrain from stopping to ask her what was +the cause of her distress. "Sir," she replied, for she did not know the +Emperor, "I have been pillaged at my estate, two leagues from hence, by a +party of soldiers, who have murdered my gardener. I am going to seek +your Emperor, who knows my family, to whom he was once under great +obligations."--"What is your name?" inquired Napoleon.--"De Bunny," +replied the lady. "I am the daughter of M de Marbeuf, formerly Governor +of Corsica."--" Madame," exclaimed Napoleon, "I am the Emperor. I am +delighted to have the opportunity of serving you."--"You cannot +conceive," continued Rapp, "the attention which the Emperor showed Madame +de Bunny. He consoled her, pitied her, almost apologised for the +misfortune she had sustained. 'Will you have the goodness, Madame,' said +he, 'to go and wait for me at my head-quarters? I will join you +speedily; every member of M. de Marbeuf's family has a claim on my +respect.' The Emperor immediately gave her a picquet of chasseurs of his +guard to escort her. He saw her again during the day, when he loaded her +with attentions, and liberally indemnified her for the losses she had +sustained." + +For some time previous to the battle of Austerlitz the different corps of +the army intersected every part of Germany and Italy, all tending towards +Vienna as a central point. At the beginning of November the corps +commanded by Marshal Bernadotte arrived at Saltzburg at the moment when +the Emperor had advanced his headquarters to Braunau, where there were +numerous magazines of artillery and a vast quantity of provisions of +every kind. The junction of the corps commanded by Bernadotte in Hanover +with the Grand Army was a point of such high importance that Bonaparte +had directed the Marshal to come up with him as speedily as possible, and +to take the shortest road. This order obliged Bernadotte to pass through +the territory of the two Margravates. + +At that time we were at peace with Naples. In September the Emperor had +concluded with Ferdinand IV. a treaty of neutrality. This treaty enabled +Carra St. Cyr, who occupied Naples, to evacuate that city and to join +Massena in Upper Italy; both reached the Grand Army on the 28th of +November. But no sooner had the troops commanded by Carra St. Cyr +quitted the Neapolitan territory than the King of Naples, influenced by +his Ministers, and above all by Queen Caroline, broke the treaty of +neutrality, ordered hostile preparations against France, opened his ports +to the enemies of the Emperor, and received into his States 12,000 +Russians and 8000 English. It was on the receipt of this news that +Bonaparte, in one of his most violent bulletins, styled the Queen of +Naples a second Fredegonda. The victory of Austerlitz having given +powerful support to his threats, the fall of Naples was decided, and +shortly after his brother Joseph was seated on the Neapolitan throne. + +At length came the grand day when, to use Napoleon's expression, the Sun +of Austerlitz rose. All our forces were concentrated on one point, at +about 40 leagues beyond Vienna. There remained nothing but the wreck of +the Austrian army, the corps of Prince Charles being by scientific +manoeuvres kept at a distance from the line of operations; but the +Russians alone were superior to us in numbers, and their army was almost +entirely composed of fresh troops. The most extraordinary illusion +prevailed in the enemy's camp. The north of Europe has its Gascons as +well as the south of France, and the junior portion of the Russian army +at this period assumed an absurd braggadocio tone. On the very eve of +the battle the Emperor Alexander sent one of his aides de camp, Prince +Dolgorouki, as a flag of truce to Napoleon. The Prince could not repress +his self-sufficiency even in the presence of the Emperor, and Rapp +informed me that on dismissing him the Emperor said, "If you were on 'the +heights of Montmartre,' I would answer such impertinence only by cannon- +balls." This observation was very remarkable, inasmuch as subsequent +events rendered it a prophecy. + +As to the battle itself, I can describe it almost as well as if I had +witnessed it, for some time after I had the pleasure of seeing my friend +Rapp, who was sent an a mission to Prussia. He gave me the following +account: + + "When we arrived at Austerlitz the Russians were not aware of the + scientific plans which the Emperor had laid for drawing them upon + the ground he had marked out; and seeing our advanced guards fall + back before theirs they already considered themselves conquerors. + They supposed that their Guard alone would secure an easy triumph. + But the action commenced, and they experienced an energetic + resistance on all points. At one o'clock the victory was yet + uncertain, for they fought admirably. They wished to make a last + effort by directing close masses against our centre. Their Imperial + Guard deployed; their artillery, cavalry, and infantry marched upon + a bridge which they attacked, and this movement, which was concealed + by the rising and falling of the ground, was not observed by + Napoleon. I was at that moment near the Emperor, awaiting his + orders. We heard a well-maintained firing of musketry. The + Russians were repulsing one of our brigades. The Emperor ordered me + to take some of the Mamelukes, two squadrons of chasseurs, and one + of grenadiers of the Guard, and to go and reconnoitre the state of + things. I set off at full gallop, and soon discovered the disaster. + The Russian cavalry had penetrated our squares, and was sabring our + men. I perceived in the distance some masses of cavalry and + infantry; which formed the reserve of the Russians. At that moment + the enemy advanced to meet us, bringing with him four pieces of + artillery, and ranged himself in order of battle. I had the brave + Morland on my left, and General D'Allemagne on my right. 'Forward, + my lads!' exclaimed I to my troop. 'See how your brothers and + friends are being cut to pieces. Avenge them! avenge our flag! + Forward !' These few words roused my men. We advanced as swiftly as + our horses could carry us upon the artillery, which was taken. The + enemy's cavalry, which awaited us firmly, was repulsed by the same + shock, and fled in disorder, galloping as we did over the wrecks of + our squares. The Russians rallied but a squadron of horse + grenadiers came up to reinforce me, and thus enabled me to hold + ground against the reserves of the Russian Guard. We charged again, + and this charge was terrible. The brave Morland was killed by my, + side. It was downright butchery. We were opposed man to man, and + were so mingled together that the infantry of neither one nor the + other side could venture to fire for fear of killing its own men. + At length the intrepidity of our troops overcame every obstacle, and + the Russians fled in disorder, in sight of the two Emperors of + Russia and Austria, who had stationed themselves on a height in + order to witness the battle. They saw a desperate one," said Rapp, + "and I trust they were satisfied. For my part, my dear friend, I + never spent so glorious a day. What a reception the Emperor gave me + when I returned to inform him that we had won the battle! My sword + was broken, and a wound which I received on my head was bleeding + copiously, so that I was covered with blood! He made me a General + of Division. The Russians did not return to the charge; we had + taken all their cannon and baggage, and Prince Repnin was among the + prisoners." + +Thus it was that Rapp related to me this famous battle of which he was +the hero, as Kellerman had been the hero of Marengo. What now remains of +Austerlitz? The recollection, the glory, and the magnificent picture of +Gerard, the idea of which was suggested to the Emperor by the sight of +Rapp with the blood streaming from his wound. + +I cannot forbear relating here a few particulars which I learned from +Rapp respecting his mission after the cure of his wound; and the marriage +of Prince Eugene to the Princess Augusta of Bavaria. The friendship +which Rapp cherished for me was of the most sincere kind. During my +disgrace he did not even conceal it from Napoleon; and whoever knows +anything of the Emperor's Court will acknowledge that that was a greater +mark of courage than the carrying of a redoubt or making the most +brilliant charge of cavalry. Rapp possessed courage of every kind, an +excellent heart, and a downright frankness, which for a time brought him +into disgrace with Napoleon. The only thing for which Rapp could be +reproached was his extreme prejudice against the nobility, which I am +convinced was the sole reason why he was not created a Duke. The Emperor +made him a Count because he wished that all his aides de camp should have +titles. + + "He had been a fortnight at Schoenbrunn," said Rapp to me, "and I had + not yet resumed my duties, when the Emperor sent for me. He asked + me whether I was able to travel, and on my replying in the + affirmative, he said, 'Go then, and give an account of the battle of + Austerlitz to Marmont, and vex him for not having been at it.' I set + off, and in conformity with the instructions I had received from the + Emperor I proceeded to Gratz, where I found Marmont, who was indeed + deeply mortified at not having had a share in the great battle. + I told him, as the Emperor had directed me, that the negotiations + were commenced, but that nothing was yet concluded, and that + therefore, at all events, he must hold himself in readiness. I + ascertained the situation of his army in Styria, and the amount of + the enemy's force before him: The Emperor wished him to send a + number of spies into Hungary, and to transmit to him a detailed + report from their communications. I next proceeded to Laybach, + where I found Massena at the head of the eighth corps, and I + informed him that the Emperor wished him to march in all haste upon + Vienna, in case he should hear of the rupture of the negotiations. + I continued the itinerary marked out for me until I reached Venice, + and thence till I met the troops of Carra St. Cyr, who had received + orders to march back upon Naples as soon as the Emperor heard of the + treachery of the King of Naples and the landing of the English and + Russians. Having fulfilled these different missions I proceeded to + Klagenfurth, where I saw Marshal Ney, and I afterwards rejoined the + Emperor at Munich. There I had the pleasure of finding our friends + assembled, and among them Josephine, still as affable and amiable as + ever. How delighted I was when, an my arrival, I learned that the + Emperor had adopted Eugene. I was present at his marriage with the + Princess Augusta of Bavaria. As to me, you know I am not very fond + of fetes, and the Emperor might have dispensed with my performing + the duties of Chamberlain; Eugene had no idea of what was going on + when the Emperor sent to desire his presence at Munich with all + possible speed. He, too, remains unchanged; he is still our old + comrade. At first he was not much pleased with the idea of a + political marriage; but when he saw his bride he was quite + enchanted; and no wonder, for I assure you she is a very charming + woman." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +1805. + + Depreciation of the Bank paper--Ouvrard--His great discretion-- + Bonaparte'e opinion of the rich--Ouvrard's imprisonment--His + partnership with the King of Spain--His connection with Waalenberghe + and Desprez--Bonaparte's return to Paris after the campaign of + Vienna--Hasty dismissal of M. Barbe Marbois. + +At the moment when the Emperor had reason to hope that the news of his +extraordinary success would animate public spirit he was informed that +considerable disquietude prevailed, and that the Bank of France was +assailed by demands for the payment of its paper, which had fallen, more +than 5 per cent. I was not ignorant of the cause of this decline. I had +been made acquainted, through the commercial correspondence between +Hamburg and Paris, with a great financial operation, planned by M. +Ouvrard, in consequence of which he was to obtain piastres from Spanish +America at a price much below the real value; and I had learned that he +was obliged to support this enterprise by the funds which he and his +partners previously employed in victualling the forces. A fresh +investment of capital was therefore necessary for this service, which, +when on a large scale, requires extensive advances, and the tardy payment +of the Treasury at that period was well known. + +I was well acquainted with M. Ouvrard, and in what I am about to say I do +not think there will be found anything offensive or disagreeable to him. +I observed the greater number of the facts to which I shall refer in +their origin, and the rest I learned from M. Ouvrard himself, who, when +he visited Hamburg in 1808, communicated to me a variety of details +respecting his immense transaction with the King of Spain. Among other +things I recollect he told me that before the 18th Brumaire he was +possessed of 60,000,000, without owing a franc to any person. + +This celebrated financier has been the object of great public attention. +The prodigious variations of fortune which he has experienced, the +activity of his life, the immense commercial operations in which he has +been engaged; the extent and the boldness of his enterprises, render it +necessary, in forming a judgment of M. Ouvrard, to examine his conduct +with due care and deliberation. The son of a stationer, who was able +merely through his own resources to play so remarkable a part, could be +no ordinary man. It may be said of M. Ouvrard what Beaumarchais said of +himself, that his life was really a combat. I have known him long, and I +saw much of him in his relations with Josephine. He always appeared to +me to possess great knowledge of the world, accompanied by honourable +principles, and a high degree of generosity, which added greatly to the +value of his prudence and discretion. No human power, no consideration, +not even the ingratitude of those whom he had obliged, could induce him +to disclose any sacrifice which he had made at the time when, under the +Directory, the public revenue may be said to have been always at the +disposal of the highest bidder, and when no business could be brought to +a conclusion except by him who set about it with his hands full of money. +To this security, with which M. Ouvrard impressed all official persons +who rendered him services, I attribute the facility with which be +obtained the direction of the numerous enterprises in which he engaged, +and which produced so many changes in his fortune. The discretion of M. +Ouvrard was not quite agreeable to the First Consul, who found it +impossible to extract from him the information he wanted. He tried every +method to obtain from him the names of persons to whom he had given those +kind of subsidies which in vulgar language are called sops in the pan, +and by ladies pin money. Often have I seen Bonaparte resort to every +possible contrivance to gain his object. He would sometimes endeavour to +alarm M. Ouvrard by menaces, and at other times to flatter him by +promises, but he was in no instance successful. + +While we were at the Luxembourg, on, as I recollect, the 25th of January +1800, Bonaparte said to me during breakfast, "Bourrienne, my resolution +is taken. I shall have Ouvrard arrested."--"General, have you proofs +against him?"--"Proofs, indeed! He is a money-dealer, a monopoliser; we +must make him disgorge. All the contractors, the provision agents, are +rogues. How have they made their fortunes? At the expense of the +country, to be sure. I will not suffer such doings. They possess +millions, they roll in an insolent luxury, while my soldiers have neither +bread nor shoes! I will have no more of that! I intend to speak on the +business to-day in the Council, and we shall see what can be done." + +I waited with impatience for his return from the Council to know what had +passed. "Well, General?" said I "The order is given." On hearing this +I became anxious about the fate of M. Ouvrard, who was thus to be treated +more like a subject of the Grand Turk than a citizen of the Republic; but +I soon learned that the order had not been executed because he could not +be found. + +Next day I learned that a person, whom I shall not name, who was present +at the Council, and who probably was under obligations to Ouvrard, wrote +him a note in pencil to inform him of the vote for his arrest carried by +the First Consul. This individual stepped out for a moment and +despatched his servant with the note to Ouvrard. Having thus escaped the +writ of arrest, Ouvrard, after a few days had passed over, reappeared, +and surrendered himself prisoner. Bonaparte was at first furious on +learning that he had got out of the way; but on hearing that Ouvrard had +surrendered himself he said to me, "The fool! he does not know what is +awaiting him! He wishes to make the public believe that he has nothing +to fear; that his hands are clean. But he is playing a bad game; he will +gain nothing in that way with me. All talking is nonsense. You may be +sure, Bourrienne, that when a man has so much money he cannot have got it +honestly, and then all those fellows are dangerous with their fortunes. +In times of revolution no man ought to have more than 3,000,000 francs, +and that is a great deal too much." + +Before going to prison Ouvrard took care to secure against all the +searches of the police any of his papers which might have committed +persons with whom he had dealings; and I believe that there were +individuals connected with the police itself who had good reason for not +regretting the opportunity which M. Ouvrard had taken for exercising this +precaution. Seals, however, were put upon his papers; but on examining +them none of the information Bonaparte so much desired to obtain was +found. Nevertheless on one point his curiosity was satisfied, for on +looking over the documents he found from some of them that Madame +Bonaparte had been borrowing money from Ouvrard. + +As Ouvrard had a great number of friends they bestirred themselves to get +some person of influence to speak to the First Consul in his favour. +But this was a commission no one was willing to undertake; because, +prejudiced as Bonaparte was, the least hint of the kind would have +appeared to him to be dictated by private interest. Berthier was very +earnestly urged to interfere, but he replied, "That is impossible. He +would say that it was underhand work to get money for Madame Visconti." + +I do not recollect to what circumstance Ouvrard was indebted for his +liberty, but it is certain that his captivity did not last long. +Sometime after he had left his prison Bonaparte asked him for 12,000,000, +which M. Ouvrard refused. + +On his accession to the Consulate Bonaparte found M. Ouvrard contractor +for supplying the Spanish fleet under the command of Admiral Massaredo. +This business introduced him to a correspondence with the famous Godoy, +Prince of the Peace. The contract lasted three years, and M. Ouvrard +gained by it a net profit of 15,000,000. The money was payable in +piastres, at the rate of 3 francs and some centimes each, though the +piastre was really worth 5 francs 40 centimes. But to recover it at this +value it was necessary for M. Ouvrard to go and get the money in Mexico. +This he was much inclined to do, but he apprehended some obstacle on the +part of the First Consul, and, notwithstanding his habitual shrewdness, +he became the victim of his over-precaution. On his application M. de +Talleyrand undertook to ask the First Consul for authority to give him a +passport. I was in the cabinet at the time, and I think I still hear the +dry and decided "No," which was all the answer M. de Talleyrand +obtained. When we were alone the First Consul said to me, "Do you not +see, Bourrienne, this Ouvrard must have made a good thing of his business +with the Prince of the Peace? But the fool! Why did he get Talleyrand +to ask me for a passport? That is the very thing that raised my +suspicion. Why did he not apply for a passport as every one else does? +Have I the giving of them? He is an ass; so much the worse for him." + +I was sorry for Ouvrard's disappointment, and I own none the less so +because he had intimated his willingness to give me a share in the +business he was to transact its Spain; and which was likely to be very +profitable. His brother went to Mexico in his stead. + +In 1802 a dreadful scarcity afflicted France. M. Ouvrard took upon +himself, in concert with Wanlerberghe, the task of importing foreign +grain to prevent the troubles which might otherwise have been expected. +In payment of the grain the foreign houses who sent it drew upon Ouvrard +and Wanlerberghe for 26,000,000 francs in Treasury bills, which, +according to the agreement with the Government, were to be paid. But +when the bills of the foreign houses became due there was no money in the +Treasury, and payment was refused. After six months had elapsed payment +was offered, but on condition that the Government should retain half the +profit of the commission! This Ouvrard and Wanlerberghe refused, upon +which the Treasury thought it most economical to pay nothing, and the +debt remained unsettled. Notwithstanding this transaction Ouvrard and +Wanlerberghe engaged to victual the navy, which they supplied for six +years and three months. After the completion of these different services +the debt due to them amounted to 68,000,000. + +In consequence of the long delay of, payment by the Treasury the +disbursements for supplies of grain amounted at least to more than +40,000,000; and the difficulties which arose had a serious effect on the +credit of the principal dealers with those persons who supplied them. +The discredit spread and gradually reached the Treasury, the +embarrassments of which augmented with the general alarm. Ouvrard, +Wanlerberghe, and Seguin were the persons whose capital and credit +rendered them most capable of relieving the Treasury, and they agreed to +advance for that purpose 102,000,000, in return for which they were +allowed bonds of the Receivers-General to the amount of 150,000,000. M. +Desprez undertook to be the medium through which the 102,000,000 were to +be paid into the Treasury, and the three partners transferred the bands +to him. + +Spain had concluded a treaty with France, by which she was bound to pay a +subsidy of 72,000,000 francs, and 32,000,000 had become due without any +payment being made: It was thought advisable that Ouvrard should be sent +to Madrid to obtain a settlement, but he was afraid that his business in +Paris would suffer during his absence, and especially the transaction in +which he was engaged with Desprez. The Treasury satisfied him on this +point by agreeing to sanction the bargain with Desprez, and Ouvrard +proceeded to Madrid. It was on this occasion he entered into the immense +speculation for trading with Spanish America. + +Spain wished to pay the 32,000,000 which were due to France as soon as +possible, but her coffers were empty, and goodwill does not ensure +ability; besides, in addition to the distress of the Government, there +was a dreadful famine in Spain. In this state of things Ouvrard proposed +to the Spanish Government to pay the debt due to France, to import a +supply of corn, and to advance funds for the relief of the Spanish +Treasury. For this he required two conditions. (1.) The exclusive right +of trading with America. (2.) The right of bunging from America on his +own account all the specie belonging to the Crown, with the power of +making loans guaranteed and payable by the Spanish Treasuries. + +About the end of July 1805 the embarrassment which sometime before had +begun to be felt in the finances of Europe was alarmingly augmented. +Under these circumstances it was obviously the interest of Ouvrard to +procure payment as soon as possible of the 32,000,000 which he had +advanced for Spain to the French Treasury. He therefore redoubled his +efforts to bring his negotiation to a favourable issue, and at last +succeeded in getting a deed of partnership between himself and Charles +IV. which contained the following stipulation:--"Ouvrard and Company are +authorised to introduce into the ports of the New World every kind of +merchandise and production necessary for the consumption of those +countries, and to export from the Spanish Colonies, during the +continuance of the war with England; all the productions and all specie +derivable from them." This treaty was only to be in force during the war +with England, and it was stipulated that the profits arising from the +transactions of the Company should be equally divided between Charles IV. +and the rest of the Company; that is to say, one-half to the King and the +other half to his partners. + +The consequences of this extraordinary partnership between a King and a +private individual remain to be stated. On the signing of the deed +Ouvrard received drafts from the Treasury of Madrid to the extent of +52,500,000 piastres; making 262,500,000 francs; but the piastres were to +be brought from America, while the terms of the treaty required that the +urgent wants of the Spanish Government should be immediately supplied, +and, above all, the progress of the famine checked. To accomplish this +object fresh advances to an enormous amount were necessary, for M. +Ouvrard had to begin by furnishing 2,000,000 of quintals of grain at the +rate of 26 francs the quintal. Besides all this, before he could realise +a profit and be reimbursed for the advances he had made to the Treasury +of Paris, be had to get the piastres conveyed from America to Europe. +After some difficulty the English Government consented to facilitate the +execution of the transaction by furnishing four frigates for the +conveyance of the piastres. + +Ouvrard had scarcely completed the outline of his extraordinary +enterprise when the Emperor suddenly broke up his camp at Boulogne to +march to Germany. It will readily be conceived that Ouvrard's interests +then imperatively required his presence at Madrid; but he was recalled to +Paris by the Minister of the Treasury, who wished to adjust his accounts. +The Emperor wanted money for the war on which he was entering, and to +procure it for the Treasury Ouvrard was sent to Amsterdam to negotiate +with the House of Hope. He succeeded, and Mr. David Parish became the +Company's agent. + +Having concluded this business Ouvrard returned in all haste to Madrid; +but in the midst of the most flattering hopes and most gigantic +enterprises he suddenly found himself threatened with a dreadful crisis. +M. Desprez, as has been stated, had, with the concurrence of the +Treasury, been allowed to take upon himself all the risk of executing the +treaty, by which 150,000,000 were to be advanced for the year 1804, and +400,000,000 for the year 1805. Under the circumstances which had arisen +the Minister of the Treasury considered himself entitled to call upon +Ouvrard to place at his disposal 10,000,000 of the piastres which he had +received from Spain. The Minister at the same time informed him that he +had made arrangements on the faith of this advance, which he thought +could not be refused at so urgent a moment. + +The embarrassment of the Treasury, and the well-known integrity of the +Minister, M. de Barbe Marbois, induced Ouvrard to remit the 10,000,000 +piastres. But a few days after he had forwarded the money a Commissioner +of the Treasury arrived at Madrid with a ministerial despatch, in which +Ouvrard was requested to deliver to the Commissioner all the assets he +could command, and to return immediately to Paris. + +The Treasury was then in the greatest difficulty, and a general alarm +prevailed. This serious financial distress was occasioned by the +following circumstances. The Treasury had, by a circular, notified to +the Receivers-General that Desprez was the holder of their bonds. They +were also authorised to transmit to him all their disposable funds, to be +placed to their credit in an account current. Perhaps the giving of this +authority was a great error; but, be that as it may, Desprez, encouraged +by the complaisance of the Treasury, desired the Receivers-General to +transmit to him all the sums they could procure for payment of interest +under 8 per cent., promising to allow them a higher rate of interest. As +the credit of the house of Desprez stood high, it may be easily conceived +that on such conditions the Receivers-General, who were besides secured +by the authority of the Treasury, would enter eagerly into the proposed +plan. In short, the Receivers-General soon transmitted very considerable +sums. Chests of money arrived daily from every point of France. +Intoxicated by this success, Desprez engaged in speculations which in his +situation were extremely imprudent. He lent more than 50,000,000 to the +merchants of Paris, which left him no command of specie. Being obliged +to raise money, he deposited with the Bank the bonds of the Receivers- +General which had been consigned to him, but which were already +discharged by the sums transmitted to their credit in the account +current. The Bank, wishing to be reimbursed for the money advanced to +Desprez, applied to the Receivers-General whose bonds were held an +security. This proceeding had become necessary on the part of the Bank, +as Desprez, instead of making his payments in specie, sent in his +acceptances. The Directors of the Bank, who conducted that establishment +with great integrity and discretion, began to be alarmed, and required +Desprez to explain the state of his affairs. The suspicions of the +Directors became daily stronger, and were soon shared by the public. At +last the Bank was obliged to stop payment, and its notes were soon at a +discount of 12 per cent. + +The Minister of the Treasury, dismayed, as well may be supposed, at such +a state of things during the Emperor's absence, convoked a Council, at +which Joseph Bonaparte presided, and to which Desprez and Wanlerberghe +were summoned. Ouvrard being informed of this financial convulsion made +all possible haste from Madrid, and on his arrival at Paris sought +assistance from Amsterdam. Hope's house offered to take 15,000,000 +piastres at the rate of 3 francs 75 centimes each. Ouvrard having +engaged to pay the Spanish Government only 3 francs, would very willingly +have parted with them at that rate, but his hasty departure from Madrid, +and the financial events at Paris, affected his relations with the +Spanish Treasury, and rendered it impossible for him to afford any +support to the Treasury of France; thus the alarm continued, until the +news of the battle of Austerlitz and the consequent hope of peace +tranquillised the public mind. The bankruptcy of Desprez was dreadful; +it was followed by the failure of many houses, the credit of which was +previously undoubted. + +To temper the exultation which victory was calculated to excite, the news +of the desperate situation of the Treasury and the Bank reached the +Emperor on the day after the battle of Austerlitz. The alarming accounts +which he received hastened his return to France; and on the very evening +on which he arrived in Paris he pronounced, while ascending the stairs of +the Tuileries, the dismissal of M. de Barbs Marbois. This Minister had +made numerous enemies by the strict discharge of his duty, and yet, +notwithstanding his rigid probity, he sunk under the accusation of having +endangered the safety of the State by weakness of character. At this +period even Madame de Stael said, in a party where the firmness of M. +Barbs Marbois was the topic of conversation--"What, he inflexible? He is +only a reed bronzed!" But whatever may be the opinion entertained of the +character of this Minister, it is certain that Napoleon's rage against +him was unbounded. Such was the financial catastrophe which occurred +during the campaign of Vienna; but all was not over with Ouvrard, and in +so great a confusion of affairs it was not to be expected that the +Imperial hand, which was not always the hand of justice, should not make +itself somewhere felt. + +In the course of the month of February 1806 the Emperor issued two +decrees, in which he declared Ouvrard, Wanlerberghe, and Michel, +contractors for the service of 1804, and Desprez their agent, debtors to +the amount of 87,000,000, which they had misapplied in private +speculations, and in transactions with Spain "for their personal +interests." Who would not suppose from this phrase that Napoleon had +taken no part whatever in the great financial operation between Spain and +South America? He was, however, intimately acquainted with it, and was +himself really and personally interested. But whenever any enterprise +was unsuccessful he always wished to deny all connection with it. +Possessed of title-deeds made up by himself--that is to say, his own +decrees--the Emperor seized all the piastres and other property belonging +to the Company, and derived from the transaction great pecuniary +advantage,--though such advantage never could be regarded by a sovereign +as any compensation for the dreadful state into which the public credit +had been brought. + + + + + +CHAPTER V + +1805-1806. + + Declaration of Louis XVIII.--Dumouriez watched--News of a spy-- + Remarkable trait of courage and presence of mind--Necessity of + vigilance at Hamburg--The King of Sweden--His bulletins--Doctor Gall + --Prussia covets Hamburg--Projects on Holland--Negotiations for + peace--Mr. Fox at the head of the British Cabinet--Intended + assassination of Napoleon--Propositions made through Lord Yarmouth + --Proposed protection of the Hanse towns--Their state-- + Aggrandisement of the Imperial family--Neither peace nor war-- + Sebastiani's mission to Constantinople--Lord Lauderdale at Paris, + and failure of the negotiations--Austria despoiled--Emigrant + pensions--Dumouriez's intrigues--Prince of Mecklenburg-Schwerin-- + Loizeau. + +I have been somewhat diffuse respecting the vast enterprises of M. +Ouvrard, and on the disastrous state of the finances during the campaign +of Vienna. Now, if I may so express myself, I shall return to the +Minister Plenipotentiary's cabinet, where several curious transactions +occurred. The facts will not always be given in a connected series, +because there was no more relation between the reports which I received +on a great variety of subjects than there is in the pleading of the +barristers who succeed each other in a court of justice. + +On the 2d of January 1806 I learned that many houses in Hamburg had +received by post packets, each containing four copies of a declaration of +Louis XVIII. Dumouriez had his carriage filled with copies of this +declaration when he passed through Brunswick; and in that small town +alone more than 3000 were distributed. The size of this declaration +rendered its transmission by post very easy, even in France. + +All my letters from the Minister recommended that I should keep a strict +watch over the motions of Dumouriez; but his name was now as seldom +mentioned as if he had ceased to exist. The part he acted seemed to be +limited to disseminating pamphlets more or less insignificant. + +It is difficult to conceive the great courage and presence of mind +sometimes found in men so degraded as are the wretches who fill the +office of spies. I had an agent amongst the Swedo-Russians, named +Chefneux, whom I had always found extremely clever and correct. Having +for a long time received no intelligence from him I became very anxious, +--an anxiety which was not without foundation. He had, in fact, been +arrested at Lauenburg, and conducted, bound, tied hand and foot, by some +Cossacks to Luneburg. There was found on him a bulletin which he was +about to transmit to me, and he only escaped certain death by having in +his possession a letter of recommendation from a Hamburg merchant well +known to M. Alopaeus, the Russian Minister in that city. This +precaution, which I had taken before he set out, saved his life. +M. Alopaeus replied to the merchant that, in consequence of his +recommendation the spy should be sent back safe and sound, but that +another time neither the recommended nor the recommender should escape so +easily. Notwithstanding this, Chefneux would certainly have paid with +his head for the dangerous business in which he was embarked but for the +inconceivable coolness he displayed under the most trying circumstances. +Though the bulletin which was found upon him was addressed to M. Schramm, +merchant, they strongly suspected that it was intended for me. They +demanded of the prisoner whether he knew me; to which he boldly replied +that he had never seen me. They endeavoured, by every possible means, to +extort a confession from him, but without success. His repeated denials, +joined to the name of M. Schramm, created doubts in the minds of his +interrogators; they hesitated lest they should condemn an innocent man. +They, however, resolved to make a last effort to discover the truth, and +Chefneux, condemned to be shot, was conducted to the plain of Luneburg. +His eyes were bandaged, and he heard the command of preparation given to +the platoon, which was to fire upon him; at that moment a man approaching +him whispered in his ear, in a tone of friendship and compassion, "They +are going to fire; but I am your friend; only acknowledge that you know +M. de Bourrienne and you are safe."--"No," replied Chefneux in a firm +tone; "if I said so I should tell a falsehood." Immediately the bandage +was removed from his eyes, and he was set at liberty. It would be +difficult to cite a more extraordinary instance of presence of mind. + +Much as I execrate the system of espionage I am nevertheless compelled to +admit that the Emperor was under the necessity of maintaining the most +unremitting vigilance amidst the intrigues which were going forward in +the neighbourhood of Hamburg, especially when the English, Swedes, and +Russians were in arms, and there were the strongest grounds for +suspecting the sincerity of Prussia. + +On the 5th of January 1806 the King of Sweden arrived before the gates of +Hamburg. The Senate of that city, surrounded on all sides by English, +Swedish, and Russian troops, determined to send a deputation to +congratulate the Swedish monarch, who, however, hesitated so long about +receiving this homage that fears were entertained lest his refusal should +be followed by some act of aggression. At length, however, the deputies +were admitted, and they returned sufficiently well satisfied with their +reception. + +The King of Sweden then officially declared, "That all the arrangements +entered into with relation to Hanover had no reference to hint, as the +Swedish army was under the immediate command of its august sovereign." + +The King, with his 6000 men, seemed inclined to play the part of the +restorer of Germany, and to make himself the Don Quixote of the treaty of +Westphalia. He threatened the Senate of Hamburg with the whole weight of +his anger, because on my application the colours which used to be +suspended over the door of the house for receiving Austrian recruits had +been removed. The poor Senate of Hamburg was kept in constant alarm by +so dangerous a neighbour. + +The King of Sweden had his headquarters at Boetzenburg, on the northern +bank of the Elbe. In order to amuse himself he sent for Dr. Gall, who +was at Hamburg, where he delivered lectures on his system of phrenology, +which was rejected in the beginning by false science and prejudice, and +afterwards adopted in consequence of arguments, in my opinion, +unanswerable. I had the pleasure of living some time with Dr. Gall, and +I owe to the intimacy which subsisted between us the honour he conferred +on me by the dedication of one of his works. I said to him, when he +departed for the headquarters of the King of Sweden, "My dear doctor, you +will certainly discover the bump of vanity." The truth is, that had the +doctor at that period been permitted to examine the heads of the +sovereigns of Europe they would have afforded very curious craniological +studies. + +It was not the King of Sweden alone who gave uneasiness to Hamburg; the +King of Prussia threatened to seize upon that city, and his Minister +publicly declared that it would very soon belong to his master. The +Hamburgers were deeply afflicted at this threat; in fact, next to the +loss of their independence, their greatest misfortune would have been to +fall under the dominion of Prussia, as the niggardly fiscal system of the +Prussian Government at that time would have proved extremely detrimental +to a commercial city. Hanover, being evacuated by the French troops, had +become a kind of recruiting mart for the British army, where every man +who presented himself was enrolled, to complete the Hanoverian legion +which was then about to be embodied. The English scattered gold by +handfuls. One hundred and fifty carriages, each with six horses, were +employed in this service, which confirmed me in the belief I had +previously entertained, that the English were to join with the Russians +in an expedition against Holland. The aim of the Anglo-Russians was to +make a diversion which might disconcert the movements of the French +armies in Germany, the allies being at that time unacquainted with the +peace concluded at Presburg. Not a moment was therefore to be lost in +uniting the whole of our disposable force for the defence of Holland; but +it is not of this expedition that I mean to speak at present. I only +mention it to afford some idea of our situation at Hamburg, surrounded, +as we then were, by Swedish, English, and Russian troops. At this period +the Russian Minister at Hamburg, M. Forshmann, became completely insane; +his conduct had been more injurious than advantageous to his Government. +He was replaced by M. Alopcous, the Russian Minister at Berlin; and they +could not have exchanged a fool for a more judicious and able +diplomatist. + +I often received from the Minister of Marine letters said packets to +transmit to the Isle of France,(Mauritius) of which the Emperor was +extremely anxious to retain possession; and I had much trouble in finding +any vessels prepared for that colony by which I could forward the +Minister's communications. The death of Pitt and the appointment of +Fox as his successor had created a hope of peace. It was universally +known that Mr. Fox, in succeeding to his office, did not inherit the +furious hatred of the deceased Minister against France and her Emperor. +There moreover existed between Napoleon and Mr. Fox a reciprocal esteem, +and the latter had shown himself really disposed to treat. The +possibility of concluding a peace had always been maintained by that +statesman when he was in opposition to Mr. Pitt; and Bonaparte himself +might have been induced, from the high esteem he felt for Mr. Fox, to +make concessions from which he would before have recoiled. But there +were two obstacles, I may say almost insurmountable ones. The first was +the conviction on the part of England that any peace which might be made +would only be a truce, and that Bonaparte would never seriously +relinquish his desire of universal dominion. On the other side, it was +believed that Napoleon had formed the design of invading England. Had he +been able to do so it would have been less with the view of striking a +blow at her commerce and destroying her maritime power, than of +annihilating the liberty of the press, which he had extinguished in his +own dominions. The spectacle of a free people, separated only by six +leagues of sea, was, according to him, a seductive example to the French, +especially to those among them who bent unwillingly under his yoke. + +At an early period of Mr. Fox's ministry a Frenchman made the proposition +to him of assassinating the Emperor, of which information was immediately +transmitted to M. de Talleyrand. In this despatch the Minister said +that, though the laws of England did not authorise the permanent +detention of any individual not convicted of a crime, he had on this +occasion taken it on himself to secure the miscreant till such time as +the French Government could be put on its guard against his attempts. +Mr. Fox said in his letter that he had at first done this individual "the +honour to take him for a spy," a phrase which sufficiently indicated the +disgust with which the British Minister viewed him. + +This information was the key which opened the door to new negotiations. +M. de Talleyrand was ordered to express, in reply to the communication of +Mr. Fox, that the Emperor was sensibly affected at the index it afforded +of the principles by which the British Cabinet was actuated. Napoleon +did not limit himself to this diplomatic courtesy; he deemed it a +favourable occasion to create a belief that he was actuated by a sincere +love of peace. He summoned to Paris Lord Yarmouth, one of the most +distinguished amongst the English who had been so unjustly detained +prisoners at Verdun on the rupture of the peace of Amiens. He gave his +lordship instructions to propose to the British Government a new form of +negotiations, offering to guarantee to England the Cape of Good Hope and +Malta. Some have been inclined from this concession to praise the +moderation of Bonaparte; others to blame him for offering to resign these +two places, as if the Cape and Malta could be put in competition with the +title of Emperor, the foundation of the Kingdom of Italy, the acquisition +of Genoa and of all the Venetian States, the dethronement of the King of +Naples and the gift of his kingdom to Joseph, and finally, the new +partition of Germany. These transactions, of which Bonaparte said not a +word, and from which he certainly had no intention of departing, were all +long after the treaty of Amiens. + +Every day brought with it fresh proofs of insatiable ambition. In fact, +Napoleon longed to obtain possession of the Hanse Towns. I was, however, +in the first place, merely charged to make overtures to the Senates of +each of these towns, and to point out the advantages they would derive +from the protection of Napoleon in exchange for the small sacrifice of +6,000,000 francs in his favour. I had on this subject numerous +conferences with the magistrates: they thought the sum too great, +representing, to me that the city was not so rich as formerly, because +their commerce had been much curtailed by the war; in short, the Senate +declared that, with the utmost goodwill, their circumstances would not +permit them to accept the "generous proposal" of the Emperor. + +I was myself, indeed, at a loss to conceive how the absurdity of +employing me to make such a proposition was overlooked, for I had, really +no advantage to offer in return to the Hanse Towns. Against whom did +Bonaparte propose to protect them? The truth is, Napoleon then wished to +seize these towns by direct aggression, which, however, he was not able +to accomplish until four years afterwards. + +During five years I witnessed the commercial importance of these cities, +and especially of Hamburg. Its geographical situation, on a great river +navigable by large vessels to the city, thirty leagues from the mouth of +the Elbe; the complete independence it enjoyed; its municipal regulations +and paternal government, were a few amongst the many causes which had +raised Hamburg to its enviable height of prosperity. What, in fact, was +the population of these remnants of the grand Hanseatic League of the +Middle Ages? The population of Hamburg when I was there amounted to +90,000, and that of its small surrounding territory to 25,000. Bremen +had 36,000 inhabitants, and 9000 in its territory; the city of Lubeck, +which is smaller and its territory a little more extensive than that of +Bremen, contained a population of 24,000 souls within and 16,000 without +the walls. Thus the total population of the Hanse Towns amounted to only +200,000 individuals; and yet this handful of men carried on an extensive +commerce, and their ships ploughed every sea, from the shores of India to +the frozen regions of Greenland. + +The Emperor arrived at Paris towards the end of January 1806. Having +created kings in Germany he deemed the moment favourable for surrounding +his throne with new princes. It was at this period that he created +Murat, Grand Duke of Cleves and Berg; Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte-Corvo; +M. de Talleyrand, Duke of Benevento; and his two former colleagues, +Cambaceres and Lebrun, Dukes of Parma and Piacenza. He also gave to his +sister Pauline, a short time after her second marriage with the Prince +Borghese, the title of Duchess of Guastalla. Strange events! who could +then have foreseen that the duchy of Cambaceres would become the refuge +of a Princess of Austria, the widowed wife of Napoleon Bonaparte? +In the midst of the prosperity of the Imperial family, when the eldest of +the Emperor's brothers had ascended the throne of Naples, when Holland +was on the eve of being offered to Louis, and Jerome had exchanged his +legitimate wife for the illegitimate throne of Westphalia, the Imperial +pillow was still far from being free from anxiety. Hostilities did not +actually exist with the Continental powers; but this momentary state of +repose lacked the tranquillity of peace. France was at war with Russia +and England, and the aspect of the Continent presented great uncertainty, +while the treaty of Vienna had only been executed in part. In the +meantime Napoleon turned his eyes towards the East. General Sebastiani +was sent to Constantinople. The measures be pursued and his judicious +conduct justified the choice of the Emperor. He was adroit and +conciliating, and peace with Turkey was the result of his mission. The +negotiations with England did not terminate so happily, although, after +the first overtures made to Lord Yarmouth, the Earl of Lauderdale had +been sent to Paris by Mr. Fox. In fact, these negotiations wholly +failed. The Emperor had drawn enormous sums from Austria, without +counting the vases, statues, and pictures. With which he decorated the +Louvre, and the bronze with which he clothed the column of the Place +Vendome,--in my opinion the finest monument of his reign and the most +beautiful one in Paris. As Austria was exhausted all the contributions +imposed on her could not be paid in cash, and they gave the Emperor bills +in payment. I received one for about 7,000,000 on Hamburg on account of +the stipulations of the treaty of Presburg. + +The affairs of the Bourbon Princes became more and more unfavourable, and +their finances, as well as their chances of success, were so much +diminished that about this period it was notified to the emigrants in +Brunswick that the pretender (Louis XVIII.) had no longer the means of +continuing their pensions. This produced great consternation amongst +those emigrants, many of whom had no other means of existence; and +notwithstanding their devotion to the cause of royalty they found a +pension very useful in strengthening their zeal. + + --[When Louis XVIII. returned to France, and Fouche was his Minister + of Police, the King asked Fouche whether during his (the King's) + exile, had not set spies over him, and who they were. Fouche + hesitated to reply, but the King insisting he said: "If your Majesty + presses for an answer, it was the Due de Blacas to whom this matter + was confided."--"And how much did you pay him?" said the King. + "Deux cents mille livres de rents, Sire."--"Ah, so!" said the King, + "then he has played fair; we went halves."--Henry Greville's Diary, + p. 430.]-- + +Amongst those emigrants was one whose name will occupy a certain place in +history; I mean Dumouriez, of whom I have already spoken, and who had for +some time employed himself in distributing pamphlets. He was then at +Stralsund; and it was believed that the King of Sweden would give him a +command. The vagrant life of this general, who ran everywhere begging +employment from the enemies of his country without being able to obtain +it, subjected him to general ridicule; in fact, he was everywhere +despised. + +To determine the difficulties which had arisen with regard to Holland, +which Dumouriez dreamed of conquering with an imaginary army, and being +discontented besides with the Dutch for not rigorously excluding English +vessels from their ports, the Emperor constituted the Batavian territory +a kingdom under his brother Louis. When I notified to the States of the +circle of Lower Saxony the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of +Holland, and the nomination of Cardinal Fesch as coadjutor and successor +of the Arch-chancellor of the Germanic Empire, along with their official +communications, the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the only member of +the circle who forebore to reply, and I understood be had applied to the +Court of Russia to know "whether" and "how" he should reply. At the same +time he made known to the Emperor the marriage of his daughter, the +Princess Charlotte Frederica, with Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark. + +At this period it would have been difficult to foresee the way in which +this union would terminate. The Prince was young and handsome, and of an +amiable disposition, which seemed to indicate that he would prove a good +husband. As for the Princess, she was as beautiful as love; but she was +heedless and giddy; in fact, she was a spoiled child. She adored her +husband, and during several years their union proved happy. I had the +honour of knowing them at the period when the Duke of Mecklenburg, with +his family, sought refuge at Altona. Before leaving that town the +Duchess of Mecklenburg, a Princess of Saxony, paid a visit to Madame de +Bourrienne and loaded her with civilities. This Princess was perfectly +amiable, and was therefore generally regretted when, two years +afterwards, death snatched her from her family. Before leaving Altona +the Duke of Mecklenburg gave some parties by way of bidding adieu to +Holstein, where he had been so kindly received; and I can never forget +the distinguished reception and many kindnesses Madame de Bourrienne and +myself received from that illustrious family. + +It consisted of the hereditary Prince, so distinguished by his talents +and acquirements (he was at that time the widower of a Grand Duchess of +Russia, a sister of the Emperor Alexander), of Prince Gustavus, so +amiable and graceful, and of Princess Charlotte and her husband, the +Prince Royal of Denmark. + +This happy couple were far from foreseeing that in two years they would +be separated for ever. The Princess was at this period in all the +splendour of her beauty; several fetes were given on her account on the +banks of the Elbe, at which the Prince always opened the ball with Madame +de Bourrienne. Notwithstanding her amiability the Princess Charlotte was +no favourite at the Danish Court. Intrigues were formed against her. I +know not whether any foundation existed for the calumnies spread to her +disadvantage, but the Court dames accused her of great levity of conduct, +which, true or false, obliged her husband to separate from her; and at +the commencement of 1809 he sent her to Altona, attended by a chamberlain +and a maid of honour. On her arrival she was in despair; hers was not a +silent grief, for she related her story to every one. This unfortunate +woman really attracted pity, as she shed tears for her son, three years +of age, whom she was doomed never again to behold. But her natural +levity returned; she did not always maintain the reserve suitable to her +rank, and some months afterwards was sent into Jutland, where I believe +she still lives. + +The enemies of the French Government did not confine themselves to +writing and publishing invectives against it. More than one wretch was +ready to employ daggers against the Emperor. Among this number was a man +named Louis Loizeau, recently arrived from London. He repaired to +Altona, there to enjoy the singular privilege which that city afforded of +sheltering all the ruffians, thieves, and bankrupts who fled from the +justice of their own Governments. On the 17th of July Loizeau presented +himself to Comte de Gimel, who resided at Altona, as the agent of the +Comte de Lille. He offered to repair to Paris and assassinate the +Emperor. Comte de Gimel rejected the proposal with indignation; and +replied, that if he had no other means of serving the Bourbons than +cowardly assassination he might go elsewhere and find confederates. This +fact, which was communicated to me by a friend of M. de Gimel, determined +me to arrest Loizeau. Not being warranted, however, to take this step at +Altona, I employed a trusty agent to keep watch, and draw him into a +quarrel the moment he should appear on the Hamburg side of a public walk +which divides that city from Altona, and deliver him up to the nearest +Hamburg guard-house. Loizeau fell into the snare; but finding that he +was about to be conducted from the guardhouse to the prison of Hamburg, +and that it was at my request he had been arrested, he hastily unloosed +his cravat, and tore with his teeth the papers it contained, part of +which he swallowed. He also endeavoured to tear some other papers which +were concealed under his arm, but was prevented by the guard. Furious at +this disappointment, he violently resisted the five soldiers who had him +in custody, and was not secured until he had been slightly wounded. His +first exclamation on entering prison was, "I am undone!" Loizeau was +removed to Paris, and, though I am ignorant of the ultimate fate of this +wretch, I am pretty certain that Fouche would take effectual means to +prevent him from doing any further mischief. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +1806. + + Menaces of Prussia--Offer for restoring Hanover to England--Insolent + ultimatum--Commencement of hostilities between France and Prussia-- + Battle of Auerstadt--Death of the Duke of Brunswick--Bernadotte in + Hamburg--Davonet and Bernadotte--The Swedes at Lubeck--Major Amiel-- + Service rendered to the English Minister at Hamburg--My appointment + of Minister for the King of Naples--New regulation of the German + post-office--The Confederation of the North--Devices of the Hanse + Towns--Occupation of Hamburg in the name of the Emperor--Decree of + Berlin--The military governors of Hamburg--Brune, Michaud, and + Bernadotte. + +The moment now approached when war was about to be renewed in Germany, +and in proportion as the hopes of peace diminished Prussia redoubled her +threats, which were inspired by the recollection of the deeds of the +great Frederick. The idea of peace was hateful to Prussia. Her +measures, which till now had been sufficiently moderate, suddenly assumed +a menacing aspect on learning that the Minister of the King of England +had declared in Parliament that France had consented to the restitution +of Hanover. The French Ministry intimated to the Prussian Government +that this was a preliminary step towards a general peace, and that a +large indemnity would be granted in return. But the King of Prussia, +who was well informed, and convinced that the House of Hanover clung to +this ancient domain, which gave to England a certain preponderance in +Germany, considered himself trifled with, and determined on war. + +Under these circumstances Lord Lauderdale was recalled from Paris by his +Government. War continued with England, and was about to commence with +Prussia. The Cabinet of Berlin sent an ultimatum which could scarcely be +regarded in any other light than a defiance, and from the well-known +character of Napoleon we may judge of his irritation at this ultimatum. + + --[The severity with which Bonaparte treated the press may be + inferred from the case of Palm the publisher. In 1808 Johann + Phillip Palm, of Nuremberg, was shot by Napoleon's order for issuing + a pamphlet against the rule of the French in Germany.]-- + +The Emperor, after his stay of eight months in Paris passed in abortive +negotiations for peace, set out on the 25th of September for the Rhine. + +Hostilities commenced on the 10th of October 1806 between France and +Prussia, and I demanded of the Senate that a stop should be put to the +Prussians recruiting. The news of a great victory gained by the Emperor +over the Prussians on the 14th of October reached Hamburg on the 19th, +brought by some fugitives, who gave such exaggerated accounts of the loss +of the French army that it was not until the arrival of the official +despatches on the 28th of October that we knew whether to mourn or to +rejoice at the victory of Jena. + +The Duke of Brunswick, who was dangerously wounded at the battle of +Auerstadt, arrived on the 29th of October at Altona.--[This Prince was in +the seventy-second year of his age, and extremely infirm.]--His entrance +into that city afforded a striking example of the vicissitudes of +fortune. That Prince entered Altona on a wretched litter, borne by ten +men, without officers, without domestics, followed by a troop of +vagabonds and children, who were drawn together by curiosity. He was +lodged in a wretched inn, and so much worn out by fatigue and the pain of +his eyes that on the day after his arrival a report of his death very +generally prevailed. Doctor Unzer was immediately sent for to attend the +unfortunate Duke, who, during the few days that he survived his wounds, +saw no one else except his wife, who arrived on the 1st of November. He +expired on the 10th of the same month. + + --[For the mistimed but rather pathetic belief of the old dying Duke + in the courtesy with which he and his States would be treated by the + French, see Beugnot, tome 1. p. 80: "I feel sure that there is a + courier of the Emperor's on the road to know how I am."]-- + +At this juncture Bernadotte returned to Hamburg. I asked him how I was +to account for his conduct while he was with Davoust, who had left +Nuremberg to attack the Prussian army; and whether it was true that he +had refused to march with that general, and afterwards to aid him when he +attacked the Prussians on the Weimar road. "The letters I received," +observed I, "state that you took no part in the battle of Auerstadt; that +I did not believe, but I suppose you saw the bulletin which I received a +little after the battle, and which stated that Bonaparte said at +Nuremberg, in the presence of several officers, 'Were I to bring him +before a court-martial he would be shot. I shall say nothing to him +about it, but I will take care he shall know what I think of his +behaviour. He has too keen a sense of honour not to be aware that he +acted disgracefully."--"I think him very likely," rejoined Bernadotte, +"to have made these observations. He hates me because he knows I do not +like him; but let him speak to me and he shall have his answer. If I am +a Gascon, he is a greater one. I might have felt piqued at receiving +something like orders from Davoust, but I did my duty." + + --[The complaints of Bernadotte's conduct on the 14th of October + 1806. when he gave no assistance to Davoust in repulsing the main + body of the Prussians at Aneratadt, are well known. Jomini says + that Davoust proposed to Bernadotte to march with him, and even + offered him the command of the two corps. Bernadotte refused, and + marched away to Dornburg, where he was of no use, "his obstinacy, + difficult to explain, nearly compromised both Davoust and the + success of the battle;" See also Thiers (tome vii. p. 172), who + attributes Bernadotte's conduct to a profound aversion for Davoust + conceived on the most frivolous grounds. Bernadotte had frequently + given cause of complaint to Napoleon in the two campaigns of 1806 + and 1806. In the movement on Vienna Napoleon considered he showed + want of activity and of zeal. These complaints seem to have been + made in good faith, for in a letter to Bernadotte's brother-in-law, + Joseph, Napoleon suggests that health may have been the causes (Du + Cases, tome i. p. 322). Bernadotte was equally unfortunate in + putting in his appearance too late at Eylan (see Due de Rovigo's + Memoirs, tome ii. p. 48), and also incurred the displeasure of + Napoleon at Wagram (see later on).]-- + +In the beginning of November the Swedes entered Lubeck; but on the 8th of +that month the town was taken by assault, and the Swedes, as well as the +rest of the corps which had escaped from Jena, were made prisoners. + +A troop of Prussians had advanced within four leagues of Hamburg, and +that town had already prepared for a vigorous resistance, in case they +should attempt an entrance, when Major Amiel attacked them at +Zollenspieker and made some prisoners. Hamburg was, however, threatened +with another danger, for Major Amiel expressed his intention of entering +with all his prisoners, notwithstanding the acknowledged neutrality of +the town. Amiel was a partisan leader in the true sense of the word; he +fought rather on his own account than with the intention of contributing +to the success of the operations of the army. His troop did not consist +of more than forty men, but that was more than sufficient to spread +terror and devastation in the surrounding villages. He was a bold +fellow, and when, with his handful of men, he threw himself upon Hamburg, +the worthy inhabitants thought he had 20,000 troops with him. He had +pillaged every place through which he passed, and brought with him 300 +prisoners, and a great many horses he had taken on his road. It was +night when he presented himself at the gates of the city, which he +entered alone, having left his men and booty at the last village. He +proceeded to the French Embassy. I was not there at the time, but I was +sent for, and about seven o'clock in the evening I had my first interview +with the Major. He was the very, beau ideal of a bandit, and would have +been an admirable model for a painter. I was not at all surprised to +hear that on his arrival his wild appearance and huge mustachios had +excited some degree of terror among those who were in the salon. He +described his exploits on the march, and did not disguise his intention +of bringing his troops into Hamburg next day. He talked of the Bank and +of pillage. I tried for some time to divert him from this idea, but +without effect, and at length said to him, "Sir, you know that this is +not the way the Emperor wishes to be served. During the seven years that +I have been about him, I have invariably heard him express his +indignation against those who aggravate the misery which war naturally +brings in her train. It is the express wish of the Emperor that no +damage, no violence whatever, shall be committed on the city or territory +of Hamburg." These few words produced a stronger effect than any +entreaties I could have used, for the mere name of the Emperor made even +the boldest tremble, and Major Amiel next thought of selling his booty. +The Senate were so frightened at the prospect of having Amiel quartered +upon them that to get rid of him they determined to purchase his booty at +once, and even furnished him with guards for his prisoners. I did not +learn till some time afterwards that among the horses Major Amiel had +seized upon the road were those of the Countess Walmoden. Had I known +this fact at the time I should certainly have taken care to have had them +restored to her. Madame Walmoden was then a refugee at Hamburg, and +between her and my family a close intimacy existed. On the very day, I +believe, of the Major's departure the Senate wrote me a letter of thanks +for the protection I afforded the town. + +Before the commencement of the Prussian campaign, while anxiety was +entertained respecting the designs of the Cabinet of Berlin, my task was +not an easy one. I exerted all my efforts to acquaint the French +Government with what was passing on the Spree. I announced the first +intelligence of an unexpected movement which had taken place among the +Prussian troops cantoned in the neighbourhood of Hamburg. They suddenly +evacuated Lauenburg, Platzburg, Haarburg, Stade, Twisenfelth, and +Cuxhaven. This extraordinary movement gave rise to a multitude of +surmises. I was not wrong when I informed the French Government that, +according to every probability, Prussia was about to declare hostilities +against France, and to enter into an alliance with England. + +I much regretted that my situation did not allow me more frequent +opportunities of meeting Mr. Thornton, the English Minister to the circle +of Lower Saxony. However; I saw him sometimes, and had on two different +occasions the opportunity of rendering him some service. Mr. Thornton +had requested me to execute a little private business for him, the +success of which depended on the Emperor. I made the necessary +communication to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, adding in my letter +that Mr. Thornton's conduct towards the French who had come in any way in +contact with him had ever been just and liberal, and that I should +receive great pleasure in being able to announce to him the success of +his application. His request was granted. + +On another occasion Mr. Thornton applied to me for my services, and I had +once more the pleasure of rendering them. He wished to procure some +information respecting an Englishman named Baker, who had gone to +Terracina, in the Campagna di Roma, for the benefit of sea-bathing. He +was there arrested, without any cause assigned, by order of the +commandant of the French troops in Terracina. The family of Mr. Baker, +not having heard from him for some months, became very uneasy respecting +him, for they had not the least idea of his arrest. His relations +applied to Mr. Thornton, and that gentleman, notwithstanding the +circumstances which, as I have stated, prevented our frequent +intercourse, hesitated not a moment in requesting me to furnish him with +some information respecting his countryman. I lost no time in writing to +M. Alquier, our Ambassador at Rome, and soon enabled Mr. Thornton to ease +the apprehension of Mr. Baker's friends. + +I had every opportunity of knowing what was passing in Italy, for I had +just been invested with a new dignity. As the new King of Naples, +Joseph, had no Minister in Lower Saxony, he wished that I should +discharge the function of Minister Plenipotentiary for Naples. His +Ministers accordingly received orders to correspond with me upon all +business connected with his government and his subjects. The relations +between Hamburg and Naples were nearly nil, and my new office made no +great addition to my labours. + +I experienced, however, a little more difficulty in combining all the +post-offices of Hamburg in the office of the Grand Duchy of Berg, thus +detaching them from the offices of Latour and Taxis, so named after the +German family who for a length of time had had the possession of them, +and who were devoted to Austria. + +After some days of negotiation I obtained the suppression of these +offices, and their union with the postoffice of the Grand Due de Berg +(Murat), who thus received letters from Italy, Hungary, Germany, Poland, +part of Russia, and the letters from England for these countries. + +The affair of the post-offices gained for me the approbation of Napoleon. +He expressed his satisfaction through the medium of a letter I received +from Duroc, who at the same time recommended me to continue informing the +Emperor of all that was doing in Germany with relation to the plans of +the Confederation of the North. I therefore despatched to the Minister +for Foreign Affairs a detailed letter, announcing that Baron Grote, the +Prussian Minister at Hamburg, had set off on a visit to Bremen and +Lubeck. Among those who accompanied him on this excursion was a person +wholly devoted to me; and I knew that Baron Grote's object was to offer +to these towns verbal propositions for their union with the Confederation +of the North, which the King of Prussia wished to form as a counterpoise +to the Confederation of the Rhine, just created by Napoleon. Baron Grote +observed the strictest secrecy in all his movements. He showed, in +confidence, to those to whom he addressed himself, a letter from M. +Haugwitz, the Minister of the King of Prussia, + + --[In July 1806, after Austerlitz, Napoleon had formed the + "Confederation du Rhin." to include the smaller States of Germany, + who threw off all connection with the German Empire, and formed a + Confederation furnishing a considerable army. ]-- + + --[The Emperor of Germany, Francis IL, had already in 1804, on + Napoleon taking the title of Emperor, declared himself Hereditary + Emperor of Austria. After the formation of the Rhenish + Confederation and Napoleon's refusal to acknowledge the German + Empire any longer, he released the States of the Holy Roman Empire + from their allegiance, declared the Empire dissolved, and contented + himself with the title of Emperor of Austria, as Francis I.]-- + +who endeavoured to point out to the Hanse Towns how much the +Confederation of the North would turn to their advantage, it being the +only means of preserving their liberty, by establishing a formidable +power. However, to the first communication only an evasive answer was +returned. M. Van Sienen, the Syndic of Hamburg, was commissioned by the +Senate to inform the Prussian Minister that the affair required the +concurrence of the burghers, and that before he could submit it to them +it would be necessary to know its basis and conditions. Meanwhile the +Syndic Doormann proceeded to Lubeck, where there was also a deputy from +Bremen. The project of the Confederation, however, never came to +anything. + +I scrupulously discharged the duties of my functions, but I confess I +often found it difficult to execute the orders I received, and more than +once I took it upon myself to modify their severity. I loved the frank +and generous character of the Hamburgers, and I could not help pity the +fate of the Hanse Towns, heretofore so happy, and from which Bonaparte +had exacted such immense sacrifices. + +On the principal gate of the Hanse Towns is inscribed the following +motto, well expressing the pacific spirit of the people: 'Da nobis pacem, +Domine, in diebus nostris'. The paternal and elected government, which +did everything to secure the happiness of these towns, was led to believe +that the sacrifices imposed on them would be recompensed by the +preservation of their neutrality. No distrust was entertained, and hope +was kept alive by the assurances given by Napoleon. He published in the +Moniteur that the Hanse Towns could not be included in any particular +Confederation. He thus strangled in its birth the Confederation of the +North, to which those feeble States would otherwise have been obliged to +consent. When in 1806 Napoleon marched against Prussia, he detached +Marshal Mortier from the Grand Army when it had passed the Rhine, and +directed him to invade the Electorate of Hesse, and march on Hamburg. On +the 19th of November the latter town was occupied by the French army in +the name of the Emperor, amidst the utmost order and tranquillity. + +I must acknowledge that I was under much apprehension as to this event. +At the intelligence of the approach of the French army consternation was +great and universal in Hamburg, which was anxious to maintain its +neutrality unimpaired. At the urgent request of the magistrates of the +city I assumed functions more than diplomatic, and became, in some +respects, the first magistrate of the town. I went to meet Marshal +Mortier to endeavour to dissuade him from entering. I thought I should +by this means better serve the interests of France than by favouring the +occupation of a neutral town by our troops. But all my remonstrances +were useless. Marshal Mortier had received formal orders from the +Emperor. + +No preparations having been made at Hamburg for the reception of Marshal +Mortier, he quartered himself and his whole staff upon me. The few +troops he had with him were disposed of in my courtyard, so that the +residence of a Minister of peace was all at once converted into +headquarters. This state of things continued until a house was got ready +for the Marshal. + +Marshal Mortier had to make very rigorous exactions, but my +representations suspended for a while Napoleon's orders for taking +possession of the Bank of Hamburg. I am here bound to bear testimony to +the Marshal's honourable principles and integrity of character. The +representations which I had sent to Marshal Mortier were transmitted by +the latter to the Emperor at Berlin; and Mortier stated that he had +suspended the execution of the orders until he should receive others. +The Emperor approved of this. It was, indeed, a happy event for France +and for Europe, even more so than for Hamburg. Those who suggested to +the Emperor the idea of pillaging that fine establishment must have been +profoundly ignorant of its importance. They thought only of the +90,000,000 of marks banco deposited in its cellars. + +By the famous decree of Berlin, dated 21st November 1806, Mortier was +compelled to order the seizure of all English merchandise in the Hanse +Towns, but he enforced the decree only so far as to preserve the +appearance of having obeyed his orders. + +Mortier, on leaving Hamburg for Mecklenburg, was succeeded by General +Michaud, who in his turn was succeeded by Marshal Brune in the beginning +of 1807. I am very glad to take the present opportunity of correcting +the misconceptions which arose through the execution of certain acts of +Imperial tyranny. The truth is, Marshal Brune, during his government, +constantly endeavoured to moderate, as far as he could, the severity of +the orders he received. Bernadotte became Governor of Hamburg when the +battle of Jena rendered Napoleon master of Prussia and the north of +Germany. + +The Prince of Ponte-Corvo lightened, as far as possible, the unjust +burdens and vexations to which that unfortunate town was subject. He +never refused his assistance to any measures which I adopted to oppose a +system of ruin and persecution. He often protected Hamburg against +exorbitant exactions, The Hanse Towns revived a little under his +government, which continued longer than that of Mortier, Michaud, and +Brune. The memory of Bernadotte will always be dear to the Hamburgers; +and his name will never be pronounced without gratitude. His attention +was especially directed to moderate the rigour of the custom-houses; and +perhaps the effect which his conduct produced on public opinion may be +considered as having, in some measure, led to the decision which, four +years after, made him Hereditary Prince of Sweden. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +1806. + + Ukase of the Emperor of Russia--Duroc's mission to Weimar-- + Napoleon's views defeated--Triumphs of the French armies--Letters + from Murat--False report respecting Murat--Resemblance between + Moreau and M. Billand--Generous conduct of Napoleon--His interview + with Madame Hatzfeld at Berlin--Letter from Bonaparte to Josephine-- + Blucher my prisoner--His character--His confidence in the future + fate of Germany--Prince Paul of Wurtemberg taken prisoner--His wish + to enter the French service--Distinguished emigrants at Altona-- + Deputation of the Senate to the Emperor at Berlin--The German + Princes at Altona--Fauche-Boiel and the Comte de Gimel. + +In September 1806 it became very manifest that, as soon as war should +break out between France and Prussia, Russia would not be slow in forming +an alliance with the latter power. Peace had, however, been +reestablished between Napoleon and Alexander by virtue of a treaty just +signed at Paris. By that treaty Russia was to evacuate the Bouches du +Cattaro,--[The Bouches do Cattaro, on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, +had formed part of the Dalmatian possessions of Venice.]--a condition +with which she was in no hurry to comply. I received a number of the +Court Gazette of St. Petersburg, containing a ukase of the Emperor of +Russia, in which Alexander pointed out the danger which again menaced +Europe, showed the necessity of adopting precautions for general +tranquillity and the security of his own Empire, and declared his +determination of not only completing but augmenting his army. He +therefore ordered a levy of four men out of every 500 inhabitants. + +Before the commencement of hostilities Duroc was sent to the King of +Prussia with the view of discovering whether there was any possibility of +renewing negotiations; but affairs were already too much embarrassed. +All Duroc's endeavours were in vain, and perhaps it was no longer in the +power of the King of Prussia to avoid war with France. Besides, he had +just grounds of offence against the Emperor. Although the latter had +given him Hanover in exchange for the two Margravates, he had, +nevertheless, offered to England the restoration of that province as one +of the terms of the negotiations commenced with Mr. Fox. This underhand +work was not unknown to the Berlin Cabinet, and Napoleon's duplicity +rendered Duroc's mission useless. At this time the King of Prussia was +at Weimar. + +Victory everywhere favoured the French arms. Prince Hohenlohe, who +commanded a corps of the Prussian army, was forced to capitulate at +Prentzlau. After this capitulation General Blucher took the command of +the remains of the corps, to which he joined the troops whose absence +from Prentzlau exempted them from the capitulation. These corps, added +to those which Blucher had at Auerstadt, were then almost the only +ramparts of the Prussian monarchy. Soult and Bernadotte received orders +from Murat to pursue Blucher, who was using all his efforts to draw from +Berlin the forces of those two generals. Blucher marched in the +direction of Lubeck. + +General Murat pursued the wreck of the Prussian army which had escaped +from Saxony by Magdeburg. Blucher was driven upon Lubeck. It was very +important to the army at Berlin that this numerous corps should be +destroyed, commanded as it was by a skillful and brave general, who drew +from the centre of the military operations numerous troops, with which he +might throw himself into Hanover, or Hesse, or even Holland, and by +joining the English troops harass the rear of the Grand Army. The Grand +Duke of Berg explained to me his plans and expectations, and soon after +announced their fulfilment in several letters which contained, among +other things, the particulars of the taking of Lubeck. + +In two of these letters Murat, who was probably deceived by his agents, +or by some intriguer, informed me that General Moreau had passed through +Paris on the 12th of October, and had arrived in Hamburg on the 28th of +October. The proof which Murat possessed of this circumstance was a +letter of Fauche-Borel, which he had intercepted. I recollect a curious +circumstance which serves to show the necessity of mistrusting the vague +intelligence furnished to persons in authority. A fortnight before I +received Murat's first letter a person informed me that General Moreau +was in Hamburg. I gave no credit to this intelligence, yet I endeavoured +to ascertain whether it had any foundation, but without effect. Two days +later I was assured that an individual had met General Moreau, that he +had spoken to him, that he knew him well from having served under him-- +together with various other circumstances, the truth of which there +appeared no reason to doubt. I immediately sent for the individual in +question, who told me that he knew Moreau, that he had met him, that the +General had inquired of him the way to the Jungfersteige (a promenade at +Hamburg), that he had pointed it out to him, and then said, "Have I not +the honour to speak to General Moreau?" upon which the General answered, +"Yes, but say nothing about having seen me; I am here incognito." All +this appeared to me so absurd that, pretending not to know Moreau, I +asked the person to describe him to me. He described a person bearing +little resemblance to Moreau, and added that he wore a braided French +coat and the national cockade in his hat. I instantly perceived the +whole was a mere scheme for getting a little money. I sent the fellow +about his business. In a quarter of an hour after I had got rid of him +M. la Chevardiere called on me, and introduced M. Billaud, the French +Consul at Stettin. This gentleman wore a braided coat and the national +cockade in his hat. He was the hero of the story I had heard from the +informer. A slight personal resemblance between the Consul and the +General had caused several persons to mistake them for each other. + +During the Prussian campaign nothing was talked of throughout Germany but +Napoleon's generous conduct with respect to Prince Hatzfeld. I was +fortunate enough to obtain a copy of a letter which the Emperor wrote to +Josephine on the subject, and which I shall presently lay before the +reader. In conformity with the inquisitorial system which too frequently +characterised the Emperor's government, and which he extended to every +country of which he had military possession, the first thing done on +entering a town was to take possession of the post-office, and then, +Heaven knows how little respect was shown to the privacy of +correspondence. Among the letters thus seized at Berlin and delivered to +Napoleon was one addressed to the King of Prussia by Prince Hatzfeld, who +had imprudently remained in the Prussian capital. In this letter the +Prince gave his Sovereign an account of all that had occurred in Berlin +since he had been compelled to quit at; and at the same time he informed +him of the force and situation of the corps of the French army. The +Emperor, after reading this letter, ordered that the Prince should be +arrested, and tried by a court-martial on the charge of being a spy. + +The Court was summoned, and little doubt could be entertained as to its +decision when Madame Hatzfeld repaired to Duroc, who on such occasions +was always happy when he could facilitate communication with the Emperor. +On that day Napoleon had been at a review. Duroc knew Madame Hatzfeld, +whom he had several times seen on his visits to Berlin. When Napoleon +returned from the review he was astonished to see Duroc at the palace at +that hour, and inquired whether he had brought any news. Duroc answered +in the affirmative, and followed the Emperor into his Cabinet, where he +soon introduced Madame Hatzfeld. The remainder of the scene is described +in Napoleon's letter. It may easily be perceived that this letter is an +answer to one from Josephine reproaching him for the manner in which he +spoke of women, and very probably of the beautiful and unfortunate Queen +of Prussia, respecting whom he had expressed himself with too little +respect in one of his bulletins. The following is Napoleon's letter:-- + + I have received your letter, in which you seem to reproach me for + speaking ill of women. It is true that I dislike female intriguers + above all things. I am used to kind, gentle, and conciliatory + women. I love them, and if they have spoiled me it is not my fault, + but yours. However, you will see that I have done an act of + kindness to one deserving woman. I allude to Madame de Hatzfeld. + When I showed her her husband's letter she stood weeping, and in a + tone of mingled grief and ingenuousness said, "It is indeed his + writing!" This went to my heart, and I said, "Well, madame, throw + the letter into the fire, and then I shall have no proof against + your husband." She burned the letter, and was restored to + happiness. Her husband now is safe: two hours later, and he would + have been lost. You see, therefore, that I like women who are + simple, gentle, and amiable; because they alone resemble you. + + November 6, 1806, 9 o'clock P.M. + + +When Marshal Bernadotte had driven Blucher into Lubeck and made him +prisoner, he sent to inform me of the circumstance; but I was far from, +expecting that the prisoner would be confided to my charge. Such, +however, was the case. After his capitulation he was sent to Hamburg, +where he had the whole city for his prison. + +I was curious to become acquainted with this celebrated man, and I saw +him very frequently. I found that he was an enthusiastic Prussian +patriot--a brave man, enterprising even to rashness, of limited +education, and almost to an incredible degree devoted to pleasure, of +which he took an ample share while he remained in Hamburg. He sat an +enormous time at table, and, notwithstanding his exclusive patriotism, +he rendered full justice to the wines of France. His passion for women +was unbounded, and one of his most favourite sources of amusement was the +gaming-table, at which he spent a considerable portion of his time. +Blucher was of an extremely gay disposition; and considered merely as a +companion he was very agreeable. The original style of his conversation +pleased me much. His confidence in the deliverance of Germany remained +unshaken in spite of the disasters of the Prussian army. He often said +to me, "I place great reliance on the public spirit of Germany--on the +enthusiasm which prevails in our universities. The events of war are +daily changing, and even defeats con tribute to nourish in a people +sentiments of honour and national glory. You may depend upon it that +when a whole nation is determined to shake off a humiliating yoke it will +succeed. There is no doubt but we shall end by having a landwehr very +different from any militia to which the subdued spirit of the French +people could give birth. England will always lend us the support of her +navy and her subsidies, and we will renew alliances with Russia and +Austria. I can pledge myself to the truth of a fact of which I have +certain knowledge, and you may rely upon it; namely, that none of the +allied powers engaged in the present war entertain views of territorial +aggrandisement. All they unanimously desire is to put an end to the +system of aggrandisement which your Emperor has established and acts upon +with such alarming rapidity. In our first war against France, at the +commencement of your Revolution, we fought for questions respecting the +rights of sovereigns, for which, I assure you, I care very little; but +now the case is altered, the whole population of Prussia makes common +cause with its Government. The people fight in defence of their homes, +and reverses destroy our armies without changing the spirit of the +nation. I rely confidently on the future because I foresee that fortune +will not always favour your Emperor. It is impossible; but the time will +come when all Europe, humbled by his exactions, and impatient of his +depredations, will rise up against him. The more he enslaves nations, +the more terrible will be the reaction when they break their chains. +It cannot be denied that he is tormented with an insatiable desire of +acquiring new territories. To the war of 1805 against Austria and Russia +the present war has almost immediately succeeded. We have fallen. +Prussia is occupied; but Russia still remains undefeated. I cannot +foresee what will be the termination of the war; but, admitting that the +issue should be favourable to you, it will end only to break out again +speedily. If we continue firm, France, exhausted by her conquests, must +in the end fall. You may be certain of it. You wish for peace. +Recommend it! By so doing You will give strong proofs of love for your +country." + +In this strain Blucher constantly spoke to me; and as I never thought it +right to play the part of the public functionary in the drawing-room I +replied to him with the reserve necessary in my situation. I could not +tell him how much my anticipations frequently coincided with his; but I +never hesitated to express to him how much I wished to see a reasonable +peace concluded. + +Blucher's arrival at Hamburg was preceded by that of Prince Paul of +Wutrtemberg, the second son of one of the two kings created by Napoleon, +whose crowns were not yet a year old. This young Prince, who was imbued +with the ideas of liberty and independence which then prevailed in +Germany, had taken a headlong step. He had quitted Stuttgart to serve in +the Prussian campaign without having asked his father's permission, which +inconsiderate proceeding might have drawn Napoleon's anger upon the King +of Wurtemberg. The King of Prussia advanced Prince Paul to the rank of +general, but he was taken prisoner at the very commencement of +hostilities. Prince Paul was not, as has been erroneously stated, +conducted to Stuttgart by a captain of gendarmerie. He came to Hamburg, +where I received many visits from him. He did not yet possess very +definite ideas as to what he wished; for after he was made prisoner he +expressed to me his strong desire to enter the French service, and often +asked me to solicit for him an interview with the Emperor. He obtained +this interview, and remained for a long time in Paris, where I know he +has frequently resided since the Restoration. + +The individuals whom I had to observe in Hamburg gave me much less +trouble than our neighbours at Altona. The number of the latter had +considerably augmented, since the events of the war had compelled a great +number of emigrants who had taken refuge at Munster to leave that town. +They all proceeded to Altona. Conquered countries became as dangerous to +them as the land which they had forsaken. The most distinguished amongst +the individuals assembled at Altona were Vicomte de Sesmaisons, the +Bailly d'Hautefeuille, the Duchess of Luxembourg, the Marquis de Bonnard, +the Due d'Aumont (then Due de Villequier), the wife of Marshal de Brogue +and her daughter, Cardinal de Montmorency, Madame de Cosse, her two +daughters and her son (and a priest), and the Bishop of Boulogne. + +Bonaparte stayed long enough at Berlin to permit of the arrival of a +deputation from the French Senate to congratulate him on his first +triumphs. I learned that in this instance the Senatorial deputation, +departing from its accustomed complaisance, ventured not to confine +itself to compliments and felicitations, but went so far as to interfere +with the Emperor's plan of the campaign, to speak of the danger that +might be incurred and finally to express a desire to in passing the Oder, +see peace concluded. Napoleon received this communication with a very +bad grace. He thought the Senators very bold to meddle with his affairs, +treated the conscript fathers of France as if they had been inconsiderate +youths, protested, according to custom, his sincere love of peace, and +told the deputation that it was Prussia, backed by Russia, and not he, +who wished for war! + +All the German Princes who had taken part against Napoleon fled to Altona +after the battle of Jena with as much precipitation as the emigrants +themselves. The Hereditary Prince of Weimar, the Duchess of Holstein, +Prince Belmonte-Pignatelli, and a multitude of other persons +distinguished for rank and fortune, arrived there almost simultaneously. +Among the persons who took refuge in Altona were some intriguers, of whom +Fauche-Borel was one. I remember receiving a report respecting a violent +altercation which Fauche had the audacity to enter into with Comte de +Gimel because he could not extort money from the Count in payment of his +intrigues. Comte de Gimel had only funds for the payment of pensions, +and, besides, he had too much sense to suppose there was any utility in +the stupid pamphlets of Fauche-Borel, and therefore he dismissed him with +a refusal. Fauche was insolent, which compelled Comte de Gimel to send +him about his business as he deserved. This circumstance, which was +first communicated to me in a report, has since been confirmed by a +person who witnessed the scene. Fauche-Borel merely passed through +Hamburg, and embarked for London on board the same ship which took Lord +Morpeth back to England. + + --[Louis Fauche-Borel (1762-1829), a Swiss who devoted himself to + the cause of the Royalists. As Louis stepped on the shore of France + in 1814, Fauche-Borel was ready to assist him from the boat, and was + met with the gracious remark that he was always at hand when a + service was required. His services were however left unrewarded]-- + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +1806. + + Alarm of the city of Hamburg--The French at Bergdorf--Favourable + orders issued by Bernadotte--Extortions in Prussia--False + endorsements--Exactions of the Dutch--Napoleon's concern for his + wounded troops--Duroc's mission to the King of Prussia--Rejection of + the Emperor's demands--My negotiations at Hamburg--Displeasure of + the King of Sweden--M. Netzel and M. Wetteratedt. + +At this critical moment Hamburg was menaced on all sides; the French even +occupied a portion of its territory. The French troops, fortunately for +the country, were attached to the corps commanded by the Prince de Ponte- +Corvo. This military occupation alarmed the town of Hamburg, to which, +indeed, it proved very injurious. I wrote to Marshal Bernadotte on the +subject. The grounds on which the Senate appealed for the evacuation of +their territory were such that Bernadotte could not but acknowledge their +justice. The prolonged stay of the French troops in the bailiwick of +Bergdorf, which had all the appearance of an occupation, might have led +to the confiscation of all Hamburg property in England, to the laying an +embargo on the vessels of the Republic, and consequently to the ruin of a +great part of the trade of France and Holland, which was carried on under +the flag of Hamburg. There was no longer any motive for occupying the +bailiwick of Bergdorf when there were no Prussians in that quarter. It +would have been an absurd misfortune that eighty men stationed in that +bailiwick should, for the sake of a few louis and a few ells of English +cloth, have occasioned the confiscation of Hamburg, French, and Dutch +property to the amount of 80,000,000 francs. + +Marshal Bernadotte replied to me on the 16th of November, and said, +"I hasten to inform you that I have given orders for the evacuation of +the bailiwick of Bergdorf and all the Hamburg territory. If you could +obtain from the Senate of Hamburg, by the 19th of this month, two or +three thousand pairs of shoes, you would oblige me greatly. They shall +be paid for in goods or in money." + +I obtained what Bernadotte required from the Senate, who knew his +integrity, while they were aware that that quality was not the +characteristic of all who commanded the French armies! What extortions +took place during the occupation of Prussia! I will mention one of the +means which, amongst others, was employed at Berlin to procure money. +Bills of exchange were drawn, on which endorsements were forged, and +these bills were presented to the bankers on whom they were purported to +be drawn. One day some of these forged bills to a large amount were +presented to Messrs. Mathiesen and Silleine of Hamburg, who, knowing the +endorsement to be forged, refused to cash them. The persons who +presented the bills carried their impudence so far as to send for the +gendarmes, but the bankers persisted in their refusal. I was informed of +this almost incredible scene, which had drawn together a great number of +people. Indignant at such audacious robbery, I instantly proceeded to +the spot and sent away the gendarmes, telling them it was not their duty +to protect robbers, and that it was my business to listen to any just +claims which might be advanced. Under Clarke's government at Berlin the +inhabitants were subjected to all kinds of oppression and exaction. +Amidst these exactions and infamous proceedings, which are not the +indispensable consequences of war, the Dutch generals distinguished +themselves by a degree of rapacity which brought to mind the period of +the French Republican peculations in Italy. It certainly was not their +new King who set the example of this conduct. His moderation was well +known, and it was as much the result of his disposition as of his honest +principles. Louis Bonaparte, who was a King in spite of himself, +afforded an example of all that a good man could suffer upon a usurped +throne. + +When the King of Prussia found himself defeated at every point he +bitterly repented having undertaken a war which had delivered his States +into Napoleon's power in less time than that in which Austria had fallen +the preceding year. He wrote to the Emperor, soliciting a suspension of +hostilities. Rapp was present when Napoleon received the King of +Prussia's letter. "It is too late," said he; "but, no matter, I wish to +stop the effusion of blood; I am ready to agree to anything which is not +prejudicial to the honour or interests of the nation." Then calling +Duroc, he gave him orders to visit the wounded, and see that they wanted +for nothing. He added, "Visit every man on my behalf; give them all the +consolation of which they stand in need; afterwards find the King of +Prussia, and if he offers reasonable proposals let me know them." + +Negotiations were commenced, but Napoleon's conditions were of a nature +which was considered inadmissible. Prussia still hoped for assistance +from the Russian forces. Besides, the Emperor's demands extended to +England, who at that moment had no reason to accede to the pretensions of +France. The Emperor wished England to restore to France the colonies +which she bad captured since the commencement of the war, that Russia +should restore to(o) the Porte Moldavia and Wallachia, which she then +occupied; in short, he acted upon the advice which some tragedy-king +gives to his ambassador: "Demand everything, that you may obtain +nothing." The Emperor's demands were, in fact, so extravagant that it +was scarcely possible he himself could entertain the hope of their being +accepted. Negotiations, alternately resumed and abandoned, were carried +on with coldness on both sides until the moment when England prevailed on +Russia to join Prussia against France; they then altogether ceased: and +it was for the sake of appearing to wish for their renewal, on bases +still more favourable to France, that Napoleon sent Duroc to the King of +Prussia. Duroc found the King at Osterode, on the other side of the +Vistula. The only answer he received from His Majesty was, "The time is +passed;" which was very much like Napoleon's observation; "It is too +late." + +Whilst Duroc was on his mission to the King of Prussia I was myself +negotiating at Hamburg. Bonaparte was very anxious to detach Sweden from +the coalition, and to terminate the war with her by a separate treaty. +Sweden, indeed, was likely to be very useful to him if Prussia, Russia, +and England should collect a considerable mass of troops in the north. +Denmark was already with us, and by gaining over Sweden also the union of +those two powers might create a diversion, and give serious alarm to the +coalition, which would be obliged to concentrate its principal force to +oppose the attack of the grand army in Poland. The opinions of M. +Peyron, the Swedish Minister at Hamburg, were decidedly opposed to the +war in which his sovereign was engaged with France. I was sorry that +this gentleman left Hamburg upon leave of absence for a year just at the +moment I received my instructions from the Emperor upon this subject. +M. Peyron was succeeded by M. Netzel, and I soon had the pleasure of +perceiving that his opinions corresponded in every respect with those +of his predecessor. + +As soon as he arrived M. Netzel sought an interview to speak to me on the +subject of the Swedes, who had been taken prisoners on the Drave. He +entreated me to allow the officers to return to Sweden on their parole. +I was anxious to get Netzel's demand acceded to, and availed myself of +that opportunity to lead him gradually to the subject of my instructions. +I had good reason to be satisfied with the manner in which he received my +first overtures. I said nothing to him of the justice of which he was +not previously convinced. I saw he understood that his sovereign would +have everything to gain by a reconciliation with France, and he told me +that all Sweden demanded peace. Thus encouraged, I told him frankly that +I was instructed to treat with him. M. Netzel assured me that M. de +Wetterstedt, the King of Sweden's private secretary, with whom he was +intimate, and from whom he showed me several letters, was of the same +opinion on the subject as himself. He added, that he had permission to +correspond with the King, and that he would; write the same evening to +his sovereign and M.. de Wetterstedt to acquaint them with our +conversation. + +It will be perceived, from what I have stated, that no negotiation was +ever commenced under more favourable auspices; but who could foresee what +turn the King of Sweden would take? That unlucky Prince took M. Netzel's +letter in very ill part, and M. de Wetterstedt himself received +peremptory orders to acquaint M. Netzel with his sovereign's displeasure +at his having presumed to visit a French Minster, and, above all, to +enter into a political conversation with him, although it was nothing +more than conversation. The King did not confine himself to reproaches; +M. Netzel came in great distress to inform me he had received orders to +quit Hamburg immediately, without even awaiting the arrival of his +successor. He regarded his disgrace as complete. I had the pleasure of +seeing M. Netzel again in 1809 at Hamburg, where he was on a mission from +King Charles XIII. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +1806 + + The Continental system--General indignation excited by it--Sale of + licences by the French Government--Custom-house system at Hamburg-- + My letter to the Emperor--Cause of the rupture with Russia-- + Bernadotte's visit to me--Trial by court-martial for the purchase of + a sugar-loaf--Davoust and the captain "rapporteur"--Influence of the + Continental system on Napoleon's fall. + +I have a few remarks to make on the famous Continental system, which was +a subject of such engrossing interest. I had, perhaps, better +opportunities than any other person of observing the fraud and estimating +the fatal consequences of this system. It took its rise during the war +in 1806, and was brought into existence by a decree; dated from Berlin. +The project was conceived by weak counsellors, who; perceiving the +Emperor's just indignation at the duplicity of England, her repugnance to +enter, into negotiations with him, and her constant endeavours to raise +enemies against France, prevailed upon him to issue the decree, which I +could only regard as an act of madness and tyranny. It was not a decree, +but fleets, that were wanting. Without a navy it was ridiculous to +declare the British Isles in a state of blockade, whilst the English +fleets were in fact blockading all the French ports. This declaration +was, however, made in the Berlin Decree. This is what was called the +Continental system! which, in plain terms, was nothing but a system of +fraud and pillage. + +One can now scarcely conceive how Europe could for a single day endure +that fiscal tyranny which extorted exorbitant prices for articles which +the habits of three centuries had rendered indispensable to the poor as +well as to the rich. So little of truth is there in the pretence that +this system had for its sole and exclusive object to prevent the sale of +English goods, that licences for their disposal were procured at a high +price by whoever was rich enough to pay for them. The number and quality +of the articles exported from France were extravagantly exaggerated. It +was, indeed, necessary to take out some of the articles is compliance +with the Emperor's wishes, but they were only thrown into the sea. And +yet no one had the honesty to tell the Emperor that England sold on the +continent but bought scarcely anything. The speculation in licences was +carried to a scandalous extent only to enrich a few, and to satisfy the +short-sighted views of the contrivers of the system. + +This system proves what is written in the annals of the human heart and +mind, that the cupidity of the one is insatiable, and the errors of the +other incorrigible. Of this I will cite an example, though it refers to +a period posterior to the origin of the Continental system. In Hamburg, +in 1811, under Davoust's government, a poor man had well-nigh been shot +for having introduced into the department of the Elbe a small loaf of +sugar for the use of his family, while at the same moment Napoleon was +perhaps signing a licence for the importation of a million of sugar- +loaves. + + --[In this same year (1811) Murat, as King of Naples, not only + winked at the infringement of the Continental system, but almost + openly broke the law himself. His troops in Calabria and all round + his immense line sea coast, carried on an active trade with Sicilian + and English smugglers. This was so much the case that an officer + never set out from Naples to join, without, being, requested by his + wife, his relations or friends, to bring them some English muslins, + some sugar and coffee, together with a few needles, pen-knives, and + razors. Some of the Neapolitan officers embarked in really large + commercial operations, going shares with the custom house people who + were there to enforce the law, and making their soldiers load and + unload the contraband vessels. The Comte de -----, a French officer + on Murat's staff, was very noble, but very poor, and excessively + extravagant. After making several vain efforts to set him up in the + world, the King told him one day he would give him the command of + the troops round the Gulf of Salerno; adding that the devil was in + it if he could not make a fortune in such a capital smuggling + district, in a couple of years.--The Count took the hint, and did + make a fortune.--Editor 1836 edition.]-- + +Smuggling on a small scale was punished with death, whilst the Government +themselves carried it on extensively. The same cause filled the Treasury +with money, and the prisons with victims: + +The custom-house laws of this period, which waged open war against +rhubarb, and armed the coasts of the Continent against the introduction +of senna, did not save the Continental system from destruction. Ridicule +attended the installation of the odious prevotal courts. The president +of the Prevotal Court at Hamburg, who was a Frenchman, delivered an +address, in which he endeavoured to prove that in the time of the +Ptolemies there had existed extraordinary fiscal tribunals, and that it +was to those Egypt owed her prosperity. Terror was thus introduced by +the most absurd folly. The ordinary customhouse officers, formerly so +much abhorred in Hamburg, declared with reason that they would soon be +regretted, and than the difference between them and the prevotal courts +would soon be felt. Bonaparte's counsellors led him to commit the folly +of requiring that a ship which had obtained a licence should export +merchandise equivalent to that of the colonial produce to be imported +under the authority of the licence. What was the consequence? The +speculators bought at a low price old stores of silk-which change of +fashion had made completely unsaleable, and as those articles were +prohibited in England they were thrown into the sea without their loss +being felt. The profits of the speculation made ample amends for the +sacrifice. The Continental system was worthy only of the ages of +ignorance and barbarism, and had it been admissible in theory, was +impracticable in application. + + --[Sydney Smith was struck with the, ridiculous side of the war of + tariffs: "We are told that the Continent is to be reconquered by the + want of rhubarb and plums." (Essays of Sydney Smith, p. 533, edition + of 1861).]-- + +It cannot be sufficiently stigmatised. They were not the friends of the +Emperor who recommended a system calculated to rouse the indignation of +Europe, and which could not fail to create reaction. To tyrannize over +the human species, and to exact uniform admiration and submission, is to +require an impossibility. It would seem that fate, which had still some +splendid triumphs in store for Bonaparte, intended to prepare beforehand +the causes which were to deprive him of all his triumphs at once, and +plunge him into reverses even greater than the good fortune which had +favoured his elevation. + +The prohibition of trade, the habitual severity in the execution of this +odious system, made it operate like a Continental impost. I will give a +proof of this, and I state nothing but what came under my own +observation. The fiscal regulations were very rigidly enforced at +Hamburg, and along the two lines of Cuxhaven and Travemunde. M. Eudel, +the director of that department, performed his duty with zeal and +disinterestedness. I feel gratified in rendering him this tribute. +Enormous quantities of English merchandise and colonial produce were +accumulated at Holstein, where they almost all arrived by way of Kiel and +Hudsum, and were smuggled over the line at the expense of a premium of 33 +and 40 per cent. Convinced of this fact by a thousand proofs, and weary +of the vexations of the preventive system, I took upon myself to lay my +opinions on the subject before the Emperor. He had given me permission +to write to him personally, without any intermediate agency, upon +everything that I might consider essential to his service. I sent an +extraordinary courier to Fontainebleau, where he then was, and in my +despatch I informed him that, notwithstanding his preventive guard, every +prohibited article was smuggled in because the profits on the sale in +Germany, Poland, Italy, and even France, into which the contrabrand goods +found their way, were too considerable not to induce persons to incur all +risks to obtain them. I advised him, at the very time he was about to +unite the Hanse Towns to the French Empire, to permit merchandise to be +imported subject to a duty of 33 per cent., which was about equal to the +amount of the premium for insurance. The Emperor adopted my advice +without hesitation, and in 1811 the regulation produced a revenue of +upwards of 60,000,000 francs in Hamburg alone. + +This system, however, embroiled us with Sweden and Russia, who could not +endure that Napoleon should enact a strict blockade from them, whilst he +was himself distributing licences in abundance. Bernadotte, on his way +to Sweden, passed through Hamburg in October 1810. He stayed with me +three days, during which time he scarcely saw any person but myself. He +asked my opinion as to what he should do in regard to the Continental +system. I did not hesitate to declare to him, not as a French Minister, +but as a private individual to his friend, that in his place, at the head +of a poor nation, which could only subsist by the exchange of its +territorial productions with England, I would open my ports, and give the +Swedes gratuitously that general licence which Bonaparte sold in detail +to intrigue and cupidity. + +The Berlin decree could not fail to cause a reaction against the +Emperor's fortune by raising up whole nations against him. The hurling +of twenty kings from their thrones would have excited less hatred than +this contempt for the wants of nations. This profound ignorance of the +maxims of political economy caused general privation and misery, which in +their turn occasioned general hostility. The system could only succeed +in the impossible event of all the powers of Europe honestly endeavouring +to carry it into effect. A single free port would have destroyed it. +In order to ensure its complete success it was necessary to conquer and +occupy all countries, and never to evacuate them. As a means of ruining +England it was contemptible. It was necessary that all Europe should be +compelled by force of arms to join this absurd coalition, and that the +same force should be constantly employed to maintain it. Was this +possible? The captain "rapporteur" of a court-martial allowed a poor +peasant to escape the punishment due to the offence of having bought a +loaf of sugar beyond the custom-house barrier. This officer was some +time afterwards at a dinner given by Marshal Davoust; the latter said to +him, "You have a very scrupulous conscience, sir; go to headquarters and +you will find an order there for you." This order sent him eighty +leagues from Hamburg. It is necessary to have witnessed, as I have, the +numberless vexations and miseries occasioned by the unfortunate +Continental system to understand the mischief its authors did in Europe, +and how much that mischief contributed to Napoleon's fall. + + --[The so-called Continental system was framed by Napoleon in + revenge for the English very extended system of blockades, after + Trafalgar had put it out of his power to attempt to keep the seas. + By these decrees all ports occupied by the French were closed to the + English, and all English goods were to be destroyed wherever found + in any country occupied by the French. All States under French + influence had to adopt this system. It must be remembered that + Napoleon eventually held or enforced his system on all the + coastlines of Europe, except that of Spain and Turkey; but as + Bourrienne shows the plan of giving licences to break his own system + was too lucrative to be resisted by him, or, still more, by his + officers. For the working of the system in the occupied lands, + Laffite the banker told Savary it was a grand idea, but + impracticable (Savary, tome v. p. 110). The Emperor Alexander is + reported to have said, after visiting England in 1814, that he + believed the system would have reduced England if it had lasted + another year. The English, who claimed the right of blockading any + coast with but little regard to the effectiveness of the blockade, + retaliated by orders in Council, the chief of which are dated 7th + January 1807, and 11th November 1807, by which no ships of any power + were allowed to trade between any French ports, or the ports of any + country closed to England. Whatever the real merits of the system, + and although it was the cause of war between the United States and + England, its execution did most to damage France and Napoleon, and + to band all Europe against it. It is curious that even in 1831 a + treaty had to be made to settle the claims of the United States on + France for unjust seizures under these decrees.]-- + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +1806-1807. + + New system of war--Winter quarters--The Emperor's Proclamation-- + Necessity of marching to meet the Russians--Distress in the Hanse + Towns--Order for 50,000 cloaks--Seizure of Russian corn and timber-- + Murat's entrance into Warsaw--Re-establishment of Poland--Duroc's + accident--M. de Talleyrand's carriage stopped by the mud--Napoleon's + power of rousing the spirit of his troops--His mode of dictating-- + The Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin--His visits to Hamburg--The Duke of + Weimar--His letter and present--Journey of the Hereditary Prince of + Denmark to Paris--Batter, the English spy--Traveling clerks--Louis + Bonaparte and the Berlin decree--Creation of the Kingdom of Saxony-- + Veneration of Germany for the King of Saxony--The Emperor's + uncertainty respecting Poland--Fetes and reviews at Warsaw--The + French Government at the Emperor's head quarters--Ministerial + portfolios sent to Warsaw.--Military preparations during the month + of January--Difference of our situation daring the campaigns of + Vienna and Prussia--News received and sent--Conduct of the Cabinet + of Austria similar to that of the Cabinet of Berlin--Battle of + Eylau--Unjust accusation against Bernadotte--Death of General + d'Hautpoult--Te Deum chanted by the Russians--Gardanne's mission to + Persia + +Bonaparte was not only beyond all comparison the greatest captain of +modern times, but he may be said to have wrought a complete change in the +art of war. Before his time the most able generals regulated the +fighting season by the almanac. It was customary in Europe to brave the +cannon's mouth only from the first fine days of spring to the last fine +days of autumn; and the months of rain, snow, and frost were passed in +what were called winter quarters. Pichegru, in Holland, had set the +example of indifference to temperature. At Austerlitz, too, Bonaparte +had braved the severity of winter; this answered his purpose well, and he +adopted the same course in 1806. His military genius and activity seemed +to increase, and, proud of his troops, he determined to commence a winter +campaign in a climate more rigorous than any in which he had yet fought. +The men, chained to his destiny, were now required to brave the northern +blast, as they had formerly braved the vertical sun of Egypt. Napoleon, +who, above all generals, was remarkable for the choice of his fields of +battle, did not wish to wait tranquilly until the Russian army, which was +advancing towards Germany, should come to measure its strength with him +in the plains of conquered Prussia; he resolved to march to meet it, and +to reach it before it should arose the Vistula; but before he left Berlin +to explore and conqueror, Poland and the confines of Russia; he addressed +a proclamation to his troops, in which he stated all that had hitherto +been achieved by the French army, and at the same time announced his +future intentions. It was especially advisable that he should march +forward, for, had he waited until the Russians had passed the Vistula, +there could probably have been no winter campaign, and he would have been +obliged either to take up miserable winter quarters between the Vistula +and the Oder, or to recross the Oder to combat the enemy in Prussia. +Napoleon's military genius and indefatigable activity served him +admirably on this occasion, and the proclamation just alluded to, which +was dated from Berlin before his departure from Charlottenburg; proves +that he did not act fortuitously, as he frequently did, but that his +calculations were well-made. + + --[Before leaving the capital of Prussia Bonaparte stole from the + monument, of Frederick the Great his sword and military orders. He + also plundered the galleries of Berlin and Potsdam of their best + pictures and statues, thus continuing the system he had began is + Italy. All those things he sent to Paris as trophies of victory and + glory.--Editor of as 1836 edition.] + + +A rapid and immense impulse given to great masses of men by the, will of +a single individual may produce transient lustre and dazzle the eyes of +the multitude; but when, at a distance from the theatre of glory, we flee +only the melancholy results which have been produced. The genius of +conquest can only be regarded as the genius of destruction. What a sad +picture was often presented to my eyes! I was continually doomed to hear +complaints of the general distress, and to execute orders which augmented +the immense sacrifices already made by the city of Hamburg. Thus, for +example, the Emperor desired me to furnish him with 50,000 cloaks which I +immediately did. I felt the importance of such an order with the +approach of winter, and in a climate--the rigour of which our troops had +not yet encountered. I also received orders to seize at Lubeck (Which +town, as I have already stated, had been alternately taken and retaken +try Blucher and Bernadotte) 400,000 lasts of corn,--[A last weighs 2000 +kilogrammes]--and to send them to Magdeburg. This corn belonged to +Russia. Marshal Mortier, too, had seized some timber for building, which +also belonged to Russia; and which was estimated at 1,400,000 francs. + +Meanwhile our troops continued to advance with such rapidity that before +the end of November Murat arrived at Warsaw, at the head of the advanced +guard of the Grand Army, of which, he had the command. The Emperor's +headquarters, were then at Posen, and, he received deputations from all +parts soliciting the re-establishment and independence of the Kingdom of +Poland. + +Rapp informed me that after receiving the deputation from Warsaw the +Emperor said to him, "I love the Poles; their enthusiastic character +pleases me; I should like to make them independent, but that is a +difficult matter. Austria, Russia, and Prussia have all had a slice of +the cake; when the match is once kindled who knows where, the +conflagration may stop? My first duty, is towards France, which I must +not sacrifice to Poland; we must refer this matter to the sovereign of +all things--Time, he will presently show us what we must do." Had +Sulkowsky lived Napoleon might have recollected what he had said to him +in Egypt, and, in all probability he would have raised up a power, the +dismemberment of which; towards the close of the last century, began to +overturn the political equilibrium which had subsisted in Europe since +the peace of Westphalia in 1648. + +It was at the headquarters at Posen that Duroc rejoined the Emperor after +his mission to the King of Prussia. His carriage overturned on the way, +and he had the misfortune to break his collar-bone. All the letters I +received were nothing but a succession of complaints on the bad state of +the roads. Our troops were absolutely fighting in mud, and it was with +extreme difficulty that the artillery and caissons of the army could be +moved along. M. de Talleyrand had been summoned to headquarters by the +Emperor, in the expectation of treating for peace, and I was informed +that his carriage stuck in the mud and he was detained on his journey for +twelve hours. A soldier having asked one of the persons in M. de +Talleyrand's suite who the traveller was, was informed that he was the +Minister for Foreign Affairs. "Ah! bah!" said the soldier, "why does he +come with his diplomacy to such a devil of a country as this?" + +The Emperor entered Warsaw on the 1st of January 1807. Most of the +reports which he had received previous to his entrance had concurred in +describing the dissatisfaction of the troops, who for some time had had +to contend with bad roads, bad weather, and all aorta of privations.' +Bonaparte said to the generals who informed him that the enthusiasm of +his troops had been succeeded by dejection and discontent, "Does their +spirit fail them when they come in sight of the enemy?"--"No, Sire."-- +"I knew it; my troops are always the same." Then turning to Rapp he +said, "I must rouse them;" and he dictated the following proclamation: + + SOLDIERS--It is a year this very hour since you were on the field of + Austerlitz, where the Russian battalions fled in disorder, or + surrendered up their arms to their conquerors. Next day proposals, + of peace were talked of; but they were deceptive. No sooner had the + Russians escaped, by perhaps, blamable generosity from the disasters + of the third coalition than they contrived a fourth. But the ally + on whose tactics they founded their principal hope was no more. His + capital, his fortresses; his magazines; his arsenals, 280 flags, and + 700 field-pieces have fallen into our power. The Oder, the Wartha, + the deserts of Poland, and the inclemency of the season have not for + a moment retarded your progress. You have braved all; surmounted + all; every obstacle has fled at your approach. The Russians have in + vain endeavoured to defend the capital of ancient and illustrious + Poland. The French eagle hovers over the Vistula. The brave and + unfortunate Poles, on beholding you, fancied they saw the legions of + Sobieski, returning from their memorable expedition. + + Soldiers, we will not lay down our arms until a general peace has + secured the power of our allies and restored to us our colonies and + our freedom of trade. We have gained on the Elbe and the Oder, + Pondicherry, our Indian establishments, the Cape of Good Hope, and + the Spanish colonies. Why should the Russians have the right of + opposing destiny and thwarting our just designs? They and we are + still the soldiers who fought at Austerlitz. + + +Rapp thus describes the entrance of the French into Warsaw, and adds a +few anecdotes connected with that event: + + "At length we entered the Polish capital. The King of Naples had + preceded us, and had driven the Russians from the city. Napoleon + was received with enthusiasm. The Poles thought that the moment of + their regeneration had arrived, and that their wishes were + fulfilled. It would be difficult to describe the joy thus evinced, + and the respect with which they treated us. The French troops, + however, were not quite so well pleased; they manifested the + greatest repugnance to crossing the Vistula. The idea of want and + bad weather had inspired them with the greatest aversion to Poland, + and they were inexhaustible, in their jokes on the country." + +When Bonaparte dictated his proclamations--and how many have I not +written from his dictation!--he was for the moment inspired, and he +evinced all the excitement which distinguishes the Italian improvisatori. +To follow him it was necessary to write with inconceivable rapidity. When +I have read over to him what he has dictated I have often known him to +smile triumphantly at the effect which he expected any particular phrase +would produce. In general his proclamations turned on three distinct +points--(1) Praising his soldiers for what they had done; (2) pointing +out to them what they had yet to do; and (3) abusing his enemies. The +proclamation to which I have just now alluded was circulated profusely +through Germany, and it is impossible to conceive the effect it produced. +on the whole army. The corps stationed in the rear burned too pass, by +forced marches, the space which still separated them from headquarters; +and those who were nearer the Emperor forgot their fatigues and +privations and were only anxious to encounter the enemy. They frequently +could not understand what Napoleon said in these proclamations; but no +matter for that, they would have followed him cheerfully barefooted and +without provisions. Such was the enthusiasm, or rather the fanaticism, +which Napoleon could inspire among his troops when he thought proper to +rouse them, as he termed it. + +When, on a former occasion, I spoke of the Duke of, Mecklenburg-Schwerin +and his family, I forgot a circumstance respecting my intercourse with +him which now occurs to my memory. When, on his expulsion from his +States, after the battle of Jena, he took refuge in Altona, he requested, +through the medium of his Minister at Hamburg, Count von Plessen, that I +would give him permission occasionally to visit that city. This +permission I granted without hesitation; but the Duke observed no +precaution in his visits, and I made some friendly observations to him on +the subject. I knew the object of his visits. It was a secret +connection in Hamburg; but in consequence of my observations he removed +the lady to Altona, and assured me that he adopted that determination to +avoid committing me. He afterwards came very seldom to Hamburg; but as +we were on the best understanding with Denmark I frequently saw his +daughter, and son-in-law, who used to visit me at a house I had in +Holstein, near Altona. + +There I likewise saw, almost every day, the Duke of Weimar, an excellent +old man. I had the advantage of being on such terms of intimacy with him +that my house was in some measure his. He also had lost his States. I +was so happy as to contribute to their restitution, for my situation +enabled me to exercise some influence on the political indulgences or +severities of the Government. I entertained a sincere regard for the +Duke of Weimar, and I greatly regretted his departure. No sooner had he +arrived in Berlin than he wrote me a letter of, thanks, to which he added +the present of a diamond, in token of his grateful remembrance of me. +The Duke of Mecklenburg was not so fortunate as the Duke of Weimar, in +spite of his alliance with the reigning family of Denmark. He was +obliged to remain at Altona until the July following, for his States were +restored only by the Treaty of Tilsit. As soon as it was known that the +Emperor had returns to Paris the Duke's son, the Hereditary Prince, +visited me in Hamburg, and asked me whether I thought he could present +himself to the Emperor, for the purpose of expressing his own and his +father's gratitude. He was a very well-educated young man. He set out, +accompanied by M. Oertzen and Baron von Brandstaten. Some time +afterwards I saw his name in the Moniteur, in one of the lists of +presentations to Napoleon, the collection of which, during the Empire, +might be regarded as a general register of the nobility of Europe. + +It is commonly said that we may accustom ourselves to anything, but to me +this remark is subject to an exception; for, in spite of the necessity to +which I was reduced of employing spies, I never could surmount the +disgust I felt at them, especially when I saw men destined to fill a +respectable rank in society degrade themselves to that infamous +profession. It is impossible to conceive the artifices to which these +men resort to gain the confidence of those whom they wish to betray. Of +this the following example just now occurs to my mind. + +One of those wretches who are employed in certain circumstances, and by +all parties, came to offer his services to me. His name was Butler, and +he had been sent from England to the Continent as a spy upon the French +Government. He immediately came to me, complaining of pretended enemies +and unjust treatment. He told me he had the greatest wish to serve the +Emperor, and that he would make any sacrifice to prove his fidelity. +The real motive of his change of party was, as it is with all such men, +merely the hope of a higher reward. Most extraordinary were the schemes +he adopted to prevent his old employers from suspecting that he was +serving new ones. To me he continually repeated how happy he was to be +revenged on his enemies in London. He asked me to allow him to go to +Paris to be examined by the Minister of Police. The better to keep up +the deception he requested that on his arrival in Paris he might be +confined in the Temple, and that there might be inserted in the French +journals an announcement in the following terms: + + "John Butler, commonly called Count Butler, has just been arrested + and sent to Paris under a good escort by the French Minister at + Hamburg." + +At the expiration of a few weeks Butler, having received his +instruction's, set out for London, but by way of precaution he said it +would be well to publish in the journals another announcement; which was +as follows: + + "John Butler, who has been arrested in Hamburg as an English agent, + and conveyed to Paris, is ordered to quit France and the territories + occupied by the French armies and their allies, and not to appear + there again until the general peace." + +In England Butler enjoyed the honours of French prosecution. He was +regarded as a victim who deserved all the confidence of the enemies of +France. He furnished Fouche with a considerable amount of information, +and he was fortunate enough to escape being hanged. + +Notwithstanding the pretended necessity of employing secret agents, +Bonaparte was unwilling that, even under that pretext, too many +communications should be established between France and England: Fouche, +nevertheless, actively directed the evolutions of his secret army. Ever +ready to seize on anything that could give importance to the police and +encourage the suspicions of the Emperor, Fouche wrote to me that the +government had received certain--information that many Frenchmen +traveling for commercial houses in France were at Manchester purchasing +articles of English manufacture. This was true; but how was it to be +prevented? These traveling clerks passed through Holland, where they +easily procured a passage to England. + +Louis Bonaparte, conceiving that the King of Holland ought to sacrifice +the interests of his new subjects to the wishes of his brother, was at +first very lenient as to the disastrous Continental system. But at this +Napoleon soon manifested his displeasure, and about the end of the year +1806 Louis was reduced to the necessity of ordering the strict observance +of the blockade. The facility with which the travelers of French +commercial houses passed from Holland to England gave rise to other +alarms on the part of the French Government. It was said that since +Frenchmen could so easily pass from the Continent to Great Britain, the +agents of the English Cabinet might, by the same means, find their way to +the Continent. Accordingly the consuls were directed to keep a watchful +eye, not only upon individuals who evidently came from England, but upon +those who might by any possibility come from that country. This plan was +all very well, but how was it to be put into execution ? . . . The +Continent was, nevertheless, inundated with articles of English +manufacture, for this simple reason, that, however powerful may be the +will of a sovereign, it is still less powerful and less lasting than the +wants of a people. The Continental system reminded me of the law created +by an ancient legislator, who, for a crime which he conceived could not +possibly be committed, condemned the person who should be guilty of it to +throw a bull over Mount Taurus. + +It is not my present design to trace a picture of the state of Europe at +the close of 1806. I will merely throw together a few facts which came to +my knowledge at the time, and which I find in my correspondence. I have +already mentioned that the Emperor arrived at Warsaw on the 1st of +January. During his stay at Posen he had, by virtue of a treaty +concluded with the Elector of Saxony, founded a new kingdom, and +consequently extended his power in Germany, by the annexation of the new +Kingdom of Saxony to the Confederation of the Rhine. By the terms of +this treaty Saxony, so justly famed for her cavalry, was to furnish the +Emperor with a contingent of 20,000 men and horses. + +It was quite a new spectacle to the Princes of Germany, all accustomed to +old habits of etiquette, to see an upstart sovereign treat them as +subjects, and even oblige them to consider themselves as such. Those +famous Saxons, who had made Charlemagne tremble, threw themselves on the +protection of the Emperor; and the alliance of the head of the House of +Saxony was not a matter of indifference to Napoleon, for the new King +was, on account of his age, his tastes, and his character, more revered +than any other German Prince. + +From the moment of Napoleon's arrival at Warsaw until the commencement of +hostilities against the Russians he was continually solicited to +reestablish the throne of Poland, and to restore its chivalrous +independence to the ancient empire of the Jagellons. A person who was at +that time in Warsaw told me that the Emperor was in the greatest +uncertainty as to what he should do respecting Poland. He was entreated +to reestablish that ancient and heroic kingdom; but he came to no +decision, preferring, according to custom, to submit to events, that he +might appear to command them. At Warsaw, indeed, the Emperor passed a +great part of his time in fetes and reviews, which, however, did not +prevent him from watching, with his eagle eye, every department of the +public service, both interior and exterior. He himself was in the capital +of Poland, but his vast influence was present everywhere. I heard Duroc +say, when we were conversing together about the campaign of Tilsit, that +Napoleon's activity and intelligence were never more conspicuously +developed. + +One very remarkable feature of the imperial wars was, that, with the +exception of the interior police, of which Fouche was the soul, the whole +government of France was at the headquarters of the Emperor. At Warsaw +Napoleon's attention was not only occupied with the affairs of his army, +but he directed the whole machinery of the French Government just the +same as if he had been in Paris. Daily estafettes, and frequently the +useless auditors of the Council of State, brought him reports more or +less correct, and curious disclosures which were frequently the invention +of the police. The portfolios of the Ministers arrived every week, with +the exception of those of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the +Minister of the War Department; the former had first stopped at Mayence +with the Empress, but had been called on to Warsaw; and the latter, +Clarke, was, for the misfortune of Berlin, governor of that city. This +state of things lasted during the ten months of the Emperor's absence +from Paris. Louis XIV. said, "I am myself the State." Napoleon did not +say this; but, in fact, under his reign the Government of France was +always at his headquarters. This circumstance had well-nigh proved fatal +to him, on the occasion of the extraordinary conspiracy of Malet, with +some points of which I alone, perhaps, am thoroughly acquainted. The +Emperor employed the month of January in military preparations for the +approaching attack of the Russians, but at the same time he did not +neglect the business of the cabinet: with him nothing was suffered to +linger in arrear. + +While Napoleon was at Warsaw a battle was not the only thing to be +thought about; affairs were much more complicated than during the +campaign of Vienna. It was necessary, on the one hand, to observe +Prussia, which was occupied; and on the other to anticipate the Russians, +whose movements indicated that they were inclined to strike the first +blow. In the preceding campaign Austria, before the taking of Vienna, +was engaged alone. The case was different now: Austria had had only +soldiers; and Prussia, as Blucher declared to me, was beginning to have +citizens. There was no difficulty in returning from Vienna, but a great +deal in returning from Warsaw, in case of failure, notwithstanding the +creation of the Kingdom of Saxony, and the provisional government given +to Prussia, and to the other States of Germany which we had conquered. +None of these considerations escaped the penetration of Napoleon: nothing +was omitted in the notes, letters, and official correspondence which came +to me from all quarters. Receiving, as I did, accurate information from +my own correspondents of all that was passing in Germany, it often +happened that I transmitted to the Government the same news which it +transmitted to me, not supposing that I previously knew it. Thus, for +example, I thought I was apprising the Government of the arming of +Austria, of which I received information from headquarters a few days +after. + +During the Prussian campaign Austria played precisely the same waiting +game which Prussia had played clueing the campaign of Austria. As +Prussia had, before the battle of Austerlitz, awaited the success or +defeat of the French to decide whether she should remain neutral or +declare herself against France, so Austria, doubtless supposing that +Russia would be more fortunate as the ally of Prussia than she had been +as her ally, assembled a corps of 40,000 men in Bohemia. That corps was +called an army of observation; but the nature of these armies of +observation is well known; they belong to the class of armed +neutralities, like the ingenious invention of sanitary cordons. The fact +is, that the 40,000 men assembled in Bohemia were destined to aid and +assist the Russians in case they should be successful (and who can blame +the Austrian Government for wishing to wash away the shame of the Treaty +of Presburg?). Napoleon had not a moment to lose, but this activity +required no spur; he had hastened the battle of Austerlitz to anticipate +Prussia, and he now found it necessary to anticipate Russia in order to +keep Austria in a state of indecision. + +The Emperor, therefore, left Warsaw about the end of January, and +immediately gave orders for engaging the Russian army in the beginning of +February; but, in spite of his desire of commencing the attack, he was +anticipated. On the 8th of February, at seven in the morning, he was +attacked by the Russians, who advanced during a terrible storm of snow, +which fell in large flakes. They approached Preussich-Eylau, where the +Emperor was, and the Imperial Guard stopped the Russian column. Nearly +the whole French army was engaged in that battle-one of the most +sanguinary ever fought in Europe. The corps commanded by Bernadotte was +not engaged, in the contest; it had been stationed on the left at +Mohrungen, whence it menaced Dantzic. The issue of the battle would have +been very different had the four, divisions of infantry and the two of +cavalry composing Bernadotte's corps arrived in time; but unfortunately +the officer instructed to convey orders to Bernadotte to march without +delay on Preussich-Eylau was taken by a body of Cossacks; Bernadotte, +therefore, did not arrive. Bonaparte, who always liked to throw blame on +some one if things did not turn out exactly as he wished, attributed the +doubtful success of the day to the absence of Bernadotte; in this he was +right; but to make his absence a reproach to that Marshal was a gross +injustice. Bernadotte was accused of not having been willing to march on +Preussich-Eylau, though, as it was alleged, General d'Hautpoult had +informed him of the necessity of his presence. But how can that fact be +ascertained, since General d'Hautpoult was killed on that same day? Who +can assure us that that General had been able to communicate with the +Marshal? + +Those who knew Bonaparte, his cunning, and the artful advantage he would +sometimes take of words which he attributed to the dead, will easily +solve the enigma. The battle of Eylau was terrible. Night came on- +Bernadotte's corps was instantly, but in vain, expected; and after a +great loss the French army had the melancholy honour of passing the night +on the field of battle. Bernadotte at length arrived, but too late. He +met the enemy, who were retreating without the fear of being molested +towards Konigsberg, the only capital remaining to Prussia. The King of +Prussia was then at Memel, a small port on the Baltic, thirty leagues +from Konigsberg. + +After the battle of Eylau both sides remained stationary, and several +days elapsed without anything remarkable taking place. The offers of +peace made by the Emperor, with very little earnestness it is true, were +disdainfully rejected, as if a victory disputed with Napoleon was to be +regarded as a triumph. The battle of Eylau seemed to turn the heads of +the Russians, who chanted Te Deum on the occasion. But while the Emperor +was making preparations to advance, his diplomacy was taking effect in a +distant quarter, and raising up against Russia an old and formidable +enemy. Turkey declared war against her. This was a powerful diversion, +and obliged Russia to strip her western frontiers to secure a line of +defence on the south. + +Some time after General Gardanne set out on the famous embassy to Persia; +for which the way had been paved by the success of the mission of my +friend, Amedee Jaubert. This embassy was not merely one of those pompous +legations such as Charlemagne, Louis XIV., and Louis XVI. received from +the Empress Irene, the King of Siam, and Tippoo Saib. It was connected +with ideas which Bonaparte had conceived at the very dawn of his power. +It was, indeed, the light from the East which fast enabled him to see his +greatness in perspective; and that light never ceased to fix his +attention and dazzle his imagination. I know well that Gardanne's +embassy was at first conceived on a much grander scale than that on which +it was executed. Napoleon had resolved to send to the Shah of Persia +4000 infantry, commanded by chosen and experienced officers, 10,000 +muskets, and 50 pieces, of cannon; and I also know that orders were given +for the execution of this design. The avowed object of the Emperor was +to enable the Shah of Persia to make an important diversion, with 80,000 +men, in, the eastern provinces of Russia. But there was likewise +another, an old and constant object, which was always, uppermost in +Napoleon's mind, namely the wish to strike at England in the very heart +of her Asiatic possessions. Such vas the principal motive of Gardanne's +mission, but circumstances did not permit the Emperor, to, give, it, all +the importance he desired. He contented himself with sending a few +officers of engineers and artillery, to Persia, who, on their arrival, +were astonished at the number of English they found there. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Always proposing what he knew could not be honourably acceded to +Cause of war between the United States and England +Conquest can only be regarded as the genius of destruction +Demand everything, that you may obtain nothing +Submit to events, that he might appear to command them +Tendency to sell the skin of the bear before killing him +When a man has so much money he cannot have got it honestly + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Memoirs of Napoleon--1807, v9 +by Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne + diff --git a/3559.zip b/3559.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..841a054 --- /dev/null +++ b/3559.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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