THE REIGN OF GEORGE III. (_continued_).
Rancour of the Americans towards England--Their Admiration of
Napoleon--The Right of Search and consequent Disputes--Madison's
warlike Declaration--Opposition in Congress--Condition of
Canada--Capture of Michilimachimac--An Armistice--Repulse of the
Invasion of Canada--Naval Engagements--Napoleon and the Czar
determine on War--Attempts to dissuade Napoleon--Unpreparedness
of Russia--Bernadotte's Advice to Alexander--Rashness of
Napoleon--Policy of Prussia, Austria and Turkey--Overtures to
England and Russia--Napoleon goes to the Front--His extravagant
Language--The War begins--Disillusion of the Poles--Difficulties
of the Advance--Bagration and Barclay de Tolly--Napoleon pushes
on--Capture of Smolensk--Battle of Borodino--The Russians evacuate
Moscow--Buonaparte occupies the City--Conflagrations burst
out--Desperate Position of Affairs--Murat and Kutusoff--Defeat
of Murat--The Retreat begins--Its Horrors--Caution of
Kutusoff--Passage of the Beresina--Napoleon leaves the Army--His
Arrival in Paris--Results of the Campaign--England's Support
of Russia--Close of 1812--Wellington's improved Prospects--He
advances against Joseph Buonaparte--Battle of Vittoria--Retreat
of the French--Soult is sent against Wellington--The Battles
of the Pyrenees--The Storming of San Sebastian--Wellington
forbids Plundering--He goes into Winter-quarters--Campaign
in the south-east of Spain--Napoleon's Efforts to renew the
Campaign--Desertion of Murat and Bernadotte--Alliance between
Prussia and Russia--Austrian Mediation fails--Early Successes
of the Allies--Battle of Lützen--Napoleon's false Account
of the Battle--Occupation of Hamburg by Davoust--Battle of
Bautzen--Armistice of Pleisswitz--Failure of the Negotiations--The
Fortification of Dresden--Successive Defeats of the French by the
Allies--The Aid of England--Battle of Leipsic--Retreat of the
French across the Rhine--The French Yoke is thrown off--Castlereagh
summons England to fresh Exertions--Liberation of the Pope--Failure
of Buonaparte's Attempt to restore Ferdinand--Wellington's
Remonstrance with the British Ministry--Battles of Orthez and
Toulouse--Termination of the Campaign--Exhaustion of France--The
Allies on the Frontier--Napoleon's final Efforts--The Congress
of Châtillon--The Allies advance on Paris--Surrender of the
Capital--A Provisional Government appointed--Napoleon abdicates
in favour of his Son--His unconditional Abdication--Return of the
Bourbons--Insecurity of their Power--Treaty of Paris--Bad Terms to
England--Visit of the Monarchs to London 32