the demand was an insult. On the 1st of October, 1806, the French and Prussian plenipotentiaries were still negociating at Paris, and in three days after, viz. on the 4th, Napoleon, at the head of 150,000 men, had reached Wurtzburg. In a proclamation addressed to his soldiers, he announced the approaching defeat of the Prussians, and declared that the enmity of the great people was more terrible than the tempests of the ocean. "The cries of war,” he added, "resound from Berlin; for these two months past they have provoked us to war: the queen has quitted the cares of her toilet to meddle in state affairs, and she every where stirs up that fire by which she is herself animated." The battle of Jena, fought on the 14th of October, decided the fate of that monarchy. The consequences of that day were more disastrous than the day itself; whole corps laid down their arms without a blow; the strong places opened their gates, though occupied by numerous armies, at the first summons to surrender; in short, all the Prussian states were, in less than a month, occupied by the French.

Napoleon, at that time, might be considered as the master of civilized Europe, with the exception of England, and he declared that power to be in a state of blockade, in the famous Berlin decree of the 21st of November, 1806, by which he sought to humble the pride of England, and to ruin her trade with the continent, as the only means of overcoming the implacable enmity of her government. Deputies from Poland came to his head-quarters, to implore his assistance in recovering their rights; and he promised to re-establish their independence. He remained, during the winter, on the Vistula. The Russians had collected their forces, and attacked him at Pultusk, in a situation not the most favourable, where he experienced great losses. Attacked a second time in advancing on Thorn, his army escaped only through the activity of Marshal Ney. At Eylau he encountered the Russians again, when a desperate conflict ensued, in which the loss on both sides was very great, each returning to their positions. The rest of the winter passed in skirmishes and parleys equally useless.

On the 1st of March, 1807, Napoleon obtained some success in an affair at Elbing, but the most decisive success was reserved for the battle of Fried

land. The French attacked vigorously, and the Russians sustained their efforts for sixteen hours. The battle was sanguinary, and the Russians were at length totally defeated, with the loss, in killed alone, of nearly 20,000 men, with eighty pieces of cannon. They retreated on Koningsberg, whither they were pursued by the victorious army, and thence to the Pregel. Koningsberg surrendered to Soult, who found in that city 20,000 wounded, together with all the arms and ammuni tion which had been sent from England for the use of the allies. The Russians still continued their retreat to the Niemen, and were followed by Napoleon, who arrived at Tilsit on the 19th of June. The Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia had just escaped from thence by burning the bridge, and thus the immediate pursuit of the royal fugitives was impeded. In the mean time an armistice was desired by the allies, which was granted by Napoleon. It was at this place that he obtained a personal interview with the Emperor Alexander, on a raft in the river Niemen, in the presence of the opposing armies. Two tents were prepared on the raft, and the two sovereigns having met, embraced; which salutation was imitated by the officers and men of each army. To this fraternal embrace succeeded the treaty of Tilsit, which was concluded on the 7th of July. By this treaty, Russia and Prussia engaged to keep their ports closed against the English, and they adhered to the continental blockade.

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Napoleon now turned his attention to the state of Spain. He consented to meet the king and Ferdinand his son at Bayonne, to adjust their family dissensions, but Charles IV. resigned his crown to him, and Ferdinand was obliged to do the same. He then sent an army of 80,000 men into Spain, who very soon possessed themselves of the strong places and the arsenals. the 25th of October, 1808, he announced to the legislative body, that, with the assistance of God, he intended to crown his brother Joseph in Madrid, and plant the eagles of France on the towers of Lisbon. It was represented to him that the Spaniards would not consent to receive Joseph as king :-" What does it matter," said he, so long as he reigns over the two Spains?" Being in possession of Madrid, he suppressed the convents and all the religious orders throughout Spain. The Spaniards, ne

66

vertheless

vertheless, opposed his decrees with vigour. After a short pursuit of the English, under Sir John Moore, he left to Marshal Soult the care of pursuing them to Corunna, and he privately quitted Spain to return to Paris. He was received there as on his former days of glory. The senate complimented him in a body, observing, "You have quitted Spain, after having conferred on the people of that kingdom the greatest benefits, and given them a country; it is one peculiar circumstance of your triumphs, that you always make reason victorious."

On the 2d of April (having turned his attention to the holy see) he published a decree, by which, considering that the Pope had constantly refused to make war against the English, he united the provinces of Ancona, Urbino, and Macerata, irrevocably and perpetually, to the kingdom of Italy. On the 16th of January, 1809, he said to the deputies from the holy father, whom the latter had sent to him to soften the rigour of the decree, "Your bishop is the spiritual chief of the church; as for me, I am the emperor of it!" At length, on the 17th of May, he finished his decrees by another, uniting the Papal States to his empire, and ordering that the city of Rome should be a free imperial city.

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In fact, France, at this epoch, had swallowed up all the powers on the continent. The turn of Austria next arrived: she had made hostile preparations during these engagements in Spain. Napoleon quitted Paris on the 13th of April, 1809, and arrived, on the 18th, at Ingolstadt; he fought six battles, and routed the Austrians. On the 10th of May he was at the gates of Vienna. The occupation of Vienna did not terminate the campaign: the 21st of May a battle was fought at Essling, which lasted for two days without interruption; it was terrible, and the slaughter was immense. Napoleon had passed the river with his usual rapidity; he found the Austrians occupying an excellent position on the left bank, and after vainly attacking them for several hours, during which he lost several of his generals, he was obliged to retire to the island of Lobau. The Archduke Charles did not profit by this success, and the French being reinforced, the battle of Wagram took place on the 5th and 6th of July. Napoleon attacked the Archduke, and obtained a decisive victory. On the 12th

of July, the belligerent powers signed a suspension of arms, and on the 14th of October a definitive treaty of peace. On the opening of the legislative body on the 3d of December, 1809, he said,— "When I again appear beyond the Pyrennees, the terrified Leopard will seek the ocean to avoid disgrace, defeat, or death." About this time Napoleon made preparations for dissolving his marriage with the Empress Josephine, in order to become the son-in-law of his old enemy, the Emperor of Austria. The marriage was accordingly, for reasons stated to the senate, annulled by that august body. Josephine retired to the estate of Navarre, thirty leagues from Paris. On the 2d of April, 1810, he espoused Maria Louisa, Princess of Austria, daughter of the Emperor Francis. The issue of this marriage, Napoleon Francis Charles Joseph, was born on the 20th of March, 1811, and named King of Rome.

Three months after his marriage, he united to France the provinces situated on the left bank of the Rhine; and by a decree of the senate of the 13th of Dec. Holland and the three Hanseatic cities of Bremen, Hamburg, and Lubeck, and a part of the kingdom of Westphalia, were also annexed to France: by another decree, the Valais was also united to the empire. On this occasion Napoleon made his new subjects an especial visit; he was accompanied by a numerous suite on his journey in the Low Countries, where he was received with much joy.

In the midst of all this apparent triumph, he never forgot his views of extending the power of France; for this purpose he issued a decree towards the end of the year 1811, for raising 80,000 conscripts for the land-service, and 40,000 seamen. These levies were the first indications of a war with Russia. Having a clear view of the proceedings and secret machinations going forward, he never lost sight of the offensive posture. He had often said— "In five years, or less, I shall be master of the world, notwithstanding these intrigues; Russia will not allow me to rest, but I will crush that power!"

In 1812, he imagined that the time had arrived when he could crush Russia, which had fomented for half a century all the troubles of Europe, and had twice headed confederacies against him; and he intimated in the Moniteur of the 10th of May, that he was about to inspect the grand army united on

the

the Vistula. The Empress accompanied him to Dresden, to visit her own family. Arrived in that capital, he spent fifteen days with the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, and nearly the whole of the princes of the continent; holding a court, as it were, composed of kings.

It was not till the 3d of July that he published his causes for complaint against Russia, the campaign having been opened on the 22d of June. In a proclamation bearing the date of the latter day, he said, "Russia is borne away by a fatality, her destinies are about to be accomplished."

Bonaparte entered Wilna on the 28th of June, where he established a provisory government, while he assembled at Warsaw a general diet, for the object of restoring, under his auspices, the ancient state of Poland. During this time the French army continued its march, and passed the Niemen on the 23d, 24th, and 25th, and arrived at Witepsk in the early part of July, to direct its route to Smolensko. In their march the invaders obtained several victories. The Russians, finding that the French were too powerful, adopted a plan which, aided by the inclemencies of the season of winter, in a country like Russia, would produce a victory much more certain than the chance of the sword. The constitutions of the French were little capable of enduring a Russian winter; their privations, too, were great, and the means to procure provisions scanty. These continued, led to the downthrow of the Russian expedition. The French, how ever, nothing daunted, pushed on, and arrived near Moscow; the battle of Borodino took place on the 10th of September, so fatal to both armies, in which at least 60,000 men perished.

Napoleon pushed on to Moscow, while the Russians retreated. It was in this city that the secret plan which they had organized was put into effect. All the inhabitants had previously evacuated the city by the orders of Count Rostopschin; and when Napoleon entered it, four days after the battle, he found it not only deserted, but in flames! Their palaces, their houses, and their churches, were consigned to that devouring element, to impede the march of the French; and by removing the means of shelter and subsistence at the same time, destroy their means of annoyance. This stratagem, unique in modern warfare, was, nevertheless, the

practice of the Russian government, and they adopted it as, perhaps, the only mode of saving the Russian empire.

The burning of that vast city, while it sacrificed so much, preserved the empire, and destroyed the resources of Napoleon. His winter-quarters were the worst that ever invading army took possession of. The army remained for thirty-five days in the ruins, exposed to every privation; and when, at length, it was determined to remove, they demolished the remaining monuments of the once flourishing city, the palace of the Czars. Thus, by these manœuvres of the Russians, the war in Russia was put an end to, and the French were compelled to return into Poland. The Russians had assembled innumerable regiments of militia, who harassed the French night and day, pursued them from post to post, and, seconded by frost and famine, produced the destruction of numbers of the enemy. Accompanied by Caulincourt, Napoleon arrived, on the 10th of December, at Warsaw. On the 18th of December, he entered Paris in the night. The following day a bulletin disclosed his immense losses.

On the 10th of January, 1813, he presented to the senate a decree for levying an army of 350,000 men, to which the senate, without hesitation, assented. Having prepared for the campaign, which was about to commence early in April, and having now to oppose the combined force of Prussia and Russia, he set out to take the command of his army. On the 2d of May, having advanced as far as Lutzen, he encountered the Russians and Prussians, whom, after a long and obstinate resistance, he compelled to retire upon Pegau in Misnia. Austria undertook, at this moment, to become a mediator, and expressed very strongly a wish to procure for Europe a long and durable peace.

The overture and mediation did not succeed, and the battle of Bautzen followed: the result was a defeat to the enemy, whom the French followed to Reichenbach, where a very sanguinary contest took place with the rear-guard. Duroc, Napoleon's personal favourite, was killed. On the 26th an armistice took place for some days, and negociations were opened, which, however, were put an end to on the 4th of June. During the suspension of hostilities, every means were employed by the allies to induce Austria to join the

league,

league, and having long wavered, she declared in favour of the allies.

Napoleon, after the rupture of the armistice, endeavoured to reach the Prussian capital, but he experienced considerable checks. The allies, on their side, moved forward to attack Dresden, but in this movement they were repulsed, Napoleon having had time to return and defend the city with his best troops. The Austrians suffered considerably on that occasion, and Moreau, who had come from America to fight under the banners of the confederates, was mortally wounded. Napoleon was advised to retire on the Rhine, but he neglected to profit by that advice, and was obliged subsequently to retreat upon Leipzic, where a most sanguinary contest ensued, which lasted for three days. He reached that city on the 14th of October, and the battle was fought on the 16th, 18th, and 19th of that month. It was considered as decisive of the contest, so far as it regarded Germany. The Austrians, in their enthusiasm, named it The Battle of Nations," and they annually celebrate it. The loss was immense. Among the killed was Prince Poniatowski of Poland; twenty-three generals fell into the power of the allies; the Dukes of Ragusa, Reggio, and thirteen other general officers were wounded. Of 184,000 men, opposed to 312,000, not more than 60,000 remained; the Saxons, Bavarians, Westphalians, and the remainder of the contingents, declared for the allies. Napoleon arrived at Frankfort on the 31st of October, and with rapid haste reached the Tuilleries, where the authorities, in the usual terms, approached to compliment him; but Bonaparte, with his usual frankness, to their-" Your majesty has surmounted every difficulty," replied, "Within the last year all Europe marched with us; now all Europe is leagued against us.' It must be confessed the answer was worthy of him though admitting that fortune opposed him, he did not shrink from an avowal of the truth. He demanded of the senate another levy of 300,000 men, which, as before, was granted to him; but the legislative body, in a respectful manner, hinted at the necessity for concluding peace. On the 26th of January following, he said to his council, "I go to put myself at the head of my armies. In three months you shall have a glorious peace, or I will perish." The Prussians

:

had seized on Brienne, where they occupied a fine position, but which they neglected sufficiently to guard: Bona parte attacked them vigorously, and soon dislodged them. Seconded by the Austrians, they returned to the charge, and in their turn forced the French to retreat. General Blucher advanced upon the Marne towards the middle of February, with the army of Silesia, and occupied Chateau-Thierry, while the grand army, commanded by the sovereigns in person, marched upon the Seine. Bonaparte seemed to retire, as if afraid to encounter the enemy, though merely with a view to cover the capital; but on a sudden, with the left wing of his army, he attacked, with irresistible impetuosity, the allied corps, posted at ChampAubert, and which formed the grand link of the two allied armies; this corps was overthrown in two successive affairs at Montmirail and ChateauThierry, and the French took 10,000 prisoners.

On the 13th of February, the day of the battle of Champ-Aubert, the advanced-guard of the Russian army entered Soissons, and General Bulow seized upon Laon, on the one side, and the corps of Count De Wittgenstein moved on the Seine, and obliged Bonaparte to direct his steps to that point. The conflicts which ensued in consequence were most sanguinary both at Montereau and Nogent; and after having experienced great losses, the principal part of the allied army was obliged to retire upon Troyes, and then to evacuate that city. The early part of March was rendered remarkable by a treaty of alliance, concluded between the King of England and the Emperors of Austria and Russia, and the King of Prussia, by which they bound themselves not to make a peace, nor to agree to a truce except under certain conditions. This was signed at Chatillon, and was made known to Bonaparte on the 15th of March, with an alternative either to accept the conditions, or, in case of a refusal, to abide by the consequences. He refused the terms, attacked Blucher on the heights of Craone, and obtained some advantage, which, however, was rendered useless immediately after by a reverse. In his bulletins, in detailing these affairs, he did not despair, but talked of making a point upon the Meuse to draw out the garrisons of Alsace and Lorraine, and having thus obtained an accession of

troops,

troops, to fall on the rear of the combined armies. On making this movement, he wrote to the Empress Maria Louisa, then Regent of France, that he had lost all hopes of covering the capital, and that the only chance that remained was for him to endeavour to draw the enemy after him. This dispatch was among the intercepted letters seized by General Blucher. The allies, in consequence, made a rapid

movement on Paris.

On the 30th of March, the allies attacked the heights of Chaumont, but they were repulsed with loss. To that attack succeeded one on Romainville, which was terribly contested. Inferior as they were in numbers, the French defended themselves bravely for several hours, and made a terrible havoc among the assailants. At length, however, their extensive position was forced on several points, and they were driven back to the barriers of Paris.

It was at this moment that Marmont sent a flag of truce to demand an armistice, and to propose to deliver up the city. The allied sovereigns acceded to the proposition, and granted an honourable capitulation. During the time these transactions were taking place at the northern barriers, Joseph Bonaparte, to whom his brother had confided the command of the capital, saved himself by quitting it on the west. Bonaparte, however, hastened to Fontainbleau, but was apprised, four leagues from Paris, that the city was no longer his. He accordingly return ed to Fontainbleau, where he remained with 50,000 men and 200 pieces of cannon. The result was, that he was allowed to retain the title of emperor, with the sovereignty of the Isle of Elba, to which he was to retire with a revenue of two millions of livres. He appeared resigned to this disposition of his person and fortunes; but, on the 20th of April, at ten o'clock in the morning, when all the carriages were ready, he said to General Koller, commissioner from the Emperor of Austria, appointed to accompany him, "that he had reflected on what he had done, and he had decided to remain; that, since the allies were not faithful to their engagements, he conceived that he also could revoke his abdication." At eleven o'clock his grand-marshal, Bertrand, announced to him that every thing was ready for setting out; to him he replied, "The grand-marshal does not know me then, since he thinks I MONTHLY MAG. No. 357.

am bound to regulate my movements by his watch. I shall set out when I like, and, perhaps, not at all." Notwithstanding these difficulties, he descended, at noon, into the court of the chateau, where the grenadiers of his guard were in waiting. He was immediately surrounded by the officers and soldiers; he embraced the chief, and made him bring the eagles, which he equally embraced.

During the time which he remained in the Isle of Elba, he appeared resigned to the change of scene and to the reverses of his fortune. But the Bourbons and the allies fulfilled none of the conditions of their treaty; and the English papers announcing a design to remove him by force to St. Helena, he determined once more to try his fortune in France. That he might be prepared to embark at the proper moment for his return, he purchased feluccas at Genoa, procured ammunition from Naples, and arms from Algiers. When every thing was ready, he gave a brilliant fête at his little court, and whilst Madame Bonaparte, his mother, and the Princess Paulina, his sister, were employed in doing the honours of the assembly, he embarked with 1200 men in the night of the 25th of February, 1815, and on the 1st of March he landed, without any impediment, in the gulf of Juan, in Provence, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He immediately issued a proclamation, announcing that he had returned to resume his sceptre, which the people had confided to him, and of which treason had robbed him. He then proceeded by forced marches to Grenoble, where he was welcomed by Colonel Labedoyere, and, in two days after, he entered the city of Lyons, where he experienced a similar reception. Become, by these easy means, master of the second city in the kingdom, he proceeded to exercise all the powers of sovereignty; he chose his state-councillors, his generals, his prefects, and published various decrees, among which was one for abolishing the noblesse, another proscribing the Bourbon family, and a third for convoking a national assembly, with the name of Champ de Mai. Satisfied with his reception at Lyons, he replied to their adieus by exclaiming, "Lyonese, I love you!" By the affection of the people and the authorities he was enabled to arrive, by rapid marches, at Paris. He penetrated through the heart of France without drawing a sword ; G