_State of the French Grand Army--The Russians advance, and show
themselves on the Elbe--The French evacuate Berlin, and retreat on
the Elbe--The Crown Prince of Sweden joins the Allies, with 35,000
Men--Dresden is occupied by the Sovereigns of Russia and
Prussia--Marshal Bessières killed on 1st May--Battle of Lutzen
fought on the 2d.--The Allies retire to Bautzen--Hamburgh taken
possession of by the Danes and French--Battle of Bautzen fought on
the 20th and 21st May--The Allies retire in good order--The French
Generals, Bruyères and Duroc, killed on the 22d.--Grief of Napoleon
for the Death of the latter--An Armistice signed on 4th June._
We must once more look out upon Germany, to which country, so long the
scene on which were fought the quarrels of Europe, the success of the
Russians, and the total discomfiture of the army of Napoleon, had again
removed the war. We left the wrecks of the grand army thronging in upon
the fortresses held by their countrymen in Prussia, where they were
deposited as follows:--
Into Thorn were thrown by Murat, before he left
the grand army, 6,000 men.
Into Modlin, 8,000
Into Zamosc, 4,000
Into Graudentz, Prussians, 6,000
Into Dantzic, 30,000
--------
54,000
This total of 54,000 men comprehended the sole remaining part of what
Napoleon continued to call the grand army of Russia; in which country,
however, not one-third of them had ever been, having been employed in
Lithuania or Volhynia, and having thus escaped the horrors of the
retreat. Almost all these troops were sickly, some distressingly so. The
garrison towns, were, however, filled with them, and put in a state of
defence judged sufficient to have checked the advance of the
Russians.[256]
It would, in all probability, have done so upon any occasion of ordinary
war; for Russia having not only gained back Lithuania, but taken
possession of Warsaw, and that part of Poland which formerly belonged to
Prussia, ought not, in a common case, to have endangered her success by
advancing beyond the Vistula, or by plunging her armies into Silesia,
leaving so many fortresses in the rear. But the condition of Prussia,
waiting the arrival of the Russians as a signal for rising at once, and
by her example encouraging the general insurrection of Germany, was a
temptation too powerful to be resisted, although unquestionably there
was a risk incurred in giving way to it. The various fortresses were
therefore masked with a certain number of troops; and the Russian light
corps, advancing beyond the line even of the Oder, began to show
themselves on the Elbe, joined every where by the inhabitants of the
country, who, influenced by the doctrines of the Tugend-Bund, and fired
with detestation of the French, took arms wherever their deliverers
appeared. The French every where retired, and Prince Eugene, evacuating
Berlin, retreated upon the Elbe. It seemed as if the allies had come
armed with lighted matches, and the ground had been strewed with
gunpowder; so readily did the Germans rise in arms at the hourra of a
body of Cossacks, or even at the distant gleam of their lances. The
purpose of the war was not, however, to procure partial and desultory
risings, from which no permanent benefit could be expected; but to
prepare the means of occupying the north of Germany by an army conducted
by one of the most celebrated generals of the age, and possessed of
regular strength, sufficient to secure what advantages might be gained,
and thus influence the final decision of the eventful campaign.
[Sidenote: CROWN PRINCE JOINS THE ALLIES.]
While the light troops of Russia and Prussia overran Germany, at least
the eastern and northern provinces, the King of Sweden, in virtue of the
convention into which he had entered at Abo, crossed over to Stralsund
in the month of May, 1813, with a contingent amounting to 35,000 men,
and anxiously awaited the junction which was to have placed under his
command such corps of Russians and Germans as should increase his main
body to 80,000 or 100,000. With such a force, the Crown Prince proposed
to undertake the offensive, and thus to compel Napoleon, when he should
take the field, to make head at once against his force upon his left
flank, and defend himself in front against the advancing armies of
Russia and Prussia. The proclamations of independence sent abroad by the
allies, made them friends wherever they came; and three flying corps,
under Czernicheff, Tettenborn, and Winzengerode, spread along both sides
of the Elbe. The French retreated every where, to concentrate themselves
under the walls of Madgeburg, and other fortified places, of which they
still held possession. Meantime, Hamburgh, Lubeck, and other towns,
declared for the allies, and received their troops with an alacrity,
which, in the case of Hamburgh, was severely punished by subsequent
events.
The French general, Morand, endeavoured to put a stop to the stream of
what was termed defection, and occupied Luneburg, which had declared for
the allies, with nearly 4000 men. His troops were already in the place,
and about to proceed, it was said, to establish military tribunals, and
punish the political crimes of the citizens, when the Russians,
commanded by the active Czernicheff, suddenly appeared, forced their way
sword in hand into the town, and on 2d April, 1813, killed or took
prisoners the whole of Morand's corps. The Viceroy, Eugene, attempted to
impose some bounds on the audacity now manifested by the allies, by
striking a bold blow upon his side. He marched suddenly from the
neighbourhood of Madgeburg, with a view of surprising Berlin; but was
himself surprised at Mockern, driven back, defeated, and obliged to shut
himself up in Madgeburg, where he was blockaded.
The predominance of the allies in the north of Germany seemed now so
effectually ascertained, that the warmest adherents of France appeared
disposed to desert her cause. Denmark began to treat with the allies,
and even on one occasion, as will be hereafter noticed, made a
demonstration to join them in arms.
The King of Saxony, who had been always Napoleon's most sincere friend,
dared not now abide the storm. He retreated to a place of security in
Franconia, while his army separated themselves from the French, and,
throwing themselves into Torgau, began to stipulate for a neutrality,
which would probably have terminated like that of D'Yorck, in their
actually joining the allies.
Davoust retreated to the northward, after blowing up the fine bridge at
Dresden, amid the tumultuary opposition and execration of the
inhabitants. Dresden itself soon after became the headquarters of the
Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia, who were received with joyful
acclamations by all classes of the citizens.
In like manner, three of the fortresses held by the French in
Prussia--Thorn, Spandau, and Czenstochau--surrendered to the allies, and
afforded hope that the French might be dislodged from the rest in the
course of the summer. But the farther results of the activity of the
allied generals were in a great measure prevented, or postponed, by the
arrival of the numerous forces which Napoleon had so speedily levied to
restore his late losses.
It would be severe to give the name of rashness to the conduct of the
allies, in this bold advance into the middle and north of Germany. A
great part of their power was of a moral character, and consisted in
acting upon the feelings of the Germans, who were enchanted with the
prospect of freedom and independence. Still there was much audacity in
the allied monarchs venturing across the Elbe, and subjecting themselves
to the encounter of Napoleon and his numerous levies, before their own
resources had been brought forward. It was now, however, no time to
dispute which plan ought to have been preferred; the sovereigns of
Russia and Prussia had no other alternative than to follow out boldly
that from which they could not now retreat.
Eugene, at the approach of the new French levies through the passes of
the Thuringian mountains, removed to Madgeburg, and formed a junction
with them on the Saale. The force in total might amount to 115,000
present in the field; the greater part, however, were new levies, and
many almost mere boys. The allied army was collected towards Leipsic,
and lay full in Napoleon's road to that city, and from thence to
Dresden, which was the point on which he advanced.
[Sidenote: LUTZEN.]
It has been thought that the plains of Lutzen would have been the most
advantageous field of battle for the allies, whose strength lay in their
fine body of cavalry; to which it has been replied, that they expected
to encounter Buonaparte on the other side of the Saale, and there to
have obtained open ground for their cavalry, and a field fitting for
their vengeance in the plains of Jena. But though the activity of the
allies had of late been sufficient to distress Napoleon's lieutenants,
it was not as yet adequate to match that of the Emperor himself.
An important change had lately taken place in their army, by the death
of the veteran Koutousoff, in whose place Witgenstein had succeeded to
the supreme command.
Skirmishes took place at Weissenfels and Poserna, upon 29th April and
1st May, on which last day an event occurred distressing to Buonaparte's
feelings. A contest took place in the defile of Rippach, near Poserna,
which was only remarkable for the death of an excellent officer. Marshal
Bessières, whose name the reader must remember as the leader of
Napoleon's household troops, from the time they bore the humble name of
Guides, until now that they were the Imperial Guard, and he their
Colonel-general, coming up to see how the action went, was killed by a
cannon-shot. His body was covered with a white sheet, and the loss
concealed as long as possible from the guards, who were much attached to
him. Upon a former occasion, when his horse was killed, Buonaparte told
him he was obliged to the bullet, for making it known to him how much he
was beloved, since the whole guard had wept for him. His time was,
however, now come. He was sincerely lamented by Napoleon, who was thus,
when the world was going harder against him than formerly, deprived of
an early and attached follower.[257]
But the war kept its pace. The French army continued to advance upon
Leipsic on the south; the allies approached from the north to defend the
place.
[Sidenote: BATTLE OF LUTZEN.]
The centre of the French army was stationed at a village called Kaya. It
was under the command of Ney. He was sustained by the Imperial Guard,
with its fine artillery, drawn up before the well-known town of Lutzen,
which, having seen the last conflict of Gustavus Adolphus, was now to
witness a more bloody tragedy. Marmont, who commanded the right,
extended as far as the defile of Poserna, and rested with his left upon
the centre. The left wing of the French reached from Kaya to the Elster.
As they did not expect to be brought to action in that place, or upon
that day, (May 2d,) Napoleon was pressing forward from his right,
Lauriston being at the head of the column, with the purpose of
possessing himself of Leipsic, behind which he expected to see the army
of the allies.
But these, encouraged by the presence of the Emperor Alexander and King
of Prussia, had formed the daring resolution of marching southward along
the left bank of the Elster during the night, transporting themselves to
the right bank in the morning, and assaulting with the choicest of their
troops, under Blucher, the centre of the French, led by Ney. The fury of
the attack was irresistible, and, in despite of a most obstinate
defence, the allies obtained possession of Kaya, the point on which the
centre of the French army rested. This was a crisis worthy of Napoleon's
genius, and he was not wanting to himself. Assailed on the flank when in
the act of advancing in column, he yet contrived, by a masterly
movement, to wheel up his two wings, so as in turn to outflank those of
the enemy. He hurried in person to bring up his guard to support the
centre, which was in fact nearly broken through. The combat was the more
desperate and deplorable, that, on the one side, fought the flower of
the Prussian youth, which had left their universities to support the
cause of national honour and freedom; and on the other, the young men of
Paris, many of them of the best rank, who bravely endeavoured to sustain
their country's long pre-eminent claim to victory. Both combated under
the eyes of their respective sovereigns, maintained the honour of their
country, and paid an ample tribute to the carnage of the day.
The battle lasted for several hours, before it could be judged whether
the allies would carry their point by breaking through the French
centre, or whether the French, before sustaining that calamity, would be
able to wheel their wings upon the flanks of the allies. At length the
last event began to be anticipated as the most probable. The distant
discharge of musketry was seen on right and left closing inwards on the
central tumult, and recognised for the fire of Macdonald and Bertrand,
who commanded the French wings. At the same time the Emperor made a
successful struggle to recover the village of Kaya, and the allies,
extricating themselves skilfully from the combat, led back their
exhausted forces from between the forceps, as we may term it, formed by
the closing wings of Napoleon, without further loss than the carnage
sustained in the field of battle. But that was immense. The allies lost
20,000 men in killed and wounded. Among these was Scharnhorst, one of
the best staff-officers in Europe, and who had organised with such
ability the Prussian landwehr and volunteers. The Prince Leopold of
Hesse Hombourg, and the Prince of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, nearly allied to
the royal family of England, were also killed. The veteran Blucher was
wounded, but, refusing to retire, had his wounds dressed upon the field
of battle. Seven or eight French generals were also slain or wounded,
and the loss of the French army was very severe.[258]
Two circumstances greatly assisted to decide the fate of the action.
General Bertrand, who was not come up when it began, arrived in time to
act upon the left of the allies, and to permit Marmont, whose place he
occupied, to unite himself in the hour of need, to the defence of the
centre. On the part of the allies, on the contrary, the division of
Miloradowitch, from some mistake or want of orders, never came into
action. Few prisoners, and no artillery, were taken. The allies moved
off in safety, protected by their fine cavalry, and the sole trophy of
the victors was the possession of the bloody field.
But Napoleon had need of renown to animate his drooping partisans; and
accordingly the battle was scarce ended ere the most exaggerated reports
of the Emperor's success were despatched to every friendly court, and
even so far as Constantinople. The very best of Napoleon's rhetorical
ornaments were exhausted on this occasion. The battle of Lutzen was
described as having, like a clap of thunder, pulverized all the schemes
of the allies; and the cloudy train of intrigues, formed by the Cabinet
of St. James's as having been destroyed, like the Gordian knot under the
sword of Alexander. The eloquence of Cardinal Maury, who said _Te Deum_
on the occasion at Paris,[259] was equally florid; until at length his
wonder was raised so high, as scarce to admit that the hero who
surmounted so many difficulties, performed so many duties, united so
much activity to so much foresight, such brilliancy of conception to
such accuracy of detail, was only, after all, a mortal like himself and
the congregation.
The battle of Lutzen had indeed results of importance, though inferior
by far to those on which such high colouring was bestowed by the court
chaplain and the bulletins. The allied monarchs fell back upon the
Mulda, and all hope of engaging Saxony in the general cause was
necessarily adjourned. The French troops were again admitted into Torgau
by the positive order of their Sovereign, notwithstanding the opposition
of the Saxon general Thielman. The King of Saxony returned from Prague,
his last place of refuge, and came to Dresden on the 12th. Napoleon made
a military fête to receive the good old monarch, and conducted him in a
kind of triumph through his beautiful capital. It could afford little
pleasure at present to the paternal heart of Frederick Augustus; for
while that part of Dresden which was on the left side of the Elbe was
held by the French, the other was scarcely evacuated by the allies; and
the bridge of boats, burnt to the water's edge, was still the subject of
contest betwixt the parties--the French seeking to repair, the allies to
destroy it.
Another consequence of the battle of Lutzen was, that the allies could
no longer maintain themselves on the Elbe. The main army, however, only
retired to Bautzen, a town near the sources of the Spree, about twelve
French leagues from Dresden, where they selected a strong position. An
army of observation, under Bulow, was destined to cover Berlin, should
the enemy make any attempt in that direction; and they were thus in a
situation equally convenient for receiving reinforcements, or retiring
upon Silesia, in case of being attacked ere such succours came up. They
also took measures for concentrating their army, by calling in their
advanced corps in all directions.
[Sidenote: HAMBURGH--DRESDEN.]
One of the most unpleasant consequences was their being obliged upon the
whole line to withdraw to the right side of the Elbe. Czernicheff and
Tettenborn, whose appearance had occasioned Hamburgh, and other towns in
that direction, to declare themselves for the good cause, and levy men
in behalf of the allies, were now under the necessity of abandoning them
to the vengeance of the French, who were certain to treat them as
revolted subjects. The fate of Hamburgh in particular, in itself a town
so interesting, and which had distinguished itself by the number and
spirit of the volunteers which were raised there in the cause of the
allies, was peculiarly tantalizing.
No sooner were the main body of the allies withdrawn on the 9th May,
than the place was fiercely attacked by Davoust at the head of 5000 or
6000 men, uttering denunciations of vengeance against the city for the
part it had taken. When this force, which they possessed no adequate
means of repelling, was in the act of approaching to storm the place,
the alarmed citizens of Hamburgh, to their own wonder, were supported by
Danish artillery and gun-boats, sent from Altona to protect the city.
This kindness had not been expected at the hand of the Danes, who had as
yet been understood to be the allies of France. But the reality was,
that as the Danish treaty with the allies was still in dependence, it
was thought that this voluntary espousal of the cause of their neighbour
might have a good effect upon the negotiation. Something perhaps might
arise from the personal zeal of Blucher, the commandant of Altona, who
was a relation of the celebrated Prussian general. The Danes, however,
after this show of friendship, evacuated Hamburgh on the evening of the
12th of May, to return shortly after in a very different character; for
it being, in the interval, ascertained that the allies were determined
to insist upon Denmark's ceding Norway to Sweden, and the news of the
battle of Lutzen seeming to show that Napoleon's star was becoming again
pre-eminent, the Danish Prince broke off his negotiation with the
allies, and returned to his league, offensive and defensive, with
France.
The hopes and fears of the citizens of Hamburgh were doomed to be yet
further tantalized. The Crown Prince of Sweden was at Stralsund with a
considerable army, and 3000 Swedes next appeared for the purpose of
protecting Hamburgh. But as this Swedish army, as already mentioned, was
intended to be augmented to the number of 90,000, by reinforcements of
Russians and Prussians, which had not yet appeared, and which the Crown
Prince was soliciting with the utmost anxiety, he could not divide his
forces without risking the grand objects for which this large force was
to be collected, and the additional chance of his Swedish army, of whose
blood he was justly and wisely frugal, being destroyed in detail. We may
add to this, that from a letter addressed by the Crown Prince to
Alexander, at this very period, it appears he was agitated with the
greatest doubt and anxiety concerning the arrival of these important
reinforcements, and justly apprehensive for the probable consequences of
their being delayed. At such a crisis, therefore, he was in no condition
to throw any part of his forces into Hamburgh as a permanent garrison.
The reasons urged for withdrawing the Swedish troops seem sufficient,
but the condition of the citizens of Hamburgh was not the less hard,
alternately deserted by Russians, Danes, and Swedes. On the 30th of May,
5000 Danes, now the allies of France, and 1500 French troops, took
possession of the town, in the name of Napoleon. They kept good
discipline, and only plundered after the fashion of regular exactions;
but this occupation was the prelude to a train of distresses, to which
Hamburgh was subjected during the whole continuance of the war.
Meanwhile, though this forlorn city was lost for the time, the war
continued in its neighbourhood.
The gallant Czernicheff, as if to avenge himself for the compulsory
retreat of his Cossacks from Hamburgh, contrived, near Halberstadt, to
cut off a body of French infantry forming a hollow square of musketry,
and having fourteen field-pieces. It was seen on this occasion, that
these sons of the desert were something very different from miserable
hordes, as they were termed in the language with which the French
writers, and Napoleon himself, indulged their spleen. At one shrill
whoop of their commander, they dispersed themselves much in the manner
of a fan when thrown open; at another signal, each horseman, acting for
himself, came on at full gallop. Thus they escaped in a considerable
degree the fire of the enemy which could not be pointed against any
mass, penetrated the square, took the cannon, made prisoners near 1000
men, and piked or sabred more than 700, not a Frenchman escaping from
the field of battle. This skirmish was so successfully managed on
Czernicheff's part, that a French force, much superior to his own, came
up in time to see the execution done, but not to render assistance to
their countrymen.
In the meanwhile, Dresden was the scene of political negotiations, and
its neighbourhood resounded with the din of war. Count Bubna, on the
part of the Austrian Emperor, made the strongest remonstrances to
Buonaparte on the subject of a general peace, while it seems probable
that Napoleon endeavoured to dazzle the Cabinet of Vienna with such
views of individual advantage, as to make her declare without scruple
for his side. The audiences of Count Bubna were prolonged till long past
midnight, and matters of the last importance seemed to be under
discussion.
The war was for a few days confined to skirmishes of doubtful and
alternate success, maintained on the right bank of the Danube. On the
12th May, Ney crossed the river near Torgau, and menaced the Prussian
territories, directing himself on Spremberg and Hoyerswerder, as if
threatening Berlin, which was only protected by Bulow and his army of
observation. The purpose was probably, by exciting an alarm for the
Prussian capital, to induce the allies to leave their strong position at
Bautzen. But they remained stationary there, so that Napoleon moved
forward to dislodge them in person. On the 18th May he quitted Dresden.
In his road towards Bautzen, he passed the ruins of the beautiful little
town of Bischoffswerder, and expressed particular sympathy upon finding
it had been burnt by the French soldiery, after a rencounter near the
spot with a body of Russians. He declared that he would rebuild the
place, and actually presented the inhabitants with 100,000 francs
towards repairing their losses. On other occasions, riding where the
recently wounded had not been yet removed, he expressed, as indeed was
his custom, for he could never view bodily pain without sympathy, a very
considerable degree of sensibility. "His wound is incurable, Sire," said
a surgeon, upon whom he was laying his orders to attend to one of these
miserable objects.--"Try, however," said Napoleon; and added in a
suppressed voice--"There will always be one fewer of them,"--meaning,
doubtless, of the victims of his wars.
Napoleon's is not the only instance in which men have trembled or wept
at looking upon the details of misery which have followed in consequence
of some abstract resolutions of their own.
[Sidenote: THE BATTLE OF BAUTZEN.]
Arriving at Bautzen on the 21st, the Emperor in person reconnoitred the
formidable position of the allies. They were formed to the rear of the
town of Bautzen, which was too much advanced to make a part of their
position, and had the Spree in their front. Their right wing rested on
fortified eminences, their left upon wooded hills. On their right,
towards Hoyerswerder, they were watched by Ney and Lauriston, who, of
course, were prepared to act in communication with Napoleon. But the
allies disconcerted this part of the Emperor's scheme with singular
address and boldness. They surprised, by a movement from their right, a
column of 7000 Italians, and so entirely routed them, that those who
escaped dispersed and fled into Bohemia; after which exploit, De Tolly
and D'Yorck, who had commanded the attacking division, again united
themselves with the main force of the allies, and resumed their place in
the line.
Ney moved to the support of the Italians, but too late either for rescue
or revenge. He united himself with the Emperor about three in the
afternoon, and the army accomplished the passage of the Spree at
different points, in front of the allied army. Napoleon fixed his
headquarters in the deserted town of Bautzen; and his army, advancing
towards the enemy slowly and with caution, bivouacked, with their line
extending north and south, and their front to the allies. The latter
concentrated themselves with the same caution, abandoning whatever
points they thought too distant to be effectually maintained; their
position covering the principal road towards Zittau, and that to
Goerlitz; their right wing (Prussians) resting upon the fortified
heights of Klein, and Klein-Bautzen, which were the keys of the
position, while the left wing (composed of Russians) was supported by
wooded hills. The centre was rendered unapproachable by commanding
batteries.
As it was vain to think of storming such a position in front, Napoleon
had recourse to the manœuvre of modern war, which no general better
understood--that of turning it, and thereby rendering it unserviceable.
Ney was, therefore, directed to make a considerable circuit round the
Russian extreme right, while their left was attacked more closely by
Oudinot, who was to engage their attention by attempting to occupy the
valleys, and debouching from the hills on which they rested. For this
last attempt the Russians were prepared. Miloradowitch and the Prince of
Wirtemberg made good the defence on this point with extreme gallantry,
and the fortune of the day, notwithstanding the great exertions of
Buonaparte, seemed to be with the allies. The next attempt was made on
the fortified heights on the right of the allies, defended by the
Prussians. Here also Napoleon encountered great difficulties, and
sustained much loss. It was not till he brought up all his reserves, and
combined them for one of those desperate exertions, which had so often
turned the fate of battle, that he was able to succeed in his purpose.
The attack was conducted by Soult, and it was maintained at the point of
the bayonet. At the price of nearly four hours' struggle, in the course
of which the heights were often gained, lost, and again retaken, the
French remained masters of them.
At the very time when their right point of support was carried by the
French, the corps of Ney, with that of Lauriston and that of Regnier,
amounting to 60,000 men, had established themselves in the enemy's rear.
It was then that Blucher was compelled to evacuate those heights which
he had defended so long and so valiantly.
But although the allies were thus turned upon both flanks, and their
wings in consequence forced in upon their centre, their retreat was as
orderly as it had been after the battle of Lutzen. Not a gun was taken,
scarce a prisoner made; the allies retired as if on the parade, placed
their guns in position wherever the ground permitted, and repeatedly
compelled the pursuers to deploy, for the purpose of turning them, in
which operation the French suffered greatly.[260]
The night closed, and the only decided advantage which Napoleon had
derived from this day of carnage, was the cutting off the allies from
their retreat by the great roads on Silesia, and its capital, Breslau,
and driving them on the more impracticable roads near to the Bohemian
frontier. But they accomplished this unfavourable change of position
without being thrown into disorder, or prevented from achieving the same
skilful defence by which their retreat had hitherto been protected.
The whole day of the 22d of May was spent in attacks upon the rear of
the allies, which were always repelled by their coolness and military
conduct. The Emperor Napoleon placed himself in the very front of the
pursuing column, and exposed his person to the heavy and well-aimed fire
by which Miloradowitch covered his retreat. He urged his generals to the
pursuit, making use of such expressions as betokened his impetuosity.
"You creep, scoundrel," was one which he applied to a general officer
upon such an occasion. He lost patience, in fact, when he came to
compare the cost of the battle with its consequences, and said, in a
tone of bad humour, "What, no results after so much carnage--not a
gun--not a prisoner?--these people will not leave me so much as a nail."
At the heights of Reichembach, the Russian rear-guard made a halt, and
while the cuirassiers of the guards disputed the pass with the Russian
lancers, the French general Bruyères was struck down by a bullet. He was
a veteran of the army of Italy, and favoured by Buonaparte, as having
been a companion of his early honours. But Fortune had reserved for that
day a still more severe trial of Napoleon's feelings. As he surveyed the
last point on which the Russians continued to make a stand, a ball
killed a trooper of his escort close by his side. "Duroc," he said to
his ancient and faithful follower and confidant, now the grand-master of
his palace, "Fortune has a spite at us to-day." It was not yet
exhausted.
Some time afterwards, as the Emperor with his suite rode along a hollow
way, three cannon were fired. One ball shivered a tree close to
Napoleon, and rebounding, killed General Kirchenner and mortally wounded
Duroc, whom the Emperor had just spoken to. A halt was ordered, and for
the rest of the day Napoleon remained in front of his tent, surrounded
by his guard, who pitied their Emperor, as if he had lost one of his
children. He visited the dying man, whose entrails were torn by the
shot, and expressed his affection and regret. On no other but that
single occasion was he ever observed so much exhausted, or absorbed by
grief, as to decline listening to military details, or giving military
orders. "Every thing to-morrow," was his answer to those who ventured
to ask his commands. He made more than one decree in favour of Duroc's
family, and impledged the sum of 200 Napoleons in the hands of the
pastor in whose house Duroc had expired, to raise a monument to his
memory, for which he dictated a modest and affecting epitaph.[261] In
Bessières and Duroc, Napoleon lost two of his best officers and most
attached friends, whose sentiments had more influence on him than others
in whom he reposed less confidence. The double deprivation was omen of
the worst kind for his fortunes.
In resuming the sum of the loss arising from the battle, we must observe
that the French suffered most, because the strong position of the allies
covered them from the fire. Nevertheless, the allies lost in slain and
wounded about 10,000 men. It would take perhaps 5000 more to approximate
the amount of the French loss.
[Sidenote: ARMISTICE.]
On the day preceding that sanguinary battle, an armistice had been
proposed by Count Nesselrode, in a letter to Caulaincourt, Duke of
Vicenza, in compliance, it was stated, with the wishes of the Court of
Vienna; it was seconded by a letter from Count Stadion to Talleyrand,
whom, as well as Fouché, Napoleon had summoned to his presence, because,
perhaps, he doubted the effect of their intrigues during his absence,
and in his difficulties. This armistice was to be preliminary to a
negotiation, in which Austria proposed to assume the character of
mediator.
In the meanwhile Napoleon marched forward, occupied Breslau (from which
the princesses of the Prussian royal family removed into Bohemia,) and
relieved the blockade of Glogau, where the garrison had begun to suffer
by famine. Some bloody skirmishes were fought without any general
result, and where Victory seemed to distribute her favours equally. But
the main body of the allies showed no inclination to a third general
engagement, and retreating upon Upper Silesia, not even the
demonstration of advance upon Berlin itself could bring them to action.
The armistice was at length agreed upon, and signed on the 4th of June.
Buonaparte showed either a sincere wish for peace, or a desire to be
considered as entertaining such, by renouncing the possession of Breslau
and Lower Silesia to the allies, which enabled them to regain their
communications with Berlin. The interests of the world, which had been
so long committed to the decision of the sword, seemed now about to be
rested upon the arguments of a convention of politicians.
FOOTNOTES:
[256] See Jomini, tom. iv., p. 271.
[257] Napoleon caused the remains of Bessières to be conveyed to the
Invalides at Paris, and intended extraordinary honours for them, of
which subsequent events deprived them. "The death of this old and
faithful servant produced," says Savary, "a void in the Emperor's heart:
fate deprived him of his friends, as if to prepare him for the severe
reverses which she had yet in store."
[258] Jomini, tom. iv., p. 274; Military Reports to the Empress; Savary,
tom. iii., p. 66; Baron Fain, tom. i., p. 267; Lord Cathcart's Despatch,
London Gazette, May 25.
[259] "The Empress expressed great joy at the event, because, she said,
it would secure her countrymen, whom she suspected of wavering. She
ordered _Te Deum_ to be sung at Notre Dame, whither she herself repaired
in state. She was attended by the whole court, and the troops of the
guard, and the public, received her with expressions of the most ardent
enthusiasm."--SAVARY, tom. iii., p. 67.
[260] Jomini, tom. iv., p. 304; Manuscript de 1813, tom. i., p. 415;
Military Reports to the Empress.
[261] Military Reports to the Empress; Savary, tom. iii., p. 72; Baron
Fain, tom. i., p. 441.