He now motioned with his hand, and I retired with a low bow. During the
whole conversation the emperor was in very good humour, laughed
frequently, and took a great deal of snuff. After the interview, on
coming out of the room, I appeared a totally different and highly
important person to all those who a quarter of an hour before had not
deigned to take the slightest notice of me. Both officers and domestics
now shewed me the greatest respect. The emperor lodged in the first
floor; his favourite Mameluke, an uncommonly handsome man, was
constantly about his person. The second floor was occupied by the
prince of Neufchatel, who had a very sickly appearance, and the duke of
Bassano, the emperor's secretary. On the ground floor a front room was
converted into a _sallon au service_. Here were marshals Oudinot,
Mortier, Ney, Reynier, with a great number of generals, aid-de-camps,
and other officers in waiting, who lay at night upon straw, crowded as
close as herrings in a barrel. In the left wing lodged the duke of
Vicenza, master of the horse; and above him the physician to the
emperor, whose name, I think, was M. Yvan. The right wing was occupied
by the _officiers du palais_. The smallest room was turned into the
bed-chamber of a general; and every corner was so filled, that the
servants and other attendants were obliged to sleep on the kitchen
floor. Upon my remonstrance to the valet of the _marechal du palais_ I
was allowed to keep a small apartment for my own use, and thought to
guard myself against unwelcome intruders by inscribing with chalk my
high rank--_maitre de la maison_--in large letters upon the door. At
first the new-comers passed respectfully before my little cell, and
durst scarcely venture to peep in at the door; but it was not long
before French curiosity overleaped this written barrier. For sometime
this place served my people and several neighbours in the village as a
protecting asylum at night.
The keys of the hay-loft and barns I was commanded to deliver to the
emperor's _piqueur_.--I earnestly entreated him to be as sparing of our
stores as possible, supporting this request with a bottle of
wine,--which, under the present circumstance, was no contemptible
present. He knew how to appreciate it, and immediately gave me a proof
of his gratitude. He took me aside, and whispered in my ear, "As long
as the emperor is here you are safe; but the moment he is gone--and
nobody can tell how soon that may be--you will be completely stripped by
the guards; the officers themselves will then shew no mercy. You had
best endeavour to obtain a safeguard, for which you must apply to the
duke of Vicenza."
This advice was not thrown away upon me: I immediately begged to speak
with the _grand ecuyer_. I explained my business as delicately as
possible, and be with great good humour promised to comply with my
request. Determined to strike while the iron was hot, I soon, afterwards
repeated my application in writing.
After the emperor's arrival there was no such thing as a moment's rest
for me. Gladly would I have exchanged my high function, which placed me
upon an equal footing with the first officers of the French court, for a
night's tranquil slumber. _M. maitre de la maison_ was every moment
called for. As for shaving, changing linen, brushing clothes--that was
quite out of the question. His guests had remarked his good will, and
they imagined that his ability was capable of keeping pace with it.
Luckily it never came into my head, whilst invested with my high
dignity, to look into a glass, otherwise I should certainly not have
known myself again, and Diogenes would have appeared a beau in
comparison. As to danger of life, or personal ill-treatment, I was under
no apprehension; for who would have presumed to lay hands on so
important a personage, who was every moment wanted, and whose place it
would have been absolutely impossible to supply?--I was much less
concerned about all this than about the means of saving the property of
my employer, as far as lay in my power. The danger of having every thing
destroyed was very great.
The French guards had kindled a large fire at a small distance from the
house. The wind, being high, drove not only sparks but great flakes of
fire towards it. The whole court-yard was covered with straw, which was
liable every moment to set us all in flames. I represented this
circumstance to an officer of high rank, and observed that the emperor
himself would be exposed to very great risk; on which he ordered a
grenadier belonging to the guards to go and direct it to be put out
immediately. This man, an excessively grim fellow, refused without
ceremony to carry the order. "They are my comrades," said he: "it is
cold--they must have a fire, and dare not go too far off--I cannot
desire them to put it out."--What was to be done? I bethought myself of
the duke of Vicenza, and applied directly to him. My representations
produced the desired effect. He gave orders, and in a quarter of an hour
the fire was out. I was equally fortunate in saving a building situated
near the house. It had been but lately constructed and fitted up. The
young guard were on the point of pulling it down, with the intention of
carrying the wood to their bivouacs. Their design was instantly
prevented, and one single piece of timber only was destroyed. A guard
was sent to the place, to defend it from all farther attacks. It had
been burned down only last summer, through the carelessness of some
French dragoons.
Late at night the king of Naples came with his retinue from Stoetteritz.
He was attended by a black Othello, who seems to serve him in the same
capacity as Rustan does his brother-in-law Napoleon.
By day-break the emperor started with all his retinue, and took the road
to Wolkwitz. The king of Naples had already set out for the same place.
All was quiet during the day, and towards night the emperor returned.
Several French officers had asserted, the preceding night, that a
general engagement would certainly take place on the 15th. How
imperfectly they were acquainted with the state of things, I could
perceive from many of their expressions. In their opinion the armies of
the allies were already as good as annihilated. By the emperor's
masterly manoeuvres, the Russians and Swedes--the latter, by the bye, had
not yet come up--were according to them completely cut off from the
Austrians. A _courier de l'empereur_ was honest enough to tell me
plumply that they had done nothing all day but look at one another, but
that there would be so much the warmer work on the morrow.
Very early indeed on the morning of the 16th, I remarked preparations
for the final departure of the emperor. The _maitre d'hotel_ desired a
bill of the provisions furnished him. I had already made out one, but
that would not do. It was necessary that the articles should be arranged
under particular heads, and a distinct account of each given in. I ran
short of time, patience, and paper. All excuses were unavailing, and
there was no time to be lost. I readily perceived that all the elegance
required in a merchant's counting-house would not be expected here, and
accordingly dispensed with many little formalities. I wrote upon the
first paper that came to hand, and my bills were the most miserable
scraps that ever were seen. The amount was immediately paid. Finding
that the _maitre d'hotel_ had not the least notion that it would be but
reasonable to make some remuneration to the servants, who had been so
assiduous in their attendance, I was uncivil enough to remind him of it.
He then desired me to give him a receipt for 200 francs, which I
immediately divided among the domestics; though he remarked that I ought
to give each but three or four, at most. I also made out a distinct
account for the forage, but this was not paid.
At length arrived the long wished-for _sauvegarde_. It consisted of
three _gens d'armes d'elite_, who had a written order from the baron de
Lennep, _ecuyer_ to the emperor, by virtue of which they were to defend
my house and property from all depredations. I immediately took a copy
of this important protection, and nailed it upon the door. The house was
gradually evacuated; I was soon left alone with my guards, and sincerely
rejoiced that Heaven had sent me such honest fellows. It was impossible,
indeed, to be quite easy; the thunders of the cannon rolled more and
more awfully, and I had frequent visits from soldiers. My brave _gens
d'armes_, however, drove them all away, and I never applied in vain when
I besought them to assist a neighbour in distress. I shewed my gratitude
as far as lay in my power, and at least took care that they wanted for
nothing.
One of these three men went into the city, and returned in haste,
bringing the news of a great victory. "_Vive l'empereur!_" cried he;
"_la bataille est gagnee._" When I inquired the particulars, he related,
in the most confident manner, that an Austrian prince had been taken,
with 30,000 men, and that they were already singing _Te Deum_ in the
city. This story seemed extremely improbable to me, as the cannonade was
at that moment rather approaching than receding from us. I expressed my
doubts of the fact, and told him that the battle could not possibly be
yet decided. The man, however, would not give up the point, but insisted
that the intelligence was official. When I asked him if he had seen the
captive prince and the 30,000 Austrians, as they must certainly have
been brought into the city, he frankly replied that he had not. Several
persons from the town had seen no more of them than he, so that I could
give a shrewd guess what degree of credit was due to the story.
In the afternoon of the 17th marshal Ney suddenly appeared at the door
with a numerous retinue, and without ceremony took up his quarters in
the house. I saw nothing of the emperor all that day, nor did any
circumstance worthy of notice occur. On the 18th, at three in the
morning, Napoleon came quite unexpectedly in a carriage. He went
immediately to marshal Ney, with whom he remained in conversation about
an hour. He then hastened away again, and was soon followed by the
marshal, whose servants staid behind. His post must have been a very
warm one; for before noon he sent for two fresh horses, and a third was
fetched in the afternoon. The cannonade grow more violent, and gradually
approached nearer. I became more and more convinced that the pompous
story of the victory the day before was a mere gasconade. So early as
twelve o'clock things seemed to be taking a very disastrous turn for the
French. About this time they began to fall back very fast upon the city.
Shouts of _Vice l'empereur!_ suddenly resounded from thousands of
voices, and at this cry I saw the weary soldiers turn about and advance.
Appearances nevertheless became still more alarming. The balls from the
cannon of the allies already fell very near us. One of them indeed was
rude enough to kill a cow scarcely five paces from me, and to wound a
Pole.
The French all this time could talk of nothing but victories, with which
Fortune had, most unfortunately, rendered them but too familiar. One
messenger of victory followed upon the heels of another. "General
Thielemann," cried an aid-de-camp, "has just been taken, with 6000 men;
and the emperor ordered him to be instantly shot on the field of
battle."--The most violent abuse was poured forth upon the Saxons, and I
now learned that great part of them had gone over to the allies in the
midst of the engagement. Heartily as I rejoiced at the circumstance, I
nevertheless joined the French officers in their execrations. The
concourse kept increasing; the wounded arrived in troops. Towards
evening every thing attested that the French were very closely pressed.
A servant came at full gallop to inform us that marshal Ney might
shortly be expected, and that he was wounded. The whole house was
instantly in an uproar. _Mon Dieu, mon Dieu!_--cried one to another--_le
prince est blesse--quel malheur!_ Soon after the marshal himself
arrived; he was on foot, and supported by an aid-de-camp. Vinegar was
hastily called for. The marshal had been wounded in the arm by a
cannon-ball, and the pain was so acute that he could not bear the motion
of riding.
The houses in the village were every where plundered, and the
inhabitants kept coming in to solicit assistance. I represented their
distress to an aid-de-camp, who only shrugged his shoulders, and gave
the miserable consolation that it was now impossible for him to put a
stop to the evil.
At length, early on the 19th, we appeared likely to get rid in good
earnest of the monster by which we had been so dreadfully tormented.
All the French hurried in disorder to the city, and our _sauvegarde_
also made preparations to depart. Already did I again behold in
imagination the pikes of the Cossacks. All the subsequent events
followed in rapid succession. My _gens d'armes_ were scarcely gone when
a very brisk fire of sharp-shooters commenced in our neighbourhood. In a
few moments Pomeranian infantry poured from behind through the garden
into the house. They immediately proceeded, without stopping, to the
city. It was only for a few minutes that I could observe with a glass
the confused retreat of the French. Joy at the long wished-for arrival
of our countrymen and deliverers soon called me away. The galling yoke
was now shaken off, probably for ever. I bade a hearty welcome to the
brave soldiers; and, as I saw several wounded brought in, I hastened to
afford them all the assistance in my power. I may ascribe to my
unwearied assiduity the preservation of the life of lieutenant M**, a
Swedish officer, who was dangerously wounded; and by means of it I had
likewise the satisfaction to save the arm of the Prussian captain Von
B***, which, but for that, would certainly have required amputation. On
the other hand, all my exertions in behalf of the Swedish major Von
Doebeln proved unavailing; I had the mortification to see him expire.
I was incessantly engaged with my wounded patients, while more numerous
bodies of troops continued to hasten towards the town. We now thought
ourselves fortunate in being already in the rear of the victorious army;
but the universal cry was, 'What will become of poor Leipzig?' which was
at this moment most furiously assaulted. Various officers of
distinction kept dropping in. The Swedish adjutant-general Gueldenskioeld
arrived with the captive general Reynier, who alighted and took up his
abode in the apartment in which the emperor had lodged. He was followed
by the Prussian colonel Von Zastrow, a most amiable man, and soon after
the Prussian general Von Buelow arrived with his suite.
Our stock of provisions was almost entirely consumed, and you may
conceive my vexation at being unable, with the best will in the world,
to treat our ardently wished-for guests in a suitable manner. I had long
been obliged to endure hunger myself, and to take it as an especial
favour if the French cooks and valets had the generosity to allow me a
small portion, of the victuals with which they were supplied.
At the very moment when marshal Ney arrived, a fire had broken out in
the neighbourhood, through the carelessness of the French. I hastened to
the spot, to render assistance, if possible. It was particularly
fortunate, considering the violence of the wind, and the want of means
to extinguish the flames, that only two houses were destroyed. The
fire-engines and utensils provided for such purposes had been carried
off for fuel to the bivouacs. Such of the inhabitants of the village as
had not run away, just now kept close in their houses, not daring to
venture abroad. A number of unfeeling Frenchmen stood about gazing at
the fire, without moving a finger towards extinguishing it. I called out
to them to lend a hand to check the progress of the conflagration. A
scornful burst of laughter was the only reply: the scoundrels would not
stir, and absolutely could not contain their joy whenever the flames
burned more furiously than usual. At the same time I witnessed
proceedings, of which the wildest savage would not have been guilty. I
saw these same wretches, who, a few days afterwards, voraciously
devoured before my face the flesh of dead horses, and even human
carcasses, wantonly trample bread, already so great a rarity, like brute
beasts in the dirt.
For six or eight nights I had not been able to get a moment's sleep or
rest, so that at last I reeled about like one drunk or stupid. The only
wonder is that my health was not impaired by these super-human
exertions. My dress and general appearance were frightful. When the
wounded Swedish officer was brought in, he of course wanted a change of
linen. Not a shirt was to be procured any where, and I cheerfully gave
him that which I had on my back; so that I was obliged to go without one
myself for near three days. Several times during the stay of the French
I had assisted in extinguishing fires: even the presence of marshal Ney
was not sufficient to make the French in our houses at all careful in
the use of fire. Those thoughtless fellows took the first combustible
that fell into their hands, and lighted themselves about with it in
every corner. They ran with burning wisps of straw among large piles of
trusses, and this was often done in the house where the marshal lay,
without its being possible to prevent the practice. A French
aid-de-camp, in my presence, took fifty segars out of my bureau, just at
the moment when I was too busy to hinder him. Whether he likewise helped
himself to some fine cravats which lay near them, and which I afterwards
missed, I will not pretend to say.
I have suffered a little, you see; but yet I have fortunately escaped
the thousands of dangers in which I was incessantly involved. Never
while I live shall I forget those days. That same divine Providence
which was so manifestly displayed in that arduous conflict, and which
crowned the efforts of the powers allied in a sacred cause with so
glorious and so signal a victory, evidently extended its care to me.
After the battle of Jena, in 1806, Napoleon declared in our city that
Leipzig was the most dangerous of his enemies. Little did he imagine
that it would once prove so in a very different sense from that which he
attached to those words. Here the arm of the Most High arrested his
victorious career, of which no mortal eye could have foreseen the
termination. I would not exchange the glory--which I may justly
assume--the glory of having saved the property of my worthy employer, as
far as lay in my power, during those tremendous days of havoc and
devastation, for the laurel wreath with which French adulation attempts
most unseasonably to entwine the brow of the imperial commander, on
account of the battle of Leipzig.